This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
The NBA brings another packed Friday with 10 games on the schedule. Several key players are dealing with injuries, which opens up some great opportunities for their backups to shine in DFS. Here are some options to target and avoid as you create your Yahoo entry.
GUARDS
Derrick Rose, MIN at SA ($19): Jeff Teague (ankle) has already been ruled out Friday, which will mark the third consecutive game that he has missed. Rose didn't have to play much in a blowout win over the Kings on Monday, but he shined with 48.1 Yahoo points across 38 minutes Wednesday against the Pistons. Through eight starts that he's made this year, Rose is averaging 26.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 6.6 assists. It's hard to pass him up at this price.
Fred VanVleet, TOR vs. CLE ($10): The Raptors have been without Kyle Lowry (thigh) for their last three games, and it appears he'll be out for at least a couple more. VanVleet missed one game himself during that stretch, but he started and scored at least 26.9 Yahoo points in both of the other two contests. Expect him to once again see a significant increase in playing time, making him a great option at the minimum price.
Guard to Avoid
Darren Collison, IND at BKN ($14): Collison may be the starting point guard for the Pacers, but he's only averaging 28 minutes per game. His usage rate is all the way down to 15.8 percent, which has contributed to him averaging just 8.8 points a night. With Victor Oladipo now healthy, the Pacers have significant depth at guard, so things likely won't turn around for Collison anytime soon. With VanVleet priced four dollars cheaper, it doesn't make much sense to roll with Collison in your entry.
FORWARDS
Blake Griffin, DET at CHA ($34): Griffin is averaging 36 minutes per game for the Pistons this year, marking his highest average since the 2013-14 season. He also has a 30 percent usage rate, which has helped him average a career-high 25.7 points per game. Add in his ability to rack up rebounds and assists, and Griffin has scored at least 40 Yahoo points in eight straight games. One of those contests came against these same Hornets in Charlotte, a game in which he scored 49.5 Yahoo points.
Jaren Jackson Jr., MEM at SAC ($18): Like a lot of rookies, Jackson has struggled to provide consistent production. He's scored at least 30.6 Yahoo points in five of his last 11 games, but he also scored 16.1 Yahoo points or fewer three times during that stretch. This has the potential to be one of his better performances considering the Kings play at the second-fastest pace (105.6 possessions per game) in the league. The Grizzlies have already faced the Kings twice this season with Jackson scoring 32.4 and 51.2 Yahoo points, respectively.
Forward to Avoid
Nicolas Batum, CHA vs. DET ($14): Batum has never been a great scoring option, but his opportunities have been few and far between this season with his 13.9 percent usage rate. He normally helps make up for his lack of scoring with contributions in other areas, but his average of just 3.4 assists per game has really dealt a blow to his value. With 18.3 Yahoo points or fewer in five of his last six contests, there isn't much appeal here considering it's such a loaded slate.
CENTERS
Nikola Vucevic, ORL at CHI ($36): Vucevic missed Wednesday's game against the Spurs due to a personal matter, but he returned to practice Thursday and should be ready to go for this contest. He has one of the highest floors at the center position, scoring at least 35 Yahoo points in 10 straight games. This is an excellent matchup for him against a Bulls team that allows the most Yahoo points per game (56.1) to opposing centers. The last time he faced them, he scored 48 Yahoo points.
Dewayne Dedmon, ATL at NY ($14): Dedmon is only averaging 24 minutes per game for the season, but he's logged at least 27 minutes in six of his last seven games. He's certainly made the most of his added opportunities, scoring at least 27 Yahoo points in five of those six contests. The Knicks allow the seventh-most Yahoo points per game (49.2) to opposing centers, making Dedmon a viable option in tournament play.
Center to Avoid
Jusuf Nurkic, POR vs. UTA ($26): With so many games Friday, there are a ton of great choices at center. Nurkic is playing well right now and is averaging a double-double (14.4 points and 10.1 rebounds per game) for the first time in his career. However, he was limited to 18.9 Yahoo points against Marc Gasol and the Grizzlies on Wednesday and will face another tough defender in Rudy Gobert, leaving him as a risky option at this price.
