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 25th, 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 FanDuel Investment
James Harden (HOU, G) - $11,500
With Patrick Beverley confirmed out for Wednesday’s game, Jason Terry will start at “point guard.” We all know that means Harden will take over the facilitator role even more than he usually does. Virtually you’re looking at a Russell Westbrook 2.0 in this situation. With the injury-riddled New Orleans Pelicans on the schedule Wednesday, I’ll take Harden please.
Pau Gasol (CHI, F) - $9,200
After being beaten up inside by Andre Drummond and the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday, the last thing the Toronto Raptors are going to want to do on Wednesday night is cover Gasol in the paint. For that reason, I expect the forward to have a huge night in what is a pivotal game in the Eastern Conference playoff race. With Jimmy Butler coming back into the picture, the Chicago Bulls have one more scoring mouth to feed. However, I’ve said before that this offense revolves around Gasol, and that shouldn’t change Wednesday night.
Eric Bledsoe (PHX, G) - $8,700
Some might argue that this is a risky pick, especially because it involves a game-time decision in a late game being played well after lineups lock. However, Bledsoe should be in line to have a great game regardless of whether Brandon Knight is cleared to play or not. The guard has been doing everything well without Knight in the lineup, and if that’s still the case Wednesday you better roll him out there. But even if Knight is able to play, I’m confident that Bledsoe will still put up great numbers against a poor back court in Sacramento who just played Tuesday night. I’m projecting Bledsoe to end up right around 40 FDP as usual with the potential to hit 60, especially if Knight can’t play.
Safer DFS Bargains
These players are on the cheaper side, but you can expect some solid production from them with the potential for star-like numbers.
Jeremy Lin (LAL, G) - $5,500
I mentioned a week or two ago that Coach Byron Scott was planning on handing the reigns of the starting point guard job over to Lin at some point. Well, it happened. Lin finally started a game on the floor on Tuesday, and will likely do it again on Wednesday. With his production-level at its peak right now, I’m rolling with Lin until he proves me wrong. This is especially the case when he plays a team like Minnesota. Not only will the fast-paced tempo provide more scoring opportunities, but there are hardly any healthy players left on the Timberwolves to play defense. The only slight concern I still have about Lin's minutes is the fact that Jordan Clarkson (now starting at shooting guard) still received more minutes than Lin. However, that's to be expected for a young star who is still getting used to the NBA. Lin should still get plenty of minutes (30 minutes on Tuesday) and provide a stellar stat line most nights. Snag him at a value price while you still can.
Gorgui Dieng (MIN, C) – $6,700
Dieng is a good old-fashioned case of the “last man standing” DFS strategy. With Nikola Pekovic and Anthony Bennett labeled as out and Kevin Garnett doubtful, it seems Dieng will get a surplus of minutes again. The difference on Wednesday is that he’s playing a size-deficient team in the Los Angeles Lakers. He may not help you with his point totals like some big men, but he sure has the opportunity of a lifetime to have a great game on Wednesday.
High-Risk, High-Reward FanDuel Options
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.
Danilo Gallinari (DEN, F) – $7,700
It’s not often that a guy scores 40 points in a game and is a “high risk” player the next time out. However, we’ve been shown time and time again that this guy is not exactly consistent. After getting a rest last Friday, Gallinari received a full 33-minute work load and made the most of it. After another two game break, I’m hoping he can do the same on Wednesday against the Philadelphia 76ers. Honestly, no one really knows which Gallinari will show up, and his price is pretty high to be gambling on. But it might be worth a shot on a scorer who can do it all on a good night.
The Oklahoma City Thunder Front Court
Among Enes Kanter, Steven Adams, and Mitch McGary, one of these OKC big men is bound to give you great value on Wednesday night. The question is, which one do you go with? Obviously you can’t pick Kanter and Adams because they’re both centers. I also wouldn’t want to choose two of the three, because the odds of more than one hitting good value are low. The big risk here is not only picking the right player, but also choosing the right position to block off from your lineup. Centers like Cousins, Dieng, Rudy Gobert, Hassan Whiteside (if healthy), Joakim Noah, and DeAndre Jordan all have great matchups. Does it make sense choosing Kanter or Adams over all of those guys? Maybe McGary is the one that makes the most sense. But he’s by far the least reliable. So, for those about to rock (with one of the OKC big men), I salute you. In his defense, Kanter has steam rolled just about every front court he's faced in the past month. Not to mention, he's still a cheaper option compared to some of the names above. Best of luck making that decision. I’m probably staying away.
Avoid At All Costs
If it were up to me, these players would have a 0% usage.
Blake Griffin (LAC, F) - $9,200
I almost put the Oklahoma City front court in this category, but I have to admit there is potential for a high reward there. So, Blake Griffin gets this category all to himself. I thought Griffin would pick up right where he left of. Instead, his rebound rate has yet to climb back to where it was before his injury. It also seems like he’s struggling to find his mid-range jumper that made him so lethal. Maybe I’m overthinking it, but in a potential blowout game against the New York Knicks, Griffin seems too pricey to me. If he is able to steal his share of rebounds back from Jordan I will quickly change my mind. But, until then, I’m avoiding the former FanDuel superstar. Give me Gasol instead for the same price.
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.
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