This article is part of our FantasyDraft NBA series.
Each week, RotoWire will provide value plays for your daily fantasy basketball lineups on FantasyDraft. You have a salary cap of $100,000 to select a lineup comprised of eight players. Of these eight players, you must select three guards, three forwards/centers and two utility players. The scoring is as follows:
Points Scored – 1.0 point for each point scored
3-Point Basket – 0.5 bonus points for each three-pointer made
Assist – 1.5 points for each assist
Rebound – 1.25 points for each rebound
Steal – 2.0 points for each steal
Block – 2.0 points for each blocked shot
Turnover – minus 0.5 points for each turnover
Double-Double – 1.5 bonus points for double-double
Triple-Double – 3.0 bonus points triple-double
FantasyDraft is running contests in beta stage, but full capabilities for their users are available. There are 50/50s, guaranteed tournaments, and more available options in the lobby, so be sure to check it out.
The target for each player to reach value is 2.5x the player's salary. If a player costs $10,000 against the cap, expected value is 25 fantasy points.
Without further ado, here are this weekend's value plays for daily fantasy basketball on FantasyDraft.
Value Plays
Guard
C.J. McCollum, POR, $7,200 – McCollum was an excellent value on FantasyDraft on Monday, as he scored 27 fantasy points in 34 minutes while the Blazers rested some of their starters. Interestingly, McCollum also exceeded value in Wednesday's game, with the Blazers' starters all playing. McCollum is shooting the ball well of late, making 31 of his last 55 shots from the field. In addition, he is averaging three rebounds and two assists in his last five games, giving him an additional way to accrue fantasy points.
Given the fact that McCollum played 25 minutes in a game where the Blazers' starters all played, it bodes well for his value on FantasyDraft going forward. With starting shooting guard Arron Afflalo shooting under 40 percent from the floor over the last two weeks, it is not a coincidence to see a boost in McCollum's minutes and production, which in turn has allowed him to exceed value in seven of his last 10 games.
Forward/Center
Chris Kaman, POR, $6,900 – Kaman is one of the rare rotational player with a minimal role worth considering in daily fantasy basketball. Kaman has played over 19 minutes just once in his last 10 games. While it is very difficult for a player to reach value in such few minutes, Kaman is an exception to this rule. He has exceeded value in seven of the last 10 games, making him a solid option nearly every night if you choose to punt forward/center.
For Kaman to reach value, he has to average nearly a fantasy point per minute. So far this season, he has averaged exactly that. It seems insane to play a player who plays less than 20 minutes a game, but Kaman is an exception.
Notables
With the NBA regular season ending soon, some playoff teams are resting their starters. In addition, some teams who are out of the playoff race are resting their star players, preventing any further injury. Here is a look at situations that may impact daily fantasy basketball over the next few days.
LeBron James (rest) is likely to sit out the next two games, as the Cavs prep for a long playoff run. In daily fantasy, this bumps Kyrie Irving's value up exponentially. If James is confirmed out for any games this weekend, be sure to place Irving in your lineups on FantasyDraft. In addition, keep an eye on who starts at small forward for the Cavaliers in James' absence, as it could mean more minutes and more production for Iman Shumpert.
Rudy Gay (concussion) is questionable for Friday's game. Gay missed a few games with a concussion over the past week, and with the Kings out of the playoff race the team may opt to give him additional rest. If Gay is to miss time, Omri Casspi is a solid value option on FantasyDraft.
DeMarcus Cousins (foot) is questionable for Friday's game. Similar to Gay's situation, the Kings are out of the playoffs and it may not be worth the risk for Cousins to test his foot. If Cousins is unable to play, Jason Thompson and Reggie Evans will see an increase in production.
Jeremy Lin (knee) is likely out for the season. With the Lakers having nothing to play for, the chances of Lin playing again this year are slim. Jordan Clarkson and Jabari Brown will see well over 30 minutes at guard for the remaining games, and both are excellent plays on FantasyDraft.
Dallas head coach Rick Carlisle mentioned after the Mavericks' last game that he is likely to rest players in the coming days. Be sure to keep tabs on this situation, as players like Rajon Rondo, Dirk Nowitzki, and Monta Ellis could be rested. Should this trio sit, you should strongly consider Mavericks' backups in your lineups, as their prices will make for attractive values. Players like Al-Farouq Aminu and Devin Harris would be top targets should they start for Dallas.
More injury information can be found here.
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