This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
A solid, nine-game Saturday night slate provides us the opportunity to identify plenty of potential value. Elite stars like Kevin Durant, James Harden, Anthony Davis and LeBron James are also in action, so saving cash with some high-upside plays elsewhere will help fit in one or two of the studs. Without further ado, let's examine options at each position that can help you budget your dollars prudently:
POINT GUARD
Jamal Murray, DEN at NO ($7,400): Murray should find himself back in the starting lineup after a one-game banishment to the second unit due to violation of team rules. The third-year guard still managed to rack up 28.3 fantasy points against the Hawks in that capacity, and he'll be in position for another strong return Saturday against a Pelicans team that's struggled versus point guards all season. New Orleans will once again be without Elfrid Payton (finger), and they continue to allow the most fantasy points to ones (52.8) in the league. Moreover, they're still yielding bottom-five or bottom-10 figures in scoring (26.7), shooting percentage (48.2) rebounds (6.4), assists (8.9) made threes (3.5) and steals (2.5), giving Murray a multitude of paths to fantasy success.
Lonzo Ball, LAL at ORL ($5,600): You never know what you'll get from Ball shooting-wise on any given night, but the second-year guard does typically make up for any offensive shortfall with strong work elsewhere on the stat sheet. Orland falls about in the middle of the pack in most categories versus ones, and they've yielded 43.5 fantasy points per contest overall to the position. They're also yielding the 11th-highest shooting percentage (45.5) point guards, and Ball comes in having scored 23.7 to 34.7 fantasy points in three of his last five, providing a glimpse a relatively solid ceiling at his price.
SHOOTING GUARD
Buddy Hield, SAC at HOU ($6,600): Hield continues to churn out strong fantasy production nightly, as he comes into Saturday averaging 30.4 fantasy points per game and boasting the highest usage rate among Kings starters (24.5 percent). He's scored 27.4 to 38.3 fantasy points in four of his last five and will face a Rockets team that's allowed a 45.3 percent success rate from the floor to small forwards this season. Hield boasts career highs in shooting percentage (47.5), three-point percentage (43.2) and shot attempts (14.9), and he brings the possibility of a 40-plus fantasy-point ceiling at a very fair price.
Evan Fournier, ORL vs. LAL ($6,100): Fournier is averaging 27.9 fantasy points per contest, and he's been over the 30-mark in six of his last seven games. The matchup versus a Lakers squad is a favorable one, considering they've struggled to slow down two-guards all season. Los Angeles checks into Saturday's contest allowing the most fantasy points per game to shooting guards (46.2) while also yielding the second-most assists (5.8) to the position. In turn, Fournier is succeeding as a facilitator more than at any other time in his career, as he's established a new high-water mark this season with 4.1 assists per contest. He'll also be in a position to benefit from the bump in pace the Lakers bring, as L.A. is currently playing at the second-highest pace in NBA (109.0 possessions per game).
SMALL FORWARD
T.J. Warren, PHO vs. OKC ($6,900): The Suns have found something with Warren at power forward, as he's scored over 20 points in four straight and posted 36.2 to 44.9 fantasy points in those contests. The fifth-year big man has always been an above-average shooter from in front of the arc, but he's vastly improved his accuracy from distance this season, posting a 46.0 percent success rate from three-point range. The Thunder has allowed 43.1 fantasy points per contest to fours, as well as an elevated 48.2 percent success rate. Warren is sporting a 23.3 percent usage rate as well, which ranks him behind only Devin Booker as far as Suns starters. With minutes that have been locked into the high 30s/low 40s over the last four contests, Warren is still a bargain at a sub-$7K price.
Joe Ingles, UTA at BOS ($6,300): Ingles lit up this same Celtics squad for 48.5 fantasy points when he encountered them on Nov. 9. He also eclipsed 30 fantasy points in two of the subsequent three games and has exceeded the 30-mark on three other occasions thus far this season as well. Boston has been fairly stingy against threes, but with a load of a career-high 33.3 minutes per contest and a career-high 11.1 shot attempts per contest, Ingles is remaining heavily involved. He's also draining a career-best 2.6 three-pointers per game, which always gives him an opportunity to boost his overall production in a hurry. What's more, the Celtics have been vulnerable to floor-spacing small forwards, as they're allowing 2.8 made threes to the position, 10th-most in the NBA.
POWER FORWARD
Pascal Siakam, TOR at CHI ($6,500): It sounds as though Kawhi Leonard has a good chance to rest Saturday night, which would free up even more opportunity for Siakam, who is averaging career highs in points (14.3), rebounds (6.6) and steals (1.2) this season. Chicago has allowed the third-most fantasy points per game to fours (52.0). Siakam also continues to remain involved despite the high usage of teammates like Kyle Lowry and Kawhi Leonard, as he's taken double-digit shot attempts in six of his last seven games. It's also worth noting that the Bulls sport a bottom-10 team field-goal percentage (44.5) that should create an uptick in rebounding opportunities for the young big.
Trey Lyles, DEN at NO ($4,600): You'll never find Lyles at ownership beyond the 4.0-5.0 percent range, yet he's developed into a reliable source of cheap fantasy production off the bench. Lyles is averaging 21.3 fantasy points per contest and is averaging a career-best 10.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists 8.9 shot attempts per contest. He'll check in Saturday's game having scored 19.6 to 31.3 fantasy points in five of his last six games, making him an appealing target versus a Pelicans squad that's allowing 49.6 percent shooting to power forwards, as well as 46.8 fantasy points per game to fours. As with Fournier, Lyles should also benefit from additional opportunities Saturday, considering New Orleans averages 109.5 possessions per game at home, the most in the NBA.
CENTER
JaVale McGee, LAL at ORL ($6,500): McGee has proven he has plenty left in the tank this season while serving in a starting role, and he'll have a chance to prove that against one of his old teams in the Magic. Orland checks in allowing 55.9 fantasy points per game to centers, along with a robust 16.6 rebounds per contest. McGee currently boasts career highs in points (14.1) and shot attempts (9.9), and he's benefited greatly from playing with elite facilitators like Lonzo Ball and LeBron James that are capable of finding him in the paint for some high-percentage put-ins. Saturday, McGee should also be poised for an uptick in rebounding production, considering Orlando sports the seventh-lowest team shooting percentage (44.4) in the NBA.
