This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
The In-Season Tournament returns Tuesday with five games. We don't have a ton of options in DFS with such a limited schedule, but let's dive into some of the best players to consider on Yahoo, as well as a few to possibly avoid.
GUARDS
Trae Young, ATL vs. IND ($40): Young has been playing well, scoring at least 42.9 Yahoo points in six of his last seven games. While he is shooting only 35.6 percent from the field for the season, he is still averaging 23.4 points per game. He is also averaging a career-high 11.1 assists per game. With both of these teams ranked inside the top three in the league in pace of play, Young should receive plenty of opportunities to stuff the stat sheet.
Keyonte George, UTA at LAL ($13): The Jazz recently moved George into their starting lineup. He is averaging only 24 minutes per game for the season, but he has logged 30 minutes per game since becoming a starter. Over those five starts, he has provided 10.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and 8.8 assists. At such a cheap salary, he's worth considering in tournament play.
Guard to Avoid
O.G. Anunoby, TOR at ORL ($20): Injuries have been a problem during Anunoby's career. He was limited to 67 games last season, and he has already missed four games this year. He made a return from his most recent injury to face the Pistons on Sunday, playing just 27 minutes. After he logged 36 minutes per game last season, he has averaged only 31 minutes this season. That might be by design to try and keep him healthy for the long haul. The potential for reduced playing time against a Magic team that has the second-best defensive rating in the league does not make Anunoby an appealing option.
FORWARDS
Jalen Johnson, ATL vs. IND ($23): A move into the starting five has provided Johnson with a significant boost in fantasy value. Across nine games in that role, he has averaged 15.6 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists. Not only do both of these teams play at a fast pace, but the Pacers also have the fifth-worst defensive rating. That sets up Johnson with a favorable opportunity to provide another valuable stat line.
Saddiq Bey, ATL vs. IND ($12): There are a lot of appealing players on the Hawks with how poorly the Pacers have played defensively. One that has a cheaper salary to consider is Bey. He can provide instant offense off the bench, which has helped him score at least 25.4 Yahoo points in each of his last three games.
Forward to Avoid
Jerami Grant, POR at PHO ($28): Considering all of their injuries, the Trail Blazers have needed Grant to carry the load offensively. He has mostly done that, averaging 22.0 points per game. However, he has contributed little elsewhere, averaging 4.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists. This game could get ugly in a hurry for the Trail Blazers, which might not leave Grant with a lot of minutes in the fourth quarter. There is too much risk that comes with adding him to your lineup at this salary.
CENTERS
Anthony Davis, LAL vs. UTA ($51): The Jazz are still without their best rim protector in Walker Kessler (elbow). That leaves Kelly Olynyk and John Collins to try and slow down Davis. That's a significant mismatch that favors Davis. The Jazz also have the fourth-worst defensive rating in the league, which makes rolling with Davis even more appealing.
Jakob Poeltl, TOR at ORL ($21): The Magic are playing shorthanded at center with Wendell Carter (finger) out. Poeltl has shown some impressive upside lately, scoring at least 45.0 Yahoo points in two of his last three games. In both of those games, he didn't even play more than 27 minutes. For those looking to fade Davis, Poeltl has the potential to provide value.
Center to Avoid
Jarrett Allen, CLE at PHI ($22): Allen is averaging only 27.6 Yahoo points per game for the season. Now he has a matchup against Joel Embiid, which leaves him with the potential to get into foul trouble. Not a lot to get excited about here.
