High Value C
Players costing $6,250 or under
Bam Adebayo (at WAS – $4,900): Needs 21.4 fantasy points. Adebayo had a respectable 23.5 fantasy points on Wednesday. It looks like he’ll be getting those minutes over Olynyk, which is really for the best if you’re a Miami fan. And because his salary is still low, he’s easier to fit into your lineup. Look for him to continue to improve this season. Diagnosis: Good salary, played well on opening night, seems to have the coaches trust. A lot to like about Bam.
Ian Mahinmi (vs MIA – $4,600): Needs 20.1 fantasy points. Only take Mahinmi if Howard doesn’t play. And even then, he might not be worth it. Without Howard, he’ll at least get playing time. But if Howard plays, I’m not sure he’ll see enough minutes to make a significant impact. Diagnosis: A salary saver if Howard doesn’t play. Likely a waste if Howard does play.
JaVale McGee (at POR – $4,500): Needs 19.6 fantasy points. McGee will probably start, but I don’t know how much he’ll play. With the Blazers having Nurkic, I have to think that he’ll get some playing time as the Lakers only traditional center. But playing JaVale big minutes is a recipe for disaster. Will get some easy baskets next to LeBron and rebounds. So there’s that. Diagnosis: Not much upside. Unless the Lakers are weirder than I thought they would be.