This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
The NBA returns from the All-Star break with a loaded 12-game schedule Thursday. That leaves us with a ton of options to wade through on Yahoo. Here are some of the top players to consider at each position, as well as a few to possibly avoid.
GUARD
De'Aaron Fox, SAC vs. SA ($43): Domantas Sabonis (illness) is listed as doubtful against the Spurs, setting up Fox to be the undisputed leading scoring option for the Kings. When these two teams met previously in the season, he scored 68.1 Yahoo points. The Spurs have played at the fourth-fastest pace in the league, so Fox should have an incredibly high ceiling in their rematch.
Tre Mann, CHA at UTA ($12): LaMelo Ball (ankle) returned to practice for the Hornets on Wednesday. While he appears to be approaching a return, he will not play against the Jazz. That should mean another start for Mann, who has scored at least 28.3 Yahoo points in all three games since joining the Hornets. The Jazz have played at the ninth-fastest pace in the league, which should afford Mann with plenty of opportunities to provide value.
Guard to Avoid
Jordan Poole, WAS at DEN ($19): Poole has struggled for most of the season, but things were really bad for him leading up to the break. Over his last 12 games, he has only averaged 10.9 points and shot 33.1 percent from the field. In what could end up being a blowout against the vastly superior Nuggets, Poole isn't worth the risk.
FORWARD
John Collins, UTA vs. CHA ($22): The Jazz dealt away some of their frontcourt depth at the trade deadline, moving both Kelly Olynyk and Simone Fontecchio. Over four games since those trades, Collins has averaged 15.3 points, 11.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists. It's important to note that he also logged 30 minutes per game, which is a slight uptick from his season average of 28 minutes. The Hornets don't have a ton of size and are sporting the worst defensive rating in the league, making Collins a great target at his reasonable salary.
Grant Williams, CHA at UTA ($10): Williams didn't end up working out with the Mavericks. He never seemed to get comfortable with his new squad, and they decided to move on from him quickly by dealing him to the Hornets. The initial returns have been great for Williams, who scored at least 31.3 Yahoo points in two of the three games. At the minimum salary, he is well worth the risk in tournament play.
Forward to Avoid
Evan Mobley, CLE vs. ORL ($36): Points should be at a premium in this matchup. The Cavaliers have the second-best defensive rating in the league, while the Magic have the fifth-best mark in the category. The last time Mobley faced the Magic, he only scored 27.0 Yahoo points. There are a ton of great options for this loaded slate, so there's no reason to pay for Mobley's hefty salary when he has a bad matchup.
CENTER
Anthony Davis, LAL at GS ($52): Despite having a week off for the break, LeBron James (ankle) will be out again for the Lakers. They will be playing three games in four nights, so maybe that played a factor in his availability against the Warriors. With him out, Davis is going to get all of the shot attempts that he can handle against a Warriors team that doesn't have a ton of size up front. The last time these two teams met, Davis scored 59.1 Yahoo points.
Marvin Bagley III, WAS at DEN ($12): Rolling with centers against the Nuggets is risky. They can easily get into foul trouble trying to slow down Nikola Jokic. However, Bagley has scored at least 34.0 Yahoo points in back-to-back games and is the Wizards new starting center with Daniel Gafford having been traded. Since he has near the minimum salary, he could still be worth considering in tournament play.
Center to Avoid
Wendell Carter, ORL at CLE ($22): Carter has scored 20.7 Yahoo points or fewer in four of his last six games. He is only logging an average of 26 minutes per game this season and that likely isn't going to change moving forward with the Magic having a healthy depth chart. Combine his limited production with this bad matchup and it's difficult to justify taking a chance on him.
