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I really like Thursday’s slate, but I don’t know why. Maybe it is because there are so many cheap players who should get playing time and contribute with starters out. Maybe it is the novelty of having the weakest group of centers I have seen this season. Maybe I just need to get out more. Regardless, one of the things I like is the balance of options across positions. You will almost certainly go with a mid-priced option at center, but beyond that, there are plenty of ways to build a lineup. My preference is to go cheaper at guard and more expensive at the forward position, but feel free to do the opposite if you are so inclined.
Point Guard
Brandon Jennings is averaging 14.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists in 34.5 minutes as a starter this season. With Derrick Rose ruled out, Jennings is a nice value, even if his ceiling is not particularly high.
Jerian Grant and Isaiah Canaan are not exactly lighting the world on fire when Rajon Rondo sits, but they can be useful punt plays. Grant is averaging 9.3 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 25.5 minutes as a starter while Canaan is averaging 8.0 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 26.5 minutes off the bench. Rondo is a game-time decision, and if he sits Canaan would be a cash game consideration while Grant would have a bit more upside for GPP play.
No team on Thursday’s slate has allowed more fantasy points to point guards than the Nuggets, which probably explains why Damian Lillard is averaging 34.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 6.5 assists against them. I would be sympathetic to anyone who argues Steph Curry is a bit safer, but if you want to pay up at point guard I don’t know how you avoid Lillard in this matchup.
| PLAYER | TM | H/A | OPP | GP | MPG | FT% | 3PTM | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | FG% | USAGE | FDPTS/G | DKPTS/G | ACEPTS/G | YPTS/G | $FD | $DK | $FA |
| Brandon Jennings | NYK | A | GSW | 25 | 23.1 | 81% | 1 | 8 | 2.7 | 5.2 | 0.9 | 0 | 1.9 | 39% | 10.18% | 18.9 | 20.5 | 19 | 19.4 | $4,800 | $4,600 | $3,950 |
| Isaiah Canaan | CHI | A | MIL | 23 | 20.9 | 88% | 0.9 | 6.7 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0 | 0.7 | 39% | 7.53% | 11.6 | 12.5 | 11.6 | 12 | $3,500 | $3,000 | $3,500 |
| Jerian Grant | CHI | A | MIL | 17 | 13.1 | 100% | 0.4 | 3.9 | 1.5 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 32% | 6.82% | 8.9 | 9.3 | 8.9 | 9.1 | $3,500 | $3,700 | $3,300 |
| Damian Lillard | POR | A | DEN | 27 | 35.6 | 89% | 2.7 | 27.3 | 4.7 | 5.8 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 2.7 | 46% | 18.27% | 41.4 | 44.3 | 41.6 | 42.7 | $9,500 | $8,800 | $6,350 |
Shooting Guard
Langston Galloway is averaging 17.8 points in 28.2 minutes over his last five games. Galloway should remain entrenched in the Pelicans rotation with Tim Frazier out, making him a pretty safe play for cash games.
C.J. McCollum had his streak of five consecutive games with at least 23 points snapped Tuesday, but I like his chances of starting another streak Thursday. McCollum is averaging 22.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists against the Nuggets this season, and he is a relatively cheap way of rising above the morass at the shooting guard position.
If you would rather roll around in the muck, Leandro Barbosa is intriguing. He had a streak of his own snapped Thursday, but he would be a good bet to score double-digit points again if Brandon Knight is out.
| PLAYER | TM | H/A | OPP | GP | MPG | FT% | 3PTM | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | FG% | USAGE | FDPTS/G | DKPTS/G | ACEPTS/G | YPTS/G | $FD | $DK | $FA |
| Langston Galloway | NOP | H | IND | 26 | 21.8 | 75% | 2 | 10 | 2.4 | 1.5 | 1.1 | 0 | 0.8 | 40% | 10.01% | 16.7 | 18.2 | 16.8 | 17.7 | $4,100 | $3,800 | $3,500 |
| Leandro Barbosa | PHX | H | SAS | 24 | 14.4 | 86% | 0.7 | 6.7 | 1.5 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 49% | 9.73% | 10.9 | 11.5 | 11 | 11.3 | $3,700 | $3,500 | $3,700 |
| C.J. McCollum | POR | A | DEN | 27 | 34.4 | 90% | 2.7 | 22.4 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 1 | 0.6 | 2.2 | 48% | 15.25% | 33.3 | 35.9 | 33.5 | 34.6 | $7,400 | $6,900 | $5,300 |
Small Forward
With Monta Ellis and Rodney Stuckey out, Glenn Robinson III and C.J. Miles should both see upwards of 30 minutes Thursday. Robinson is extremely risky after failing to do much statistically with Ellis out, but he is reasonably talented and at the very least should get a handful of rebounds with a decent shot at double-digit points. Miles has a higher floor and ceiling than Robinson, but he has played fewer minutes than Robinson the last two games and he costs more.
Jimmy Butler has at least 20 points and seven rebounds in every game Rajon Rondo has missed this season, with at least five assists in three of the four. Butler is pretty safe for DFS anyway except when he plays the Spurs, but he would feel even more solid if Rondo sits.
The Trail Blazers have struggled against power forwards, especially with Al-Farouq Aminu out. Danilo Gallinari is averaging 18.0 points and 6.0 rebounds in two games against Portland this season.
| PLAYER | TM | H/A | OPP | GP | MPG | FT% | 3PTM | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | FG% | USAGE | FDPTS/G | DKPTS/G | ACEPTS/G | YPTS/G | $FD | $DK | $FA |
| C.J. Miles | IND | A | NOP | 20 | 21.5 | 93% | 2.3 | 11.8 | 2.9 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 47% | 10.79% | 18.6 | 20.2 | 18.8 | 19.8 | $4,600 | $4,000 | $3,500 |
| Glenn Robinson | IND | A | NOP | 24 | 19.1 | 74% | 0.7 | 6.1 | 2.9 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 45% | 7.50% | 11.8 | 12.6 | 12 | 12.2 | $4,400 | $3,900 | $3,500 |
| Danilo Gallinari | DEN | H | POR | 22 | 34.8 | 87% | 1.7 | 16.2 | 4.7 | 2 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 40% | 10.53% | 25.3 | 27.1 | 25.5 | 26.1 | $5,700 | $5,300 | $4,550 |
| Jimmy Butler | CHI | A | MIL | 24 | 36.5 | 89% | 1.2 | 25.7 | 6.8 | 4.2 | 1.8 | 0.4 | 2.1 | 46% | 16.92% | 42.3 | 44.3 | 42.6 | 42.9 | $9,000 | $9,000 | $6,600 |
Power Forward
LaMarcus Aldridge has not played since Saturday, and he is averaging 21.0 points and 8.7 rebounds on three-or-more days rest this season. Aldridge is an excellent play against the Suns, especially if Pau Gasol gets the night off on the second of a back-to-back.
Mirza Teletovic scored 25 points in 26 minutes Saturday in a game in which Michael Beasley played just five minutes. With Beasley doubtful for Thursday, Teletovic has a decent chance of seeing significant minutes again. Teletovic is risky but he is super cheap on DraftKings and he has significant upside.
I seem to always be on the wrong foot with Kristaps Porzingis, but I am prepared to blame Derrick Rose’s injury for why I was wrong about the Knicks Tuesday. Porzingis has played at least 35 minutes in three consecutive games, and the matchup probably dictates he get heavy minutes again Thursday. Porzingis is averaging 25.7 points, 10.0 rebounds and 3.3 blocks over that span.
The top three players in the NBA for DFS are Russell Westbrook, James Harden and Anthony Davis, and Davis is absolutely worthy of consideration with the other two guys sitting. Davis is pretty easy to fit into your lineup with so many cheap guys like Brandon Jennings and C.J. Miles in play, and only Portland has allowed more fantasy points to power forwards than the Pacers among the teams in play Thursday.
| PLAYER | TM | H/A | OPP | GP | MPG | FT% | 3PTM | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | FG% | USAGE | FDPTS/G | DKPTS/G | ACEPTS/G | YPTS/G | $FD | $DK | $FA |
| LaMarcus Aldridge | SAS | A | PHX | 22 | 32.4 | 81% | 0.5 | 16.5 | 6.7 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 1.5 | 47% | 13.67% | 29.3 | 30.7 | 29.7 | 29.6 | $6,300 | $6,100 | $5,400 |
| Mirza Teletovic | MIL | H | CHI | 20 | 16.9 | 75% | 2 | 7.9 | 2.7 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 41% | 9.69% | 12.1 | 13.6 | 12.3 | 13.1 | $3,600 | $3,100 | $3,500 |
| Kristaps Porzingis | NYK | A | GSW | 25 | 34.5 | 79% | 2.2 | 20.6 | 7.7 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 1.9 | 1.5 | 46% | 13.56% | 35.5 | 37.8 | 35.9 | 36.6 | $8,300 | $8,000 | $5,900 |
| Anthony Davis | NOP | H | IND | 24 | 38.3 | 83% | 0.6 | 30.5 | 11.3 | 2.3 | 1.6 | 2.8 | 2.5 | 50% | 20.60% | 53.9 | 56 | 54.4 | 54.1 | $12,000 | $11,500 | $8,350 |
Center
Tyson Chandler is averaging 10.4 points and 15.6 rebounds when he gets at least 30 minutes, and he is virtually guaranteed to reach that threshold if Alex Len is out Thursday.
I repeatedly fell victim to the Denver center position down the stretch last season, and I have done well to avoid it this season both in seasonal and DFS play. God help me, but I am rolling the dice on Nikola Jokic again. Jokic has at least 13 points in six consecutive games, with five double-doubles in that span. I might fade him on DraftKings where he is the most expensive player, but his price is right on FanDuel and FantasyAces.
I am not sure there is a need to go cheaper than Tyson Chandler in Thursday’s slate, but if you insist, I will point you towards Robin Lopez. Lopez is still looking for his first double-double in December but he is one of the only centers you can count on to play close to 30 minutes and he did have four double-doubles in November.
| PLAYER | TM | H/A | OPP | GP | MPG | FT% | 3PTM | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | FG% | USAGE | FDPTS/G | DKPTS/G | ACEPTS/G | YPTS/G | $FD | $DK | $FA |
| Tyson Chandler | PHX | H | SAS | 17 | 28 | 73% | 0 | 7.8 | 12.2 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 1.6 | 69% | 8.42% | 24.1 | 25.5 | 24.8 | 24.1 | $5,600 | $5,400 | $4,550 |
| Nikola Jokic | DEN | H | POR | 22 | 23.9 | 83% | 0.3 | 11 | 7.3 | 2.9 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 1.4 | 54% | 11.95% | 25.3 | 26.5 | 25.6 | 25.4 | $6,000 | $6,500 | $4,750 |
| Robin Lopez | CHI | A | MIL | 24 | 28.6 | 65% | 0 | 9.8 | 7.8 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 2 | 0.9 | 47% | 8.97% | 23.6 | 24.5 | 24 | 23.6 | $5,100 | $4,600 | $4,450 |