Fantasy Basketball: NBA Draftkings Top Salary Value Plays 1/4/19

Hey guys! Welcome back to another NBA Draftkings Top Salary Value Plays! It’s Friday and we have a nice 10 game slate. While we did have a small 3 game slate last night where DeMar DeRozan got his revenge on the Toronto Raptors, totaling 62 fantasy points but Kawhi Leonard seemed to be his usual, emotionless self and under-perform. But let’s get to this Friday slate and kick our weekend off correctly!

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 10 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!

NBA Draftkings Top Tier

Russell Westbrook vs. Portland Trailblazers

Salary: $11,300- Needs to score 56.5 fantasy points or more to exceed value

Being the highest priced point guard on the slate by $2,300, Russell Westbrook has a nice match-up against the Portland Trailblazers who he averages a triple double against. In 29 games, Westbrook is averaging 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assist against them. Something he is very familiar with. On the season, Westbrook is averaging the same exact stat-line with 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assist while being on the floor for around 35 minutes.

Russell Westbrook’s usage rate is also down a little this year being at 30% but Paul George has been stepping it up and Dennis Schroder allows some pressure off of him also. The two teams have yet to play this season so we should be in store for a good one. The Trailblazers are allowing point guards to average 20 points, 7 assist and 5 rebounds per game this season also. If you are looking for a high-priced star, Russell Westbrook might just be that guy as he does average a triple double against the Portland Trailblazers.

Other Valuable Option

D’Angelo Russell vs. Memphis Grizzlies 

Salary: $7,400 – Needs to score 37 fantasy points or more to exceed value

D’Angelo Russell has been playing on a whole different level this season while averaging 18 points, 6 assist, and 3 rebounds. In his previous five games, he has scored 18.75, 39, 28, 43, and 55.75 fantasy points, returning value in three of those games. Russell has faced the Grizzlies 8 times in his career, averaging 19 points, 5 assist and 3 rebounds. But the last time these two teams faced off on November 30th, Russell recorded 26 points, 8 assist, 1 rebound and also 3 steals.

The Grizzlies do allow point guards to average 20 points, 7 assist and 6 rebounds which makes this a pretty good match-up for D’Angelo Russell. So if you decided to not go the Russell Westbrook route, D’Angelo Russell is a good back-up option to go with here tonight on this NBA Draftkings slate of 10 games.

NBA Draftkings Top Tier

Bradley Beal vs. Miami Heat

Salary: $9,200 – Needs to score 46 fantasy points or more to exceed value

Bradley Beal is now the captain with the Washington Wizards, well at least while John Wall is out. Beal has taken over the lead role pretty well since then because in his previous five games, he has returned value in three of those games, scoring 22, 35, 54.75, 42.5, and 42 fantasy points. But we have to remember that this is on Wizards squad that really isn’t anything that exciting besides the fantasy value that they now provide. Bradley Beal is averaging 23 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assist while playing around 36 minutes per game. He has also faced this Miami Heat team 19 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assist in 22 games.

In their last meeting on November 10th, Beal recorded 18 points, 3 rebounds and just 1 assist but that was with John Wall in the line-up. Tonight, he gets to face them on his own and should easily be able to return the value or even more due to the Heat allowing shooting guards to average 22 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assist per game. Now you may think Beal’s price tag is a little too high but there’s a good chance that he isn’t and could be a nice roster addition.

Other Valuable Option

Luka Doncic vs. Boston Celtics

Salary: $7.400 – Needs to score 37 fantasy points or more to exceed value

Luka Doncic could have had a great game the other night where he recorded 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assist in just 26 minutes but he was pulled early due to a crazy blow-out. But he is in play once again against this Boston Celtics team. The Celtics are currently allowing shooting guards to average 22 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assist per game. In his first match-up against the Celtics, Doncic recorded 15 points, 8 assist alongside with 3 steals, nearing that double double bonus.

On the season, Doncic is averaging 19 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assist per game while playing around 32 minutes. In his previous five games, Luka Doncic scored 50.25, 42.5, 40.25, 30, and 38.5 fantasy points. This could be another one for the young rookie as he is having a pretty good season so far and seems to not be slowing down anytime soon.

NBA Draftkings Top Tier

Paul George vs. Portland

Salary: $9,700 – Needs to score 48.5 fantasy points or more to exceed value

Paul George may not have the best history facing the Portland Trailblazers but with their lack to defend the forward position and the level that PG13 is playing at, it’s hard to fade him. The Portland Trailblazers are allowing small forwards to average 23 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assist per game which is a little lower than what George averages this season. He is currently averaging 26 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assist while playing 35 minutes per game.

PG13 has also returned value in four of his last five games, scoring 54, 56, 46.25, 37.5, and 53.5 fantasy points. Paul George is another player that you can pivot to off of Russell Westbrook if you don’t want to pay his high salary price or even pay for the Greek Freak. The one possible downside, which isn’t that terrible, is that Paul George is only averaging 19 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assist in 14 games but it is pretty tough to fade him.

Other Valuable Option

Tobias Harris vs. Phoenix Suns

Salary: $7,100 – Needs to score 35.5 fantasy points or more to exceed value

As always, one of my favorite DFS guys! Tobias Harris gets to face the Phoenix Suns once again and he should be able to easily exceed his value. In their first match-up, Harris recorded 33 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assist. How can we avoid this play? On the season, Harris is averaging 21 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 assist per game while averaging around 33 minutes.

Also this Phoenix G-League team is allowing small forwards to average 22 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assist per game, setting Tobias Harris up pretty nicely tonight on this NBA Draftkings slate. Harris has barely missed his value in his previous four games but in the last one of the five, he scored 48.75 fantasy points. Expect him to be able to bounce back tonight though just like most players do versus this Phoenix Suns team.

NBA Draftkings Top Tier

Giannis Antetokounmpo vs. Atlanta Hawks

Salary: $11,700 – Needs to score 58.5 fantasy points or more to exceed value

The Greek Freak is once again in play and it’s versus the fastest paced team in the NBA, the Atlanta Hawks. Besides having the fastest pace, the Atlanta Hawks also slack in defending power forwards, allowing them to average 23 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 assist. On the season, Giannis Antetokounmpo has returned value in 3 of his last 5 games, scoring 31.75. 64.5, 69.5, 72, and 42 fantasy points, being on a dominant streak.

On the season, the Greek Freak is averaging 26 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assist in 33 minutes this season. The Milwaukee Bucks and Atlanta Hawks have yet to face off this season either so we don’t know what to expect exactly. If the Hawks do get on a run and can keep the score close then Giannis Antetokounmpo should be able to return and exceed his value easily tonight on this NBA Draftkings Slate.

Other Valuable Option

Domantas Sabonis vs. Chicago Bulls

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

Domantas Sabonis is playing like a brand new man this season and is tearing it up and he still has a low salary price. Making for a great back-up option at the power forward position if you don’t go with the Greek Freak then you’ll still be okay. Facing the Chicago Bulls who allow power forwards to average 19 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 assist per game on the season. Sabonis has only faced the Chicago Bulls 8 times in career, giving us a small sample size, but he is averaging just 9 points, 6 rebounds and 1 assist per game.

The two teams did face off in early December where he almost recorded a double double, scoring 9 points and 11 rebounds. In his previous five games, Sabonis has scored 23, 36.5, 34.5, 40, and 31.5 fantasy points. Domantas Sabonis doesn’t need to do too much to return value but with the Chicago Bulls not defending the forward position that well, he could easily exceed his value tonight and giving you the upper hand in some contests.

NBA Draftkings Top Tier

Marc Gasol vs. Brooklyn Nets

Salary: $8,100 – Needs to score 40.5 fantasy points or more to exceed value

Big men versus Brooklyn is one of the hardest things to fade during this NBA season so lets lock in Marc Gasol! Not only is this a nice 10 game slate, it actually has a deep depth of centers to choose from. But we really can’t pass up Marc Gasol who is averaging 15 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assist in 17 games versus the Brooklyn Nets. In their first match-up versus the Nets this season, Gasol recorded a double double with 15 points and 15 rebound along side 5 assist.

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On the season though, he is averaging 16 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assist in roughly 34 minutes per game. The Brooklyn Nets are allowing centers to average 26 points and 18 rebounds per game this season. I mean, honestly, how can you not lock up any center that faces the Brooklyn Nets? Luckily Draftkings doesn’t raise the center who faces the Brooklyn Nets salary price too high either because at $8,100, Marc Gasol should easily be able to exceed value tonight versus the Brooklyn Nets.

Other Valuable Option

Deandre Ayton vs. Los Angeles Clippers

Salary: $7,800 – Needs to score 39 fantasy points or more to exceed value

Besides Devin Booker, Deandre Ayton is the only other bright spot on this G-League Phoenix Suns team. The rookie is currently averaging a double double with 17 points and 10 rebounds in 31 minutes per game and tonight he gets to face the Los Angeles Clippers who defend the center position pretty badly. The Clippers are allowing centers to average 26 points and 16 rebounds per game. In their first meeting, last month, Deandre Ayton almost made that stat-line come true recording 20 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 assist. Ayton has also returned value in three of his previous five games, scoring 32, 34.75, 61.5, 40, and 39.75 fantasy points.

Now usually we would use the opposite center or big men versus the Phoenix Suns but Deandre Ayton actually has the better match-up facing the Los Angeles Clippers who seem to not understand that their big man, Boban, should be their starting center and not Gortat. But that isn’t our problem besides locking in Deandre Ayton if you choose to avoid Marc Gasol and likely chalk that could be there on this NBA Draftkings slate.

Stay tuned to Fantasy CPR for all of your DFS needs! We have you covered with multiple NBA and PGA sites!