Fantasy Basketball: NBA Draftkings Top Salary Value Plays 1/1/19

Hey guys and welcome to the new year! We’re kicking it off with a 5 game NBA Draftkings slate tonight. Back to back 5 game slates but it’s a lot better then those odd two and three game ones. So lets start the year off right and get this researching going. Good luck and cash out!

NBA Draftkings – The Breakdown

So as usually, with any NBA Draftkings slate, we’re going to look at a players stats, usage rate, previous game stats, the opposing teams defensive stats versus the players position, and their salary. A big part of daily fantasy sports is a players salary. We build our lineups around key players and if they are players like Lebron James, James Harden, Russell Westbrook, or Giannis Antetokounmpo then they come along with a hefty price tag. We need a player to hit at least five times their value with their salary to make it “worth it” in a sense but what we really want and need is for it to be around six or possibly even seven times their value.

For example, the other night Russell Westbrook was priced at $10,900 versus the New Orleans Pelicans so we needed him to hit 54.50 fantasy points to return five times his value. Sadly, he did not. This is why we’re switching up the article format and trying to dig even deeper with our NBA Slates.

Now we might not always have multiple players (minimum two) discussed at every position on every article because the NBA has the weirdest schedule this season.

Lets not waste any more time and kick off the research for this 5 game NBA Draftkings Slate. As always though, I will be sticking with Draftkings as I rarely play on Fanduel anymore. Good luck and lets cash out! Also don’t forget to participate in the Free Roll on FantasyDraft which FantasyCPR host daily!

NBA Draftkings Top Tier

Ben Simmons vs. Los Angeles Clippers

Salary: $8,800 – Needs to score 44 fantasy points or more to exceed value

Ben Simmons is a player who has been consistent in matching his value almost every single night and should easily do it again tonight. He gets to face the Los Angeles Clippers who allow point guards to average 24 points, 9 assist, and 6 rebounds per game. But the one downside is that Joel Embiid should be back tonight after sitting out their previous game. With a small sample size, just 3 games against the Clippers, Simmons is averaging 16 points, 8 assist, and 7 rebounds against them.

On the season though, Simmons is averaging a near double double with 16 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assist. But he has been consistent, scoring 50, 56, 40, 57.5, and a sad 28.3 fantasy points. The Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Clippers do rank pretty high in possessions per game with 106 possessions, meaning we could be in for a high scoring game tonight. If that is the case then Ben Simmons should see multiple opportunities to exceed value easily tonight and we shouldn’t be too worried with the return of Joel Embiid to the lineup.

Other Valuable Option

Eric Bledsoe vs. Detroit Pistons

Salary: $6,200 – Needs to score 31 fantasy points or more to exceed value

Coming in at a low price with a great match-up, plus history against the Detroit Pistons, you can easily save salary with Eric Bledsoe tonight. Averaging 18 points, 5 assist and 4 rebounds in 14 games against the Detroit Pistons, Bledsoe is easily a great play in a lack-luster point guard lineup. He’s averaging 15 points, 5 assist and 4 rebounds per game while playing near 30 minutes every game.

Bledsoe hasn’t been on the most consistent value returning streak as he has only scored 24, 30.3, 27, 20.3, and 15.8 fantasy points in five last games. But facing the Detroit Pistons, he should easily be able to bounce back since the allow guards to average 23 points, 8 assist, and 6 rebounds a game. He can easily return value tonight with this match-up.

NBA Draftkings Top Tier

Khris Middleton vs. Detroit Pistons

Salary: $7,000 – Needs to score 35 fantasy points or more to exceed value

Being pretty solid in his past five games, Khris Middleton has another opportunity tonight when facing the Detroit Pistons. He has scored 42.8, 35.8, 20, 39.5, and 48.5 fantasy points in those five games, returning value in all of them except for one. On the season, Middleton is averaging 18 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assist per game. He has seen the Detroit Pistons 18 times in his career, averaging 17 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assist. He faced them in December also, recording 22 points, 6 assist and 2 rebounds, scoring 36.5 fantasy points in that match-up.

The Pistons do allowing shooting guards to average 25 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assist per game which makes this an even better match-up for Khris Middleton on paper. The shooting guard position also isn’t very deep on this slate, so no matter what option you go with, you can view it as a salary relief if you’re aiming to rosster the Greek Freak or Joel Embiid tonight.

Other Valuable Option

Fred VanVleet vs. Utah Jazz

Salary: $5,500 – Needs to score 27.5 fantasy points or more to exceed value

Fred VanVleet has been a hit or miss type DFS player but usually when we roster him, he has been more hit then miss. Coming in once again at a cheap price of $5,500, he should easily be able to exceed value tonight. He gets to face the Utah Jazz who he has already recorded 17 points, 6 assist and 4 rebounds against once this season already.

The Utah Jazz do defend pretty well against the shooting guard position, allowing them to average 19 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assist per game as a whole unit. VanVleet does average 10 points, 4 assist and 2 rebounds per game while playing around 26 minutes. He has only returned value twice in his past five games with 38.8, 21.5, 21.8, 20.3, and 28.8 fantasy points which is the downside to playing him. He does help salary relief but doesn’t need much to help you out either.

NBA Draftkings Top Tier

Jimmy Butler vs. Los Angeles Clippers

Salary: $6,900 – Needs to score 34.5 fantasy points or more to exceed value

Now the depth of the small forward position tonight isn’t anything exciting. We do have the Greek Freak but he’s also duel position as a small forward and power forward so we’ll save him for the next slide. Lets focus on Jimmy Butler who doesn’t need the best outcome to exceed his value tonight.

Butler is averaging 19 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assist per game while seeing the floor for around 33 minutes. He has faced the Clippers 12 times in his career, averaging 16 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assist against them. When they faced off in November, Butler was able to record 20 points, 5 assists and 4 rebounds. The 76ers should have a healthy lineup tonight with Ben Simmons, Jimmy Butler and Joel Embiid.

Other Valuable Option

Buddy Hield vs. Portland Trailblazers

Salary: $6,800 – Needs to score 34 fantasy points or more to exceed value

Now this is a play that we can call a shot in the dark because Buddy Hield doesn’t have the biggest or greatest sample size against the Portland Trailblazers. He has only played them 5 times and averaged a sad 8 points, 2 rebounds and he isn’t even averaging an assist against them. But Hield has been playing at a different level this season so that can change tonight. In his past five games, he has scored 43.5, 39, 20.5, 19.3, and 28.3 fantasy points, exceeding value in three of those five games.

Portland does allow small forwards to average 24 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assist per game also which could benefit Buddy Hield pretty well tonight. This match-up also has the highest point total with 230 points, with the Sacramento Kings playing at a pace of 107 possessions and the Portland Trailblazers playing at a pace of 103 possessions.

NBA Draftkings Top Tier

Giannis Antetokounmpo vs. Detroit Pistons

Salary: $11,600 – Needs to score 58 fantasy points or more to exceed value

We have some pretty exciting players at the power forward position and we’re going to keep our two mentions in the same game. So lets start out with the Greek Freak, Giannis Anteotokounmpo who dominated in his last match-up versus the Detroit Pistons. In 22 games, against the Pistons, the Greek Freak averaged 14 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assist. But in December, Anteotokounmpo recorded 32 points, 12 rebounds, and 4 assist. If he does that or even close to that again tonight, he’ll easy exceed his value of 58 fantasy points.

On the season, he is averaging a double double with 26 points, 12 rebounds and 6 assists. It’s hard to pass up the Greek Freak on any slate, especially tonight. Detroit does defend the power forward position pretty well, allowing them to only average 19 points, 9 rebounds and 3 assist. But like I previously mentioned, if Giannis Anteotokounmpo does what he did in his previous match against the Pistons, we’ll be sitting comfortably throwing him in the lineup.

Other Valuable Option

Blake Griffin vs. Milwaukee Bucks

Salary: $8,500 – Needs to score 42.5 fantasy points or more to exceed value

Now on the opposite end, this could even be a better play then Giannis Anteotokounmpo. The last time the two met, Blake Griffin recorded a triple double in 35 minutes with 19 points, 11 assist and 10 rebounds. He almost recorded another triple double two weeks earlier against the Bucks with 31 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assist. There is something in the water when Blake Griffin faces the Bucks.

On the season, Griffin is averaging 24 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assist in 35 minutes per game. Griffin hasn’t exactly hit value in his previous five games, scoring 40.3, 28.3, 49.3, 32, and 27 fantasy points. But obviously tonight is a whole different story for Blake Griffin. The final note is that Milwaukee Bucks allow power forwards to average 22 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 assist per game, making this perfect play for Blake Griffin.

NBA Draftkings Top Tier

Nikola Jokic vs. New York Knicks

Salary: $9,800 – Needs to score 49 fantasy points or more to exceed value

Coming in as the second highest priced center, Nikola Jokic has a pretty good match-up versus the New York Knicks who have no true identity at the center position. In 6 games versus the Knicks, Jokic has averaged close to a double double with 21 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assist. On the season, he is avergaing 18 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assist in 31 minutes per game.

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On the defensive side of things, the Knicks are allowing centers to average 26 points, 15 rebounds, and 3 assist per game. This screams a pretty good match-up for the Joker. In his previous five games, he has scored 66 points, 32, 26, 43.3, and 52.5 fantasy points, returning value in only two of those games. But I wouldn’t doubt that Nikola Jokic will underachieve in this match-up but only exceed his value.

Other Valuable Option

Jusuf Nurkic vs. Sacramento Kings

Salary: $7,500 – Needs to score 37.5 fantasy points or more to exceed value

There isn’t a really big depth of centers for tonight’s NBA Draftkings slate but Jusuf Nurkic has a good match-up tonight against Willie Cauley-Stein and the Sacramento Kings. Returning value in three of his previous five match-ups, Nurkic has scored 38.5, 26, 47.5, 47, and 29.3 fantasy points. He does get to face Willie Cauley-Stein who isn’t the most aggressive big man in the league. But the downside is that Nurkic doesn’t have the best stat-line versus the Kings. He is only averaging 8 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assist in 11 games against the Sacramento Kings.

On the season, in 26 minutes, Nurkic is averaging a double double with 14 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 assists. He only needs to score 37 fantasy points tonight in a game with the highest point total and between two teams that have fast paced offenses. This should give more opportunities for Jusuf Nurkic to reach his value, plus more.

Stay tuned to Fantasy CPR for all of your DFS needs. We will also have the NFL playoffs covered for you as well!