This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
After Thursday's modest five-game slate, we've been handed nine games Friday. Both Houston and Milwaukee will be coming off the first half of a back-to-back set, which can be taken advantage of.
There is no shortage of high-priced options, with six players checking in with at least a $10,000 price tag and four checking in over $11,000. But, there aren't too many low-priced value options that jumped off the page for me, so I'll likely end up with a balanced lineup. That's reflected below, as none of my highlighted players happen to check in below $6,300.
Point Guard
Dennis Schroder, ATL at TOR ($7,700)
Schroder is at an affordable $7,700, despite coming off an impressive string of performances. Over his past five outings, Schroder has averaged 20.6 points, 7.8 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game (39.5 fantasy points). He simply continues to be the main source of offense for the Hawks, posting a 29.0 percent usage rate over that stretch while attempting 17.8 shots per contest. No other player on the team is posting more than 11.0 points per game (Taurean Prince) or has a usage rate over 21.6% (Kent Bazemore). Considering his pricepoint and recent performances, he makes for a quality cash or GPP option. His upside isn't through the roof, but he's eclipsed 40 fantasy points eight times in his 31 appearances.
Shooting Guard
Lou Williams, LAC at LAL ($7,100)
Williams is likely a better option if Blake Griffin (knee) doesn't play, though it seems likely that Griffin would be on a minutes restriction if he does see the floor. As the Clippers have dealt with a myriad of injuries, Williams has stepped to fill the offensive void. Over his past 22 games, he's boasting a 29.3% usage rate and is averaging 17.0 shots per game. That's translated into 23.5 points, 5.3 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game (35.5 fantasy points). The Lakers also give up the eighth-most fantasy points to shooting guards over the past 10 games, not to mention that Williams had a monster 50.3-fantasy-point outing against them back on Nov. 27. Considering his upside, Williams could be one of the best value options of the night in both cash or tournament settings.
Small Forward
Josh Richardson, MIA vs. BKN ($6,300)
Richardson has burst onto the scene over the past seven games, averaging 20.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.1 blocks across 36.7 minutes per game (37.5 fantasy points. That's largely due to the multiple injuries the Heat have suffered -- namely Dion Waiters (ankle), James Johnson (ankle) and Justise Winslow (knee). Over those past seven contests, Richardson has raised his field-goal attempts from 9.3 to 14.1 and his usage rate from 16.7 percent to 22.0 percent. The matchup is favorable too, as the Nets have given up the third-most fantasy points to small forwards over the past 10 contests and play at the league's fourth-highest pace. His pricepoint and recent play make him a more than viable option in both cash games and GPPs.
Power Forward
Anthony Davis, NOP vs DAL ($10,900)
Despite Davis dropping a season-high 69.2 fantasy points on the Nets in the Pelicans' most recent contest, his price has dropped from $11,200 to $10,900. It's not a massive step down -- though, as cliche as it may be, every dollar counts. Part of the change may be due to the dramatic change in pace between the Nets and Mavericks, with the former ranking fourth in pace and the latter sitting at 27th. Still, Davis torched Dallas for 59.6 fantasy points during the teams' last meeting, when he was priced at $11,800. Paying up for Davis isn't something I normally do, but I don't want to overthink this one. I just don't know who on the Mavericks can guard Davis effectively.
Center
Willie Cauley-Stein, SAC vs PHO ($7,000)
Cauley-Stein has garnered a relatively consistent 29.5 minutes per game over the past eight contests, a far cry from the up-and-down workload he was dealing with at the beginning of the season. He's turned those minutes into 29.3 fantasy points per game by averaging 14.0 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists and a combined 1.4 steals/blocks. He's also taking an encouraging 11.5 shots per game over that stretch, compared to 8.4 previously. Phoenix checks in as a favorable opponent for Cauley-Stein, as the team has allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to fives over their past 10 matchups and play at the league's third-fastest pace. His price is borderline for me in cash games -- I'd feel more comfortable using him in a GPP. He has 40-plus fantasy point upside, as he's achieved the feat three times this season in 21 games that he's seen at least 24 minutes.
