RADIO
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All throughout the 2014-15 NBA campaign, RotoBaller will be analyzing the top NBA DFS lineup picks and providing our expert advice for the best sleepers at the guard, forward and center positions. Below are our favorite FanDuel DFS picks for March 16th, 2015.
Keep in mind, fantasy basketball is a fickle game when it comes to injured players, so be sure to check all lineups prior to tip-off. If you want to chat about your roster picks, check out the DFS chat room at the bottom of this post.
Editors Note: If you have not tried out FanDuel 1-day fantasy basketball leagues, RotoBaller offers the best bonuses around. Signup and make a deposit for a new FanDuel account, and receive a 100% bonus on your deposit up to $200.
Worth the FanDuel Investment
LeBron James (CLE, SF) - $10,900
Primetime game, on ESPN, against his former team, this is what LeBron James lives for. With the “Big Three” seemingly resurrected and relatively healthy in Cleveland, it has been difficult picking the leading scorer for the Cavs. However, I’m willing to guess that James will want the ball to show-off for the Miami Heat fans (the few who still haven’t converted back into Cavs fans). The Heat have been playing OK basketball as of late. Hopefully they find a way to keep this one close, and James gets enough minutes to put up a monster stat line. **Keep an eye on James' "tweaked knee" prior to his 8 p.m. game on Monday.
Marc Gasol (MEM, C) - $7,600
Gasol is right on the cusp of a bargain and a high-end investment. With the Denver Nuggets on the schedule for Monday night, there will be no one to contest Gasol in the paint. To make things even more enticing, the Nuggets have multiple big men injuries and will be on the second night of a back-to-back. Kenneth Faried should be stuck to Zach Randolph all night, giving Gasol the green light to do whatever he would like to this sad Nuggets defense. Barring a decision by Memphis to rest the big man on Monday, Gasol should be in for a big night.
Safer DFS Bargains
These NBA players are on the cheaper side, but you can expect some solid DFS production from them with the potential for star-like numbers.
Avery Bradley (BOS, SG) – $5,600
Since coming back from injury, Bradley has shot the ball a combined 52 times in three games. It’s clear that he hasn’t lost his role as the Boston Celtic’s top shooting option. With added contributions (mostly in the assist category), Bradley should end up in the 25 to 30 FDP area in a given night. However, if he is able to get in a rhythm shooting, that number can jump to 40 in a hurry. With the Philadelphia 76ers on the schedule for Monday, it very well could be Bradley’s night to overproduce.
Thaddeus Young (PF, BKN) - $6,000
Young has been on my radar a lot recently, and I continue to grow fonder of him every time I watch him play. He finds himself in a similar situation to James’ above (minus the whole ESPN thing), playing against his former team. Minnesota’s big men will likely be limping into this game after their injured frontcourt faced the red hot San Antonio Spurs on Sunday. Young has been solid rebounding and shooting the three-point shot lately, and I expect him to exploit the weaknesses of his former team. The Timberwolves will likely push the tempo, which is exactly when Young thrives. I’m all in on this low-priced bargain Monday Night.
High Risk, High Reward FanDuel Plays
These inexpensive DFS picks are more trained for the tournament players. If you need to stand out from a crowd, these guys have the potential to hit 30 FDP. On the other hand, don’t be surprised if they come up well short of that mark.
Jordan Clarkson (LAL, PG) - $5,600
According to the Los Angeles Daily News, Laker’s coach Byron Scott said Jeremy Lin will most likely start the team’s final 10 games. Assuming Scott holds true to his word, I’m interested to see what kind of minutes bump this gives Lin. Lucky for Clarkson, he still has another two weeks to show why he deserves the starting role. As for now, the battle between Clarkson and Lin for lead point guard has led to an uneven split in favor of Clarkson. The young guard has used his 30-minute games to produce between 20 and 35 FDP most nights. A game against the high-flying Golden State Warriors should prove difficult. That being said, a surplus of minutes and a fast-paced game gives Clarkson awesome DFS value. The risk comes from the fact that Lin will still receive minutes, but the upside is a 10-minute advantage for a player who is producing very well.
Bradley Beal (Was, SG) - $5,700
Potentially the most fickle player in fantasy basketball right now, Brad Beal is a DFS land mine. On Saturday, Beal surpassed 30 FDP for the first time in a long while. If he can stay healthy, the Washington Wizards would really like to rely on his shooting and his athleticism to gain some momentum during a late-season run. Beal showed earlier in this season that he is capable of putting up big DFS numbers. His salary was once in the upper $7,000 range. Now at a steal of a price, it might be time to take advantage of the huge upside. If Saturday was a sign of things to come, Beal will be a great value play this week until his price rises. However, one wrong step or jump can send the injury-prone guard back into fantasy irrelevance.
Avoid At All Costs for DFS
If it were up to me, these players would have a 0% usage.
Ricky Rubio (MIN, PG) – $7,500
I’ve been a big fan of Rubio’s production since coming back from injury mid-season. However, the injury plague has returned for the foreign point guard. With a bum ankle hampering his minutes, Rubio has shown a major drop-off in the past few games. Instead of monitoring his status on Monday, just look elsewhere. Minnesota will likely be cautious with Rubio if they play him at all. Likewise, the Deron Williams is not the guy you want to put an injured point guard up against. Keep Rubio out of your lineups until his minutes spike back up to where they should be. Hopefully that’s sooner rather than later.
Have a Twitter account? Want more lineup help for your FanDuel team? Follow me @BellRoto and mention me in a tweet. The first 5 mentions will receive my FanDuel lineup for Monday night. My lineup… for free! Find me on Twitter for more info.
NBA & DFS Chat Room
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