NBA

5 NBA FanDuel Value Plays to Target on 12/16/19

Thomas Vecchio  —  @Tom_Vecchio1 Dec 16th, 2019
Christian Wood is primed to be one of the best value plays on the night if Blake Griffin is out. What other players should you be looking at as value options?

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.

Christian Wood, PF, Detroit Pistons ($3,800)

With Blake Griffin likely out for tonight's game, the Detroit Pistons will have new starting power forward.

Griffin left the Pistons' most recent game at half time, didn't return to the action, and had an MRI on Sunday. That's not an encouraging sign considering it's the same knee he had issues with last season and missed the start of this season. While Griffin is officially listed as questionable for this game, we should plan on him being out against the Washington Wizards. If that is the case, we should see Christian Wood get the start, thus making him one of the best value plays on the slate.

The Wizards are allowing 45.9 FanDuel points per game to power forwards this season -- the 11th-worst in the league -- presenting a solid matchup to attack. This is also a significant pace-up spot for the Pistons, which should give their players extra touches on the ball. With Griffin off the court this season, Wood is posting 1.16 FanDuel points per minute, setting him up for a very solid game.

Norman Powell, SG, Toronto Raptors ($5,000)

Fred VanVleet is listed as doubtful for this game, so Norman Powell should continue to be the starting shooting guard.

Over the last three games, Powell has taken double-digit field goal attempts in each contest, with six three-pointers or more in each of those games. A strong volume of shots for a player who is currently holding a 27.9% usage rate, while producing 1.00 FanDuel points per minute. At his modest $5K price tag, Powell would need 25 FanDuel points in order to reach 5x value tonight, a level of production he has reached/exceeded in three-straight games.

He is taking on the Cleveland Cavaliers tonight, who are allowing the seventh-most FanDuel points per game to shooting guards -- 44.1 -- and sees the over/under set at 217 points. A strong game environment for a player who has a large role in the offense.

Donte DiVincenzo, SG, Milwaukee Bucks ($4,000)

Donte DiVincenzo is our second-best value option at shooting guard tonight, let's take a look at why.

With Eric Bledsoe set to miss a few weeks with a leg injury, the Milwaukee Bucks rotation at point guard is set to change. Right now, DiVincenzo is projected to be the starting point guard tonight, and we have him going for 25 minutes, posting 20.5 FanDuel points along the way. We know that Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton are going to pick up some extra usage with Bledsoe gone, but there is still plenty of fantasy points to grab in a game that has an over/under set at 227 points.

Right now, the Dallas Mavericks are allowing the second-fewest FanDuel points per game to point guards, but that is from Luka Doncic being on the court. With Doncic now injured, they will also have a new starting point guard, and the matchup shouldn't be as tough.

Tyler Herro, SG, Miami Heat ($4,600)

Say it with me, I can be your Herro baby!

Tyler Herro and the Miami Heat are in a fantastic spot and should be viable in all formats tonight for a few reasons. First off, they are playing up in pace against the Memphis Grizzlies, who are currently the sixth-fastest team in the league, while the Heat are 15th. Next, Memphis is allowing 45.5 FanDuel points per game to shooting guards -- which is dead last in the league. The pace and the defensive matchup are ideal for Herro, even though he comes off the bench. He isn't a starter, but he is taking an insane amount of shots right now.

In four of his last five games specifically, Herro has the shot volume of a starter. He has 14, 12, 22, and 18 field-goal attempts in four of his last five games, with six or more three-pointers in each of those games. That's a ton of pure scoring upside from a bench player, who has a slate-breaking matchup tonight.

Mikal Bridges, SF, Phoenix Suns ($4,500)

When Devin Booker sat out the Phoenix Suns' most recent game, Mikal Bridges got the start.

Booker is officially listed as questionable for tonight's contest versus the Portland Trail Blazers, and if he does sit, Bridges will get the start again. Bridges is listed as a small forward but is starting as the shooting guard position, so take note of that. With a 229-point over/under, this game should be a spot to target for fantasy production. It also helps that both teams are sitting in the top-12 when it comes to offensive pace, presenting us with the ideal game environment for scoring. Bridges was able to manage 28 FanDuel points in 31 minutes in that most recent game, which is solid production for a clear role player.

That is what we should see from him tonight if he gets the start, as the Trail Blazers are allowing 41 FanDuel points per game to shooting guards this season.