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I hate when you have a small slate and most of the players you like all play the same position. It is fine on a site like FantasyAces where you can play five small forwards if you want, but it can be much more frustrating on other sites. Most of the players I like for Sunday’s slate are small forwards. I have no idea why that is the case, it just worked out that way. My recommendation is to fill small forward last, though on a site like DraftKings I would simply take guys like Jimmy Butler and Stanley Johnson and play them at shooting guard, since they are eligible there as well.
Point Guard
Ricky Rubio has at least 14 assists in three consecutive games, the last two coming with Zach LaVine out. Rubio would have an excellent shot at his fourth straight double-double if LaVine sits again.
None of the Bulls’ point guards is known for his defense, especially Rajon Rondo. Mike Conley has at least 17 points in nine consecutive games, with at least six assists in five straight.
Reggie Jackson struggled in back-to-back games Thursday or Friday, but I think you can count on him to bounce back Sunday against the Lakers. Jackson should have the ball in his hands more with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope out, and even if his efficiency suffers, his fantasy numbers should be just fine.
Malcolm Brogdon has actually played better since Matthew Dellavedova returned, averaging 17.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists over his last three games. Brogdon is the cheapest point guard you can use and still feel safe, and only the Nets have allowed more fantasy points to point guards among teams playing Sunday.
| 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 |
| Ricky Rubio | MIN | A | DAL | 35 | 31.7 | 88% | 0.6 | 7.5 | 4 | 7.8 | 1.9 | 0.1 | 2.1 | 38% | 13.04% | 25.7 | 27.3 | 25.9 | 26 | $6,500 | $6,400 | $5,000 |
| Reggie Jackson | DET | A | LAL | 21 | 28.9 | 85% | 1.5 | 16.3 | 2.1 | 5.3 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 2.6 | 44% | 28.04% | 26.1 | 28.3 | 26.3 | 26.9 | $6,400 | $7,000 | $5,250 |
| Malcolm Brogdon | MIL | A | ATL | 38 | 24.3 | 90% | 1 | 9.2 | 2.8 | 3.9 | 1 | 0.1 | 1.5 | 46% | 17.99% | 19.2 | 20.5 | 19.3 | 19.7 | $5,400 | $5,700 | $4,550 |
| Mike Conley | MEM | H | CHI | 30 | 32.2 | 85% | 2.3 | 18.7 | 3.7 | 6.1 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 2.3 | 44% | 26.01% | 33.5 | 35.9 | 33.7 | 34.6 | $7,600 | $7,200 | $5,200 |
Shooting Guard
Brandon Rush averaged 11.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists over the last two games with Zach LaVine out. If LaVine is out again, Rush is a solid cash game play, especially on FantasyAces.
Tim Hardaway Jr. has been great since the calendar flipped, averaging 18.2 points per game in January. He doesn’t provide a whole lot else, but he is a solid play in a short slate.
The question of the day, as is often the case, is whether to play James Harden or Russell Westbrook. I’m going with Harden, because the Nets are still allowing the most points in the league and the second-most rebounds.
Reggie Bullock played a season-high 26 minutes Friday despite not playing for nearly two months. Bullock didn’t exactly light up the stat sheet, and he probably played more because the game was a blowout, but Detroit is extremely thing at shooting guard with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope out. Bullock is a decent punt play in a slate that doesn’t have many to choose from.
| 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 Rush | MIN | A | DAL | 15 | 14.5 | 50% | 0.9 | 3.3 | 1.5 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 40% | 10.73% | 7.6 | 8.3 | 7.7 | 8 | $4,100 | $4,200 | $3,000 |
| Tim Hardaway Jr. | ATL | H | MIL | 37 | 22.5 | 65% | 1.7 | 11.9 | 2.1 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 1 | 45% | 22.95% | 17.5 | 18.9 | 17.6 | 18.3 | $4,700 | $4,900 | $3,800 |
| James Harden | HOU | A | BKN | 42 | 36.6 | 85% | 3.1 | 28.6 | 8.2 | 11.7 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 5.8 | 44% | 34.09% | 53.8 | 58.7 | 54.2 | 55.4 | $11,800 | $12,200 | $8,250 |
| Reggie Bullock | DET | A | LAL | 5 | 13.6 | 100% | 0.4 | 4.6 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 46% | 16.22% | 9.1 | 9.6 | 9.2 | 9.3 | $3,500 | $3,000 | $3,000 |
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Small Forward
DeMarre Carroll is averaging 35.6 minutes per game over his last five games after failing to top 33 minutes in any of his previous 29 games. Carroll looks like he is finally healthy on the court as well, averaging 18.3 points and 7.7 rebounds over his last three games.
Carmelo Anthony has averaged 24.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 5.3 assists in 35.3 minutes in the last three games Kristaps Porzingis has missed. Anthony took at least 17 shots in each of those games, and even if the shots aren’t falling, the volume makes him pretty safe.
Speaking of guys who are pretty safe, Harrison Barnes has scored at least 19 points in six consecutive games. Barnes isn’t a double-double threat, but he will get enough rebounds, assists and steals to make a difference.
Apparently Sunday is the day for the safe, somewhat dull plays at small forward. With Eric Gordon struggling in his return from a toe injury Friday and Ryan Anderson inconsistent, Trevor Ariza is the best play to get exposure to the Nets without breaking the bank for James Harden. Plus you have to love it when the Houston announcers say “Ariza, a-three-za.” Okay, maybe I just love it.
Well, maybe not all the small forwards are dull. Jimmy Butler has reached 40 points four times this season, including two of the three games he has played without Dwayne Wade. Butler is averaging 39.3 points, 9.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists with Wade out, and he has taken at least 18 shots in each of those contests. I like Butler in any format, but he is really exciting as a GPP option.
Stanley Johnson is probably a bit safer than his teammate Reggie Bullock, and he will probably play more minutes, too. Johnson reached double-digit scoring for the first time in over two months Friday, and he will get every opportunity to keep it going with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope out.
Brandon Ingram has quietly scored at least nine points in six consecutive games after scoring fewer than seven in four straight. Ingram’s ceiling may be limited, but he is pretty safe and his price is still pretty low.
| 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 |
| DeMarre Carroll | TOR | H | NYK | 34 | 26.5 | 75% | 1.9 | 10.1 | 3.8 | 0.9 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 43% | 15.85% | 18.2 | 19.7 | 18.4 | 19.2 | $4,000 | $4,900 | $3,800 |
| Carmelo Anthony | NYK | A | TOR | 39 | 33.4 | 85% | 1.9 | 22.1 | 6.1 | 3.2 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 1.7 | 43% | 28.98% | 35.1 | 37.2 | 35.4 | 36 | $8,100 | $8,000 | $5,850 |
| Harrison Barnes | DAL | H | MIN | 39 | 36 | 86% | 1.1 | 20.8 | 5.4 | 1.5 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 1.3 | 48% | 26.70% | 30.6 | 32.1 | 30.9 | 31.1 | $7,000 | $6,700 | $5,100 |
| Trevor Ariza | HOU | A | BKN | 42 | 34.2 | 67% | 2.7 | 12.6 | 5.2 | 2.1 | 2 | 0.3 | 0.9 | 43% | 14.83% | 25.8 | 27.9 | 26.1 | 27.2 | $5,600 | $5,400 | $4,700 |
| Jimmy Butler | CHI | A | MEM | 39 | 36.7 | 87% | 1.3 | 25.1 | 6.8 | 4.6 | 1.8 | 0.3 | 2.1 | 45% | 27.53% | 42.2 | 44.2 | 42.5 | 42.8 | $9,400 | $8,800 | $6,550 |
| Stanley Johnson | DET | A | LAL | 38 | 15.8 | 63% | 0.5 | 3.8 | 2.1 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 37% | 13.38% | 9.5 | 10.1 | 9.6 | 9.7 | $3,500 | $3,500 | $3,000 |
| Brandon Ingram | LAL | H | DET | 44 | 27.7 | 68% | 0.6 | 8.1 | 4.1 | 2 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 1.3 | 38% | 15.44% | 16.3 | 17.5 | 16.6 | 16.7 | $3,800 | $3,600 | $3,800 |
Power Forward
Dwight Powell had 10 points and five rebounds with Andrew Bogut out Thursday, and while he is far from a sure thing, he could easily have similar numbers—and more minutes—Sunday. Dallas will almost certainly have to lean on Powell to match up with either Karl-Anthony Towns or Gorgui Dieng.
Julius Randle’s assists have been down lately, at least relatively speaking, but I think another huge game is coming sooner or later. Randle is almost a must-play if you play the late slate of games, but he is just fine in the full slate as well.
Zach Randolph has at least nine rebounds in four straight games, with three double-doubles over that span. Randolph has been a consistent scorer all season long, and his board work makes him a solid cash game play.
| 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 |
| Dwight Powell | DAL | H | MIN | 39 | 20 | 78% | 0.1 | 7.6 | 4.9 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 54% | 16.34% | 17.6 | 18.1 | 17.8 | 17.6 | $3,900 | $3,800 | $3,900 |
| Zach Randolph | MEM | H | CHI | 35 | 23.3 | 75% | 0.3 | 13.7 | 7.9 | 1.8 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 1.3 | 45% | 29.94% | 26.2 | 27.4 | 26.6 | 26.4 | $6,000 | $5,800 | $4,800 |
| Julius Randle | LAL | H | DET | 39 | 29.5 | 72% | 0.1 | 13.6 | 8.6 | 3.8 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 2.6 | 49% | 21.85% | 29.7 | 31.4 | 30.1 | 29.7 | $6,700 | $7,000 | $5,500 |
Center
Joakim Noah is averaging 10.8 points, 14.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.3 blocks with Kristaps Porzingis out. Noah has at least 10 rebounds in all four of those contests including two double-doubles.
I don’t think Dallas can slow down Karl-Anthony Towns even if Powell and Salah Mejri play more. If Towns gets any minutes matched up with Dirk Nowitzki he should score every time down the floor.
The Bulls have struggled at times against big men, and Marc Gasol is one of the best around. Gasol is averaging 18.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists in six January games.
| 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 |
| Joakim Noah | NYK | A | TOR | 36 | 22.8 | 43% | 0 | 5.7 | 8.9 | 2.3 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 50% | 13.22% | 21.6 | 22.7 | 22 | 21.6 | $4,900 | $5,000 | $4,650 |
| Karl-Anthony Towns | MIN | A | DAL | 40 | 35.7 | 82% | 1.1 | 21.9 | 12 | 3 | 0.6 | 1.5 | 2.7 | 49% | 27.34% | 42.2 | 44.7 | 42.8 | 42.8 | $10,100 | $9,700 | $6,800 |
| Marc Gasol | MEM | H | CHI | 40 | 33.9 | 82% | 1.3 | 19.3 | 6 | 4.3 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 2 | 45% | 26.46% | 35.8 | 37.7 | 36.1 | 36.4 | $8,000 | $7,100 | $5,900 |