This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
Monday brings a marginal eight-game schedule, as many fantasy owners begin their season-long playoffs. Today's lesson is one that took me a long time to learn, as prejudices and biases in fantasy can be a dangerous thing. Many DFS owners tend to lean to players they need to play well in their season-long leagues and that can be a recipe for disaster. This is something you may not even notice either, as people get biases towards players for bizarre reasons. It's just key to keep those biases in check and do your best to be as open-minded as possible.
D'Angelo Russell, LAL at DEN ($6,700): Russell simply looks more comfortable since the All-Star break and he should continue to see a monster role. Not only does he lead the team in usage since the break, he's been posting huge fantasy lines. Over his last nine games, Russell is averaging 35 fantasy points per game and he has the best matchup possible. Not only does Denver rank dead-last in defensive efficiency, they also allow the most fantasy points in the NBA to opposing point guards this season.
Seth Curry, DAL at TOR ($5,900): Curry has been brilliant since taking over starting duties in Dallas and this price does not match his form. Not only does he have at least 23 fantasy points in 12 of his last 13 games, he's scored at least 27 fantasy points in eight of those. What many people don't realize is that Curry is as much of the starting point guard as Yogi Ferrell. In fact, he's used more than Ferrell and has the third highest usage among league regulars across the last 12 games.
Cory Joseph, TOR vs. DAL ($4,900): Joseph has been a nice fill-in for Kyle Lowry, as Lowry continues to miss time with a wrist injury. Joseph has surpassed at least 23 fantasy points in four of his last five games. It's the minutes and usage that makes him most valuable though, as he'll be handling the ball on almost every possession, while being a near guarantee for 30 minutes of play. At under $5,000, there's no other point guard with as much potential as Joseph.
Nikola Jokic, DEN vs. LAL ($10,000): Jokic has been a monster since the opening month of the season and this price is still not indicative of how superb he's been. Not only does he have at least 43 fantasy points in five straight games, Jokic has done that while averaging just 30 minutes a game. He could be looking at even more minutes down the stretch, as this is a Denver team desperately holding on to the eight-seed in the west. The matchup is the icing on the cake though, with the Lakers allowing the second most fantasy points to opposing centers this season.
Julius Randle, LAL at DEN ($6,500): Randle has been a different player over recent weeks and he should continue to be one of the focal points for the Lakers across the last 20 games. Over his last nine games, Randle is averaging over 36 fantasy points per game and 40 fantasy points over his last six games. He should be able to continue that success in this matchup too, with Denver ranking dead-last in defensive efficiency.
Terrence Ross, ORL at SAC ($4,200): Ross has been a different player since starting in Orlando and it's his upside that truly makes him an enticing option. In his nine games with the Magic, Ross has scored at least 25 fantasy points four times, while only failing to crack 16 fantasy points twice. At just $4,200, it's easy to get Ross in there and aim for one of those 25-point outings too. This matchup is hard not to like as well, with Sacramento allowing the third most fantasy points to small forwards across its last 10 games.
Karl-Anthony Towns, MIN vs. WSH ($10,500): Towns has been a freak recently and makes for a nice pivot, with very little else to be desired at the center position. It's not just the competition that makes Towns intriguing, but that he's been the most consistent center in the game, too. Towns has at least 37 fantasy points in 20 straight contests, while surpassing 47 fantasy points 13 times in that stretch.
Kosta Koufos, SAC vs. ORL ($4,400): Koufos has been a surprisingly reliable fill-in for DeMarcus Cousins. In fact, Koufos has at least 21 fantasy points in five straight games, while approaching a double-double nearly every time. That's not huge production or upside, but it's plenty of value for a $4,400 player. Orlando has struggled to cover opposing centers this season too, ranking bottom-10 in fantasy points allowed to centers.
