This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
Friday is a full slate of 12 games on tap. There are many value possibilities, with low-priced players who are in a larger role due to injuries/absences of more marquis teammates. There are also some higher-priced players who are value because they've been hot and/or they have great matchups. Let's look at some of these cases.
GUARD
Jameer Nelson, DEN at UTA ($12) (if Emmanuel Mudiay doesn't play) - Mudiay has missed the last three games with a sprained ankle, allowing Nelson to start, but Nelson had been solid before that as well. In his last four games, Nelson has scored 22.6 to 23.5 fantasy points three times, with an explosive fourth game of 40.7 points. If Mudiay again sits out, Nelson would be a good bet to score in this range and far exceed his price. If Mudiay plays, this would lower Nelson's potential and make Michael Carter-Williams ($21) the value pick here. Carter-Williams has scored 29.7 to 37.7 FPts in four of his last five games, re-earning his starting slot for the Bucks.
Klay Thompson, GS vs MIL ($26) - Thompson has been heating up the last few weeks, posting a 59.4-FPts game last week before injuring his ankle. He missed time, came back with an attenuated game, then got healthy for Wednesday ... in time to drop 54.6 FPts. He made 18 three-pointers over those two huge games, and his makes were barely touching the rim. The Warriors will look to avenge their only loss of the season, and Thompson is in the zone.
Guards to Avoid
Ish Smith, NO at PHO ($20) - Smith is a permanent fixture in this spot because for some reason the Yahoo game is behind on the fact that he doesn't play anymore. His fantasy utility ended more than two weeks ago when Tyreke Evans returned and took over point guard, but Smith is still priced at $20 even though he only has 1.7 FPts his last two games COMBINED.
Victor Oladipo, ORL vs POR ($30) - Oladipo is still a really good young talent, but he just isn't getting the minutes in his role off the bench to justify his $30 price tag. A $30 player needs to be guaranteed impact as he'll be one of the highest priced on a given roster, but he has not scored more than 27.3 FPts in his last five games during which he has averaged only 20.6 FPts/G.
FORWARD
Kent Bazemore, ATL at BOS ($21) - Bazemore has scored 26.6 to 40.5 fantasy points in five of his last six games, averaging 33.7 FPts in his last two games since moving back into the starting lineup for the Hawks.
Omri Casspi, SAC at MIN ($22) - Casspi has played solid ball for a few weeks now, but since he moved back into the starting lineup he has really stepped up his production. In the last week he has averaged 16.3 points, 8.0 boards, 4.3 assists, 2.0 treys and 1.0 steals for 33.1 FPts/G.
Forwards to Avoid:
Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL at GS ($30) - Antetokounmpo moved to bench role Wednesday. The move could be temporary, but it wasn't announced as such and until more is known it is assumed he will come off the bench again Friday. Antetokounmpo only managed 22.7 FPts off the bench on Wednesday, his lowest total in his last eight games. If that is the new normal for him, much like Victor Oladipo, it is not worth $30.
Kristaps Porzingis, NY at PHI ($36) - $36 is just too much for where Porzingis is now. Porzingis has the ability to put up good numbers -- he has scored 34.2 FPts, 31.9 FPts and 36.9 FPts in three of his last six games. However, in the other three games he has scored 5.6 FPts, 6.6 FPts and 16.9 FPts. He could have a good game Friday in a rookie superstar clash with Jahlil Okafor and his terrible defensive front line, but $36 is elite money and neither his season average (28.8 FPts/G) nor his average over the last six games (22.0 FPts/G), nor his (lack of) consistency, justify that kind of price.
CENTER
Jahlil Okafor, PHI vs NY ($30) - Okafor has scored at least 19 points in five consecutive games, averaging 22 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists over that stretch. The rookie is on an upswing, having recovered well from the bad publicity and illness that plagued him a few weeks ago. Friday, he faces Kristaps Porzingis in another battle of high-performing rookie big men.
Center to Avoid:
Tim Duncan, SA vs LAC ($24) - Duncan has gotten a lot more rest lately, both in missing games but also in playing fewer minutes per game. He has not scored more than 20 FPts in any of his last five games and is just resting way too much for his price.
Snellings is a two-time winner of the Fantasy Basketball Writer of the Year award from the Fantasy Sports Writers Association.
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