3 NBA FanDuel Value Plays to Target on 2/9/21
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-salaried options into your lineup.
Let's take a look at three players who can help fill in the gaps in your lineup.
Cole Anthony, PG, Orlando Magic ($5,400)
As a clear number two option for the Orlando Magic, Cole Anthony is very affordable tonight.
The Magic are dealing with a ton of injuries right now and are without, Aaron Gordon, Michael Carter-Williams, Evan Fournier, and Markelle Fultz. This puts Nikola Vucevic as the number-one option in their offense, but Anthony is the number two option with a 27.6% usage rate, producing 0.96 FanDuel points per minute. That is a high usage rate for a player who is only $5,400, and Anthony gets a good matchup versus the Portland Trail Blazers.
Portland is allowing 52.88 FanDuel points per game to opposing point guards, which is the most in the league. The over/under is set at a solid 221.0 points, and this is a slight pace-up spot for the Magic, putting Anthony in a solid spot for fantasy production.
Joe Harris, SF, Brooklyn Nets ($5,100)
With Kevin Durant out of the lineup for the Brooklyn Nets, there is some offensive usage up for grabs.
We know that Kyrie Irving (31.6%) and James Harden (25.7%) will lead the way in terms of offensive usage, but that doesn't mean we can't look elsewhere in their lineup. Joe Harris is a player to consider tonight since the Nets are up against the Detroit Pistons, who are allowing the 13th-most (13.1) made three-pointers per game.
Harris, the former three-point champion, is on pace for a career year with his shooting from downtown. He attempting significantly more three-pointers (6.8) compared to his career average (4.6) and is making them at a higher rate (49.7%) than his career average (43.4%). He has the ability to reach or exceed fantasy value in a hurry due to his proficiency from downtown, and that should be on full display against a weak Pistons defense.
Blake Griffin, PF, Detroit Pistons ($5,300)
When the Nets are on the slate, you want to target them in DFS since they don't play defense this year.
Not only are the Nets struggling on D, they are playing at the second-fastest pace in the league, which enables plenty of fantasy scoring by their opponents. This should make some of the Pistons' players relatively popular tonight, including Blake Griffin. The Nets are struggling on defense across the board, but they are specifically bad against big men. They are allowing 49.29 FanDuel points per game to opposing power forwards, which is the second-most in the league. They are also fifth-worst (56.77) against centers.
We also see both teams in the top 10 in pace -- further boosting this game's fantasy potential. Even though Griffin has been underperforming as of late, the lack of defense from the Nets, the high 229.5-point total, and Griffin's consistent 22.2% usage rate should allow him to reach value.
