NBA

5 Daily Fantasy Basketball Value Plays for 1/6/17

Dale Redman  —  @DTRedman Jan 6th, 2017
Aaron Gordon is primed to benefit from a high-scoring affair with the Rockets. Which other low-cost options are in a good spot?

One of the keys to finding success in daily fantasy basketball is uncovering potential value plays. If you're looking to roster a stud player or two, you need to consider squeezing in one of these lower-priced options into your lineup.

Let's take a look at five players who can help fill in the gaps in your lineup.

Marcus Smart, PG, Boston Celtics

FanDuel Price: $4,700
Projected FanDuel Points: 24.0
Projected FanDuel Value: 5.11

Marcus Smart is one of those players whose scoring numbers aren't huge -- only 9.5 points per game -- but who do enough of everything else to be valuable in fantasy. Over his last seven games, he is averaging 2.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.1 threes for 22.3 fantasy points per game.

Playing against the Philadelphia 76ers in a game with a the fourth-highest over/under of the night (213.5), Smart and the rest of the Boston Celtics are poised to rack up the fantasy points, making the point guard a bargain at $4,700.

J.J. Redick, SG, Los Angeles Clippers

FanDuel Price: $4,400
Projected FanDuel Points: 21.5
Projected FanDuel Value: 5.00

In his last two games, J.J. Redick has been hot. He has averaged 20.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.5 three-pointers for an average of 24.7 fantasy points per game. In three of his last five games -- all without Chris Paul, who is not expected to play on Friday -- Redick has registered at least 24.6 fantasy points, while shooting over 50% from the field and 45% from three.

Friday's matchup against the team that allows the most threes in the league -- the Sacramento Kings -- looks pretty appetizing to a three-point shooter like Redick.

Aaron Gordon, SF, Orlando Magic

FanDuel Price: $4,800
Projected FanDuel Points: 21.3
Projected FanDuel Value: 4.44

Aaron Gordon looks to have finally started fulfilling his massive potential when he was selected fourth overall in the 2014 NBA Draft. In his last five games he is averaging 16.4 points with 5.6 rebounds, and 2.0 three-pointers per game. In fact, in five of his last six games, Gordon has paid in off in daily leagues with at least 20 fantasy points and an average of 26.2 per night.

Since Christmas, the Gordon and the Orlando Magic are averaging 104.5 points per game and look to continue to pile up the points on Friday versus the Houston Rockets, in the highest projected scoring game of the night.

Markieff Morris, PF, Washington Wizards

FanDuel Price: $4,900
Projected FanDuel Points: 25.4
Projected FanDuel Value: 5.19

Old reliable. That is what Markieff Morris has become. Providing solid but unspectacular numbers in his last five games -- 12.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 21.0 fantasy points -- the Washington Wizards' power forward has scored at least double-digit points in his last six games. In Friday's eight-game slate, Morris owns the highest value rating -- according to our models -- of all power forwards and the third-highest overall with a 5.19 mark.

With a plus-matchup with the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday, the dependable Morris also has the highest ceiling of any power forward under $5,000.

Tristan Thompson, C, Cleveland Cavaliers

FanDuel Price: $4,700
Projected FanDuel Points: 23.3
Projected FanDuel Value: 4.96

Tristan Thompson is not one of the flashiest center options out there, but with an average of 10.0 rebounds per game this season, the Cleveland Cavaliers' center brings a steady source of fantasy points, as he is averaging 22.7 per game this year. He becomes a great value play on Friday as he faces a weak Brooklyn Nets frontcourt, who have given up the most fantasy points to centers.

In his last game played against the Nets, on December 23, Thompson scored 16 points with 11 rebounds and a block in only 25 minutes.