This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
Many eyes will be focused on football with the fantasy playoffs just beginning, so now's the time to hop on the basketball train and take advantage of the distracted fantasy owners. Sunday's slate offers some fantastic value and there are some interesting decisions out there with just five games. Most people will want to use Russell Westbrook as the building point for their lineup, but I believe there's a better option out there at a cheaper price. It's the value plays that will make the difference, though, as that's how you get a big cash.
GUARDS
Eric Bledsoe, PHX vs. NOP ($33): Bledsoe has been spectacular recently and this price doesn't show just how good he's been. The Suns point guard has taken the Phoenix offense in his hands, as he is averaging 22.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 2.1 steals and 0.9 blocks per game over his last 10. That includes seven games with at least 37 fantasy points, and he should be able to reach or surpass that number against the Pelicans, who rank 22nd in fantasy points allowed to point guards and they'll be without Jrue Holiday, who is one of the best defending point guards in the league.
Lou Williams, LAL vs. NYK ($25): Not much needs to be said here, as Williams is on an absolute tear right now, averaging over 34 points per game over his last four, which doesn't even take into account his peripheral stats. The usage is crazy too, as he's taking over 19 shots and over 10 free-throw attempts in that span. The matchup is tasty too, with the Knicks allowing the third-most fantasy points per game to shooting guards this season.
Guard to Avoid
Reggie Jackson, DET vs PHI ($28): I am a huge fan of Jackson and I own him in a few season-long leagues, but he's simply not trustworthy in DFS right now. This price is more indicative of his form from last season and it's not taking into account his slow start this year. Jackson has scored fewer than 24 fantasy points in each of his four games, and it's clear they want to limit his minutes for the next few weeks. While the matchup is good, it does have some blowout potential and that could limit his minutes. Many people will pivot to him in this matchup, so put yourself ahead of the field and fade the talented point guard.
FORWARD
Anthony Davis, NOP at PHX ($57): Davis is easily the best player on this slate aside from Russell Westbrook, and he's a great building block to solidify a lineup. Not only is he leading the league in scoring and blocks, he's also putting up elite rebounding and steals numbers. It's the matchup that makes Davis impossible to avoid, as he faces a Suns defense that ranks bottom-three in total defense, pace and fantasy points allowed to power forwards.
Julius Randle, LAL vs. NYK ($27): If you want to fade Davis, Randle is a great value at less than half the price. With all the injuries in Los Angeles, Randle has taken on more offensive responsibility and is playing some of the best ball of his career. Not only does he have at least 28 fantasy points in three straight games, he's averaging that for the season. This matchup is great too, with the Knicks ranking as one of the worst defenses in the NBA.
Forward to Avoid
Terrence Jones, NOP at PHX ($16): With Davis as our building block, that means there are not many minutes to be had for Jones. I do believe he is one of the three-best players on the roster, but the role is simply not there. In fact, he has scored at least 17 fantasy points in five of his last seven games. What's equally as discouraging is the lack of peripheral stats, as he has five combined assists, blocks and steals over his last five games. The talent and matchup are there, but there's simply too much risk.
CENTER
Andre Drummond, DET vs. PHI ($30): This price is baffling and it is not representative of Drummond's recent dominant form. The reason for the price drop was an ejection last week, in which Drummond scored just 14 fantasy points. In the six games since, he has scored at least 34 fantasy points and is regularly approaching 50. If that's not enough incentive, the matchup should be, with the Sixers allowing the most fantasy points in the league to centers. This is easily the play of the day and Drummond's a great guy to build around.
Jahlil Okafor, PHI at DET ($16): This matchup scares me to death with Drummond ranking no. 1 in defensive efficiency, but Okafor should be looking at a ton of usage. With Joel Embiid expected to sit this game out, Okafor should take on the majority of center minutes. It's not just the minutes, as Embiid is one of the highest-usage players in the NBA, so things should really open up for Okafor in this circumstance. That means they'll run plenty of their offense through the former Duke star, and he should easily see double-digits in shots and potentially 30 minutes. The price is what I like most, as he's a double-double away from being the value of the day.
Center to Avoid
Karl-Anthony Towns, MIN vs. GS ($41): This is a dangerous fade, but there's things that scare be about using Towns in this matchup. The biggest reason is the blowout potential, as these are two teams going in opposite directions. It would not be shocking to see the Warriors with a 20-point lead heading into the fourth quarter and that would ultimately limit Towns' minutes. In addition, Golden State is notorious for knocking big men out of the game, as they thrive off small-ball and render many centers useless. Now, I don't expect the T'Wolves to pull Towns for that reason, but it does make him riskier than usual. Towns has also failed to crack 36 fantasy points in four of his last five games.
