3 NBA DraftKings Studs to Target on 1/24/18

Anthony Davis, PF/C, New Orleans Pelicans

DraftKings Salary: $10,800

When one of Anthony Davis or DeMarcus Cousins ($11,600) stands out as having the more highly projected ownership on a given slate, it is worth looking at the other as a pivot in tournaments. That is clearly the case today, as Cousins is coming off a game of 100-plus DraftKings points his last time out and will likely carry fairly heavy ownership. That doesn't mean you should automatically fade Cousins and lock 100% of Davis into your lineups, but you should entertain the idea of a pivot.

So, let's take a look at the matchup for the two stud big men. While Cousins draws a head-to-head matchup against Dwight Howard -- who has done well at limiting Cousins in the past, Davis' primary opposition will be Marvin Williams, Frank Kaminsky, and potentially some Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. He should make quick work of that group, just as he has done in the past. Davis averaged 76.4 DraftKings points in two games against the Charlotte Hornets last season, which brought his average up to 41.3 points, 16.7 rebounds, and 73.3 DraftKings points in his past three meetings. Those teams didn't have Howard, which has a big impact on their interior defense and rebounding. Still, they have no answer for Davis on the defensive end.

Charlotte also has struggled to defend the pick-and-roll this season, allowing the sixth-most points per game to opposing roll men. The New Orleans Pelicans utilize Davis more frequently in pick plays than Boogie, as the Brow comes in just outside of the top-10 in points as a roll-man.

Cousins could certainly go off for another huge game, but a look at the matchup suggests Davis actually fits this game better, making him a very intriguing tournament option.