This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
There are a few early start times on Sunday, leaving just four games to make up the main slate on Yahoo. However, there are still several of the top players in action with the Lakers, Pelicans, Raptors and Nuggets all taking the floor. Here are some players to target and avoid as you create what will hopefully be a winning lineup.
GUARDS
Bradley Beal, WAS vs. LAL ($35): Beal has had some noteworthy performances of late, scoring at least 45.7 Yahoo points in four of his last six games. Not only is he an excellent scorer, but he's a reliable contributor across the board, with averages of 4.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists, one steal and one block per contest. Both the Wizards and Lakers are in the top-seven in the league in pace of play, so expect Beal to have plenty of opportunities to stuff the stat sheet again Sunday.
Tim Frazier, NO vs. MIA ($13): Frazier has played well since entering the starting five, averaging 8.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, 8.2 assists and 1.1 steals across nine games. The Pelicans have very little depth, which has helped Frazier log at least 29 minutes seven times during that stretch. His scoring upside will likely remain limited, but his high minute's floor and ability to rack up assists make him a viable tournament play option at this cheap price.
Guard to Avoid
Wesley Matthews, DAL vs. SAC ($14): The Mavericks relied heavily on Matthews out of the gate, resulting in him averaging 35 minutes across his first eight games. However, he's only averaged 29 minutes across his last 15 contests. His rebounding and assist numbers have remained relatively the same, but his scoring dropped by more than five points per game since his playing time became limited. With 17.5 Yahoo points or fewer in three straight games, Matthews isn't a very appealing option.
FORWARDS
Luka Doncic, DAL vs. SAC ($33): Doncic has been a steady source of production, scoring at least 30 Yahoo points in 10 of his last 12 games. His 42.8 percent shooting from the field leaves a lot to be desired, but his 26 percent usage rate has still enabled him to average 17.8 points per game. He's also averaged 6.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists per contest, which helps him provide value more often than that. This is a great matchup against a Kings team that plays at the second-fastest pace (105.2 possessions per game) and allows the third-most points per game (116).
Nemanja Bjelica, SAC at DAL ($13): Bjelica started off the season strong, but his inconsistent playing time lately has resulted in him scoring 19.8 Yahoo points or fewer in six of his last 10 games. That might not be a problem for him in the short term, though, with Marvin Bagley (knee) expected to be out at least 10 days. Across five games in which Bjelica has logged at least 30 minutes, he's averaged 17.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists.
Forward to Avoid
Justise Winslow, MIA at NO ($17): Winslow recently had a stretch of three straight games with at least 40.4 Yahoo points, which was certainly rare for him, considering he had scored 29 Yahoo points or fewer in each of his previous 14 contests. He's come crashing back down to Earth with 16.8 Yahoo points or fewer in back-to-back games, so he might not be worth the risk considering he's not priced at that much of a discount.
CENTERS
Nikola Jokic, DEN vs. TOR ($46): With the Nuggets decimated by injuries, Jokic has put the team on his back and scored at least 52.7 Yahoo points in three straight games. He's always been known as an excellent passer, but he's taken his game to the next level by averaging a career-high 7.6 assists this season. The Raptors are a good defensive team, but that didn't stop Jokic from scoring 62.7 Yahoo points when these two teams met a couple of weeks ago.
Mason Plumlee, DEN vs. TOR ($12): Jokic is averaging 31 minutes a game, which doesn't always leave a lot of playing time for Plumlee. However, all of the injuries that the Nuggets have suffered have opened up some added playing time for him of late, helping him score at least 23.4 Yahoo points in five of his last six games. The Raptors are shorthanded up front themselves, with Jonas Valanciunas (thumb) out, which should leave the seldom-used Greg Monroe to try and slow down Plumlee.
Center to Avoid
Hassan Whiteside, MIA at NO ($26): Whiteside recently missed four games due to the birth of his child, but returned Friday against the Grizzlies. However, he logged just 22 minutes, scoring six points to go along with seven rebounds. The Heat sometimes leave Whiteside on the bench for long stretches late in games, making him a volatile option in DFS. This is not a good matchup for him against the far more athletic Anthony Davis, so it wouldn't be surprising to see his playing time somewhat limited in this game, as well.
