This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
Our nine-game slate gives us one obvious avenue to follow in our lineup construction as well as some injury situations to exploit. That's a great combination when we need to spend up, and it's possible that we'll be splurging on one player in particular tonight. First, let's look at the injury landscape.
The Hornets are a team with its share of injury concerns. Jeremy Lamb (hamstring) and Cody Zeller (hand) are out on Wednesday, with Zeller's fractured hand leaving a gaping hole at center for Charlotte in the coming weeks. One should expect Nicolas Batum ($4,600) to see a bit of an increase, but it was rookie Devonte Graham ($3,400) and Malik Monk ($3,600) who saw significant upticks in production. Both of them are attractive pivots. The situation at center is a bit muddier, and since we will be without Zeller for a while, a wait-and-see approach would be the best advice I could give in this spot. Willy Hernangomez ($3,800) would look to get the first crack at it, but Bismack Biyombo ($3,000) has shown us all his ability to impact games as a reserve player in Orlando, and Frank Kaminsky ($3,000) is another guy in the mix. If you choose to go this way, expect some volatility, but I speculate Hernangomez would see the most significant bump in the short term.
Here are a few other situations to consider, and their respective pivots:
Kyrie Irving (eye) OUT – PIVOTS: Terry Rozier ($5,300), Marcus Smart ($4,300)
Derrick Rose (ankle) OUT – PIVOT: Tyus Jones ($5,600)
Kent Bazemore (ankle) OUT – PIVOTS: Kevin Huerter ($4,400), Jeremy Lin ($3,900)
Finally, we understandably approach Anthony Davis ($11,800) with a modicum of caution as his status see-sawed on New Year's Eve until he was ultimately scratched after he locked. He's expected to play Wednesday, and the matchup against the Nets is about as good as you can get. I'm firing him up without much hesitation in GPP scenarios. His potential limitations make Julius Randle ($8,000) the more sensible play, so I'm more inclined to go Randle for cash. You're also seeing some rest potential for Joel Embiid ($10,600), who has some knee soreness heading into the tail end of a back-to-back. This duo is incredibly frustrating due to the plum matchups (Embiid travels to meet the Suns), and the late start heightens the anxiety about Embiid. Your remedy is relatively simple – either you avoid this mess entirely, or you stay vigilant and be prepared to disperse wealth in the late games if Embiid sits. Keep all of these situations in mind (I know, a tall order) as I make my other endorsements.
GUARDS
Bradley Beal, WAS vs. ATL ($8,800): As always, we're looking for any way we can to get to that 37 DKFP per-player to get us in the 300 range, and this is a spot where I can pivot off higher-priced guys like Westbrook and Simmons to net a similar result. As previously stated, Atlanta's experiencing some backcourt issues with Kent Bazemore out, and even though the Wizards have their own assortment of issues, Beal is healthy and humming with an average of 47 DKFP over the past five games. His long-range ball has been a bit off recently (26.8 percent of 41 attempts over five games), but he'll find a favorable situation to heave it up against the Hawks, who rank next-to-last in the league in defending shots from beyond the arc.
Justise Winslow, MIA at CLE ($6,900): Winslow had a masterful 52 DKFP game against the Cavs in their last matchup, so the ceiling for him is readily apparent. The game flow in Orlando is still working in Winslow's favor with Goran Dragic out, and he's supplanted Josh Richardson as the most viable pivot in this scenario. It's hard to sleep on Richardson though, and he could merit borderline GPP consideration for me.
Elfrid Payton, NO at BKN ($5,300): Payton is an intriguing play in what should be one of the fastest-paced games of the night. He returned from injury New Year's Eve and drew the start right away but showed a bit of rust with his shot after missing a month. Now that he's had one game to get his footing, we should see Payton get right back to the dime-dropping that made him so valuable early in the season. Consider Payton a risk-reward guy who should get a look in GPPs.
To go lower here, refer to the injury section above.
Other guards to consider: Kemba Walker, CHA vs. DAL ($9,000), Kris Dunn, CHI vs. ORL ($6,400), Alec Burks, CLE vs. MIA ($4,800)
FORWARDS
Paul George, OKC at LAL ($9,200): Despite the Lakers' recent successes, they're still vulnerable without LeBron is certain situations. Though Kyle Kuzma is growing as a defender, I think PG13 should have a big night. While I have faith in Russell Westbrook in this spot, I'm not as keen on giving up that much cash when there are so many guards I can pivot to. George also sits atop a relatively thin pool in this range. He' also humming along with a 55.5 DKFP average over the last five games.
Jayson Tatum, BOS vs. MIN ($6,300): While Lauri Markkanen was tempting in this range, Tatum facing a Minnesota squad that may be without Robert Covington looks especially favorable. With Kyrie out, the Celtics may need to lean a little heavier on their high-profile forward. In terms of reliability, you can't do a lot better than Tatum when you're looking for that magic number, as his floor sits steadily in the mid-30 DKFP range, with a ceiling that could pop on any given night.
Marvin Williams, CHA vs. DAL ($5,100): I'm giving Williams some attention as a GPP target on the assumption that Charlotte's interior game will need more punch moving forward, as an assortment of big men get their footing in a starting role ahead of Cody Zeller's injury. He's demonstrated a ceiling that can pop well into the 40 DKFP range, but he'll need a good minute total to make that happen. His tendency to disappear in specific game scripts makes him risky for cash, but he could easily wake up in this new scenario.
Other forwards to consider: John Collins, ATL at WAS ($8,500), Lauri Markkanen, CHI vs. ORL ($7,000)
CENTERS
DeAndre Jordan, DAL at CHA ($6,500): Beyond AD and Embiid, I'm comfortable spending down a bit due to the exploitable situations on the docket. Jordan versus the Hornets is a perfect example. Jordan's totals have jumped around a bit over the past two weeks, but the Hornets will spend the next few weeks digging into their roster for a Cody Zeller replacement, and it's doubtful that anyone they send out will have a leg up on Dallas' big man. His reasonable price in this category makes him well worth the add, and I think he'll have a good shot at 40 DKFP or more tonight.
Thomas Bryant, WAS vs. ATL ($4,700): The Wizards are struggling, but they've found a worthy replacement for Dwight Howard in Bryant, who's done an admirable job in relief. He's averaged 37 DKFP over the past two games, and he has the advantage of facing an injury-plagued Atlanta squad. John Collins will be a big presence to deal with inside, but Bryant won't have to do much to hit value, and this low-cost value play can help you reach for higher targets at other positions.
If Joel Embiid sits, I'm giving a special nod to DeAndre Ayton ($7,300), who could help make this game a lot closer than the Sixers (and Vegas) expect. Anyone that can launch 61 DKFP against Nikola Jokic can do it against Mike Muscala, who may very well be the starting center for Philly tonight.
If you are available to make some last-minute swaps, be sure to check in with RotoWire for all of the latest news! There will be a lot of late-breaking calls tonight.
