This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
Tuesday brings one of the more unique DFS slates of the season, with no players north of $10,000 in the roster pool.
Getting players like Nikola Vucevic, Damian Lillard, DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine into your lineup is absolutely imperative, as you could pair any of these recommendations with those four players to create an optimal lineup. These four players have the highest upside of anyone on this slate and it's easy to get most of them into your lineup if you use the following suggestions.
Guards
Darren Collison, IND vs. CHI ($6,300): Collison has been back to his old ways with Victor Oladipo (knee) sidelined, and he should continue to see an increase in role. Not only is he averaging 31 minutes a game across his last three games, but he's posting a season-high usage rate in that span as well. Collison averaging over 36 DraftKings points across his last four games, and he gets a good matchup against a Bulls team that ranks 24th in total defense while allowing the eighth-most fantasy points to opposing point guards.
Tyreke Evans, IND vs. CHI ($5,200): Evans hasn't been quite as successful as Collison in the absence of Oladipo, but he has too much upside and usage to pass up at this price. What's really encouraging is how much he's handling the ball, as Evans leads this team with a 24 percent usage rate across the last eight games. Getting that sort of usage should allow him to be successful in a matchup like this, with Chicago allowing the third-most fantasy points to opposing shooting guards this season.
Elie Okobo, PHX vs. SAC ($4,300): With Devin Booker (hamstring) and T.J. Warren (ankle) expected to sit out, Phoenix is a fantasy gold mine. That's 35 shots and 63 minutes per game that needs to be made up. The fact that Okobo has played at least 29 minutes in three straight games indicates he's one of the major fillers, as he could play a season-high in minutes here. He's shown promise in his limited minutes, averaging 14 DraftKings points in 18 minutes per game this season. That implies that he 30-point potential if he plays 35 minutes, which is incredible value at this price.
Forwards
Harrison Barnes, DAL vs. POR ($6,600): Barnes is currently in the midst of his best stretch of the season, as he's scored 44 DraftKings points in back-to-back games. Barnes has at least 34 fantasy points in six of his last nine games, and he ranks second on the team in usage in that span. Portland is a spectacular matchup, as it allows the most fantasy points in the league to opposing small forwards.
Jonathan Isaac, ORL at MIA ($4,300): This is simply a price play, as Isaac has too much upside to pass up at $4,300. Isaac is currently averaging 19.4 fantasy points per game in just 22 minutes of action, and his opportunities have been increasing recently. He's actually averaging 27.5 minutes across his last four games, and while the fantasy production has been slightly down, he's still averaging 21.3 DraftKings points across his last three, which is 5X value.
Josh Jackson, PHX vs. SAC ($5,300): Jackson should step into the starting lineup for T.J. Warren, and he's been a fantasy monster when given the reins to the offense. Jackson ranks second only to Devin Booker on the team with a 25 percent usage rate, and that could climb even higher with Booker and Warren out. Jackson has been a major disappointment on the whole this season, but he has at least 29 DraftKings points in three straight outings, and he played a season-high 38 minutes in his most recent game.
Centers
DeAndre Ayton, PHX vs. SAC ($6,500): Ayton is the final piece in the Phoenix stack, and he might have the highest upside of the bunch. Not only is he averaging 35.4 fantasy points per game this season, but Ayton has demonstrated 50-point upside on several occasions. He should be a focal point of the offense with Warren and Booker out, and his recent (relative) struggles have lowered his price to this appealing number.
Wendell Carter Jr., CHI at IND ($4,800): This is one of the most mind-boggling prices on this slate, as Carter has been consistently playing at a $6,000 level. He dropped 43 DraftKings points just two games ago and already has a 33.5 DraftKings-point outing against the Pacers earlier this season in just 24 minutes of action.
