High Salary C
Players costing over $6,250
Joel Embiid (vs LAC – $10,300): Needs 48.5 fantasy points. Embiid has been over 50 fantasy points in three of his last four and six of his last seven. His one-off game came against Atlanta, which is probably the most surprising stat of this stretch. Embiid should have no problem feasting on a slightly undersized (sans Boban) Clippers squad. Diagnosis: Will get his points and rebounds without an issue while coming up with a handful of assists and defensive plays.
Nikola Jokic (at CLE – $10,100): Needs 47.5 fantasy points. As expected, Jokic had a big night against the Bulls, finishing with 60.5 fantasy points. The back-to-back is a bit concerning, especially because the Nuggets had a tougher time than they should have with the Bulls. But they’re getting the Cavaliers, which helps ease the pain of a back-to-back. Diagnosis: Reliable with a high ceiling. I expect him to dominate once more.
Willie Cauley-Stein (at ATL – $6,800): Needs 32 fantasy points. Cauley-Stein continues to have a strong season and is averaging 35.6 fantasy points on the year. The Hawks are a team you should be taking advantage of with how they’ve looked this season. He’s a double-double threat and should do plenty of damage against a messy Hawks squad. Diagnosis: He’ll hit value at the very least, but based on the matchup, should be much higher.