This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
Buckle in for a great night in the NBA with 10 games on the schedule Wednesday. That leaves plenty of great options across the price scale in DFS, so let's examine some players to target and avoid as you create your Yahoo lineup.
GUARDS
Dennis Schroder, OKC at CLE ($23):Russell Westbrook (ankle) will be out for this matchup, setting up Schroder for adding playing time and more shots. In the first two games this season with Westbrook sidelined, Schroder scored 46.8 and 19.4 Yahoo points, respectively. Even though the second performance was disappointing, he still took 15 shots in that contest. The Cavaliers have allowed the seventh-most points per game (116.3) in the league, setting up Schroder with the potential to provide plenty of value.
Antonio Blakeney, CHI at NO ($10): The Bulls are decimated by injuries right now, which has opened up the door for Blakeney to get a few extra minutes. Most of his contributions are limited to scoring, but he certainly doesn't shy away from shooting with his 25.9 percent usage rate. In the last four games in which Blakeney has logged at least 20 minutes, he's scored at least 21.4 Yahoo points each time. This game could get out of hand in a hurry against a far superior Pelicans squad, potentially leaving Blakeney with some added garbage time production. It's a bit risky planning for a blowout, but at the minimum price, Blakeney might be worth taking a chance on.
Guard to Avoid
Markelle Fultz, PHI at IND ($16): The experiment of Fultz starting games, then coming off the bench for the start of the second half, might be coming to an end soon. He's only shooting 39.3 percent from the field and doesn't have much range, which doesn't make him an ideal fit to play alongside Ben Simmons. His upside isn't great with 22.8 Yahoo points or fewer in six of his last eight games, so it might be best to avoid him Wednesday.
FORWARDS
Nikola Mirotic, NO vs. CHI ($36): Mirotic has proven to be an ideal fit with the Pelicans. He's recorded a double-double in five straight games, scoring at least 40.1 Yahoo points in each of those contests. The Pelicans play at the fourth-fastest pace (106 possessions per game), which gives Mirotic even more chances to stuff the stat sheet. Even though this game could get out of hand early against his former team, Mirotic will likely be one of the key contributors if that is indeed the case, especially since he will likely be guarded by the defensively challenged Jabari Parker.
Jerami Grant, OKC at CLE ($14): Grant looks locked in now as the Thunder's starting power forward. In six games since taking over the role from Patrick Patterson, Grant is averaging 13.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.5 steals and one three-pointer. Although the Thunder don't normally count on him for offense, he could receive a few more shot attempts with Westbrook sidelined, making him a great cost-effective option to consider for your entry.
Forward to Avoid
Dario Saric, PHI at IND ($17): Saric is stuck in a major shooting slump, hitting only 34 percent of his shots from the floor this season. Normally a good shooter from behind the arc, Saric is shooting an ugly 23.2 percent on three-pointers. With 19.9 Yahoo points or fewer in six straight games, it might be best to avoid Saric until he strings together a couple of strong shooting performances.
CENTERS
Rudy Gobert, UTA vs. DAL ($34): Gobert has always shot for a high percentage, but he's shooting an insane 71.3 percent from the field in the early going. He also continues to be a monster on the glass and defensively, helping him average 16.3 points, 13.4 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per contest. In his first meeting with the Mavericks this season, Gobert scored 57.2 Yahoo points across 33 minutes. While that number might be hard to duplicate, he still has a very high floor.
Larry Nance Jr., CLE vs. OKC ($14): Injuries keep piling up for the Cavaliers. Not only are they without Kevin Love (foot), but now Sam Dekker (ankle) is out for at least two weeks. Even though the Cavaliers haven't shown any desire to give Nance extended playing time lately, someone is going to have to make up for the 25 minutes per game that Dekker had been averaging in a starting role. At this cheap price, it might be worth taking a chance that Nance gets a bump in minutes Wednesday.
Center to Avoid
Myles Turner, IND vs. PHI ($19): It's still early, but it doesn't look like this is going to be Turner's breakout season. With quality depth behind him, Turner is only averaging 27 minutes a game despite signing a big contract extension less than a month ago. There is no question that he's an asset in terms of his shot blocking ability, but he's scored 22.6 Yahoo points or fewer in three of his last four games. With so many great options on this packed slate, Turner is a risk that might not be worth taking.
