NBA DFS Playbook Position Coach: January 6, 2016

As my buddy Marty told me this morning, Wednesday’s slate has a lot of injury potential. Be sure to check before game time to see who is playing. There are a lot of cheap options for this slate, especially at the guard positions. The toughest part of the slate may be deciding where to spend the money you save with all of the cheap players.

Point Guard

Point Guard has a nice mix of cheap plays and expensive plays, but in the end I like a mid-priced guy best. Kyrie Irving is essentially off his minutes restriction, and he scored 20-plus points in two of his last three games. I like him a lot against the up-tempo Wizards.

Kemba Walker is more expensive than Irving, but he is safer, too. No team has allowed as many fantasy points to opposing point guards as the Suns, and Walker has averaged 27 points in the three games Nicolas Batum has missed this season. If Batum is out again, Walker and Jeremy Lin would both be excellent plays.

Donald Sloan and Shane Larkin didn’t do much with Jarrett Jack out Monday, but they both played more than 20 minutes, and one of them will produce sooner or later. Larkin has the greater upside, but Sloan is the better value.

Marcus Smart played 24 minutes in each of his last two games after playing 24 total in the two before that. Smart is a nice cash game value with Avery Bradley out yet again.

Kevin Durant is questionable, but there is a decent chance I will play Russell Westbrook even if Durant is active. He should be quite affordable given the bargain plays elsewhere.

Shooting Guard

I usually like to go cheaper at shooting guard, but in Wednesday’s slate I think you almost have to. Most of the top options are injured or don’t play, and C.J. McCollum has come back to earth with Damian Lillard healthy. If you do want to spend big here, which is possible with the bargains at point guard and shooting guard, DeMar DeRozan is your best bet against a Brooklyn team that is a hot mess. As for the cheaper plays, J.R. Smith is a GPP consideration every time out due to his streaky shooting. He probably won’t make eight 3-pointers Wednesday like he did Monday, but he could go off against a Wizards team that has allowed the sixth-most opponents' threes this season.

Joe Johnson is listed as questionable Wednesday, and it is anybody’s guess how Brooklyn will fill his minutes if he cannot play. Bojan Bogdanovic and Wayne Ellington could both play 40 minutes, though Brooklyn could use Shane Larkin at the two or shift Thaddeus Young to small forward. Bogdanovic is the best play of the bunch, as he should get plenty of shots even if they don’t go down.

Evan Turner has averaged nearly 33 minutes over the last four games, and that should continue with Avery Bradley out. Turner is averaging 15.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and four assists over those four games.

Rodney Hood has averaged 18.4 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists since Alec Burks went down. This is his toughest matchup, and his price is as high as ever, but he is still a nice value.

If Jeremy Lamb and Nicolas Batum are both out, Troy Daniels would likely play about 20 minutes, though there is no guarantee he would actually produce with those minutes.

Small Forward

I really like the cheap small forward plays as well, but you will probably have to play at least one of the studs. Paul George has scored 30 points in three consecutive games, and he gets the nod for me over LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard and Carmelo Anthony.

DeMarre Carroll missed Monday’s game with right knee swelling, and if he misses Wednesday’s game as well, Terrence Ross could take advantage. Ross averaged 12 ppg in nine games with Carroll out last month.

Over his last four games, Otto Porter has averaged 16.8 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists. With Gary Neal, Alan Anderson and Bradley Beal out again Wednesday, Porter has an excellent chance at another big game.

P.J. Hairston averaged more than 10 points per game in the three games Nicolas Batum missed, and Hairston could get a few extra minutes with Jeremy Lamb out.

T.J. Warren and P.J. Tucker have been pretty productive with Eric Bledsoe out, and both could take advantage if Nicolas Batum is out for the Hornets. Batum is Charlotte’s only above-average defender, and even Phoenix should be able to score against Jeremy Lin, P.J. Hairston and Troy Daniels.

Power Forward

James Johnson averaged 8.25 points per game in the eight games he played without DeMarre Carroll last month, and while that isn’t anything to write home about, it is enough to justify paying his tiny DFS salary.

The Knicks have allowed the second-most fantasy points to opposing power forwards this season, and making Chris Bosh an elite fantasy option even if Hassan Whiteside returns Wednesday.

Anthony Davis has averaged 24.3 points and 9.0 rebounds in three games against the Mavericks this season, and is worth the price, especially if you couldn’t find room in your lineup for Russell Westbrook or Paul George.

Playing any San Antonio injury replacement is always risky, because they tend to spread the minutes and the ball so much. That being said, David West has been a good player in this league for a long time, and West averaged 23.5 minutes in the two games LaMarcus Aldridge has missed this season. West is a solid, cheap cash game play.

Center

I wanted to recommend more than three centers for this slate, but I couldn’t find anybody else I was excited about playing. You can roll with Marcin Gortat or Zaza Pachulia if you want. I will go with Jeff Withey. He is averaging 10.8 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.0 blocks in his last five games, and he should continue to produce with Derrick Favors out.

Only the Bulls and Lakers are allowing more rebounds to opponents than the Celtics. That seems like a great situation for Andre Drummond, especially after Drummond went for 22 and 22 against the Celtics less than two weeks ago.

DeAndre Jordan is averaging 15.0 points, 14.4 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in the five games Blake Griffin has missed. Jordan should be able to bully the Trail Blazers inside.