3 Fantasy Basketball Players to Avoid on 12/19/18
In daily fantasy basketball, finding players you want to roster is a lot easier than finding players to avoid.
You can find a ton of great information and research on guys you might want to include in your DFS NBA lineups, but what about guys you may want to lessen your exposure to, or even fade altogether?
Avoiding players whose matchups or situations aren't as great as they seem can often be just as important as finding the best targets. After all, it takes only one player to sink a lineup. Searching for the landmines could mean the difference between winning and losing your contests. Which players should we avoid tonight?
Deandre Ayton, C, Phoenix Suns
FanDuel Price: $7,200
Deandre Ayton has been a solid DFS producer in the last few games, thanks in part to some easy matchups. However, with the Boston Celtics on tap for the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday, Ayton is looking at a limited ceiling in DFS.
The Celtics have held opposing centers to 1.04 FanDuel points per minute, the fourth-lowest rate in the NBA. They are getting the job done by allowing the third-fewest rebounds (41.4) in their last 10 games and the fourth-fewest amount of points per game (104.1) on the season. They are also holding opponents to 55.7% shooting on shots from 10 feet in -- 1.4 percentage points lower than expected. With 70.2% of Ayton’s shots coming from this range, the big man could be in for a long night.
The last time these two teams squared off, Ayton finished with a modest 28.5 FanDuel points in over 38 minutes of action. With a similar expectation for Wednesday and a wealth of center options, it’s best to stay away from Ayton.
Tim Hardaway Jr, SG, New York Knicks
FanDuel Price: $6,700
Tim Hardaway Jr. sat out the New York Knicks' last game as he battles a foot injury. Even though he will be ready to play on Wednesday, the foot injury could limit his workload, making a difficult matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers even more challenging.
With 68% of Hardaway’s 30.7 FanDuel points per night coming from scoring (21.0 per game), an off shooting night is disastrous for his DFS fortunes. The hounding defense of Jimmy Butler and the Sixers on Wednesday will be tough for Hardaway to shake. The last time the Knicks and 76ers hooked up back on November 28, Philly held Hardaway to just 5 points on 1-for-11 shooting. Overall, the 76ers have held opponents to 44.7% from the field in their last 10 games, a bottom-10 rate in the NBA. The Sixers are also holding opposing shooting guards to 0.81 FanDuel points per minute, the seventh-lowest rate in the NBA.
Factoring in the tough matchup, the injury concern, and the blowout potential -- 76ers are 13.0-point favorites -- Hardaway should be left out of your lineup on Tuesday.
Kyle Anderson, SF, Memphis Grizzlies
FanDuel Price: $5,300
Another player who has been battling injuries, Kyle Anderson has struggled to produce in DFS over the last week and beyond.
In four of his last five games, Anderson has failed to surpass 20.4 FanDuel points. Since December 8, the Memphis Grizzlies' wing is averaging just 18.0 FanDuel points per night. That includes a disappointing 19.5-FanDuel-point performance on Monday with Mike Conley out of action. He posted a season-high 22.7% usage rate but was unable to dish out more than one assist. If Conley returns on Wednesday, which he is questionable to do so, Anderson will return to a minimal role in the Grizzlies offense, as he had a 12.2% usage rate in his first 28 games.
Making matters worse for Anderson is Wednesday’s matchup with the Portland Trail Blazers, which is shaping up to be the lowest scoring one of the night. The over/under is currently 202.0 with the Blazers 7.0-point favorites. That leaves the Grizzlies with a minuscule implied point total of just 97.50. So, even if Conley sits out again, it's an easy decision to bypass Anderson.
Dale Redman is not a FanDuel employee. The views expressed in his articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.
