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I used to be one of those DFS NBA players who avoided smaller slates. I like having options, and for the most part, smaller slates have fewer options. That is not the case Thursday. Injuries have opened up opportunities for several cheaper players, especially at the guard positions. Combine that with three of the four worst defensive teams in the league, and you have a slate with a decent number of options at each position. Power forward is probably the toughest position to fill, but I’m probably going to start with the cheap guards first and then go from there.
Point Guard
Jameer Nelson is averaging 13.8 points, 2.9 rebounds and 5.6 assists as a starter this season. With Emmanuel Mudiay doubtful, Nelson is an excellent play.
With Deron Williams and J.J. Barea out Thursday, Devin Harris should start at point guard for the Mavericks. Harris is averaging 13.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists per 36 minutes this season, and he could easily play 36 minutes Thursday.
With so many cheap options available, especially at shooting guard, it is pretty easy to find room in your budget for Russell Westbrook. Westbrook’s ceiling is especially attractive on such a small slate
Eric Bledsoe is averaging 23.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 8.3 assists in January. This will almost certainly be a high-scoring game between two of the top five teams in Pace, making Bledsoe a fine alternative if you cannot afford Russell Westbrook.
George Hill has had the pleasure of playing the Lakers once this season, and he had 23 points, three rebounds and three assists. I expect similar numbers this time around, and Hill is a lot cheaper than Eric Bledsoe or Russell Westbrook.
| 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 |
| Jameer Nelson | DEN | H | PHX | 44 | 25 | 71% | 1.3 | 8.7 | 2 | 4.5 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 1.9 | 45% | 16.87% | 17.5 | 19.2 | 17.6 | 18.2 | $3,900 | $4,500 | $3,500 |
| Eric Bledsoe | PHX | A | DEN | 45 | 33.1 | 85% | 1.5 | 20.8 | 5 | 6.2 | 1.5 | 0.4 | 3.1 | 45% | 27.68% | 36.9 | 39.4 | 37.1 | 37.6 | $9,700 | $9,200 | $5,700 |
| George Hill | UTA | H | LAL | 23 | 31.5 | 80% | 2 | 18 | 3.7 | 4.1 | 1 | 0.3 | 1.6 | 48% | 24.57% | 29.4 | 31.3 | 29.6 | 30.4 | $6,000 | $6,700 | $4,800 |
| Devin Harris | DAL | A | OKC | 29 | 15.7 | 87% | 0.9 | 5.7 | 1.9 | 1.5 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 38% | 18.15% | 10.5 | 11.4 | 10.6 | 11 | $3,500 | $3,000 | $3,000 |
| Russell Westbrook | OKC | H | DAL | 46 | 34.7 | 82% | 2.1 | 30.7 | 10.7 | 10.4 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 5.6 | 42% | 42.15% | 57.3 | 61.7 | 57.9 | 58.4 | $12,700 | $12,600 | $8,500 |
Shooting Guard
Alec Burks has scored 13 points in three consecutive games, averaging 22 minutes during that stretch. Rodney Hood is questionable, so Burks’s playing time could be in jeopardy, but if Hood is out Burks should be a solid contributor whose price is still quite low.
Lou Williams is averaging 21.9 points, 2.7 rebounds and 3.2 assists with D’Angelo Russell out. By way of comparison, Devin Booker is averaging 23.8 points, 2.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists over the last 30 days. I’d much rather have Williams considering their prices.
Seth Curry took 19 shots Wednesday, and he will probably come close to that number again Thursday with Deron Williams, Wesley Matthews, Dirk Nowitzki and J.J. Barea out. Curry is safer than Alec Burks and cheaper than Lou Williams.
| 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 |
| Alec Burks | UTA | H | LAL | 11 | 11.2 | 65% | 0.3 | 5.8 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 49% | 23.12% | 9.1 | 9.5 | 9.2 | 9.2 | $3,800 | $3,400 | $3,000 |
| Lou Williams | LAL | A | UTA | 49 | 24.3 | 87% | 2 | 18.2 | 2.2 | 3.1 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 2 | 43% | 30.56% | 26 | 28.2 | 26.1 | 27 | $5,700 | $5,200 | $4,450 |
| Seth Curry | DAL | A | OKC | 41 | 26.9 | 77% | 1.7 | 10.8 | 2.3 | 2.5 | 1.2 | 0.1 | 1.2 | 47% | 18.56% | 18.9 | 20.4 | 19 | 19.7 | $4,100 | $4,500 | $4,000 |
Small Forward
With all of the players the Nuggets have had in and out of the Nuggets’ lineup, Danilo Gallinari is the one player who has been consistent all season. Gallinari has failed to score in double-digits just once, and he is averaging 16.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists in January.
Gordon Hayward is coming off a nine-point performance Tuesday at Denver, and there is every reason to believe he will bounce back against a Lakers squad allowing the fourth-most points in the NBA.
The four Mavs sitting out Thursday are all averaging more than 10 field goal attempts per game. Those shots are going to have to go somewhere, and most of them probably aren’t going to Justin Anderson or Jonathan Gibson. If you cannot afford Gordon Hayward, Harrison Barnes is a fine fallback option.
| 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 |
| Danilo Gallinari | DEN | H | PHX | 40 | 34.2 | 89% | 1.9 | 16.8 | 4.9 | 2.3 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 1.4 | 43% | 19.02% | 26.5 | 28.4 | 26.8 | 27.5 | $5,800 | $5,500 | $4,850 |
| Gordon Hayward | UTA | H | LAL | 40 | 34.9 | 87% | 2 | 21.8 | 5.7 | 3.5 | 1 | 0.3 | 2.1 | 46% | 27.30% | 34.4 | 36.7 | 34.7 | 35.4 | $8,000 | $7,300 | $5,900 |
| Harrison Barnes | DAL | A | OKC | 45 | 35.8 | 86% | 1 | 20.2 | 5.3 | 1.4 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 1.3 | 47% | 26.47% | 29.7 | 31.2 | 30 | 30.2 | $6,200 | $6,000 | $5,000 |
Power Forward
The Suns are allowing the second-most points in the NBA this season, and Nikola Jokic is the Nugget most likely to take advantage. Jokic is averaging 23.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.3 blocks in January.
In his lone start this season, Dwight Powell had 14 points and nine rebounds in 26 minutes. Even if he doesn’t start, Powell will probably play between 25 and 30 minutes. Powell has an excellent chance at double-digit points with an outside shot at a double-double.
Sooner or later the Lakers will realize they need the ball in Julius Randle’s hands, and not Lou Williams’s. Randle may not be the most consistent player in the world, but he is reasonably priced and I love his ceiling in such a short slate.
| 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 |
| Nikola Jokic | DEN | H | PHX | 40 | 25.8 | 82% | 0.5 | 15.2 | 8.4 | 3.9 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 1.9 | 60% | 22.13% | 32.2 | 33.8 | 32.6 | 32.5 | $10,400 | $9,300 | $5,700 |
| Dwight Powell | DAL | A | OKC | 45 | 19.4 | 78% | 0.1 | 7.3 | 4.7 | 0.8 | 1 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 54% | 15.93% | 16.9 | 17.4 | 17.2 | 17 | $3,700 | $3,100 | $3,500 |
| Julius Randle | LAL | A | UTA | 44 | 29.2 | 71% | 0.1 | 13 | 8.4 | 3.8 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 2.6 | 49% | 21.51% | 28.7 | 30.5 | 29.1 | 28.7 | $6,500 | $5,900 | $5,200 |
Center
Don’t look now, but Tyson Chandler has had double-digit points or rebounds in 12 consecutive games with four double-doubles over that span. Only two teams have allowed more points than the Nuggets this season, and Chandler is the only Phoenix frontcourt player you can trust to take advantage.
Rudy Gobert has come up one rebound short of a double-double in two consecutive games, and it would be mildly shocking if he doesn’t get a double-double Thursday. In three games against the Lakers this season, Gobert is averaging 13.0 points, 13.7 rebounds and 3.7 blocks.
Who in Dallas’s frontcourt is going to slow down Enes Kanter? I don’t have an answer. Steven Adams may have more night-to-night upside, but Kanter is money in the bank for double-digit points with a decent shot at 20+ or a double-double.
| 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 | A | DEN | 36 | 28.5 | 70% | 0 | 8.9 | 12.3 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 68% | 11.62% | 25.2 | 26.6 | 25.8 | 25.2 | $6,600 | $6,400 | $4,800 |
| Rudy Gobert | UTA | H | LAL | 47 | 33.4 | 64% | 0 | 12.8 | 12.6 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 2.5 | 1.9 | 66% | 15.84% | 33.9 | 35.4 | 34.5 | 33.9 | $8,300 | $7,500 | $5,700 |
| Enes Kanter | OKC | H | DAL | 46 | 21.9 | 80% | 0.1 | 14.6 | 6.8 | 1 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 1.6 | 56% | 26.43% | 24.9 | 26.1 | 25.2 | 24.9 | $6,200 | $5,500 | $4,750 |