NBA

3 NBA FanDuel Value Plays to Target on Monday 1/31/22

Thomas Vecchio  —  @Tom_Vecchio1 Jan 31st, 2022

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.

Andre Drummond, C, Philadelphia 76ers ($4,400)

Tonight, we spell chalk Andre Drummond.

With Joel Embiid listed out tonight, Drummond is going to be one of the most popular players on the slate in all formats. When Embiid is off the court this season, Drummond is producing 1.13 FanDuel points per minute. This should come in handy against the Memphis Grizzlies, who are allowing the 13th-most (54.13) FanDuel points per game to opposing centers.

The 76ers (27th) are in a big pace-up spot versus Memphis (7th) and see a game total sitting at 217.5-points. All of this gives Drummond a projection of 29.91 minutes and 38.5 FanDuel points, making him the best value option on the slate regardless of position.

Tre Mann, PG, Oklahoma City Thunder ($3,500)

The Oklahoma City Thunder are going to be without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, opening up usage in their offense.

This will also change their lineup, and it should push Tre Mann into a starter spot instead of coming off the bench. Mann is the minimum salary and is projected for 25.99 minutes and 20.7 FanDuel points. This should easily make him a somewhat popular option due to his ability to reach and exceed salary-based value, along with easing roster construction. He will allow you to go for a "stars and scrubs" build, which is always favorable in tournaments.

A 3.5-point spread should help keep this game close, allowing Mann to take advantage of a favorable matchup versus the Portland Trail Blazers, who are around the league average (39.55) versus shooting guards this season.

Chimezie Metu, C, Sacramento Kings ($4,000)

The Sacramento Kings are going to be without Marvin Bagley III tonight, opening up some value.

This means Chimezie Metu should be in the Kings' starting lineup versus the New York Knicks, giving him a path to upside tonight. The Knicks have slipped a bit on defense this season and are allowing 44.34 FanDuel points per game to opposing power forwards, which is 15th in the league. While Metu is listed as a center, he will likely be starting at power forward with Richaun Holmes as the Kings' center.

Metu has a strong projection of 22.83 minutes and 22.8 FanDuel points, making him the fifth-best value option under $5,000 and the third-best value option among center options tonight.