This article is part of our FantasyDraft NBA series.
After a fun-filled Friday evening, the NBA offers a modest four-game slate Saturday that still has its fair share of elite options. The likes of Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, DeMarcus Cousins and Anthony Davis are in action, giving us plenty to think about in terms of our lineup decisions. Let's break down how you can fit in some of the elite Saturday.
GUARD
Stephen Curry, GS at DEN ($18,900): Curry is the one choice if you're paying up at guard on this four-game slate, and he draws an appealing matchup with which to extend his excellent start to the campaign. He's averaging 47.00 fantasy points per contest and has scored no less than 42.75 in any of his last eight games. He also boasts a team-high 28.4 percent usage rate and has been especially locked in to open the season, shooting 49.7 percent from the field. Meanwhile, the Nuggets check in allowing 48.8 fantasy points per game to point guards over the last five, while Curry is averaging 1.41 fantasy points per minute.
Klay Thompson, GS at DEN ($13,300): Thompson is in an excellent spot in his own right against a Nuggets team that's allowed 50.1 fantasy points per game to two-guards, along with the third most assists (6.7) and fourth most three-pointers (4.7). The latter figure is particularly relevant, considering Thompson has compiled a 45.7 percent success rate from long range thus far this season and is shooting a blistering 52.7 percent overall. It's worth noting that Thompson also excelled in this matchup last season against the same personnel Denver will trot out Saturday, averaging 22.0 points on 48.5 percent shooting (including 63.6 percent from three-point range) over two contests.
Emmanuel Mudiay, DEN vs. GS ($8,500): Mudiay has flashed an improved shot in the early going, boosting his field-goal percentage from last season's 37.7 percent to 40.2 percent and his three-point accuracy from 31.5 percent to 43.5 percent. He's scored between 20.75 and 31.75 fantasy points in six of eight games as well, which all represent solid-to-excellent returns on his current price. He's especially been coming on in the last four games, shooting 45.5 percent, boasting a 29.0 percent usage rate and averaging 1.08 fantasy points per minute over that stretch. Meanwhile, the Warriors have been in the bottom half of the league in defending the point guard spot, allowing 46.8 fantasy points per game to the position.
FORWARD/CENTER
DeMarcus Cousins, NO at CHI ($22,000): Cousins compiled nearly 59.50 fantasy points against the Mavericks on Friday, his eighth game with over 50 fantasy points in his first nine contests. The stars are aligned for explosive production again Saturday, as the Bulls check in allowing the seventh most fantasy points (42.7), seventh most rebounds (13.6), second most assists (3.6) and 10th most points (16.6) per game to centers. Given his sky-high usage, Cousins seems destined to return solid value despite checking in as the most expensive player on the slate.
Karl-Anthony Towns, MIN vs. DAL ($16,700): Towns is coming off his worst outing of the season, as he managed just two points over 23 minutes against the Pelicans on Wednesday while picking up five fouls. However, he's in prime position to bounce back Saturday, considering the Mavericks just allowed a 20-point, 22-rebound double-double to Boogie Cousins on Friday and have surrendered the second most fantasy points per game on the season (47.5) and over the last five (52.5) to centers, along with the second most points (19.9) and fifth most rebounds (13.9). Towns hadn't scored under 40 fantasy points before Wednesday's debacle and should be back to his normal levels of production in a favorable matchup.
Lauri Markkanen, CHI vs. NO ($12,600): Markkanen continued producing Friday, generating 29.25 fantasy points over 29 minutes against the Magic. That pace isn't surprising, considering he's averaged 1.12 fantasy points per minute thus far this season. The matchup sets up well for him Saturday, as despite the presence of Anthony Davis down low, the Pelicans are allowing the seventh most fantasy points (49.7), third most rebounds (13.9) and third most steals (2.0) per game to power forwards, along with a 48.0 percent success rate from the field (including 1.9 made three-pointers per game).
UTILITY
Andre Drummond, DET vs. SAC ($15,000): Drummond has started the season off in excellent fashion, averaging 41.50 fantasy points per game on the strength of five contests in which he's eclipsed the 40-mark. He's coming off a season-high 50.25 fantasy points versus the Bucks on Friday, a performance that also extend his season-opening streak of double-digit rebound games to nine. The Kings have been susceptible to big men despite the presence of Willie Cauley-Stein down low, allowing the sixth most fantasy points (45.6) per game to centers over the last five, along with the second most rebounds (14.9), third most assists (3.4), second most steals (1.6) and seventh highest shooting percentage (57.0) to the position on the season.
Reggie Jackson, DET vs. SAC ($13,500): Jackson is in a good spot himself, as Sacramento has allowed the most fantasy points (58.5) to point guards over the last five, along with the third most assists (10.3) and most made three-pointers (3.4) per game on the season. Despite his worst performance of the season Friday (season-low nine points on 3-for-11 shooting), Jackson is still averaging 31.86 fantasy points per game and has eclipsed 30 fantasy points in all but two of his first nine contests.
