Charlotte Hornets guard Kemba Walker (15) grabs a rebound against the Utah Jazz during the second half in an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2016, in Salt Lake City. The Jazz won 102-73. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
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Trying to write an article is very difficult at this time of the year but it's actually one of the best times to capitalize on injury situations. There are so many teams sitting players at this point, that there are numerous minimum priced players seeing huge workloads. That's all DFS owners can ask for, as that allows us to get more studs into our lineup. The craziness does make it a bit unpredictable though, so be sure to listen to our podcast and join our Member's Only Chat prior to lock to get all the last-minute information!
Opponent - NO
Proj Pts FD - 46.82 DK - 48.11
The status of Walker is a bit concerning with Charlotte now out of playoff contention but this is a tough spot to pass up on him. What's really intriguing here is his matchup, as he faces a Pelicans team who ranks 28th in total defense while allowing the third-most fantasy points to opposing point guards. That's tough to fade when we're talking about a guy who averages 21 shots and 36 minutes per game while leading the team with a 30 percent usage rate. Aside from a 47-point blowout at the hands of the Golden State Warriors on Sunday, Walker has been rolling over the last two weeks. In fact, Walker is averaging 53.1 DK points per game in the other six games of that seven games span. Charlotte's commitment to Walker is also one of the only sure things this time of year, and that level of safety is worth a lot.
Opponent - MIN
Proj Pts FD - 28.03 DK - 28.5
With Luka Doncic likely missing this game, Burke becomes one of the best values on the board. In the last two games, Burke is averaging 35 DK points per game across 30 minutes of action. Minutes are all that really matters for a guy like Burke, as he's a fantasy point-per minute producer. That means if he matches his 30 minutes from the last two games, we'll be looking at a 6X floor in this price range. Minnesota is a fantastic matchup too, with the T'Wolves ranking 24th in both points allowed and defensive efficiency.
Also Consider:
If Darren Collison sits out again, Cory Joseph would become one of the best values on the board.
Opponent - CHI
Proj Pts FD - 58.67 DK - 59.84
Beal is in the same boat as Walker, as he's simply running the show for the Wizards. In fact, he's playing close to 40 minutes per game since Wall went down while leading the team with a 30 percent usage rate. His fantasy numbers are even better, with Beal averaging 48 DK points per game across his last 47 fixtures. That's all you can ask for from a player south of $10,000 and he should absolutely abuse a Bulls team who ranks dead-last in defensive efficiency. In three games against Chicago this season, Beal is averaging 52 fantasy points per game.
Opponent - WAS
Proj Pts FD - 19.21 DK - 21.1
What a name, right? It's weird that we're going to trust a guy who didn't play up until this week but that's simply the nature of the NBA over the final week. Not only has he played 31 minutes in his first two games with the Bulls, Lemon is averaging 36 FanDuel points per game in that span. That's 10X value at this price tag and that's simply impossible to fade with Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn, Otto Porter and Lauri Markkanen all expected to miss this game. The matchup is brilliant too, with Washington ranking bottom-four in both points allowed and defensive efficiency.
Also Consider:
Justin Anderson has been seeing huge minutes with John Collins, Tauren Prince and Dewayne Dedmon sidelined and remains a good value on FanDuel at $3,600. Wayne Ellington has also been firing up three's at will and pops up highly in our projection system. Kent Bazemore was also chalk on FanDuel last night, and was one of the best points per dollar plays on the slate.
Opponent - DET
Proj Pts FD - 26.23 DK - 26.58
Evans was a huge bust for me in my season-long formats but he could be a huge value here if Collison ends up sitting out. His recent form is what's encouraging, with Evans scoring at least 15 DK points in eight of his last nine games. He actually got a rare start in the most recent game, as Evans collected 26 DK points in 27 minutes of action. With Collison and Victor Oladipo sidelined, Evans actually leads this team with a 29 percent usage rate while averaging 1.04 DK points per minute. That sort of production is hard to fade at this price, especially against a defense who owns a 22nd OPRK against shooting guards according to DraftKings.
Opponent - MIN
Proj Pts FD - 25.44 DK - 26.37
Jackson has actually started six-straight games for the Mavericks and he should be closer to $5,000 with his recent form. In fact, Jackson has at least 27 DK points in four of his last seven games while dropping 38 fantasy points in his most recent game. That increase in production should be no surprise when you consider the fact that Doncic and Tim Hardaway Jr. are expected to miss this game. The Timberwolves are a brilliant matchup too, as they allow the most fantasy points in the league to opposing small forwards.
Also Consider:
Gary Harris has been struggling all season long but he's simply too good to be priced in the $4,500-range.
Opponent - ATL
Proj Pts FD - 29.58 DK - 28.53
Bolden is yet another value play we want to exploit and he could see a huge workload if Jimmy Butler or Joel Embiid misses this game. Not only has Bolden started the last two games, he's also played at least 30 minutes in both outings. His fantasy numbers are impressive too, averaging 29 DK points per game in that span. That alone is worth a shot in the $5,500-range, as he should have success in this matchup. Atlanta currently plays at the fastest pace in the league while ranking dead-last in total defense. If Embiid sits, Bolden is a must-play.
Opponent - NO
Proj Pts FD - 25.27 DK - 26.33
With Marvin Williams expected to miss this game, Kaminsky should play heavy minutes with Charlotte out of playoff contention. While a dud against Utah in his most recent game is a discouraging sign, his prior form is hard to overlook. In fact, Kaminsky scored at least 17 DK points in 14 of his previous 15 games while averaging 21 fantasy points per game in that span. Averaging 21 fantasy points in 21 minutes of action shows that minutes are all that matters with Kaminsky and he could be looking at 30 minutes here with Cody Zeller and Williams missing this game. The matchup against New Orleans is tough to fade too, as they allow the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing PF's this season.
Also Consider:
Kelly Olynyk's inconsistency can drive DFS owners crazy but the fact that he's playing 35 minutes per game across his last two outings may make him worth a shot here.
Opponent - CHI
Proj Pts FD - 41.31 DK - 41.68
Bryant has seen a huge increase in price recently and rightfully so. With Washington now out of the running for the playoffs, they've decided to give Bryant all the minutes he can handle. Since capturing starting center duties six games ago, Bryant is averaging 35 DK points per game across 34 minutes of action. He's actually scored at least 33 DK points in all but one of those games, as one dud in a blowout makes his averages look even worse than what they should be. The matchup may be the best part of this play though, with Chicago allowing the most fantasy points in the league to opposing centers this season.
Opponent - IND
Proj Pts FD - 29.87 DK - 29.33
This is one of the riskiest recommendations we have but Maker has some huge upside. In a start on Monday, Maker played a season-high 42 minutes and dropped a season-best 34 DK points. That's obviously an eye-popping number from someone in this price range and he's easily one of the best values on the board if Blake Griffin sits out again. With that said, Maker is a tough sell if Griffin suits up, as he likely wouldn't play more than 20-25 minutes in that circumstance.
Also Consider:
Alex Len should continue to start in the absence of Dewayne Dedmon and that alone makes him a great value with his monster upside.
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