FanDuel NBA: Saturday Value Plays

FanDuel NBA: Saturday Value Plays

This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.

Saturday's slate gets started at 7:30 p.m. ET, and there's a lot to keep an eye on as games lock. So, kick back, enjoy some exciting golf in Augusta and wait for the news to come in. You can bet we'll be on top of it.

SLATE OVERVIEW

(odds are best available US odds and are subject to change)

Games to Target in BOLD

Games to Fade in ITALIC

TOR @ CLE (-3) O/U: 217

LAL @ BKN (-11.5) O/U: 228.5

SAC @ UTA (-12) O/U: 231

PHI @ OKC (+11.5) O/U: 219

HOU @ GSW (-9) O/U: 228

DET @ POR (-11.5) O/U: 224

WAS @ PHO (-11) O/U: 229

INJURIES

TOR Fred VanVleet (hip) - OUT

TOR Kyle Lowry (foot) - QUESTIONABLE

DeAndre' Bembry ($5,600) is the direct pivot for VanVleet and should start, and Malachi Flynn ($6,000) will also be in play if Lowry remains sidelined.

CLE Jarrett Allen (concussion) - OUT

CLE Larry Nance (illness) - OUT

Kevin Love ($5,800) and Dean Wade ($4,900) remain the best pivots in this scenario, although Isaiah Hartenstein ($5,100) woke up with eight points and 12 rebounds against the Thunder in the previous game. Although slightly more expensive, Taurean Prince ($6,500) is enjoying success in this scenario as well.

LAL Kyle Kuzma (calf) - QUESTIONABLE

Wesley Matthews ($4,400) would start again for the Lakers if Kuzma can't make it tonight.

UTA Jordan Clarkson (ankle) - DOUBTFUL

Clarkson's absence turned into good news for Joe Ingles ($5,200) against Portland. He's the preferred pivot and a great value at this salary.

PHI Joel Embiid (knee) QUESTIONABLE

Embiid may need to sit on this back-to-back. Tobias Harris ($7,700) receives a standard boost in this spot, and Dwight Howard ($4,300) also benefits if Embiid is out.

OKC Darius Bazley (shoulder)  - PROBABLE

OKC Isaiah Roby (concussion) - OUT

OKC Luguentz Dort (concussion) - OUT

Even with Bazley's return, Kenrich Williams ($6,100) will be able to float at various positions and post an effective line.

DET Jerami Grant (knee) - OUT

DET Mason Plumlee (concussion) - QUESTIONABLE

Isaiah Stewart ($4,900) crushed value in place of Plumlee in the last game, so he's a great play if Plumlee can't go and also has some value independent of the injury. The Pistons enjoyed good performances from Saddiq Bey ($5,400) and Cory Joseph ($5,100) in Grant's absence.

POR Jusuf Nurkic (knee) - OUT

Enes Kanter ($5,000) will take over at center in a nice matchup against the Pistons at home.

WAS Bradley Beal (questionable)

Beal shot the go-ahead three-pointer in last night's win over the Warriors and looked fine,  but the team won't take any chances. They'll see how he feels at the shootaround. 

ELITE PLAYERS

The slate offers four players above the $10k mark, and we've already mentioned the questionable status of Joel Embiid ($10,100). We'll also need to confirm Russell Westbrook's ($11,300) availability in the back-to-back, although the Wizards would definitely need his services against the Suns. We finally have Kyrie Irving ($10,200) at five digits, and he should post a good line against the Lakers with Harden out and Kevin Durant ($8,800) still slightly limited. Stephen Curry ($10,000) is on a back-to-back, but I like him as a contrarian elite option against the Rockets.

We only have a few options in the $9k range, and Devin Booker ($9,200) is my favorite player of the group as he takes on the Wizards at home. It's also hard to ignore Damian Lillard's ($9,000) price against Detroit,  and he is definitely due for a blowup game. Pascal Siakam ($8,900) is just at the cusp of $9k and is on a tremendous tear of late, and he should be able to exploit the Cleveland frontcourt tonight. I'm going to keep my exposure low to De'Aaron Fox ($9,400) against an oppressive Utah defense.

EXPECTED CHALK

Donovan Mitchell, UTA ($8,500) @ SAC

I took a chance on Mitchell in a recent back-to-back, and just like clockwork, he paid off in a big way. He's still at a laughable price on FanDuel, and as long as he stays this low, he'll be a candidate to exceed 5x value on a nightly basis. This is a very exploitable spot against the Kings, and he should have little trouble getting past Tyrese Haliburton if that's how the defensive matchup shakes down.

CJ McCollum, POR ($8,100) vs. DET

My models seem to favor McCollum in this spot, and in some instances, he's stacked with Lillard. Going with McCollum over Lillard tonight makes some sense as the Pistons continue to roll out youngsters in the backcourt. Cory Joseph is familiar with McCollum and could offer some resistance, but the Pistons are also without Jerami Grant. His absence should open up some windows for McCollum to slash inside.

Christian Wood, HOU ($7,800) @ GSW

Wood gets extra value for FanDuel thanks to a fortunate PF designation, giving us more chances to get him involved in a lineup build. The Rockets are certainly struggling, but they're catching the Warriors on a back-to-back, and that's usually a spot where Draymond Green doesn't fare as well. There's sure to be some clashes against rookie James Wiseman, but it's nothing Wood can't handle.

Ben Simmons, PHI ($7,400) @ OKC

If Joel Embiid is out, you should feel confident in calling Simmons' number against the Thunder. Although there is some blowout risk, the Thunder have managed to stay competitive with their patchwork lineup. Since Simmons can pop above 40 FP on any given night, his salary is very attractive and an excellent candidate to exceed 5x value.

Also consider: Kelly Oubre, GSW ($6,600) vs. HOU

VALUE PLAYS

The injury section is full of value options tonight, but here are some additional value plays worth considering on the slate.

Andre Drummond, LAL ($6,100) @ BKN or Moses Brown, OKC ($5,100) vs. PHI

We group these two centers together because there are qualifiers for both options. We could still see a minute limitation for Drummond, but if he starts, he should be a nice play against the Nets. Brown will be an even better option for the center spot if Joel Embiid is sidelined. These plays depend on some vigilance before game lock, but they are excellent pivots if their scenarios pan out.

Ty Jerome, OKC ($4,100) @ HOU

The Thunder continue to give the former Final Four hero plenty of minutes, and he posted a team-high 23 points in 32 minutes in OKC's last game. While Theo Maledon remains the main option at point guard, the Thunder are realizing what they have in Jerome. As long as his salary is this cheap, he should receive nightly consideration as a budget candidate.

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire.
RotoWire Community
Join Our Subscriber-Only NBA Chat
Chat with our writers and other RotoWire NBA fans for all the pre-game info and in-game banter.
Join The Discussion
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jeff Edgerton
Jeff has provided sports content for numerous sports outlets and has played fantasy sports since scores had to be tabulated via newspaper. He started working with RotoWire in 2017. Originally from South Carolina, he's a lifelong Clemson fan now enjoying the sun in Los Angeles.
NBA Injury Report: Who's Hurt Heading into 2024-25?
NBA Injury Report: Who's Hurt Heading into 2024-25?
Fantasy Basketball Sleepers 2024-25: 9 Undervalued Players
Fantasy Basketball Sleepers 2024-25: 9 Undervalued Players
Fantasy Basketball ADP 2024-25: Risers and Fallers on Yahoo
Fantasy Basketball ADP 2024-25: Risers and Fallers on Yahoo
NBA Fantasy: Players Being Over/Under Drafted
NBA Fantasy: Players Being Over/Under Drafted
NBA Fantasy Breakout Candidates: Nine Players Primed for Career Years
NBA Fantasy Breakout Candidates: Nine Players Primed for Career Years
Fantasy Basketball Rankings: Top 150 Players for 2024-25
Fantasy Basketball Rankings: Top 150 Players for 2024-25