NBA

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

Austin Swaim  —  @ASwaim3 Aug 20th, 2020
Which low-cost players could deliver solid production on Thursday's main slate?

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.

Dennis Schroder, SG, Oklahoma City Thunder ($5,300)

On a day of basketball where value is so slim to the point even minimum-price Kentavious Caldwell-Pope seems like an endeavor worth arguing, Dennis Schroder at a $600 discount from his Tuesday's price tag will certainly be a priority. The high-paced Houston Rockets give up a variety of fantasy points across the board, and Schroder checks too many boxes to have a repeat of his dismal Game 1 performance.

Schroeder scored only 10.0 FanDuel points on Tuesday, but he still leads the Oklahoma City Thunder in season-long usage at 27.3%. While the starting lineup is balanced, Schroder works more off the bench with the reserves, and often has the ball in his hands with that unit. Schroder still saw 31 minutes on Tuesday despite playing terribly, so his place in the rotation is certainly secure, especially with Luguentz Dort questionable with a knee injury.

numberFire expects a bounce-back game for Schroder, as the guard is currently projected for 29.4 FanDuel points on Thursday.

James Ennis III, SF, Orlando Magic ($4,300)

James Ennis will start for the Orlando Magic regardless of whether or not Aaron Gordon starts with his lingering hamstring issue, but Gordon being out certainly did not hurt Ennis on Tuesday. Ennis posted a season-high 32.6 FanDuel points in Game 1 and was a huge catalyst in the Magic's win over the Milwaukee Bucks.

Even with Gordon in and out, Ennis has been quietly reliable, scoring at least 20 FanDuel points in each of the last seven games, averaging 26.7 minutes in that span despite several periods of Orlando resting starters. On a day with limited value, the Magic forward makes a ton of sense as a compliment to Giannis Antetokounmpo at the small forward spot.

PJ Tucker, C, Houston Rockets ($4,200)

Seeing minutes with a playmaker like James Harden is a good thing, even as frustrating of a daily fantasy play as P.J. Tucker can be. He will never blow you away with his 0.61 FanDuel points per minute, but Tucker's great defense means his place in the rotation and minutes are never in question. He saw 34 of them even in a blowout against the Thunder on Tuesday.

If you are not invested in a repeat performance from Nikola Vucevic in a game with a large spread, center is a huge question mark of mid-range options on this slate. Tucker, at the very least, will see his minutes at a low price in a favorable matchup, as he has been able to score better against OKC this season. His season-long scoring average of 6.9 points escalates all the way up to 10.3 against Oklahoma City in three games this year, including 11 points on Tuesday.


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.