This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
There are only two games on tap for Thursday, the last night of games before the All Star Break. There is going to therefore be a huge amount of overlap from team to team, and one of the big keys will be to manage your floor. While it's hard to win big with chalk picks, it is very easy for your team to fall out of the running if you get a near-zero from any position. The Pelicans versus Thunder game is packed with high-priced superstars, but the Wizards versus Bucks game is where most of the mid-priced value lives.
Point Guard
Jrue Holiday, NO at OKC ($7400): With Tyreke Evans apparently done for the season and Eric Gordon still on the mend, Holiday remains as the lead guard for the Pelicans even if he comes off the bench. Holiday entered Wednesday night averaging 19.5 points, 6.8 assists, 3.8 boards and 2.0 steals in 30 minutes off the bench in his previous four games. He had another big game on Wednesday, and on Thursday faces a Thunder squad that is 16th in the NBA in production allowed to opposing point guards.
Michael Carter-Williams, MIL vs WAS ($6300): Carter-Williams is a bit risky because he, along with Greg Monroe, lost his starting job on Tuesday and came off the bench. However, he still played produced more like a starter (16 points, six boards, five assists and a steal in 26 minutes) on Monday and on Thursday he has a solid match-up against a Wizards defense that is 18th in the NBA in limiting production to opposing point guards.
Shooting Guard
Khris Middleton, MIL vs WAS ($7300): Middleton is the highest-priced option at shooting guard, but is also one of the safer options. After Middleton and Bradley Beal ($6300), the other shooting guards are all $4200 and under, and all are risks to produce. As such, Middleton and Beal are the two recommended options here, and they are each likely to be heavily owned. Middleton also has a great match-up against a Wizards defense that is 29th in the NBA against opposing shooting guards.
Bradley Beal, WAS at MIL ($6500): As mentioned, Beal is the other "safe", chalk pick at shooting guard. He has come on of late, averaging 19.5 points, 2.5 boards, 2.3 assists and 1.2 steals over his last six games despite still being time-limited after his injury absence. He is coming off of his best game since he returned, in which he scored 26 points with four steals, three boards, two assists and a block in 32 minutes against the Knicks on Tuesday. He also has a solid match-up against a Bucks defense that is 20th in the NBA in production allowed to opposing shooting guards.
Small Forward
Otto Porter, WAS at MIL ($5300): Porter is the lowest-priced option among small forwards that is above the minimum. He has been a bit up and down of late, but has averaged in the mid-20s of fantasy points per game over the last week including a 38.6 FPts outburst against the Hornets on Saturday. On Thursday Porter has an excellent match-up against a Bucks defense that is 29th in the NBA against opposing small forwards.
Power Forward
Jared Dudley, WAS at MIL ($4600): Dudley has been getting more time of late as a small-ball power forward for the Wizards, with their three other options (Nene Hilario, Kris Humphries and Drew Gooden) all dealing with injuries that limit their minutes. Dudley has scored more than 20 fantasy points in five of his last seven games, and makes a solid low-priced option at power forward that should limit your floor and allow you to spend a bit more elsewhere.
Center
Marcin Gortat, WAS at MIL ($6900): Gortat is the second highest-priced center behind Greg Monroe ($8200), but with Monroe having come off the bench in his last game Gortat seems like the safer option. Gortat is averaging about 34 fantasy points over his last three games, and with the Wizards playing a small-ball approach he is relied upon heavily in the middle.
