This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
This is a typical Sunday schedule, with six games on the slate but a few different options to either play early, late games or the whole day. As such, there are different ways to mix and match players across the different slates to spice things up. There are three games in particular that are potential locations for value: Suns at Pelicans, Trail Blazers at Lakers and (surprisingly) Celtics at Nets. You'll be seeing a lot of players from these games below.
Point Guard
Brandon Knight, PHX at NO ($8,000): Knight has been playing extremely well of late, with three 30-plus point efforts in his last five outings and an average of 53.8 fantasy points per game over his last three. On Sunday, he faces the Pelicans, who are dead last in the NBA in fantasy points allowed to opposing point guards. He should be in for another good game, and co-point guard Eric Bledsoe (listed at shooting guard, $8,400) may be up for a good one as well.
Damian Lillard, POR at LAL ($9,000): Lillard and Knight are both big-ticket players, but they are both significantly less costly than Russell Westbrook ($11,900) or Stephen Curry ($11,100), the two highest priced players on the board who happen to both play point guard. While Curry and Westbrook may just be worth the money, Knight against the Pelicans and Lillard against the Lakers (who also struggle against opposing point guards, including allowing 70.5 fantasy points to Knight last Monday) are two that actually have a shot at producing at a similar level to the two high-priced juggernauts.
Shooting Guard
Avery Bradley, BOS at BKN ($5,800):Marcus Smart is going to sit out Sunday's game with a knee injury, which opens up a spot for Bradley to move back into the starting lineup. Bradley's been playing well of late (29.8 fantasy points in 25.3 minutes per game over the last three) and will be facing a Nets team that gives up a lot of points to opposing shooting guards.
Will Barton, DEN vs. GSW ($5,300): Barton has found his level as a productive sixth man for the Nuggets, with five straight games between 25.3 and 44.4 fantasy points (32.9 per game over that stretch). There is blowout potential with the undefeated Warriors in town, but that would work to Barton's advantage as he plays on the second unit and would likely get extra minutes.
Small Forward
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, BKN vs. BOS ($3,800): This is a bit of a risky pick because Hollis-Jefferson is an inconsistent rookie who is still fitting into his role. That said, on Friday he faced this same Celtics team and had 13 points and 11 rebounds in 31 minutes, and last Sunday he had seven points and 13 rebounds in 32 minutes. However, he also had two clunker games against the Hornets and the Hawks, so there is risk. But on a day with limited games, hitting on a near-minimum player that could give you 30 fantasy points could be a big deal.
Harrison Barnes, GSW at DEN ($5400): If Kevin Durant is unable to go Sunday, there will be no sure-fire dominant small forwards on the board, as no other even averages 30 fantasy points per game. Barnes has been playing well of late, averaging 31.6 fantasy points in his last two outings. Plus, he is one of the younger starters on the Warriors as they play their third game in four nights, at altitude in Denver, in what could be a fast-paced game. It would make sense for Barnes, with his young legs, to play a large role for the team in those circumstances.
Power Forward
Thaddeus Young, BKN vs. BOS ($6,400): Young has been playing extremely well of late, averaging 41.6 fantasy points per game in his three games leading up to his Friday match-up with the Celtics. In that game he scored 31.5 fantasy points but in only 29 minutes, as the game was a huge blowout and the starters sat the fourth quarter. He was right on pace to approach that 40-fantasy-point plateau again Friday, and with the Sunday re-match in Brooklyn there's a good chance the game will be closer.
Center
Mason Plumlee, POR at LAL ($5,700): Plumlee has taken on a larger role since Meyers Leonard went down with a shoulder injury, averaging 32.7 fantasy points per game in his last two. On Sunday, he faces a Lakers team that is terrible at defending opposing bigs, giving Plumlee the chance for a third consecutive strong game.
