This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
Tuesday's six-game slate is devoid of the ultra-elite players, but it still has plenty of solid star power in the form of John Wall, Kyle Lowry, Jimmy Butler, Kawhi Leonard and Karl-Anthony Towns. With some strong value available as well, here's a look at where the cash might best be spent Tuesday:
GUARDS
Eric Bledsoe, PHO vs. MIN ($37): Bledsoe has scored between 42.0 and 64.7 fantasy points and between 23 and 40 points in the last four games. The Timberwolves have given up the 11th-most fantasy points to point guards (46.3) over the last five games, and the seventh-highest field-goal percentage (44.5) to the position on the season. Bledsoe has also been providing excellent production in other categories as well, posting five to nine rebounds and dishing out seven to 13 assists over that four-game span. Bledsoe comes at a nice discount over other top-tier options like John Wall ($48), Isaiah Thomas ($44) and Kyle Lowry ($44) but carries just as much upside.
Austin Rivers, LAC at PHI ($17):Norman Powell ($10) and Cory Joseph ($10) both make for very nice minimum-priced plays with DeMar DeRozan (ankle) already ruled out for the Raptors. For those with a bit more cash to spend, note that Rivers' price lags behind his role in the starting five, making him a strong value play in his own right. He scored 39.3 fantasy points Monday night versus the Hawks despite having apparently turned an ankle late in the first half, and he also scored between 24.7 and 27.4 fantasy points in the three games prior. With a matchup against a Sixers defense that gives up the 10th-most fantasy points (45.01) to point guards, Rivers looks like a bargain at his price.
Guard to Avoid
Rajon Rondo, CHI at ORL ($15): Rondo's status with the Bulls remains as shaky as ever, as most recently evidenced by the fact he played just six minutes Saturday night against the Kings. He netted just 7.0 fantasy points in that contest, and scored between 12.1 and 15.1 fantasy points in three prior games. With no guarantee that he'll even see the court Tuesday, he's an easy avoid candidate.
FORWARDS
Jimmy Butler, CHI at ORL ($46): Butler draws a matchup Tuesday against a Magic defense that's allowed the third-most fantasy points (49.14), fourth-most rebounds (8.2), fifth-most assists (3.7) and sixth-most three-pointers (2.2) per game to the position this season. Butler has scored over 50 fantasy points twice in the last five games and has scored 38.0 and 39.1 fantasy points in two other games over that span. With a team-leading 28.6 percent usage rate and a potential tightly-contested game on tap, Butler is worth the investment on a relatively short slate.
David Lee, SA at TOR ($12): There are a number intriguing value options, including Raymond Felton ($14), T.J. Warren ($13) and Kelly Olynyk ($13), but Lee is slightly cheaper and with a solid amount of playing time locked in at the moment. Since Pau Gasol (finger) was lost in pregame warmups three games ago, Lee has scored between 27.4 and 36.2 fantasy points. He was back on the second unit Monday night but still saw 25 minutes, and has an appealing matchup Tuesday against a Sixers defense that gives up the eighth-most fantasy points (49.09), most points (22.1) and seventh-most rebounds (15.1) per game to centers on the season.
Forward to Avoid
DeMarre Carroll, TOR vs. SA ($16): Carroll will presumably see plenty of Kawhi Leonard on Tuesday assuming the Spurs forward returns, which automatically gives plenty of reason for pause. The Spurs give up the third-fewest fantasy points (35.43) and points (17.5) per game to small forwards, and Carroll has been erratic with his production lately, scoring single-digit fantasy points in two of his last three games. While he's capable of some decent returns on occasion, Carroll's matchup and uneven performances make him an avoid candidate.
CENTERS
Karl-Anthony Towns, MIN at PHO ($43): Towns is the clear-cut top-tier play at center Tuesday, factoring in his own upside and a matchup against a Suns defense that has given up 47.44 fantasy points per game to centers, along with the sixth-most points (21.2), fourth-most assists (3.2) and sixth-highest field-goal percentage (55.7) this season. Towns has scored between 54.1 and 60.9 fantasy points in five of the last seven games, with six double-doubles during that stretch.
Bismack Biyombo, CHI at ORL ($10):Dewayne Dedmon and Alex Len also make for interesting minimum-priced plays, but Biyombo provides the most upside of the trio, having scored between 24.8 and 37.6 fantasy points in three of the last four games despite coming off the bench. Biyombo has double-doubles in the last two games, and fell just short of the feat in a third contest during that stretch. He's also played between 18 and 25 minutes in those games, and therefore presents as a very low-risk option at center.
Center to Avoid
Nerlens Noel, PHI vs. LAC ($10): There's not a clear-cut avoid candidate at center in terms of a mispriced player, but Noel's recent production despite solid playing time makes him someone to consider passing on. Despite the fact that Joel Embiid will be out for Tuesday's game with a knee injury, Noel doesn't exactly jump off the screen, given that he's scored 5.6 and 8.1 fantasy points in two of the last three games despite playing over 20 minutes in one of those contests. Biyombo provides considerably more upside at the same minimum price, making him an appealing pivot away from Noel.
