Fantasy Basketball: FanDuel Lineups For January 4th

Dec 14, 2014; New York, NY, USA; Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry (7) gestures after scoring during overtime against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Toronto Raptors won 95-90 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

I was back in the money last night. It may not have been much, but it’s better than nothing!

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Tonight, there are only five games that are part of the big tournaments on FanDuel tonight. There is an afternoon game, but it is not included. The only issue is we miss out on some bargains not being able to take Cavaliers!

Here are My FanDuel Lineups for January 4th:

Point Guards:

Bargain:

Donald Sloan, Pacers ($4,500): George Hill is slated to miss “a few games”, so this will give some playing time to the questionable C.J. Watson and Sloan. Sloan had very good game on Friday with Watson out. If Watson sits again, Sloan is a must play. Even if Watson doesn’t sit, Sloan could be worth a run against the Lakers.

Worth The Cost:

Kyle Lowry, Raptors ($9,900): Lowry dropped his sixth consecutive 40+ fantasy point game on Friday against the Warriors. He is easily the most consistent option of the day. The Suns have not exactly been great defensively against opposing guards. The chances of him keeping his streak alive are great.

Brandon Knight, Bucks ($7,200): Knight has had back-to-back solid games against the Cavs and Pacers. Now he gets the Knicks. He should have another strong game tonight. He is not always a reliable option, but against the Knicks, he will be.

Risky Play:

Jarrett Jack, Nets ($5,600): Jack is still the starter for the Nets despite his poor showing on Friday. Deron Williams outplayed him, but that is the only time that he has since Jack became the starter. For now, Jack will start. The problem here is that Williams will likely take a chunk out of Jack’s minutes for at least tonight’s game. I still like Jack, but I am a little concerned about Friday since he was not firmly entrenched as the starter just yet.

My Lineups:

A: Lowry and Knight ($17,100)

B: Lowry and Sloan($14,400)

Next: How Much Should You Spend On SG's?

Dec 30, 2014; Orlando, FL, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Jodie Meeks (20) shoots a three pinter over Orlando Magic guard Evan Fournier (10) during the second quarter at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Shooting Guards:

Bargain:

Jodie Meeks, Pistons ($5,100): Meeks has turned into a scoring machine for the Pistons’ second string, and that is earning him more minutes. Will it earn him a starting gig at any point? That is anyone’s guess, but for now, ride the hot streak.

Worth The Cost:

Eric Bledsoe, Suns ($8,800): Bledsoe has been on some kind of roll lately. He now has eight consecutive games of more than 30 fantasy points, and five of those have been 40 or higher. The Raptors have not done particularly well against opposing guards. I have a hard time believing that they can control Bledsoe.

Kobe Bryant, Lakers ($8,900): Bryant’s week of rest has paid off for the aging superstar. In his first game back, he missed a triple-double by three assists and two rebounds. In his second game, he got the triple-double. He nearly had the dubious distinction of have a quadruple double as he had nine turnovers in that game as well. In his third game, he missed a triple-double by one rebound and two assists. This kind of all around production makes him a low-risk guy.

Risky Plays:

Dwyane Wade, Heat ($9,100): Wade played limited minutes against the Rockets last night, and did not practice on Friday. It sounds to me like he is a bit gassed, so I wouldn’t be surprised if his minutes were tempered again tonight. That, of course, limits his fantasy value. Especially in daily leagues.

J.R. Smith, Knicks ($5,400): Smith had a very good game filling in for Tim Hardaway Jr. on Friday. Hardaway is probable for tonight, so there is a chance that Smith goes back to irrelevance. Still, the Knicks need all the help that they can get. Smith’s good game could be his ticket back to the starting lineup.

My Lineups:

A: Bledsoe and Giannis Antetokounmpo ($15,100): Giannis is a good risk against a bad Knicks team.

B: Meeks and Bledsoe ($13,900)

Next: Few Solid Options At SF

Dec 20, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; Indiana Pacers guard C.J. Miles (0) during the game against the Denver Nuggets at Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

Small Forwards:

Bargains:

Quincy Acy, Knicks ($3,700): Carmelo Anthony is doubtful for tonight, but this is still a risk. It hasn’t been released as to whether J.R. Smith or Quincy Acy will start in his place. At any rate, Acy should receive increased minutes. But honestly, any double digit production from a guy at the lowest price is usually a good investment.

C.J. Miles, Pacers ($5,500): Miles has been impressive off the bench in the last couple of games with the Pacers banged up again. With George Hill still out, and C.J. Watson likely out again, look for Miles to play quite a few minutes again.

Worth The Cost:

Rudy Gay, Kings ($8,600): Gay got back on track fantasy-wise on Friday against the Timberwolves. In a night full of weak options at the position, Gay is really the only solid play you have with Anthony out. Everyone else besides Gay carries an element of risk.

Risky Plays:

Jared Dudley ($5,100) and Khris Middleton ($4,900), Bucks: Who will start at SF for the Bucks? We sure don’t know. I’m not even sure coach Jason Kidd does. I’m beginning to think that he just draws the name out of a hat right before tipoff. Middleton has been the better play over the last two games, but Dudley was for the half dozen games before that. One of them may have a good game, but do you know which? It is likely a situation best left alone.

My Lineups:

A: Gay and Acy ($12,300)

B: Gay and Miles ($14,100)

Next: Light Night At PF

Jan 2, 2015; New York, NY, USA; Detroit Pistons forward Greg Monroe (10) dunks during the first quarter against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

Power Forwards:

Bargains:

John Henson, Bucks ($4,500): Henson is still getting his legs under him, as evident by his minutes. He has not been over 25 minutes yet, but he has been over 20 fantasy points in every game since his return. He is a solid option at any rate right now, but he is a must-play against the Knicks.

Ed Davis, Lakers ($5,400): Davis had a strong game against a decent Memphis team. He has outplayed Carlos Boozer since becoming the starter, and that trend doesn’t look like it is going to change anytime soon. Play him with confidence against the Pacers tonight.

Worth The Cost:

Greg Monroe, Pistons ($6,300): Monroe has had a nice run with Josh Smith done in Detroit. He is a strong rebounder and can block a few shots, so it doesn’t matter if he has off nights scoring. He is still going to get you more than 20 fantasy points. He also has the most upside of any PF playing tonight.

David West, Pacers ($6,500): West has been a constant since coming back from injury. He is almost always in the mid-20s for fantasy points. He has a good matchup against the Lakers tonight, but I doubt that West is much of a threat for more than 30 points. He is much better when he doesn’t have to carry the load at this stage of his career.

Risky Play:

Markieff Morris, Suns ($6,100): Morris battled inconsistency last season. This season has been no different. I like him against the Raptors tonight, but his inconsistency keeps me from trusting him. He is worth playing based on matchups, and on a light night like tonight, you aren’t going to do a whole lot better.

My Lineups:

A: Davis and Henson ($9,900)

B: West and Davis ($11,900)

Next: The Only Place That Has Strong Options Is C

Dec 18, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; New York Knicks center Cole Aldrich (45) attempts to shoot the ball against Chicago Bulls forward Pau Gasol (16) during the first quarter at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

Center:

Bargain:

Cole Aldrich, Knicks ($5,600): Aldrich seems to have a lock down on the center position for the Knicks right now. He even held his own against the Clippers last week. He won’t have to deal with Larry Sanders tonight either, which makes him an even stronger play. He seems like a lock for his 30 fantasy point average tonight.

Worth The Cost:

DeMarcus Cousins, Kings ($10,700): Cousins has a nice matchup against the Pistons tonight. He has been able to get ample rest against the Timberwolves and Celtics the last couple of nights. Just be aware that if this turns into a blowout, he may be rested again.

Risky Play:

Andre Drummond, Pistons ($9,300): He has been dominant against the Cavs, Magic, and Knicks over the last three games. He is averaging 20 rebounds per game in that span. He is not reliant upon scoring to keep his fantasy value, which makes him a low risk target much of the time. He does have a tougher matchup against the Kings tonight.

My Lineups:

A and B: Aldrich ($5,600)

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