This article is part of our DraftKings EuroLeague DFS Picks series.
Slate Overview
Right out the gate I want to go ahead and say this might be one of the tougher slates I've seen all season. None of the weak defenses we go after are playing, all kinds of players are really priced up and there is not a clear game to stack. I think a lot of players will be rostered, and it could open the door for me to dabble in more game-specific stacks than I normally would on a four-game slate. Amid a double-game week we could get some surprising injury news like we did Wednesday with Nicolas Laprovittola, so be sure to keep tabs on things before tip-off. Good luck!
Guards to Go After
Players listed in order of confidence
Preferred Plays
Mike James, AS Monaco ($11,400)
We've talked about Jerian Grant's ability to defend all season. He has been a kryptonite for top-tier guards and we have to be mindful of that again here. Grant has a length advantage on smaller guards and is just as quick, which makes it tough for guys like James, Shane Larkin or Facundo Campazzo to hit their ceiling. James, luckily, has the ability to hit enough tough shots and rack up stats elsewhere to return value. If I am only entering one lineup in a GPP, though, my strategy would be to avoid James and the 40 percent of rosters he will be part of and hope Grant frustrates him.
Kendrick Nunn, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens ($9,600)
Jerian Grant, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens ($9,500)
They're priced to the absolute max and I don't think they are must-plays by any means, but with Luca Vildoza out and Kostas Sloukas perhaps less than 100 percent, they are in play. They are going to see ample minutes in a game I think they will get up for. I could see one of them going for 32.0 DraftKings points or more, which is more than enough. I also don't expect Marius Grigonis to shoot 80 percent from the field again, which would open up shots for both Nunn and Grant.
Chris Jones, Valencia Basket ($9,000)
Valencia added some guys and got some guys back, but Jones remains the man. I like that he only played 26 minutes Tuesday, as that opens up the possibility for minutes in the high 20s in a very big game between Spanish squads. He faced Real Madrid in a domestic game on New Year's Eve and put up a stat line that would have resulted in at least 30.0 DraftKings points.
Nick Calathes, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul ($8,800)
Scottie Wilbekin, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul ($8,900)
I'm going to be very honest here. I am not the best when it comes to Fenerbahce players -- especially the guards -- but I do know Bayern has been friendly to backcourt players than they were in previous years. Wilbekin is out there to get buckets and it will be fun to see him and former teammate Carsen Edwards go head-to-head. With Calathes you're hoping that he can flirt with a triple-double, which he is plenty capable of.
Shabazz Napier, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan ($8,600)
Napier has been very average even with heavy minutes, and he did not close Tuesday with how he was shooting the ball. He will face the team he started the season with in Round 21, so maybe that gives him the motivation he needs to get back on track.
Valuable Values
Kostas Sloukas, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens ($8,300)
Now third all-time in assists, Sloukas came off the bench Tuesday and played great despite a nagging thigh injury. He's going to be asked to play around 22 minutes Thursday with Panathinaikos thin in the backcourt. On the surface he may seem like a cash play, but I feel he's more risky than it appears unless he rejoins the starting lineup.
Yago Dos Santos, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade ($6,600)
He's on a bit of a heater right now, and I imagine he will continue starting in place of an injured Nikola Topic.
Carsen Edwards, FC Bayern Munich ($7,500)
My bat signal always pops up when Edwards slips below a certain price point, and that's the one he is at currently. He's had a couple down games, but much like Markus Howard he can get hot at any moment, and microwaves scorers are always worth a shot.
Jordan Loyd, AS Monaco ($6,200)
Yakuba Ouattara, AS Monaco ($4,100)
Both guys got the start Tuesday and Ouattara outplayed Loyd, who just returned from injury. With both avoiding the Grant treatment I don't mind either as a last piece in.
Frontcourt in Focus
Players listed in order of confidence
Preferred Plays
Nigel Hayes-Davis, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul ($10,200)
Another slate where I just do not love the spend up Fs but NHD does provide a nice floor . He got himself into early foul trouble Tuesday that cost him about 10 min of his rotation so that's something to consider .
Serge Ibaka, FC Bayern Munich ($10,400)
On these 2 game weeks they've kept it easier on him in one of the legs and pushed him a bit in the other so I think we could potentially see 30 minutes of Ibaka here .
Nicolo Melli, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan ($9,200)
Feels like the best floor of the spend ups as he stuffs that stat sheet and plays high 20s minutes in competitive games in which he avoids foul trouble solid matchup for PFs vs CRV.
Brandon Davies, Valencia Basket ($8,500)
Semi Ojeleye, Valencia Basket ($8,400)
Damien Inglis, Valencia Basket ($7,800)
I normally don't love playing the wheel of VBC front court but Forward is weak today and it seems like each game one of these guys are getting there despite any matchup. Please monitor the starters as success for them has been correlated with which ones are starting .
Mathias Lessort, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens ($8,300)
Season low price point for Lessort here. Matchup is not easy but he's at home and has double double upside.
Valuable Values
Dyshawn Pierre, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul ($6,800)
sub 7k starter for a team who's usage really gets spread around to whoever has the hot hand which could always be Pierre.
Isaac Bonga, FC Bayern Munich ($7,100)
FBD runs a very big lineup with their SF (NHD) who plays almost like a 4 which I think is going to force BAYERN to play more of Bonga at the SF spot and less of the 3 guard lineups they've been playing . Still a GPP only stab however with how volatile he is.
Guerschon Yabusele, Real Madrid ($5,900)
Saw a little uptick in minutes on Tuesday getting up to 17. Unfortunately it was 17 minutes of cardio and he didn't even attempt a single FG which is not the Yabusele I'm used to. Floor is very concerning but worth a swap to if you have a bust from early games .
Justin Anderson, Valencia Basket ($4,400)
16 + minutes in last 4 games and even got the start last game . He's only 4400 so all you're really trying to get out of him is 12 Fantasy points.
