This article is part of our FantasyDraft NBA series.
Each week, RotoWire will provide value plays for your daily fantasy basketball lineups on FantasyDraft. Users have a salary cap of $100,000 to select a lineup comprised of three guards, three forwards/centers and two utility players.
FantasyDraft is running NBA contests each and every day. There are 50/50s, guaranteed tournaments and more available options in the lobby, so be sure to check it out. With contests at every entry fee level, there are a ton of options to choose from.
The target for each player to reach value is 2.5x the player's salary. If a player costs $10,000 against the cap, expected value is 25 fantasy points.
Kristaps Porzingis ($11,600)
Porzingis has been coming on of late following a midseason swoon, posting three double-doubles in his last four games en route to averages of 20.8 points and 9.0 rebounds per game. He has outplayed his current price in each of those four contests and should continue to get plenty of minutes down the stretch considering the Knicks have nothing more to play for besides developing the promising rookie. Take advantage of Porzingis' reasonable price, as he's playing every bit as well as he did when he became an early-season sensation.
Devin Booker ($12,000)
Booker has once again picked it up offensively following a brief adjustment period to playing alongside Brandon Knight, averaging 40.6 fantasy points per game over his last four while sharing the court with Knight in three of those games. The rookie out of Kentucky will continue to see plenty of usage with Phoenix out of playoff contention, so he should be immune to the random rest days creating questions about the value of so many veterans in the season's latter stages.
Jonas Valanciunas ($9,400)
Valanciunas is still available at a discount after returning from a hand injury four games ago, even though his 11.5 points and 11.0 rebounds per game in that span indicate that he hasn't skipped a beat. The Lithuanian has outplayed his price with an average of 32.3 fantasy points per game despite failing to play 30 minutes in a contest since coming back, so he's in position to blow expectations out of the water once the Raptors ramp the big man up to his full dose of playing time. Look for Valanciunas' minutes and production to slowly creep up so he can be in prime form come playoff time.
Raymond Felton ($8,600)
Felton has thrived as Dallas' starting point guard in the absence of Deron Williams (abdomen), averaging north of 30.0 fantasy points per game over three appearances in that role. The latest reports on Williams aren't optimistic about his chances of a swift return, meaning Felton should continue getting the same opportunities, at least in the immediate future. The veteran makes for a terrific bargain at his price, playing big minutes in a high-leverage role for an injury-riddled Dallas squad trying to squeeze every last drop of productivity out of its remaining healthy bodies.
Notable Injuries
Deron Williams (abdomen), Day-to-Day
Williams has missed three straight games with an abdominal issue, forcing the Mavericks to dig down even deeper in their rotation as they try to claw their way into the playoffs. He'll return as soon as he's medically cleared considering the magnitude of every remaining game, but guards Raymond Felton, J.J. Barea and Devin Harris will see even further playing time increases in Dallas' injury-decimated backcourt.
Andre Iguodala (ankle), Week-to-Week
Iguodala isn't expected back this week, as the Warriors can afford to rest the veteran with the top seed in the Western Conference all but locked up. While his absence is a minor setback in their quest to set the NBA single-season wins record, Golden State's deep wing rotation led by Harrison Barnes, Brandon Rush and Shaun Livingston should be able to hold down the fort.
Blake Griffin (quad/hand), Day-to-Day
Griffin has been medically cleared to return, meaning all that stands between him and a return to the Clippers is a four-game suspension that he must serve for punching a team employee in the face. The final game of that punishment falls Thursday against the Thunder, which means Griffin will be eligible to make his much-anticipated return Sunday against the Wizards. Expect the power forward to play big minutes right away, moving Luc Richard Mbah a Moute to a bench role and cutting into DeAndre Jordan's offensive usage.
Meyers Leonard (shoulder), Out 6-to-8 Months
Leonard will miss 6-to-8 months after undergoing surgery on his dislocated left shoulder. The rangy big man largely disappointed after many pegged him as a potential breakout candidate, but the Trail Blazers will still miss his rebounding and ability to space the floor. Maurice Harkless has joined Portland's starting lineup recently, as the team has opted to spend more time going small in the wake of Leonard's injury.
Kawhi Leonard (quad), Probable
Leonard has missed San Antonio's last three games with a quad injury, but his probable designation for Wednesday's matchup with New Orleans suggests the 2015 DPOY is ready to return. Kyle Anderson will move back into a bench role as a result, though Leonard may not be asked to play his usual complement of minutes if the Spurs are able to pull away from the injury-riddled Pelicans.
Kobe Bryant (shoulder), Questionable
Bryant had expressed interest in suiting up for every one of the Lakers' last eight games of the season, but he finds himself listed as questionable for Wednesday's tilt with the Heat. The veteran will surely try his hardest not to miss any more time this late in his final season, though he'd be wise to sit if he can't best Monday's 1-of-11 performance from the floor for five points.
