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Jake Finnen highlights the top FanDuel NBA DFS lineup picks for 3/5/20, and a couple of sleepers to consider while building daily rosters.
If you have been using RotoBaller’s Lineup Generator, you might have noticed the slight mishap that happens on night’s with small slates. With only four games being played, the generator is taking the best matchups, but we all know Jabari Parker isn’t even really playing for the Kings. Since his price caused the generated lineup to be considered “outdated,” the goal of this article is to find Parker’s DFS replacement, preferably a super-value play that actually has potential.
With the smaller slate, you won't need as much risk, but any risk you decide to take can lead to much bigger payouts. There is flexibility tonight because of injuries, so make sure you are checking lineups before tip-off. If you have any questions, find me in the NBA Chat Room or @HalfCourtJester on Twitter.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for FanDuel on 3/5/20. These DFS lineup picks can vary from higher-priced players and elite options to lower-priced players and value picks on FanDuel. You can also check out today's DraftKings lineup picks.
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FanDuel DFS Guards
Austin Rivers - PG, vs. LAC ($3,700)
Initially, Patrick Beverley was going to be considered my value play, but this game has so many extra factors buried within, most specifically surrounding Beverley, that I don’t trust he will be contributing like we need him too. We know Beverley and Russell Westbrook have history. The same can be said between James Harden and Beverley. Whether it’s friendly competition or not, it’s obvious Beverley’s attention will be on defense, whereas Austin Rivers knows nothing but offense. Rivers has a similar price, playing against his former team, a defense he knows he can score against. Most DFS players should see Beverley as the key play tonight, but Rivers has the ability and track record of performing well against this team.
Cody Martin - SG, vs. DEN ($4,300)
There is absolutely a case to be made for both Martin’s here, but it’s obvious which twin carries the upside and which one’s price reflects a riskier play. While Caleb has the price we want tonight, his minutes has seen more variance compared to Cody, who has been getting near 30 minutes a game, all while recently producing as one of the Hornets top bench options. Caleb should be able to turn in a nice performance based strictly on his price, but Cody’s upside is levels above Caleb’s projected. Their usage numbers are similar, but Cody has been filling Malik Monk’s role perfectly and the Hornets front office has been rewarding him with minutes.
Alec Burks - SG, @ SAC ($4,500)
It's been somewhat difficult for Alec Burks to find consistency in this rotation, but the 76ers are absolutely giving him the ball when he's on the court which is always going to keep his upside on the higher end. Burks has had much more success when the 76ers are playing bad teams and he can work in isolation, which should be the case tonight for this Kings defense. Sacramento might be able to score with some of the best teams, but recently they have struggled across the board and their defense has never been their strong suit. Philadelphia is coming off loses to both the Lakers and Clippers, so expect them to be more conditioned and to put this game away early, allow the bench players to see more opportunities.
FanDuel DFS Forwards
Eric Gordon - SF, vs. LAC ($4,000)
There is no downside to playing Eric Gordon at this price, now that he has returned from his injury. He has been a focal point of the Rockets offense for so long, that adding Russell Westbrook simply gives Gordon more spacing, rather than taking away anything. There was no real warm-up period to Gordon being back in the lineup, so look for him to get right into the swing of things. He is always due for a big-game, and now that both Westbrook and James Harden are playing well at the same time, the last two games have proved that Gordon's green light is brighter now than it has ever been. The Rockets don't need more offense, but they have been playing like a team desperate for that wing-shooter, and in his two games back, Gordon has already taken that role by storm. If anything, this will help Robert Covington and P.J. Tucker exert less energy on offense.
Glenn Robinson III - SF, @ SAC ($3,800)
Similar to the Alec Burks play, only Glenn Robinson III has significantly more risk involved. The Kings defense is who we are targeting here, but we need some value plays that can actually exceed their projected. Robinson had his first big game for Philadelphia, and if there is one thing that has been consistent about Robinson, it's his ability to carry momentum over into consecutive games. The Kings shouldn't be able to keep this game close and as long as the 76ers are missing their two star players, Robinson, Burks, and even Raul Neto have serious upside on a nightly basis.
Nemanja Bjelica - PF, vs. PHI ($4,900)
Despite making it seem like the Kings are going to get steamrolled tonight, they still have players that can produce against this 76ers defense. His game log is not entirely promising, but if you consider his price drop, Nemanja Bjelica actually makes for a great value play. His rebounding, playmaking, and defense have been his most consistent traits recently, and him naturally being a shooter makes his upside ridiculously high when his price is below $5,000. Even if Philadelphia is toting a top defense, they are missing a key component in Joel Embiid. Even if Bjelica isn't able to hit all his shots, his attention to rebounding and defense gives him enough upside to exceed this projected.
FanDuel DFS Centers
Bismack Biyombo - C, vs. DEN ($5,000)
You will have to wait until right before tip-off to make sure you have the right player rostered, but both Bismack Biyombo and Cody Zeller can produce against the Nuggets frontcourt. Even though they don't match up well against the Nuggets defensively, and will struggle to completely contain Nikola Jokic, this is the center matchup for tonight. Depending on the rest of your roster, going with Biyombo or Zeller here will open up your roster to find the more expensive players without jeopardizing upside.
