This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
FanDuel offers up a six-game slate for DFS action Saturday. Let's get to it!
SLATE OVERVIEW
IND (-2) @ PHI O/U: 217.5
WAS (-4.5) @ ORL O/U: 203.5
MEM (-2.5) @ NOR O/U: 221.5
TOR (-8.5) vs. DET O/U: 201.5
BOS (-2.5) @ CLE O/U: 202.5
LAC (-6.5) vs. MIN O/U: 222.5
INJURIES
PHI Joel Embiid (COVID-19 Protocols) - OUT
PHI Matisse Thybulle (COVID-19 Protocols) - OUT
Andre Drummond ($8,900) will remain an obvious pivot for Embiid. With Tobias Harris ($7,700) back, Thybulle's absence won't affect the offense.
IND Caris LeVert (back) - QUESTIONABLE
A variety of players have stepped up to the plate in LeVert's absence. If he can't go, Kelan Martin is a good bargain option who put up 21 FDFp in his last game.
WAS Bradley Beal (personal) - OUT
Beal is away from the team due to the death of his grandmother. Raul Neto ($3,900) should see a bump in production with Beal out, as should Spencer Dinwiddie ($6,200).
NOR Brandon Ingram (hip) - QUESTIONABLE
It's doubtful that we'll see a return from Ingram, but we'll know more closer to lock. Some reports indicate a return is imminent. If he doesn't go, refer to the team's starting lineup before lock to assess the best values.
DET Kelly Olynyk (knee) - OUT
We'll give your our best pivot for Olynyk later in the article.
TOR Precious Achiuwa (shoulder) - QUESTIONABLE
If Achiuwa doesn't play, look for Scottie Barnes ($7,200) and Chris Boucher ($4,900) to pick up the slack.
BOS Jaylen Brown (hamstring) - OUT
Dennis Schroder ($5,700) has emerged as one of Brown's best pivot options.
CLE Collin Sexton (knee) - OUT
CLE Lauri Markkanen (COVID-19 Protocols) - QUESTIONABLE
LAC Marcus Morris (knee) - OUT
We will give you options for both of the above teams in the article
ELITE PLAYERS
Paul George ($10,000) is the apparent headliner among the elites as he continues to carry the Clippers on his shoulders. Minnesota's offensive weapons are potent, but they lack the defensive mettle to give George much trouble. With Jaylen Brown still sidelined, Jayson Tatum ($9,600) has a lot to offer. Tatum has enjoyed three consecutive double-doubles in Brown's absence.
We also have two big men who shine above the rest, aside from Andre Drummond, who was already mentioned above. Karl-Anthony Towns ($9,700) should be primed for a good game against a Clippers team that lacks depth and size inside, and Jonas Valanciunas ($8,800) figures to have an excellent night in a revenge game against his former team, the Grizzlies.
Also consider: Ja Morant, MEM ($9,800)
EXPECTED CHALK AND CORE TARGETS
Fred VanVleet, TOR ($8,500) vs. DET
VanVleet keeps putting up excellent numbers, and he finds himself in a very exploitable spot against the Pistons. He's averaged an eye-popping 44.3 FDFP per game over the last three contests. He's also coming off a brilliant 32- point effort against the Sixers. I also like OG Anunoby ($7,600) in this spot.
Anthony Edwards, MIN ($8,600) @ LAC
Some might think that this salary is slightly high for Edwards, but it's priced correctly for his upside. Edward put up a shocking 48 points two games ago and then fell quickly back to earth against the Lakers, but with his shot volume regularly at 20 attempts or more, the potential for massive production is evident. Add in a couple of highlight reel-worthy plays, and you've got a great option at a decent salary level.
Jerami Grant, DET ($7,500) @ TOR
With Kelly Olynyk out, the Pistons will have to get more production out of their best player, usually Grant. The Pistons will likely play from behind in this game, but Grant is dependable for 30 minutes or more. If his three-point shot is dialed in, Grant can add in some rebounds and a decent shot volume to yield a good result. He's more of a tournament play due to his questionable floor, but there's potential for good upside in this matchup.
Kyle Kuzma WAS ($6,600) @ ORL
The Wizards will need to get production from various players with Beal out, and Kuzma's dual eligibility and solid play make him a good target. He's averaged 33 FDFP over the last two games and should absorb a sizeable amount of Beal's usage.
Also consider: Cole Anthony, ORL ($7,500) vs. WAS, Al Horford, BOS ($6,800) @ CLE
VALUE PLAYS
Darius Garland, CLE ($6,000) vs. BOS
With Collin Sexton out indefinitely, Garland will be a usage beast in Cleveland's backcourt. Ricky Rubio ($6,600) is also helping out, and as long as his price is low enough, he is another great endorsement in the short term. Garland's 21-point, seven-assist performance against Detroit was an encouraging sign, and he posted similar totals in Sexton's absence over the past two weeks. At this salary level, he has an excellent chance to beat 5x value.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, WAS ($4,700) @ ORL
I don't think it's a stretch to consider KCP and Kuzma putting some old-style Laker magic into this matchup. Caldwell-Pope's minutes should float into the 30-minute range with Beal absent, and when he's had the opportunity, the former Laker has delivered solid numbers. He's only averaged 23 FDFP per game over the past five games, but if you consider a usage bum and a favorable salary point,
Terance Mann ($4,500), Nicolas Batum ($6,100), LAC vs. MIN
Both of these players should be considered value targets when the Clippers are on the slate, at least until Kawhi Leonard returns. I think Batum may be a bit expensive relative to his production, but Mann is certainly undervalued at under $5k. I also believe Reggie Jackson ($6,300) is undervalued relative to what he can contribute in the backcourt.
Franz Wagner, ORL ($5,200) vs. WAS
The rookie continues to churn out favorable results with the Magic, and although he sometimes lurks beneath 5x value, he has also crushed it on occasion. The fluctuation makes him a more obvious MME target for tournaments, but his secondary contributions are what set him apart. In his last game against the Nets, he collected six steals.
Also consider: Isaac Okoro, CLE ($3.700) vs. BOS
