NBA

The 5 Best Small Forwards to Target in Daily Fantasy Basketball Tournaments

Which small forwards have been the most valuable boom-or-bust DFS options so far this season?

Now that All-Star break is here, most NBA players will finally get an opportunity to take a breather. And, in a season that spans 169 days, that's just about all six days is: a breather.

It's a chance for players to rest their bodies and minds. A chance to catch up with sleep and family.

In the same way, this break is a chance for diehard fans to regroup. For fans of struggling teams to hope for a better tomorrow, and for fans of contenders to gear up for the playoff run. But, after a little less than 60 games per team, it's also a chance for NBA DFS players to take a step back and analyze.

With such a large sample size behind us, we're able to do just that. We can look at how rosters have shaped up, how minutes are being allocated and what effects tanking could have down the home stretch.

In a more specific way, we can reflect on each position to see which players have been the most consistent cash-game plays and best tournament options. For the purposes of this piece, we're concerned with the best shooting guards for tournaments and guaranteed prize pools.

That can mean a lot of things, though. From low-priced players to mid-priced and high-priced players, they can come in all shapes and sizes. However, we're working with the requirements that someone has played at least 30 games with and average of 25 minutes a night. For tournaments, the best players will have the highest percentage of games at or above an output of 5.5 FanDuel points per $1,000 of salary.

Based on what we know, who should we be most willing to insert into our tournament lineups down the home stretch?

5. DeMarre Carroll, Toronto Raptors

DeMarre Carroll is likely among the most inconsistent fantasy producers in the NBA simply because it is difficult to predict how much he'll play. The Toronto Raptors' wingman has played in 52 games this season. He has played more than 32 minutes on 17 occasions, but he has also logged less than 24 minutes in 21 contests. Earlier this season, the Raptors were limiting Carroll's minutes and resting him on the second half of back-to-backs. However, he has now played in 34 straight games and has continued to see inconsistent playing time.

Player Games Games > 5.5x Rate
DeMarre Carroll 52 17 32.7%


The variability of Carroll's playing time and performances require his price to be limited.

Carroll averages 27.2 minutes, 9.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game this season. He is priced at these averages, but he often logs 36-plus minutes, something he has done in five of his last nine games). Carroll's per-36 minute averages balloon to 12.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.6 steals.

One who is accurately able to predict Carroll's big-minute games will be rewarded with a cheap small forward with considerable upside.

4. Otto Porter, Washington Wizards

Otto Porter has been scorching hot this season, and his FanDuel price has not caught up. Porter leads the league in three-point field goal percentage at 46.5%, and he is part of a young nucleus that has led the Washington Wizards ascent up the East Conference standings. In his fourth season in the NBA, Porter is averaging career highs in virtually every statistical category.

Player Games Games > 5.5x Rate
Otto Porter 55 19 34.5%


Porter began the season priced in the low-$5,000's and has seen his tag rise to the mid-$6,000's. Otto's fantasy upside can be attributed to his three-point shooting, rebounding ability, and potential to snag multiple steals in a game.

This season, Porter has recorded 10 point/rebound double-doubles at the small forward position. In addition, he has 20 games with three or more made three-pointers and another 15 games with at least three steals. Porter's ability to rack up points, rebounds, and steals gives him juicy upside.


3. Andrew Wiggins, Minnesota Timberwolves

Andrew Wiggins is the lone member of both the 5 Best Small Forwards to Target in Daily Fantasy Basketball Cash Games list as well as the tournament list. Wiggins accrues the majority of his fantasy points by scoring actual points. Only 28% of Wiggins' fantasy points are obtained via rebounds, assists, blocks and steals. Despite his abnormal proportion of statistics, Wiggins has become a top-end small forward DFS option and is now regularly priced in the mid-$7,000's.

Player Games Games > 5.5x Rate
Andrew Wiggins 57 20 35.1%


It is all about volume with Wiggins. The Minnesota Timberwolves' wing is averaging 37.2 minutes (3rd in NBA), 18.5 field-goal attempts (10th in NBA), and 23.2 points per game (18th in NBA) this season. Wiggins certainly has potential to go for 30 points on a given night, and he has done so on nine different occasions during the 2016-17 campaign.

With the recent loss of Zach LaVine, Wiggins is taking on an even greater role in the Wolves offense. In 10 games without LaVine this season, Wiggins is averaging a whopping 21.8 field-goal attempts per game. This would rank second in the NBA in shots per game, behind only Russell Westbrook. Look for Wiggins to provide tremendous upside and big outings more often post-All-Star break, making him an exciting tournament option.

2. Wilson Chandler, Denver Nuggets

Wilson Chandler's ability to produce off the bench has been nothing short of elite. He averages the third-most points per game in the NBA among non-starters, behind only Louis Williams and Eric Gordon. Chandler is averaging 15.6 points per game and career highs in rebounds (6.7) and assists (2.1) this season. Despite playing just 30.9 minutes per game, the Denver Nuggets' veteran has been able to efficiently produce in that time and is regularly priced around $6,000.

Player Games Games > 5.5x Rate
Wilson Chandler 50 19 38.0%


Chandler has scored at least 20 points in 15 games this season and has gathered six point/rebound double-doubles. He has largely benefited from playing on one of the fastest-paced teams in the NBA, and he also benefited from Denver dealing with a mess of injuries earlier in the year. Chandler's ability to play the power forward position as well as the small forward spot has allowed him to achieve the best rebounding percentage (18.7%) of his career.

Chandler has been able to produce arguably the best season of his career this year. Although he has been the subject of trade rumors lately, as long as he is in Denver, he provides considerable upside in a tournament lineup. His ability to score off the bench and contribute peripheral statistics makes him one of the best small forward plays in daily fantasy basketball.

1. T.J. Warren, Phoenix Suns

T.J. Warren has been one of the most volatile fantasy basketball players this season. Warren's FanDuel price has ranged from $4,000 to $6,400 during the 2016-17 campaign. Much like Carroll, Warren's playing time varies considerably. Warren has played less than 22 minutes in 12 games this season, but he has played at least 30 minutes 19 times. Warren's wide range of outcomes has kept his price low and allowed for tremendous upside.

Player Games Games > 5.5x Rate
T.J. Warren 44 18 40.9%


Warren is playing in his third NBA season with the Phoenix Suns and statistically is having the most inefficient scoring season of his career. However, the sheer volume and opportunity he gets in the fast-paced Suns' offense allows for fantasy production.

Warren began the season as the Suns starting small forward and ripped off double-digit scoring outings in the team's first 11 games while playing at least 29 minutes in each contest. However, Warren suffered a head injury and proceeded to miss 13 games. At the time, Warren was averaging 17.7 points per game.

Upon his return, Warren struggled to produce at the level he had at the start the season. In his first 23 games following the injury, Warren scored less than 10 real-life points in 13 games while playing sporadic minutes. However, lately the Suns' wing may have regained his form, as he has produced 5.5 FanDuel points per $1,000 in six of the previous eight games prior to the all-star break.

Warren is very much a risky option in daily fantasy basketball, but being able to project his minutes can go a long way in making a prosperous tournament lineup. The fact is, no small forward has produced games of 5.5 FanDuel points per $1,000 at a better rate than Warren.