This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
Friday will be a busy night in the NBA with 11 games on the schedule. That leaves us with plenty of options to wade through in DFS, so let's get right to it. Here are some players to consider across the salary scale, as well as a few to possibly avoid.
GUARDS
Donovan Mitchell, UTA vs. MIL ($35): This will mark the third straight game Mike Conley Jr. (hamstring) has missed for the Jazz. In the first two, Mitchell scored 52.3 and 61.3 Yahoo points. Not only did he attempt at least 23 shots in both contests, but he also dished out 20 total assists. With Mitchell basically running point for the Jazz once again Friday, his upside is extremely high.
Terrence Ross, ORL at SAC ($13): At this point, it's almost easier to just list who is available for the Magic rather than all their injuries. Ross is one of the few healthy players left, which has contributed to him logging at least 31 minutes and scoring at least 20 points in both of the last two games. With the likelihood the Magic will still be shorthanded at least to some extent Friday, Ross could provide excellent value against a Kings' team with the league's worst defensive rating.
Guard to Avoid
Josh Richardson, DAL vs. NO ($17): Richardson has had his moments, but he's generally been an inconsistent fantasy option. Across the last nine games, he's scored at least 17 points four times. However, he scored 10 or fewer in each of the other five during that stretch. Add in Richardson's limited contributions in rebounds and assists and taking a chance on him having one of his better performances might be unnecessary given all of the slate's available options.
FORWARDS
Julius Randle, NY at WAS ($41): Randle is coming off of a rare off night where he only scored 12 points against the Heat on Tuesday. But that was a tough matchup against a solid defensive team and he still attempted 18 shots. The problem was, Randle only made four of them. Look for him to bounce back in a big way against a Wizards' side coming in with the second-worst defensive rating.
Luguentz Dort, OKC at DEN ($13): The Thunder already started out the season as a team with little quality depth based on the rebuild they began in the offseason. Things are even worse now with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (knee), George Hill (thumb) and Theo Maledon (COVID-19 protocols) all out. That's contributed to Dort playing at least 32 minutes in three straight games. While his production still hasn't been off the charts, he did score at least 25.7 Yahoo points in two of those contests. At near the minimum salary, Dort might be worth the minimal risk in tournament play.
Forward to Avoid
Alec Burks, NY at WAS ($17): Burks has been a pleasant surprise for the Knicks by averaging 13.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.4 three-pointers while mostly filling a reserve role. The question is, will he continue to be one of their main scoring weapons on the second unit with Derrick Rose now in the fold? In his first game playing alongside Rose, Burks scored 11 points on eight shot attempts. It might be best to take a wait-and-see approach with him for at least a couple of outings.
CENTERS
Nikola Vucevic, ORL at SAC ($45): With so many players out for the Magic, Vucevic has been jacking up shots at will with at least 21 attempts in three of the last four games. The only time he didn't during that stretch, he managed 17 shots despite only playing 24 minutes in a blowout loss to the Bulls. Add in the favorable matchup and Vucevic has arguably as high of a floor as any player at any position for the evening.
Isaiah Stewart, DET at BOS ($10): The key here will be the status of Mason Plumlee (elbow), who was unable to take the floor Thursday. Stewart started in his place and scored 35.9 Yahoo points across 31 minutes. If Plumlee is out again, Stewart could be a key center to target for those who want to allocate more of their budget to other positions.
Center to Avoid
Steven Adams, NO at DAL ($16): Adams remains a great source for rebounds, but his average of 8.3 points per game would be his lowest mark since 2015-16. He's actually averaging more minutes than he did with the Thunder last season, but his paltry 12.9 percent usage rate has been the reason for his muted contributions in the scoring column. There's no reason to expect his role to change anytime soon with Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson leading the Pelicans' offense.
