This article is part of our FantasyDraft NBA series.
Guards:
Damian Lillard, POR vs. DEN ($17,600): Lillard is one of the most expensive players on this slate and rightfully so. What makes him so good right now is how heavily he's leaned on and that should only increase here in what's essentially a playoff game. That means 40 minutes from a guy who has scored at least 44 fantasy points in nine of his last 10 games. That doesn't even consider the matchup, with Denver allowing the most fantasy points in the NBA to opposing point guards.
Dennis Schroder, ATL vs. PHX ($14,400): Atlanta have been terrible recently, but Schroder has been playing well. In fact, Schroder is averaging 19.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 1.4 steals across his last 22 games. He's been even better recently in the absence of Paul Millsap, as he's averaging a season-high in usage rate since he got injured. Phoenix are a fantastic matchup as well, allowing the third-most fantasy points to opposing point guards this season.
Ish Smith, DET vs. MIA ($9,900): Smith is the value of the day, as he doesn't have to compete with Reggie Jackson for point guard minutes. That means he's a near guarantee for 30-plus minutes and he's been awesome in that role. Smith is actually averaging over 30 fantasy points a game when he's started the past two seasons and that comes as no surprise with his usage and ability to stuff the stat sheet. All this comes at a four-figure price too, as it doesn't represent his new role.
Forwards/Centers:
Myles Turner, IND vs. MIN ($12,600): While the 20-year-old has been a minor disappointment this season, he's still providing great value. With an average of 32 fantasy points a game for the season, Turner has returned good value at just $12,600. He's been especially proficient recently, surpassing 31 fantasy points in six of his last seven games. Minnesota are not a defense to fear either, ranking 25th in defensive efficiency.
Richaun Holmes, PHI at BRK ($12,600): Holmes has found himself in an amazing role here, as he's become the only center on this roster. The reason for that is because Ersan Ilyasova, Nerlens Noel, Joel Embiid and Jahlil Okafor are all out of the picture. That means Holmes is guaranteed for minutes and he's been productive since taking that role, averaging 14.1 points, 7.6 rebounds,1.6 steals, 1.1 steals and 1.1 blocks across his last nine games. All that looks even better when you consider the Nets are the worst defense in the league by nearly every metric.
Marcin Gortat, WSH at LAL ($8,400): Gortat is a tough player to use right now because he's been struggling, but this price is simply too low. If you did a calculation in which you averaged fantasy points per dollar (29 FPG), Gortat is the highest valued player in the entire field. It's not like he's been benched either, as he still approaches 30 minutes on a nightly basis. What's most tasty is the matchup though, with the Lakers allowing the second-most fantasy points to opposing centers this season.
Utility:
Jeremy Lin, BRK vs. PHI ($11,600): Lin has been hard for DFS sites to price simply because he has missed so much time, but that's what makes him a nice value as he's performed all season long. In fact, Lin is posting career-high per-36 minute averages, as he's currently averaging 21.7, 4.8 rebounds, 7.7 assists and 1.6 steals per-36 minutes played. While 36 minutes in unrealistic, 25-plus isn't and Lin could post great numbers in that span with these sort of averages in his favor.
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, CHA vs MIL ($9,200): Kidd-Gilchrist is not the guy who will win you a big tournament, but he's such a great value at this price. Not only does he have at least 20 fantasy points in six of his last eight games, he's playing over 28 minutes per game in that span. That means he should fall into production, as he faces a Bucks defense that allows the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing small forwards. The $9,200 price tag just doesn't add up with his production and his floor is just too high to pass up on.
