All throughout the 2014-15 NBA campaign, RotoBaller will be analyzing the top NBA DFS lineup picks and providing our expert advice for the best sleepers at the guard, forward and center positions. Below are our favorite FanDuel DFS picks for March 18th, 2015.
Keep in mind, fantasy basketball is a fickle game when it comes to injured players, so be sure to check all lineups prior to tip-off. If you want to chat about your roster picks, check out the DFS chat room at the bottom of this post.
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Worth The Investment
Stephen Curry (GS, G) - $10,100
With the news that Klay Thompson will miss at least a week with an ankle injury, Curry should have the green light from Coach Steve Kerr to take as many shots as he wants. In a game that will prove difficult against a strong Atlanta Hawks team, the talented point guard should take over the game. Whether it’s making behind the back passes, dribbling through multiple defenders, or hitting crazy step back threes, Curry is bound to have a monster stat line under the ESPN spotlight on Wednesday night.
Kyle Lowry (TOR, G) – $8,500
Lowry has been dynamite since his recent return from injury. It seems like he has been flirting with triple-doubles most nights. With the injury-riddled Minnesota Timberwolves on the schedule for Wednesday, I don’t expect that to change. Working with his teammates (big men specifically as I’ll mention later), Lowry should shred apart this porous defense. The only potential poor result would be a blowout that limits his minutes. With that said, Minnesota still has a couple of scorers. Hopefully this one is a fast-paced scoring fest.
Safer Bargains
These players are on the cheaper side, but you can expect some solid production from them with the potential for star-like numbers.
Nerlens Noel (PHI, F) – $7,500
Noel has hardly become a bargain lately thanks to his rising stock and ability to stuff the stat sheet every night. However, Wednesday should be a prime opportunity to find value in his inflated price. Although not may FanDuel players will think to put him in their lineups tomorrow among other possibilities, the offense is essentially based off of Noel’s production. I expect Noel to score at ease against a banged up and tired Detroit Pistons front court. Even if his scoring total is low for some reason, he seems to always make up for it in other categories. Call me crazy, but Noel is a safe bet to reel in some big points Wednesday night.
Enes Kanter (OKC, C) - $6,500
Serge Ibaka’s knee surgery will keep him out the remainder of the regular season. Therefore, Kanter should at least be able to continue doing what he’s doing. Everyone will most likely be on his bandwagon on Wednesday. If you’re feeling bold, maybe Stephen Adams could be a nice play. However, there’s a reason Kanter’s usage will be so high. The man has been a rebounding machine since taking over a starting spot in the Oklahoma City lineup. With Ibaka out, Kanter will certainly see the same amount of minutes and more shots. Until his price skyrockets, continue to roll with Kanter as a reliable but cheap center.
High-Risk / High-Reward
These inexpensive picks are more trained for the tournament players. If you need to stand out from a crowd, these guys have the potential to hit 30 FDP. On the other hand, don't be surprised if they come up well short of that mark.
Jonas Valanciunas (TOR, C) - $5,800
This young center doesn’t seem to be getting enough hype behind names like Kanter, Hassan Whiteside, and Rudy Gobert. However, Valanciunas has quietly putting together a good season with the Raptors. Despite being fairly low on Toronto’s scoring chain, the big man has been able to assemble a decent 12.0 point-per-game this year. And by the way, he’s playing the Timberwolves on Wednesday. I know it’s almost too mean to pick on a team who only has eight players healthy enough to play, but this is FanDuel we’re talking about. It may be a little risky if the big men for Minnesota come back and Toronto decides to shoot the lights out all game, but Valanciunas has a good chance to put together a big double-double on Wednesday.
Kevin Martin (MIN, G) – $6,100
Until the other half of Minnesota’s starting five reappears, it looks like the entire offense will run through Martin. After the Indiana Pacers showed that the Toronto Raptors are vulnerable to the jump shot, Martin should be able to put together a good amount of points on Wednesday. Even if he fails to use his surplus of shots to put up big points, he has been gaining more assists and rebounds due to the surrounding injuries. Of course, this all could change if his teammates are able to play on Wednesday. However, it’s likely he’ll be their top scoring option again come game time.
Avoid At All Costs
If it were up to me, these players would have a 0% usage.
Deandre Jordan (LAC, C) – $9,300
Hopefully you were already following this trend. With Blake Griffin’s return, Jordan’s rebounding numbers will certainly take a hit. Against Demarcus Cousins, his rebounding numbers will take another hit. Not to mention, Cousins has been great at getting opposing centers in foul trouble. All signs say steer clear of Jordan for now.
Have a Twitter account? Want more lineup help for your FanDuel team? Follow me @BellRoto and mention me in a tweet. The first 5 mentions will receive my FanDuel lineup for Wednesday night. My lineup… for free! Find me on Twitter for more info.
NBA Chat Room
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