Friday night’s nine-game slate could be a high-scoring day in DFS with a ton of high-priced studs available and every Vegas total coming in over 204 points. There is also only one game with double-digit favorite (Celtics over Lakers) so we could see some close games and potential overtime thrillers to push the DFS scores higher and higher.
As usual, now, I will be picking “One Stud” who is priced over $9,000 on FanDuel as my stud to pay up for on the night. Then for each position, I will give a “Top Play” who comes in under $9,000 and finally a “Value Pick” that is under $6,000. Hit me up on Twitter @Rotopilot if you have any feedback on the new format.
As always be sure to watch for late-breaking news before finalizing your lineup. So, with that here are my FanDuel player recommendations for the Friday slate…
NBA DFS FanDuel lineup advice for February 3, 2017
One Stud
DeMarcus Cousins (PHO) $11,300
A lot of high-priced stud available on the Friday night slate but Cousins tops my list just ahead of Giannis Antetokounmpo (who I have a gut feeling also has a big night). Prior to Cousins’ dud against the Rockets in a blowout loss in the second game of a back-to-back, he had posted at least 60 FanDuel points in four of his last six games. Cousins gets an awesome matchup at home against the Suns who have allowed increased production in points (+11.4%), rebounds (+3.4%) and assists (+8.2%) to opposing centers. Not to mention the trade rumors that the Kings and Suns (tonight’s opponent) have had discussions about Cousins. Friday feels like the right time for a “Boogie Night”.
Point Guards
Top Play: Jeff Teague (IND) $7,600
Teague has handed out at least seven assists in 16 straight games giving him a solid floor. His upside depends on his shooting and scoring but in an up-tempo game against the Nets, Teague will look to take advantage of a team that has allowed more points, rebounds, assists and steals than the league average to opposing PG. Need more proof then look no further than the 52.9 FanDuel points Teague put up against the Nets the last time they faced in early January.
Value Pick: D’Angelo Russell (LAL) $6,100
I going to break my “rules” a little bit with my selection of the $6,100 D’Angelo Russell as my “value” play. But, hey, rules are meant to be broken, right? Russell has been on fire since returning from injury, averaging 19.5 points, 10.5 assists and 7.0 boards in his last two games. He will travel to Boston to face the Celtics which by my metrics is a fairly neutral matchup, however, I have read/heard other fantasy analyst comment on how poor of a defender Isaiah Thomas is. Either way, a $6,100 price tag is just too low for Russell tonight and I expect him to be very popular.
Other Options: Isaiah Thomas (BOS) $10,500 / Kyle Lowry (TOR) $9,600 / Yogi Ferrell (DAL) $4,900
Shooting Guards
Top Pick: Devin Booker (PHO) $6,900
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Booker continues to play big minutes for the Suns, topping 35 minutes on most nights. He has begun to establish a solid floor of at least 30 FanDuel points which he has reached in each of his last five games and always has the upside to put up 40+ FanDuel points if he gets hot. The matchup with the Kings on Friday could present that opportunity with a depleted roster at the wing position from a team that already has allowed more points (+3.7%) to opposing SG. At a position with a lot of volatility, Booker offers a nice mix of safety and upside.
Value Pick: Norman Powell (TOR) $5,100
The Powell recommendation comes with the caveat that DeMar DeRozan misses Friday’s game against the Magic. If DeRozan plays than look to pivot a player like Gary Harris at the same price. In Powell’s last five starts with DeRozan out, he is averaging 35 minutes and just over 27 FanDuel points per game. His price tag has crept up lately with his increased playing time so he is not a “must start” like he was at a lower salary but he is still a solid option if he starts.
Other Options: Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) $10,900 / Dwyane Wade (CHI) $7,800 / Tony Allen (MEM) $4,300
Small Forwards
Top Pick: Paul George (IND) $8,700
George’s price has risen dramatically over the last week all the way up to $8,700 for tonight’s matchup with the Nets. While the matchup is good against a Nets team that has given up increased production across the board to opposing SF, his price tag makes it difficult for him to exceed value. He might be worth a fade in GPP lineups going up to Jimmy Butler who could have a higher ceiling in a matchup with the Rockets. That said, George is a solid Cash game option who should perform close to 5x his salary.
Value Pick: PJ Tucker (PHO) $4,700
Nobody is going to be excited to roster PJ Tucker but without many strong value options at the position, he makes the list as my SF value play. With just a $4,700 price tag he would need 23.5 FanDuel points to hit 5x his salary which he has accomplished in five out of his last seven games. He has had steady minutes lately topping 32 minutes in all but one of his last seven games. He also has a plus matchup against the Kings who have allowed more points (+5.9%) and rebounds (+6.3%) to opposing SF. Sometimes you just need to roster a grinder in Cash games and Tucker fits that role.
Other Options: Jimmy Butler (CHI) $9,400 / Harrison Barnes (DAL) $6,600 / Jae Crowder (BOS) $6,500
Power Forwards
Top Pick: Serge Ibaka (ORL) $6,000
Ibaka has been on a bit of a “Serge” over his last two games producing 36 and 40.3 FanDuel points respectively. Power forward is an ugly position tonight and even though Ibaka has not shown much consistency this season he has the ability to provide some big fantasy production when he is on and getting minutes. The matchup for Ibaka is not ideal against the Raptors but look for his recent spike in minutes to continue making him a good option at a bad position on tonight’s slate.
Value Pick: Thaddeus Young (IND) $5,500
Not sure if there is any bad blood between Young and his former team the Nets and he has only performed average in three meeting with them this season averaging 25.5 FanDuel points in three games. However, note that his best game against the Nets this season came in Brooklyn (35.9 FD points) which will be the site of the game on Friday. The matchup could also help Young as the Nets, like at most positions, give up more fantasy production than the average NBA team. Young has between 22 and 25 FanDuel points in each of his last four games so he should provide solid, safe production at a weak position.
Other Options: Zach Randolph (MEM) $6,100 / Tobias Harris (DET) $5,900 / Dirk Nowitzki (DAL) $5,500
Centers
Top Pick: Al Horford (BOS) $7,400
Horford has posted solid production in his last two games after missing a couple of games with a groin injury. Look for Horford to see an uptick in his production in his third game back tonight against the Lakers who have been destroyed by opposing centers this season allowing more points (+1.1%), rebounds (+11.5%) and assists (+10.9%). With those strong rebound and assists numbers, Horford could flirt with a triple-double tonight.
Value Pick: Greg Monroe (MIL) $5,700
Not seeing a lot of value at the center position tonight but Monroe could be in a good spot to see a few extra minutes following the Bucks’ “big man shuffle” with the Hornets on Thursday. With Miles Plumlee out and Spencer Hawes and Roy Hibbert just getting acclimated to the team, Monroe will likely be looked on to set the tone down low for the Bucks in their matchup with the Nuggets in Denver.
Other Options: Andre Drummond (DET) $8,500 / Nikola Vucevic (ORL) $7,200 / Myles Turner (IND) $6,700
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