Daily Fantasy Basketball: Raptors’ SG DeMar DeRozan is Tuesday’s top play

Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

HIGH FIVE/low five

Daily Fantasy can be quite the grind!  Let us do the grinding for you with “High Five/Low Five”.  Each day, we help put you in the money by presenting you with FIVE of the “top-tier” plays, as well as a quick list of FIVE “value plays”.  Toronto Raptors’ SG DeMar DeRozan flies high as Tuesday’s top Daily Fantasy Basketball play.

Let’s rip it up.

HIGH FIVE:

Point Guard: Damian Lillard, POR ($7,800): I’d like to recommend Kyle Lowry here in a great matchup vs. the Cleveland Cavaliers, but Raptors coach Dwane Casey recently stated, “…we are going to try and keep his minutes down as much as possible”.  As such, I can’t recommend a guy that may only get 30 minutes.  Lillard, on the other hand, has been playing big minutes and taking on an increased share of his team’s offensive workload.  For those reasons, he makes a good play against a Orlando Magic defense that is 22nd vs. PGs over the last 15 days.  Expect 35 FPs or so.

Shooting Guard: DeMar DeRozan, TOR ($8,100): Everyone will be all over Dion Waiters again, and rightfully so.  You should be too, as he represents the top value play at the position.  However, while coach Casey talked about limiting Lowry’s minutes, he said nothing of DeRozan’s.  One would think that while DeRozan may not receive any extra run as a result, he should however, handle a little more of the offensive workload from time to time.  That’s my guess and what will have me rostering DeRozan against a Cavaliers’ defense that ranks in the bottom third of the league vs. SGs.  35-40 FPs seems like a reasonable level of production to expect.

Small Forward:  Kevin Durant, OKC ($12,000): It’s a small slate of games, and Durant is the only player among the small forwards that won’t get you below 40 FPs, and the only one we can trust to go for 45-50 FPs or maybe even 60.  His ability to produce far beyond the other players available at his position almost makes him a “must-play”.

However, if you’re looking to go contrarian, Nicolas Batum, POR ($7,700) has a nice matchup with the Orlando Magic and could get 40 FPs, though production in the 30-35 FP range seems more likely.

Power Forward: Carmelo Anthony, NY ($10,200): The reason for listing Anthony here isn’t really all that different from why Durant was suggested.  If anything, he might be more critical of a play, due to his price being $1,800 less and his matchup being much better, even if both players are “matchup proof”.  The Los Angeles Lakers have been horrible down low all year, and Melo should be able to get 45 FPs with ease.

Center: It’s an absolute mess at center today, and it’s hard to recommend any of the top players, as none of them seem like plays you can trust to reach value given their recent volatility.  I’m inclined to recommend the lower priced plays, if only because an “off game” from one of them is far more likely to yield a larger percentage of their value and thus be more wisely spent salary.

To give you an idea what I’m talking about, Nikola Vucevic, ORL ($7,400) certainly has the highest ceiling and will likely be the top producer.  However, Jonas Valanciunas, TOR ($5,200) and Robin Lopez, POR ($5,600) seem like safer bets to produce value, or if not value, then at least a larger percentage of their value.

This will be a tough call this evening and getting it right could be critical to your fantasy success.

Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports

low five: 

Point Guard: Jarrett Jack, CLE ($5,000): After being outproduced by his teammate and fellow “value play, Matthew Dellavedova, in two games, Jack showed up big time in the Cleveland Cavaliers last game, with 51 FPs.  That type of production is unlikely to happen vs. a staunch Raptors’ defense.  Nonetheless, 20-25 FPs does seem within range for the veteran guard.

Also worth a look is Greivis Vasquez, TOR ($4,500).  He will be the primary beneficiary of Lowry’s minutes watch and has a value threshold of just 22.5 FPs.  Given his production over the last three games (21.9, 32, and 22.1 FPs), a plus matchup with the Cavaliers, and perhaps a few extra minutes on the court, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Vasquez hit value.

Shooting Guard: Nick Young, LAL ($5,400): Young has came out firing since his return from injury two games ago, averaging 23.5 points.  With Pau Gasol expected out vs. Knicks, my guess is that Young comes out firing again as the Lakers look for some much-needed offense.

Small Forward: J.R. Smith, NY ($5,400): After a couple of down games, Smith got back to normal last game out with 25.6 FPs.  Value for Smith is 27 FPs, a number that he’s consistently been within range of over the past 10 games and should also be within range of tonight against a horrible Lakers’ defense.

Power Forward: Amar’e Stoudemire, NY ($5,400): Stoudemire has been averaging above value during his last seven games, and should do so again vs. the Lakers who’ve struggled much of the season to defend the interior.

Jordan Hill, LAL ($5,000) is also worth a look, but faces a much tougher matchup vs. a Knicks defense that is the best in the league at defending the PF spot.

Center: Chris Kaman, LAL ($5,200): Kaman should get the start if Gasol is out as expected.  In eight starts this season, Kaman has averaged 14 points and 9.3 rebounds.  Similar numbers are definitely possible against the Knicks, who’ve been surprisingly weak at defending the center position as of late, ranking just 22nd over the past 15 days.

Also worth a look if you want to scrape the bottom of the value barrel, is Kaman’s teammate, Robert Sacre, ($3,600).  Sacre has been playing well lately and getting over 20 minutes per game.  With an increased role in Gasol’s absence, he could easily surpass the 18 FPs he’ll need to reach value.

Thank you and good luck tonight !!!
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