This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
Guards
Reggie Jackson, DET vs. NYK ($5400): The highest-priced guards on this slate are Victor Oladipo, Devin Booker, Mike Conley, Trae Young and Kyle Lowry, and all of these players are worth avoiding. Oladipo has already been ruled out, while the other four have extremely tough matchups. That's why we're going with all cheap guards, as it should allow you to stack your lineup at the forward and center positions. Jackson is a good player to build around, as he's exceeded value all season long. Jackson is averaging 27 fantasy points per game for the season, and he's dropped 37 or more DraftKings points in back-to-back games. New York is a spectacular matchup, as well, with the Knicks allowing the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing point guards.
Darren Collison, IND at PHX ($4400): The aforementioned injury to Oladipo really opens things up for my next two options, who've played much better in his absence. When in the lineup, Oladipo averages 18.3 shots per game with a 30.5 percent usage rate across 32 minutes. That's a ton of ton of production to replace, and Collison should be in position to benefit. His scoring numbers have been modest of late, but he handed out 11 assists in just 26 minutes in Monday's win over Utah.
Tyreke Evans, IND at PHX ($5200): Evans is the other beneficiary with Oladipo being out of the lineup, and he's in the midst of his best stretch as a Pacer. Evans leads the Pacers starters in usage with Oladipo out of the lineup, and he's putting up 24 DraftKings points per game over his last eight contests. He played just 23 minutes in Monday's win over Utah, but the game was a blowout early in the second half, so that likely contributed to the modest total.
Forwards
Josh Richardson, MIA vs. ATL ($7400): Richardson is yet another guy who should see a usage bump due to injuries, as the Heat will be without Goran Dragic and Tyler Johnson. Those are the two primary point guards on this roster, so Richardson should step into that role in their absence. Richardson enters Tuesday having surpassed 30 DraftKings points in five straight outings, and that production should continue against Atlanta, which allows the most fantasy points in the league to opposing point guards while ranking first in pace. Earlier this season, Richardson dropped 46.3 DraftKings points on the Hawks.
Thaddeus Young, IND at PHX ($4100): This is simply a price play, as Young is too good to be priced at $4,100. Most players in this range are end-of-the-rotation role players, who barely crack 20 minutes of action. Young, on the other hand, is a starter who plays nearly 30 minutes per game. His fantasy numbers indicate he should be closer to $5,000 , as he's averaging over 21 DraftKings points per game. He's actually scored at least 23 fantasy points in four of his last five games, which is approaching a 6X floor at this unbelievable price. The matchup is appealing, as well, with Phoenix allowing the eighth-most fantasy points to opposing power forwards, while ranking 29th in defensive efficiency.
Centers
Hassan Whiteside, MIA vs. ATL ($8200): There aren't many big men playing like Whiteside, who's looked more like his 2016-17 self. Not only is he averaging 39.2 DraftKings points per game for the season, but he's scored at least 45 fantasy points seven times. That includes a season-best 82 fantasy points against the Spurs earlier this month. That sort of upside is hard to find on a five-game slate, and he gets an excellent matchup against a Hawks team that plays quickly and struggles to defend virtually every position.
Paul Millsap, DEN vs. LAL ($5900): It's weird to see Millsap's price fall below $6,000, but it's indicative of his struggles to begin the season. He's actually in the midst of one of his better extended stretches of the year, but he's proven to be too inconsistent to trust on a night-to-night basis. Millsap had just eight points and six rebounds against the Thunder over the weekend, but he'll look to bounce back against a Lakers team prone to defensive lapses. The Lakers play at a top-five pace and rank among the bottom 10 in defensive rebound percentage.
