NBA DraftKings: Top Salary Value Plays – And We’re Back!

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.

In addition to breaking down salary and a players value with their price tag, we are also going to add another section of pairing top tier and low tier players together for your lineups. We can mix and match all we want with 150+ lineups (we don’t do that though) but in reality, there are usually two or three players we should throw in a lineup together.

Let’s not waste any more time and kick off the research for this 6 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 Plays

Point Guard: Devin Booker vs. Cleveland Cavaliers

Salary: $7,700 – Needs to score 38.5 fantasy points or more to exceed value (50.05 for 6.5x)

We are officially back from the All-Star break and have one hell of a snooze fest coming up with the Phoenix Suns versus the Cleveland Cavaliers but that puts Devin Booker in play as one of the top tonight. Averaging 24 points, 7 assist and 4 rebounds per game with a usage rate of 31%, Booker should have be in store for an even better night.

He’s averaging 1.16 fantasy points per minute and is averaging 40.9 fantasy points per game. The Cleveland Cavaliers are also allowing opposing point guards to average 49.9 fantasy points per game which will easily push Booker past his ceiling of 38.5 fantasy points for value tonight.

Shooting Guard: James Harden vs. Los Angeles Lakers

Salary: $11,600 – Needs to score 58 fantasy points or more to exceed value (75.4 for 6.5x)

The Houston Rockets are finally back at full health to kick off the second half of their season with Clint Capela officially back. Now does that mean James Harden is a complete fade tonight? Absolutely not. He’s under $12k and gets to face a horrible Los Angeles Lakers team that he tore up recently with 48 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assist.

I’ll expect him to do it once again even with a healthy squad just because LeBron James is on the opposite end of the court. Harden is averaging 36 points, 7 assist and 6 rebounds with a usage rate of 40%. He’s averaging 63.2 fantasy points per game and 1.70 fantasy points per minute.

This Lakers squad is allowing opposing shooting guards to average 44 fantasy points per game and 24 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assist per game. The Lakers also recently allowed Jimmy Butler to go for 25 fantasy points and JJ Redick to go for 36.6 fantasy points.

Small Forward: Ben Simmons vs. Miami Heat

Salary: $7,900 – Needs to score 39.5 fantasy points or more to exceed value (51.35 for 6.5x)

Narrative Alert* Joel Embiid is out for a week so lets throw in all of the Ben Simmons tonight at a low price of $7,900! Plus it’s also Australian Heritage Night! Simmons sits at a usage rate of 22% with Joel Embiid and gets a slight bump to 23% without him.

He’s also averaging 16 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assist per game which is actually the very same without Embiid so no need to worry about that affecting him in a good or bad way. He gets to face a Miami Heat defense that allows opposing small forwards to average 20 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assist plus gives up 41 fantasy points per game.

Simmons is averaging 43.4 fantasy points per game and 1.31 fantasy points per minute. The only thing that may affect Ben Simmons tonight is Tobias Harris who they acquired before the trade deadline. We haven’t seen how well he plays with or without Embiid on the floor but I wouldn’t expect it to affect Ben Simmons tonight.

Power Forward: Larry Nance Jr. vs. Phoenix Suns

Salary: $7,200 – Needs to score 36 fantasy points or more to exceed value (46.8 for 6.5x)

Before hitting the All-Star break, Larry Nance Jr. had secured 6 straight double doubles while barely missing it in his last game versus the Brooklyn Nets. He should be able to hop back on track tonight versus the Phoenix Suns.

Now a huge part that will play in to this is the play of Kevin Love and his minute restrictions or non minute restriction. Nance Jr. He’s averaging 9 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assist per game while averaging 26 minutes.

He has broken the 30 minute mark in his past four games but that was based solely on Love and Nance Jr. dominate play. This Phoenix Suns team though is allowing opposing power forwards to average 22 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assist plus 43.3 fantasy points per game.

Nance is priced higher tonight which may make it a little bit tougher to play him over others but if Kevin Love comes out not playing huge minutes, expect Larry Nance Jr. to easily hit his 5x value of 36 fantasy points.

Center: DeMarcus Cousins vs. Sacramento Kings

Salary: $6,100 – Needs to score 30.5 fantasy points or more to exceed value (39.65 for 6.5x)

I have no clue what Draftkings are on but for a man who has been told that he won’t have minor minutes like the 25-28 minutes he has had in the past two weeks, Boogie is a huge steal tonight! Plus he gets to face his former team, Sacramento Kings, once again.

In a small sample size of just three games, DeMarcus Cousins is averaging 38 points, 16 rebounds, and 5 assist versus the Kings. DO NOT FADE THIS MAN! Boogie is averaging 14 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assist with a usage rate of 27% while averaging 23 minutes per game. Sacramento are allowing opposing centers to average 22 points, 19 rebounds and 3 assist per game. They also allow centers to average 55.3 fantasy points per game.

Boogie may play close to 30 minutes tonight and even at that, 30.5 fantasy points to hit 5x value for him is too easy.

NBA DraftKings – Low Tier Value Plays

Point Guard: Collin Sexton vs. Phoenix Suns

Salary: $4,900 – Needs to score 24.5 fantasy points or more to exceed value (31.85 for 6.5x)

Collin Sexton has really been a new form of his young, rookie self but DraftKings still has him priced at a lower price I would say. He exceeded or returned value six straight times before the All-Star break and gets to keep that streak going tonight versus the Phoenix Suns. Sexton has a usage rate of 25% while averaging 15 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assist.

He gets to face a Suns team that is allowing opposing point guards to average 24 points, 8 assist and 6 rebounds plus 48.9 fantasy points per game. At a low price, Sexton could be an easy call tonight if going cheap at the position.

Shooting Guard: Eric Gordon vs. Los Angeles Lakers

Salary: $4,400 – Needs to score 22 fantasy points or more to exceed value (28.6 for 6.5x)

Sticking on the same team as our other target at the shooting guard position, Eric Gordon has a chance to do some damage as well for the low price of $4,400. He’s averaging 16 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assist with a usage rate of 22% this season.

He also did some damage against the Los Angeles Lakers on January 19th, recording 30 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assist, scoring 43.8 fantasy points.

We already know what the Lakers allow shooting guards to do against them, allowing 44 fantasy points per game. Gordon is averaging 25 fantasy points per game and .78 fantasy points per minute. You can potentially run Eric Gordon and James Harden together if you are looking for some salary relief.

Small Forward: Caris LeVert vs. Portland Trailblazers

Salary: $5,100 – Needs to score 25.5 fantasy points or more to exceed value (33.15 for 6.5x)

Now this is based on the minutes restriction, if any, with Caris LeVert but given that he did play 31 minutes in the final game before the All Star break, we should be clear with the extra resting. LeVert is averaging 17 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assist on the season while averaging 31 fantasy points per game and 1.10 fantasy points per minute.

He gets to face the Portland Trailblazers who are allowing small forwards to average 22 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assist, plus 42.7 fantasy points per game. LeVert has had two good games out of the three since he has been back, scoring 29.5 and 35.8 fantasy points. If he is given the green light tonight, 25.5 fantasy points is an easy ceiling for him to hit.

Power Forward: Jake Layman vs. Brooklyn Nets

Salary: $4,500 – Needs to score 22.5 fantasy points or more to exceed value (29.25 for 6.5x)

A possible sixth man candidate for the season? Possibly for Jake Layman who has been playing close to 30 minutes the past 8 games and has broken double digit real points in all but two games. He has a usage rate of 16% while averaging 8 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist.

Layman gets to face the Brooklyn Nets who are allowing opposing power forwards to average 23 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 assist per game. The Nets are also allowing opposing power forwards to average 43.8 fantasy points per game. Out of those 8 games where Jake Layman has played close to 30 minutes, he returned value in 6 of them also.

Center: Boban Marjanovic vs. Miami Heat

Salary: $3,500 – Needs to score 17.5 fantasy points or more to exceed value (22.75 for 6.5x)

This play will most likely be very chalky and for good reasons with Joel Embiid out for at least a week. Marjanovic is averaging 7 points and 4 rebounds per game while averaging just 10 minutes per game. No true sample size to go off either with his new team, the Philadelphia 76ers, as he has played 13, 11, and then 14 minutes.

But in his last game with the 14 minutes, he put up 10 points and 8 rebounds, close to a double double in short amount of time. He gets to face the Miami Heat who allow opposing centers to average 20 points, 14 rebounds, and 3 assist while allowing them to average 49 fantasy points per game.

As a cheap center option and most likely chalk, Boban is a great play but does face Hassan Whiteside and Bam Bam which could be an issue

NBA DraftKings – Pairing Plus Sample Lineup

Now with the early news of Joel Embiid being out, Boban Marjanovic is a great starting point for our lineup build. I would honestly plug him and DeMarcus Cousins in majority of my line-ups tonight.

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The two big men are great plays and at very low costs but Boban will be chalky most likely, a.k.a a free square for us. I would then plug Ben Simmons in due to the Australian Heritage Night narrative that we have to roll with!

Sample Lineup:

PG: Ben Simmons ($7,900)

SG: Joe Harris ($4,300)

SF: Eric Gordon ($4,400)

PF: Jake Layman ($4,500)

C: DeMarcus Cousins ($6,100)

G: James Harden ($11,600)

F: Larry Nance Jr. ($7,200)

Util: Boban Marjanovic ($3,500)

Salary Remaining: $500

I’ll probably be one of the few to actually roll with James Harden tonight but it’s hard to pass him up at the low cost of $11,600 (we’re used to $13k or more).  Besides him, Larry Nance Jr. is the final piece to my puzzle to plug in and even with the sample lineup below, we’ll still have $500 left over which you can choose to do with what you please.

One player that I did not talk about but will plug in is Joe Harris of the Brooklyn Nets. He’s fresh off of his 3 point contest win over the All Star break and I wouldn’t doubt him in continuing his hot streak tonight versus the Portland Trailblazers who are allowing shooting guards to average 41.4 fantasy points per game.

Stay tuned to Fantasy CPR for all the latest NBA DFS news and analysis each and every day!