NBA Draftkings: Top Salary Value Plays – No Odd Feelings, AD?

Welcome back everyone! We are a day past the NBA Trade Deadline that left Lebron James and Anthony Davis stuck with their original teammates to make for some awkward scenarios. But it’s Friday and we have a 8 game NBA Draftkings slate to prepare for! Will Tobias Harris shine with the new big four in Philadelphia? Lets dive in and find our top salary value plays. 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 even Paul George, 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 Paul George was priced at $9,600 versus the New Orleans Pelicans so we needed him to hit 48 fantasy points to return five times his value. Sure enough, Paul George returned value and exceeded it by scoring 54.8. 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. As a special thank you to our Fantasy CPR readers, we have a $50 Free Roll tonight on FantasyDraft. You can access the free roll link here!

Lets not waste any more time and kick off the research for this 8 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

Steph Curry vs. Phoenix Suns

Salary: $9,000 – Needs to score 45 fantasy points or more to exceed value 

We’re still in a crazy spot with the dominate Golden State Warriors due to DeMarcus Cousins in the best way possible except for in Daily Fantasy Sports. Now Curry is currently averaging 29 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assist per game with a usage rate of 30%. But with Cousins on the court, Curry is averaging 24 points, 5 assist and 4 rebounds with a usage rate of 27%. But the price is just too good to pass up on plus he gets to face the Phoenix Suns. The Suns are currently allowing opposing point guards to average 24 points, 8 assist, and 6 rebounds per game.

Steph Curry is averaging 1.48 fantasy points per minute but hasn’t hit value in his previous two games. On December 31st, Curry recorded 34 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assist versus the Phoenix Suns. We probably won’t see the same performance and since Cousins will be on a 25 minute restriction again, Curry does have a chance to hit close to it.

Low Tier Option

Malcolm Brogdon vs. Dallas Mavericks

Salary: $5,600 – Needs to score 28 fantasy points or more to exceed value

Now Malcolm Brogdon could be a good play tonight if the Greek Freak sits, he already has the questionable tag. Brogdon is currently averaging 16 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assist per game with a 20% usage rate. He gets to face a Dallas Mavericks team that is allowing opposing point guards to average 22 points, 8 assist, and 5 rebounds per game. Brogdon is averaging 28.6 fantasy points per game and .98 fantasy points per minute. The one upside to playing Brogdon tonight is that he has returned value  in three straight games, scoring 34.3, 30.5, and 33 fantasy points. This is a great play with a low salary price tag that can provide lineup relief.

NBA Draftkings – Top Tier

Bradley Beal vs. Cleveland Cavaliers

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

Bradley Beal is really the captain of this ship, it’s sinking sadly, which we call the Washington Wizards who are now without John Wall for even longer. Beal is currently averaging 25 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assist with a usage rate of 28%. He gets to face the struggling Cleveland Cavaliers who are allowing opposing shooting guards to average 23 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assist per game. Beal recorded 31 points, 7 assist, and 4 rebounds while scoring 47.5 fantasy points versus the Cavaliers on January 29th.

Now even with John Wall out, Bradley Beal has only returned value twice in his past five games. We should see a repeat performance from Beal tonight and he’s also under 9k which is more appealing to me then any other high priced shooting guard.

Low Tier Option

Kenrich Williams vs. Minnesota Timberwolves

Salary: $5,000 – Needs to score 25 fantasy points or more to exceed value

There are a few factors that I could go into this play tonight with Anthony Davis supposedly returning to the lineup since the Pelicans are “allowing” him to return. It’s an awkward situation. But Kenrich Williams has made the best of his opportunities, returning value in his past five games. He’s averaging 12 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assist in his last five games also. There is no true stat sheet to base Williams play off of this season but with this small sample, Williams has made his mark in the lineup. The Pelicans get to face the Timberwolves who are allowing opposing shooting guards to average 23 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assist per game. Once again, this play depends on Anthony Davis and possibly if Solomon Hill gets plugged back in to the starting lineup.

NBA Draftkings – Top Tier

Buddy Hield vs. Miami Heat

Salary: $6,600 – Needs to score 33 fantasy points or more to exceed value

The Sacramento Kings have shaken up their roster with the addition of Alex Burcs and Harrison Barnes and that means Hield and Fox will be used a little more heavier until they get settled in. Hield is averaging 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 rebounds with a usage rate of 24%. He is averaging 32.8 fantasy points per game and 1.05 fantasy points per minute. Hield has also returned value in three of his last five games, scoring 35.5, 36.5, and 50.5 fantasy points.

Hield gets to face a Miami Heat defense that is allowing small forwards to average 20 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assist per game. Also, Hield recorded 23 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assist against the Miami Heat on October 29th. Hield is priced very low for what could be a easy ceiling for him to reach tonight.

Low Tier Option

Bogdan Bogdanovic vs. Miami Heat

Salary: $5,000 – Needs to score 25 fantasy points or more to exceed value

It’s like a package deal at the small forward position since we don’t know if Alex Burcs or Harrison Barnes will be thrown into the starting lineup tonight but if not, look for Bogdanovic to get the start once again. Bogdanovic is currently averaging 14 points, 4 assist, and 3 assist with a usage rate of 23%. He’s averaging 27.8 fantasy points per game and 1.02 fantasy points per minute. He has only returned value three times in his past five games, scoring 31, 34, and 29.3 fantasy points. Bogdanovic was not available for the two teams first match up but he should be getting the starting nod or a good amount of the minutes tonight even with the new additions to the team.

NBA Draftkings – Top Tier

Blake Griffin vs. New York Knicks

Salary: $8,900 – Needs to score 44.5 fantasy points or more to exceed value

We just saw this match-up on Tuesday and we get it once again so lets run it back! It’s basically what I wrote on Tuesday and it’ll be very similar. Griffin scored 47.5 fantasy points in that game and we should see it once again against this week New York Knicks defense. The Knicks defense is allowing opposing power forwards to average 24 points, 12 rebounds, and 4 assist per game. Griffin is averaging 26 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assist with a usage rate of 30%. He’s averaging 46.5 fantasy points per game and 1.29 fantasy points per minute.

Griffin has returned value just three times in the past five games, scoring 47.5, 47.3, and 49 fantasy points. We should see a very similar outcome tonight that we saw Tuesday and with the Knicks able to keep it close, Blake Griffin should exceed his value once again.

Low Tier Option

Dwight Powell vs. Milwaukee Bucks

Salary: $4,400 – Needs to score 22 fantasy points or more to exceed value

The Dallas Mavericks did a major overhaul right before the deadline and Powell has been a big beneficiary of that trade. He is averaging 8 points and 4 rebounds with a usage rate of 18% on the season but has only been going up lately. In his past game, he scored 38.5 fantasy points and now sees a decrease of $100. He gets to face a pretty stacked Milwaukee Bucks defense that is allowing opposing power forwards to average 21 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 assist per game. Now Powell had a horrible outing when they last faced the Bucks, only recording 4 points,  2 rebounds and 1 assist but he only played 16 minutes. Powell has played 20 minutes or more though in his last four games so there is no doubt that Powell can exceed his 22 fantasy points.

NBA Draftkings – Top Tier

Nikola Jokic vs. Philadelphia 76ers

Salary: $10,400 – Needs to score 52 fantasy points or more to exceed value (67.6 for 6.5x)

When Nikola Jokic first faced the Philadelphia 76ers last week, Joel Embiid was not on the court so we might not get the same dominant performance of 32 points, 18 rebounds, and 10 assist. On the season though, Jokic is averaging 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assist with a usage rate of 27%. He’s averaging 49.6 fantasy points per game and a nice 1.6 fantasy points per minute. Jokic gets to face a 76ers defense that is allowing opposing centers to average 23 points, 14 rebounds, and 4 assist per game.

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When it comes to value, Jokic is usually on par with returning it and has done so three times in his past five games, scoring 65.5, 63.8, and 64.8 fantasy points. We do need to know that the 76ers did add Tobias Harris to their starting lineup and could make this match-up a little bit more difficult for Nikol Jokic and the Denver Nuggets.

Low Tier Option

DeAndre Jordan vs. Detroit Pistons

Salary: $6,000 – Needs to score 30 fantasy points or more to exceed value

DeAndre Jordan has given up a lot in his career by being held hostage by the Los Angeles Clippers, then signing with the team he wanted to with the Dallas Mavericks and then traded to the New York Knicks right before the deadline. It’s hell. Jordan is averaging 11 points, 13 rebounds, and 2 assist per game. Now he gets to face the Detroit Pistons who are allowing opposing centers to average 24 points, 14 rebounds, and 3 assist per game. Jordan has only returned value once in his past five games, scoring 35 fantasy points. Jordan’s salary price is still at a good price and with the Knicks releasing Enes Kanter, Jordan should see more burn tonight in a match-up that is perfect for him.

Stay tuned to Fantasy CPR for all of your DFS needs. We are also ramping up our baseball coverage to get you ready for your draft!