Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) is shown against the Orlando Magic in the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
This is one of the weirdest slates of the season. It's easy to understand why, though, with the NFL having their most important game of the year. That leaves us with two day games in the NBA, beginning at 2ET. Both games will be over before you miss any NFL, though, so let's grind out some more NBA profits!
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Opponent - BOS
Proj Pts FD - 45.69 DK - 48.61
On a two-game slate like this, it's imperative to get guys like Young into your lineup. This dude is one of the most consistent players in the NBA, scoring at least 35 DraftKings points in 48 of 50 games this season. That's an unbelievable floor, with Trae averaging nearly 50 fantasy points per game. That makes him a good value below $10K and a must-use on such a tiny slate. Not to mention, he's got at least 38 fantasy points in seven of his last eight meetings with the Celtics, averaging 49 fantasy points per game against them.
Opponent - IND
Proj Pts FD - 23.79 DK - 23.43
Pat-Bev has sat in this price range all season long, and it makes no sense why. He's earned a $6,000 price tag on both sites, scoring at least 23 DraftKings points in 20 straight outings. That's a fantastic floor from such an affordable player, with Beverley averaging 29 DK points per game in that span. That makes him one of the best values out there, especially since he's gotten his minutes total north of 30 yet again. The matchup with Indiana is incredible, too, with the Pacers ranked 25th in defensive efficiency ratings.
Opponent - IND
Proj Pts FD - 33.11 DK - 34.76
D-Lo has been passed around the league in his first few seasons in the NBA, but it's hard to understand why. This is a former top-pick and All-Star that finds himself amid a career season. He was terrible in the game when he got injured and his first game back, but he has been amazing outside of that. In fact, Russell is averaging 37 DraftKings points per game across the other 40 outings. That's quite the total from a $7,100 player, particularly against one of the worst defenses in the NBA. In their last matchup, Russ registered 52 DK points in one of the best performances of his career.
Opponent - MIN
Proj Pts FD - 23.93 DK - 25.78
Buddy never seemed comfortable in a Kings jersey, but he certainly looked comfortable in a Pacers uniform. Some people believe that he's happy back in Indiana because that's where he had the best success back in college. We saw that player in his debut, tallying 16 points, eight rebounds, and nine assists. That's the closest we've ever seen him get to a triple-double, and it's clear he's going to be one of the focal points of this shorthanded offense. Try to name another wing who will take away minutes from Hield... There's simply no one on this roster, and it guarantees him 35-40 minutes and 15-20 shots a night.
Opponent - ATL
Proj Pts FD - 44.68 DK - 46.04
Much like Young, Tatum is tough to fade on a two-game slate. This guy has been one of the best players in the NBA for two months now, scoring at least 34 DK points in 31 of his last 32 games. He's also averaging 45 fantasy points per game in that span, regularly providing 50-point gems. We love the matchup with Atlanta, too, with the Hawks ranked 24th in points allowed and 27th defensive efficiency. JT has definitely shown us that in their matchups, with Tatum combining for 95.3 DK points in their two meetings.
Opponent - MIN
Proj Pts FD - 26.54 DK - 26.94
This guy was a fantasy darling in the final month of last season, and it looks like we're getting that player yet again. Trading Domantas Sabonis was the start of it but losing Isaiah Jackson, and Myles Turner to injuries have left this frontcourt extremely thin. That led to Oshae playing 38 minutes in the most recent outing, dropping a season-high 43 DraftKings points. That's the guy we saw over the final 18 games of last season, averaging 29 DK points per game across 34 minutes of play. If we get that guy for the remainder of the season, Oshae should be $1,000 more. Not to mention, Minnesota ranks 22nd in total defense this season.
Opponent - ATL
Proj Pts FD - 35.41 DK - 34.67
The Time Lord is one of the sneakiest players in fantasy, stuffing the stat sheet every night he steps on the floor. Over the last nine games, Rob-Will has been averaging 10.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.4 steals, and 2,7 blocks per game. Those defensive numbers have led to a radiant floor, averaging 40 fantasy points per game in that span. He's actually been doing that damage for over a month now, and we have to believe it will continue against one of the worst defenses in the NBA. He had a double-double in his last matchup with Atlanta, and he's in line to do that yet again.
Opponent - MIN
Proj Pts FD - 20.35 DK - 20.3
This is a risky play, but Smith could be in for a significant price bump if this trend continues. We already talked about how many frontcourt players Indiana is missing, forcing their hands by acquiring Smith at the trade deadline. This is a first-round pick who's shown flashes at times this season, averaging 37 DK points per game in three starts for Phoenix earlier in the year. We love that since he played 21 minutes in his Indiana debut, averaging 30 DK points per game in the eight outings he's played at least 20 minutes. We believe that will be a regular thing from here on out, and it makes him a fantastic punt play on such a short slate.
Opponent - IND
Proj Pts FD - 48.44 DK - 50.66
The three studs on this slate are going to be tough to avoid. It's almost impossible to fit all three, but it's imperative to use at least two of the Tatum, Trae, and KAT group. Towns might be the most reliable option of the bunch, scoring at least 28 DraftKings points in every game this season. He's also flirting with a 50-point average, scoring at least 40 DK points in 23 of his last 24 games. That's hard to avoid on such a short slate, especially since the Pacers have been one of the five worst defenses in the NBA since Turner went down. KAT killed them in their last meeting, too, totaling 32 points and nine rebounds.
Opponent - MIN
Proj Pts FD - 26.85 DK - 26.14
This is incredibly risky with the dud we got from Goga on Friday, but it's worth taking this risk on such a short slate. This guy still got the start and was unstoppable in this role before that dud. He averaged 30 DK points per game in his previous five starts, doing that damage despite dealing with foul trouble. He also suffered a head injury in that stinker on Friday, and that has us believing that he was rested for the second half. The simple fact is, this dude is a per-minute stud and can be one of the best plays on the board if he plays the 25 minutes we're hoping for.
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