This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
The Saturday night eight-game main slate has a trio of five-figure superstars in LeBron James, Damian Lillard and Karl-Anthony Towns that you'll want to try and squeeze in, so identifying viable value elsewhere becomes pertinent. Luckily, there are plenty of candidates across the 16 teams in action, with several particularly looking like bargains relative to recent production. Without further delay, let's dive into identifying multiple names at each position that can afford you those coveted savings:
POINT GUARD
Emmanuel Mudiay, NY vs. BKN ($5,800): Mudiay's shooting is still spotty on some nights, but he's arguably in the midst of one of the more productive and consistent stretches of his career. The fourth-year guard is draining a career-best 45.7 percent of his attempts, including 36.8 percent from distance. Mudiay has also scored 27 to 42.1 fantasy points over his last three, and he's scored over 30 once and eclipsed 40 on another occasion in his last seven overall. Those figures equate to some good-to-great upside at his current price, and the matchup lines up in his favor Saturday as well. The Nets come in allowing 43.6 fantasy points per game to ones, along with 24.0 actual points per contest.
Collin Sexton, CLE vs. WAS ($4,900): The recent trade of George Hill to the Bucks has freed up the starting point guard job for Sexton, a role he already found success in earlier in the campaign when Hill was dealing with a shoulder injury. He'll be in a favorable position to capitalize on the extra minutes Saturday, considering the Wizards come in allowing the most fantasy points per game (52.1) to ones. Those numbers are comprised of league-worst or bottom-10 figures in points (27.1), rebounds (6.3), assists (9.5), and made threes (3.1) yielded to point guards. The fact the Wizards also allow the fifth-highest three-point shooting percentage (36.6) works in Sexton's favor, considering he's draining an impressive 43.9 percent of his shots from distance.
SHOOTING GUARD
Jaylen Brown, BOS at CHI ($4,800): Brown made a splash in his return from injury against the Knicks last Thursday, scoring 25.6 fantasy points over 25 minutes. Even if he's back in a bench role Saturday, he should see more than enough playing time with which to provide a strong return on a very modest price. The Bulls have allowed 38.9 fantasy points per contest to two-guards, including the seventh-most made threes (3.1) per game to the position. Brown has struggled from distance this season, but the improvement he's demonstrated in his overall shooting over his last five games (61.9 percent) is going to eventually bleed into over into his long-range marksmanship.
Alec Burks, CLE vs. WAS ($4,000): Burks has been unleashed in his new Cleveland digs and therefore checks in significantly underpriced relative to recent production. The 27-year-old two-guard has scored in double digits in four of his first five games in a Cavs uniform, leading to fantasy-point totals of 21.2 to 44.9 in those contests. Notably, Burks logged 38 minutes off the bench against the Kings on Friday, which led to a 22-point, nine-assist, seven-rebound effort. Given the results he's generated thus far, Burks should continue seeing ample playing time each night, and a matchup versus a Wizards squad that's been vulnerable defensively and allows the sixth-highest three-point percentage (38.5) on the road could set him up for another handsome return.
SMALL FORWARD
Bojan Bogdanovic, IND vs. SAC ($5,200): Bogdanovic lit up the Kings for 33.6 fantasy points in their first meeting a week ago, and he's scored 23.2 and 35.6 fantasy points in his subsequent pair of contests this past week. The Kings have been about middle of the pack versus small forwards in terms of fantasy production allowed, yielding 41.2 fantasy points per game to the position. Bogdanovic notably averages 31.2 fantasy points with Victor Oladipo (knee) off the floor this season, and he should also be a beneficiary of the Kings' second-ranked pace of play (107.8 possessions per game).
Juancho Hernangomez, DEN at ATL ($5,000): Hernangomez continues to churn out solid production at very affordable prices, with the latest example being the 39 fantasy points he compiled versus the Hornets on Friday night. The emerging wing also scored 24 to 32.6 fantasy points in four of the prior five games, and he'll face a Hawks team that's allowed the seventh-most fantasy points (42.8) per game to small forwards. That number is partly the result of Atlanta yielding the fourth-most assists (4.3) and the most steals (2.5) per contest to the position. Hernangomez should also be in position to take advantage of the fact the Hawks allow the highest three-point percentage (38.1, including 41.7 percent over the last three), as he's draining an impressive 45.5 percent of his 3.7 attempts per game from distance.
POWER FORWARD
Al-Farouq Aminu, POR vs. MIN ($6,000): Aminu mustered just 16.7 fantasy points against the Suns in a seemingly favorable matchup on Thursday, but he'd eclipsed 30 in each of the three contests prior while scoring 20 points in two of them. That success has unsurprisingly been influenced by a hot hand, as he's shot 69.7 percent, including 53.3 percent from three-point range, over his last five games overall. The Timberwolves could facilitate one of his more productive outings, as they're yielding 46.9 fantasy points per game to fours. Minnesota is also just outside the bottom 10 in three-point percentage allowed on the road (36.3), while Aminu is posting a 35.3 percent success rate from behind the arc on just under four three-point attempts per game.
Bam Adebayo, MIA at LAC ($5,500): The Nuggets' Trey Lyles ($3,600) is also highly worthy of consideration if you need to pay down further in this spot, given Paul Millsap's absence due to a toe fracture. Meanwhile, Adebayo filled in for Hassan Whiteside (personal) on Friday and turned in a pretty convincing impression of the starting center, delivering a 22-point, 10-rebound double-double over 32 minutes against the Suns. With Whiteside expected to be out again Saturday, Adebayo could once again profit versus a Clippers squad that's allowing 58.9 fantasy points per game to centers, while also surrendering the fourth-most points per contest to the position (26.0). Los Angeles has also proven vulnerable in the area of the floor where most of Adebayo's offense comes from, as they're surrendering the fifth-most points in the paint on the season (51.3). In turn, Adebayo is logging 68.7 percent of his scoring near the basket. Moreover, the fact Miami sports the second-lowest team shooting percentage (43.3) figures to afford Adebayo extra opportunities for rebounding on the offensive glass.
CENTER
Mitchell Robinson, NYK vs. BKN ($3,700): The Nuggets' Mason Plumlee ($5,400) is also a viable option if you have the cash to spend up a bit, but Robinson offers the potential for a strong return on a price just $200 away from minimum. The rookie has eclipsed 20 fantasy points in two of his last four games, and he's posted 14 and 16.2 in his other two games over that span. Those numbers represent serviceable-to-above-average returns on his current price, and the matchup could hardly line up better for him Saturday. The Nets come in allowing the most fantasy points per game to centers (63.9), along with the most points (28.1) and most rebounds (19.8) per contest to the position. Even though Robinson's minutes are rarely eclipsing the high teens, the price and matchup are such Saturday that he likely won't need much time to generate an acceptable return.
