This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
Tuesday's seven-game slate provides some solid value that will allow for rostering several elite players, including Anthony Davis, Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James. A number of attractive mid-tier options also draw favorable matchups. Without further ado, here are Tuesday's recommended plays for Yahoo Daily Fantasy Basketball.
GUARD
Dennis Schroder, ATL at BKN ($18) - Schroder is set for a second consecutive start in place of Jeff Teague (ankle). Although he struggled from the field Sunday (3 for 10), Schroder nevertheless came within an assist short of a double-double and still amassed 32.2 Yahoo fantasy points. The Hawks reserve point guard will be in line for a solid allotment of minutes again Tuesday, and draws Jarrett Jack and a Nets defense that has surrendered 22 points and 7.2 assists on per game to the position. At his bargain-level price of $18, Schroder becomes a particularly strong value play.
Jerryd Bayless, MIL at WAS ($16) - Bayless carved out a considerable swath of playing time due to his impressive play while Michael Carter-Williams missed five games with an ankle injury. Even after Carter-Williams' return to the lineup Saturday, Bayless still tallied 39 minutes in the double-overtime contest, admittedly receiving an extra boost in playing time when Giannis Antetokounmpo fouled out. Although he's come off the bench in a number of games, Bayless' playing time has not dipped below 22 minutes in any game this season. He's also posted double-digit scoring in four consecutive games and has drained 11 buckets from beyond the arc over his last four. At a bargain price of $16, Bayless is the type of value play that enables rounding out the roster elsewhere with some elite players.
Guard to Avoid:
Michael Carter-Williams, MIL at WAS ($28) - Carter-Williams faces off against the stingy John Wall on Tuesday, while still sporting a fairly elevated price. The Wizards have surrendered only 18.7 points per game to opposing point guards, and the Bucks appear to have better matchups elsewhere on the court against Washington.
FORWARD
Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL at WAS ($34) - The Greek Freak draws the premium matchup for small forwards Tuesday, namely a Washington Wizards defense that surrenders a league-high 25 points per game to the position. Antetokounmpo is coming off a 16-point, 12-rebound double-double in Saturday's double overtime victory over Cleveland, a feat impressively accomplished in large part versus the defense of LeBron James. With five performances of at least 34.7 Yahoo fantasy points already under his belt this season, the 20-year-old superstar should be under serious consideration against an attractive opponent.
Anthony Davis, NO vs. DEN ($53) - The priciest option at power forward also happens to be the optimal one Tuesday. Davis has been prone to some inconsistency this season, but he bounced back from a hip injury with a vintage 36-point, 11-rebound double-double Sunday versus the Knicks. Tuesday, a desperate 1-9 Pelicans squad draws the highly penetrable Nuggets frontcourt that could also be missing starting power forward Kenneth Faried with a back injury. Even at the elite-level price of $53, Tuesday shapes up as a night where paying up for Davis could be profitable.
Forward to Avoid:
Marcus Morris, DET vs. CLE ($27) - Morris has cooled considerably after a string of impressive performances. The 26-year-old forward bottomed out at six and seven points, respectively, in his last two games. Morris will have to contend with a significant dose of LeBron James defense, dimming his prospects even further.
CENTER
Brook Lopez vs ATL ($29) - A number of attractive centers are in play in addition to Lopez, including the much pricier Andre Drummond ($44) and slightly more expensive Greg Monroe ($34). However, the Nets center provides considerable upside as one of the primary sources of scoring for a team that is starting to find some offensive success. Lopez draws a Hawks defense that surprisingly allows the third-most fantasy scoring to opposing centers, yielding 22.7 points and 14.4 rebounds per game to the position. Meanwhile, Lopez has tallied 39.4, 35.5 and 37.3 Yahoo fantasy points over his last three, while collecting double-doubles in two of those contests.
Center to Avoid
Omer Asik, NO vs. ATL ($12) - Regardless of his near-minimum price, Asik is simply unworthy of fantasy consideration. After a calf injury delayed his season debut, Asik has averaged a paltry 7.7 Yahoo fantasy points over his five games. The veteran center has always provided modest levels of scoring, but his offense has been particularly non-existent to date. Factoring in his limited minutes and a Nuggets defense that has largely stymied opposing centers this season, Asik is an easy avoid.
