NBA DFS Position Coach: February 21, 2016

There are 10 games in Sunday’s slate, but they are pretty well spread out, so not every contest features every game. Be sure to check your particular contest before you waste five minutes searching for Joffrey Lauvergne. The good news is most of the players I really like play in the later games, though there are some notable cheap plays early.

Most of the highest-scoring teams are off Sunday, and while injuries and trades have created opportunities for some cheaper players, the greatest challenge is finding expensive players worth paying for. For the most part those players will come at center, point guard and small forward. Power forward features a lot of interesting mid-priced options while shooting guard is just ugly.

Point Guard

As is usually the case, point guard has the greatest variety of cheap and expensive guys who are interesting for fantasy. J.J. Barea is never consistent no matter his playing time, but he is capable of going off, especially against a suspect defense likely Philadelphia. Deron Williams is questionable, and Barea would be a nice, cheap play with Williams out, even with Devin Harris expected to return.

Tony Parker has averaged 19.5 points and 5.0 assists since the All-Star break with Kawhi Leonard out. Leonard is questionable Sunday, and Parker should again shoulder the offensive load if Leonard sits.

Speaking of shouldering the offensive load, Derrick Rose has averaged 27 points, five rebounds and four assists in two games since the All-Star break with Jimmy Butler out. The Lakers have allowed the third-most fantasy points to opposing point guards this season, making Rose a safer play than usual.

The Nets have allowed the fourth-most opponent’s assists in the NBA this season, and Kemba Walker had 18 points, seven assists and seven rebounds in his only meeting with the Nets this season. Walker has at least 20 points, five rebounds and three assists in each of his last five games.

The New Orleans Pelicans have allowed the fifth-highest effect Field Goal Percentage to pick and roll ball handlers, and Reggie Jackson continues to run the pick and roll more than anyone. Jackson struggled from the field Friday, but I like his chances to bounce back Sunday.

Finally, just about any competent player is a consideration against the Bulls, and given the lack of NBA talent on the Lakers, Jordan Clarkson deserves strong consideration. Clarkson has at least 18 points in four of his last five games, and while a 4-for-12 performance is always a possibility, it seems unlikely considering how poorly the Bulls are playing. 

Shooting Guard

Shooting guard is a wasteland Sunday. The best shooting guards are either off or injured, and the ones that remain, like C.J. McCollum, Monta Ellis and Devin Booker, have tough matchups. For the most part I’m going cheap at shooting guard with streaky shooters who can hopefully the hot.

The one exception may be DeMar DeRozan. Tony Allen and Lance Stephenson are both banged up, and if they are forced to sit, I would like DeRozan’s chances against Matt Barnes, Vince Carter, Mario Chalmers and P.J. Hairston. If Allen does play, you should probably pass on DeRozan.

J.R. Smith has a 63.6 percent effective Field Goal Percentage on spot-ups this season, and the Thunder are allowing the fourth-highest effective Field Goal Percentage on those shots. With Iman Shumpert doubtful, Smith could see a lot of minutes and a lot of open shots.

Lou Williams has outscored J.R. Smith for fantasy this season, and he is cheaper than Smith on DraftKings.  Williams will likely match up against E’Twaun Moore or Mike Dunleavy, and either matchup would be extremely favorable for Williams.

In three games against the Trail Blazers this season, Rodney Hood has averaged 15.7 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists, all up from his season averages. It is no surprise Hood has played well against C.J. McCollum, and he is probably a safer alternative to Smith or Williams.

Small Forward

Paul George will likely be in a lot of my lineups almost by default. I don’t see any reason to play Kevin Durant or LeBron James against each other, Kawhi Leonard is injured and Gordon Hayward is facing a Portland team that has allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to opposing small forwards this season. George has averaged 23.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists in two games against Orlando this season, and I will gladly take those numbers Sunday. I will gladly take that production at his price.

Tobias Harris’s DraftKings price is the lowest it has been in a month, and he scored 21 points in his Pistons debut Friday. It is unclear how much Harris will play when Donatas Motiejunas is healthy, but Harris is a strong play for at least one more game if Motiejunas is out.

Kyle Anderson has started the last two games with Kawhi Leonard out, averaging 28.5 minutes and 11 points. His upside is limited, but so is his price, and you could do far worse at a shallow small forward position.

With Deron Williams questionable Sunday, Chandler Parsons may be the only Maverick you can count on for fantasy. The 76ers have allowed the fifth-most opponent’s points this season, and Parsons has scored at least 24 points in three consecutive games.

Power Forward

With so few of the top fantasy players going Sunday, it would be nearly impossible to leave Anthony Davis out of this article. I like a lot of the mid-priced power forwards, but more power to you if you can fit Davis in your lineup. He scored 32 points in his only matchup with Detroit this season, and he is averaging 27.1 ppg in February.

The next step down from Davis, as least in price, is Derrick Favors. The Trail Blazers have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing power forwards, and Favors has topped 20 points in two of his last three games.

I don’t know why the Bulls are such a mess, but I know they probably aren’t going to figure things out anytime soon. Julius Randle has six double-doubles in his last eight games, and there is no reason to believe the Bulls can stop him from getting another one.

Aaron Gordon has double-digit rebounds in four consecutive games, averaging 36.6 fppg on DraftKings over that span. Gordon’s strong play should continue with Tobias Harris and Channing Frye gone, and Gordon gone.

Nerlens Noel is a bit overpriced on FanDuel, but he is just as useful on the other sites as fell second-year forwards Gordon and Randle. Noel had 24 points, nine rebounds and four assists Friday, and it appears his ailing right knee is doing better. Noel had 12 points and 12 rebounds in his only matchup with Dallas this season, and it is no surprise his athleticism would cause problems for the aging Mavs.

Alex Len and Tyson Chandler are both hurt, and if they sit Sunday, Mirza Teletovic, Jon Leuer and Kris Humphries would split the frontcourt minutes. All three played well against Houston Friday, and while they will not likely have the same success against San Antonio, somebody on Phoenix should score at least a little bit. Teletovic is the safest of the three, but also the most expensive. Kris Humphries is the best play of the bunch, especially on DraftKings, but he could be the most popular play as well.

Center

Yet again I find myself cursing sites that only allow you to play one center. On those sites, I am probably playing Pau Gasol or Andre Drummond. They are clearly the top two centers going Sunday, and they both face teams that have struggled against opposing centers this season. Gasol has had at least 20 points and 10 rebounds in each of his three games against the Lakers since leaving Los Angeles, and that gives him the slight edge over Drummond in my book.

Cody Zeller had 23 points and nine rebounds in 31 minutes Friday with Spencer Hawes out. Al Jefferson could cut into Zeller’s playing time, but as long as he gets the start, Zeller should be just fine Sunday.

Everyone would be better off if the Nuggets would just settle on one center and give that guy 30 minutes per game, but Joffrey Lauvergne and Nikola Jokic continue to split time. Lauvergne has played at least 20 minutes in three of Denver’s last five games, and he is a nice, cheap option against a Boston team that has allowed the fourth-most opponent’s rebounds this season.

Jared Sullinger played at least 20 minutes in each of his last two games thanks to Kelly Olynyk’s shoulder injury. Sullinger has 11 rebounds in each of his last three games, and the Nuggets are last in the NBA in opponent’s blocks.