This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
With nine games on the schedule for Wednesday's slate, there's a ton of options to sort through at all levels of the price scale. The following list should provide a handful of players to consider building your lineup around:
GUARDS:
Chris Paul, HOU at DAL ($10,100): Paul has had a couple of down performances of late, scoring below 40 FanDuel points in two his last four contests. However, he has the potential to surpass the 60-point mark on any given night and Wednesday's favorable matchup with the Mavericks is a prime example of that. The Mavericks have given up the third most FanDuel points to point guards on the season, which should give Paul every opportunity to get back track.
Dejounte Murray, SAS at MEM ($5,200): The torch has officially been passed from Tony Parker to Murray at the point guard spot, with coach Gregg Popovich confirming Tuesday that Murray would continue to start moving forward. In his first two outings in the top unit, Murray has responded extremely well, averaging 13.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 5.0 steals across 29.0 minutes. That was good enough for an average of 41.5 FanDuel points, which makes Murray's cheap price even more intriguing. While I certainly don't expect Murray to keep pace with the ridiculous number of steals he's snatched, he does appear to be a consistent force on the boards despite being a guard, which really helps keep his floor up.
Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, PHI vs CHI ($4,200): The Sixers are still dealing with a ton of injuries on the wing and are once again set to be without the likes of J.J. Redick (leg), T.J. McConnell (personal) and Jerryd Bayless (wrist). That should allow Luwawu-Cabarrot to pick up his third straight start and he'll likely be getting extended playing time after logging 30 minutes in each of the last two contests. He posted 23.0 and 22.6 FanDuel points over that stretch and while those aren't necessarily gaudy numbers, I still like the upside Luwawu-Cabarrot has when getting a hefty workload. I could easily see Luwawu-Cabarrot push for a 30-FanDuel-point night, which would be fantastic value at $4,200.
FORWARDS:
LaMarcus Aldridge, SAS at MEM ($9,200): With Kawhi Leonard (groin) still out, I find it hard to go elsewhere in terms of top talent at the forward position. Aldridge has been an absolute force this season and was recently named as a reserve for the 2018 NBA All-Star game. It was a well-deserved honor and expectations should continue to remain high despite what most expect to be a slow, grind-it out battle against Memphis. The Grizzlies will be without starting power forward JaMychal Green (ankle), so Aldridge will likely be matched up against the much younger and inexperienced Jarell Martin. A favorable matchup for a guy like Aldridge, who's averaged nearly 40 FanDuel points on the season, is exactly what I'm looking for when evaluating the top tier.
Montrezl Harrell, LAC vs BOS ($4,900): Harrell has been one of the main beneficiaries of DeAndre Jordan's (ankle) absence, averaging 28.9 FanDuel points in the five games Jordan has been out. While the Clippers originally believed Jordan would have the chance of returning Wednesday, they have now downgraded him to doubtful, so he should remain sidelined once again. Harrell's price had peaked at $6,200 a couple of games ago, so this is a big discount for him, especially considering he'll be filling in with big minutes once again.
Nemanja Bjelica, MIN at POR ($3,600): Bjelica should only be considered if Jimmy Butler (knee) is held out. Butler is currently listed as questionable, but additional updates should be provided at some point closer to tip-off. Bjelica has started the last two games in his place, posting 34.8 and 20.2 FanDuel points, respectively. At a near minimum price, the potential for 30-plus FanDuel points is a no brainer, so fire him up if Butler can't give it a go.
CENTERS:
Joel Embiid, PHI vs CHI ($11,000): The center position is somewhat top heavy for Wednesday's slate, so DFS owners will likely be looking to pay up at the position if possible. Embiid, who has the second highest salary behind DeMarcus Cousins, is one of the more intriguing options, due mostly to his matchup against the Bulls. The Bulls have given up the fifth most FanDuel points to centers on the season, including the most in the league over the last five games. Embiid, on the other hand, has had 45 or more FanDuel points in three of the last four games, so he's firing on all cylinders right now. With a matchup against a struggling frontcourt defense and a recent surge of his own, Embiid will be a strong play Wednesday
Rudy Gobert, UTA at DET ($7,900): Gobert is set to play in just his fourth game since returning from an extended absence due to injury. In his first three outings back, he's showed absolutely no rust at all, averaging 15.0 points, 10.3 rebounds, 1.0 steal and 3.0 blocks across 28.7 minutes, which is good enough for 38.4 FanDuel points. His price, however, hasn't quite caught up with him yet and is still slightly lower than it was prior to the injury. For that reason, fantasy owners should still be getting a discount here, so if you can't afford Embiid, Gobert becomes the next best option.
