NBA
3 NBA FanDuel Value Plays to Target on 8/12/20

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 three players who can help fill in the gaps in your lineup.

Alec Burks, SG, Philadelphia 76ers ($4,200)

There is absolutely no shortage of value with so many stars primed to rest on this slate. All eight teams have pulled or rested their starters at some point in the last week, so everything is on the table as a probability of playing or resting, such as the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday playing Kristaps Porzingis and Luka Doncic for over 35 minutes when they have absolutely no advancement possibility in the standings. Decision making is being made on a case-by-case basis, so stay tuned to numberFire's projection page for the best per dollar plays as news unfolds throughout the day Wednesday.

The Philadelphia 76ers should be a great place to search for value again on Wednesday, as they are one of the few teams that have stars that definitely will not play as Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons remain out. All of Philadelphia's value would take a slight downgrade if Tobias Harris or Josh Richardson returned on the second half of the back-to-back. On Tuesday, Raul Neto scored 22 points off the bench for Philly, Kyle O'Quinn was one point shy of a triple-double, but Alec Burks remains the best option, and he led all scorers with 23 on Tuesday. Burks leads Philadelphia in usage (27.9%) and FanDuel points per minute (0.97) with stars Embiid and Simmons off the floor of the players that were active Tuesday, and would be second only to Tobias Harris if all 76ers suited up on Wednesday.

Bol Bol, C, Denver Nuggets ($3,800)

Bol Bol saw a mysterious price increase to $300 over the minimum, but it was likely wise. While the Denver Nuggets are technically still alive for the two-seed in the West, they appear content to keep their three-seed and play the injured Utah Jazz instead. As a result, many starters were rested early on Monday against the Los Angeles Lakers, including star center Nikola Jokic, who only saw 24 minutes.

Jokic has been carrying a heavy offensive load inside the bubble without Jamal Murray, Gary Harris, and Will Barton for several games, so it is possible he is rested here, which would free up Bol for the start. Bol averages 0.90 FanDuel points per minute on the season, and the rookie has triple-double upside with his long frame and great touch passing. Bol is not a value play as of this second, but would be a highly-preferred one should news break the correct way for Denver.

Justin Holiday, SF, Indiana Pacers ($3,500)

One star we definitely know is out for Wednesday is T.J. Warren, who will finally rest his injured foot after averaging a whopping 31.0 points and 6.3 rebounds in the bubble. With Domantas Sabonis still outside the bubble as well, a lot of usage has freed up for the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday. They, like every other team, have no true incentive for seeding or playoff position, locked into a matchup with the Miami Heat with no homecourt at stake. The two direct beneficiaries should be Aaron Holiday and Justin Holiday, but I prefer older brother Justin of the two.

Aaron Holiday is a Pacers' rotation staple already, averaging 34.9 minutes per game in his last five contests. That makes him susceptible to potential rest, even though he's only 23 years old. Justin, on the other hand, is only averaging 23.6 minutes and will see a direct bump stepping into the lineup for Warren. With one Holiday a rest candidate, and the other in line for a significant increase, Justin Holiday is the one to target at a less-crowded small forward spot.


Austin Swaim is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Austin Swaim also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username ASwaim3. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in his articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.

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