Point Guard
Jared Cunningham ($3000, 16.6 USG) – Mo Williams (ankle) is listed as doubtful against the Orlando Magic tonight, so you want to plug and play Dellavedova right? Actually, I’d suggest otherwise. Dellavedova is nursing a sore leg and is reportedly set for limited minutes making Jared Cunningham the last man standing. Cunningham was spotted wearing a wine-colored jersey (what the starters wear) during practice so that’s definitely a positive sign for him starting. He doesn’t do as much as you’d like when he’s on the court only averaging 11.6 points, 2.3 assists and 3.1 rebounds per 36 minutes, but you don’t need him to at that price. He’s as cheap as it gets and likely starting against a Magic team that allows the 10th most fantasy points to opposing point guards. This is the value play of the night unless some shocking news breaks minutes before lineups lock.
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Shooting Guard
J.R. Smith ($4800, 17.3 USG) – I’m not gonna sugarcoat it, I’m loving a lot of Cavaliers tonight. How can you not? They’re missing Timofey Mozgov, Iman Shumpert, Kyrie Irving, Mo Williams and Matthew Dellavedova is playing on one leg. Everyone’s usage rate goes through the roof with injuries to that many critical players. Smith is averaging 38.1 minutes over his last 5 games and is still really affordable. The Magic give up an average of 22.2 PPG, 6.8 RPG and 3.8 APG to opposing SG’s, so the matchup is certainly favorable enough to want to exploit.
Small Forward
Robert Covington ($4400, 26.0 USG) – Covington should’ve began this season as the Sixers starting small forward, but he suffered a sprained MCL and bone bruise in his knee at the end of preseason that held him out a couple of weeks. Jerami Grant has played surprisingly well in his absence allowing them to take their time bringing Covington back around. He only averaged 22 minutes over his first 5 games since returning from injury but on Saturday, things changed. He played a season high 32 min and had his best outing of the season scoring 36.5 DK points (21 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals and a block). If the chains are indeed off and his minute restrictions have been lifted, he won’t come this cheaply moving forward. This Sixers team is in dire need of his floor spacing.
Power Forward
David West ($3600, 17.9 USG) – This play is strictly based on LaMarcus Aldridge‘s availability for tonight. As of now, Aldridge is still questionable to face the Suns but if he’s out, West becomes a must play for me at only $3600. He didn’t make the most of his start against Memphis on Saturday (scoring only 16.3 DK points), but he got 25 min and was going against a tougher matchup against a slower paced Grizzlies team. The Suns are actually pretty tough against opposing power forwards (6th overall), but I like the matchup against Morris and the pace the Suns play at (102.80 PACE).
Center
Tyson Chandler ($4900, 10.6 USG) – I’d personally recommend doing everything possible to target both Karl Anthony Towns and Boogie Cousins as your building blocks for tonight’s slate, but some would prefer otherwise. I don’t like the cheaper center options at all for tonight. I just think there’s so much value elsewhere making it easy for you to get in Cousins/KAT and move on but for those who wish to, Tyson Chandler is a viable option. He’s certainly having one of his worst seasons on the offensive end (averaging 7.9 points, 1.2 assists and a 12.4 PER) but defensively, he’s still above average (13.2 RPG). San Antonio is 23rd overall against opposing centers and could be without Aldridge so it’s not the worst play. There’s little to like here but at least there’s some to like.
Also worth noting: If Cody Zeller (questionable with ankle injury) is out tonight, I wouldn’t mind a Frank Kaminsky punt at all for only $3200. He’s been playing well in limited minutes.
Featured Image Credit: By photo taken by flickr user ReneS (flickr) [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons
