This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
Last weekend was one of my better weeks of the year over at Yahoo, and I really feel like we're getting a good read on their pricing. They tend to be a bit slower than the other sites to raise a player's price, and that's certainly the case here. Our first recommendation is a guy that needs a price bump, so let's go ahead and get into it!
Guards
Darius Garland, CLE vs. SAC ($29)
Seeing Garland below $30 made my jaw drop. This guy has been one of the breakout players in the NBA, averaging 34 Y! points per game. He's been doing even more damage since Collin Sexton went down, averaging 37.1 fantasy points per game across his last 14 outings. That's a difficult total to find from a sub-$30 player, and a matchup with Sacramento is simply sensational. The Kings currently rank eighth in pace, 26th in defensive efficiency and 29th in points allowed.
Desmond Bane, MEM vs. HOU ($21)
The Grizzlies have been one of the most resilient teams in the NBA, winning games without Ja Morant and Dillon Brooks. Those two actually lead the team in shots and usage, leaving a ton on the table for a guy like DB. Bane ranks second on the team with a 27 percent usage rate with those two guys off the floor, averaging 1.1 Y! points per minute. That has led to one of the best stretches of his career, scoring at least 39 Yahoo points in three of his last four games. That's a ridiculous total from a $21 player, and his role should continue to be sky-high with those two guys out. The matchup with the Rockets is ravishing, too, with Houston ranked 26th in total defense while playing at the fastest pace in the NBA.
Guard to Avoid
Tyrese Maxey, PHI vs. GS ($23)
Maxey was a fantasy revelation through the first month of the season, but he's hit a rookie wall as of late. Tyrese is averaging just 19 Yahoo points per game across his last four fixtures. The simple fact is, guys like Joel Embiid, Tobias Harris and Seth Curry are taking away the touches that made him a fantasy beast early on in the season. All of that makes him a tough sell but facing the top defense in the NBA makes him impossible to trust.
Forwards
Jaren Jackson Jr, MEM vs. HOU ($28)
We already talked about how Memphis is missing their two primary options, but it's turned JJJ into the focal point of the offense. Jackson leads the team with a 34 percent usage rate with Morant and Brooks off the floor, averaging 1.3 Y! points per minute in those stretches. That would equate to 40 Yahoo points in just 30 minutes of play, to put that in perspective! That 40-point total seems far from a stretch when you look at Jackson's recent form, scoring at least 37 fantasy points in four of his last six games. We also don't mind that he gets one of the best matchups in the NBA here, either.
Eric Gordon, HOU at MEM ($14)
The Rockets are in rebuild mode, but EG is doing a wonderful job of being the veteran presence this club needs. He's doing more than just leadership, though, handling the ball a ton in the absences of Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr. Gordon ranks second on the team with a 28 percent usage rate with those guys off the floor, scoring at least 25 Yahoo points in three straight games. That's quite the floor from a $14 player, and he should continue to do a ton of ball-handling with the two young guards out of the lineup. A matchup with Memphis is magical, too, with the Grizzlies ranked 23rd in points allowed and 22nd in defensive efficiency.
Forward to Avoid
Kyle Kuzma, WAS vs. UTA ($25)
Kuzma is one of those guys I struggle to figure out, and I'm probably not the only one. The volatile forward has scored 27 or fewer fantasy points in 10 of his last 13 games. That won't get it done from a $25 player, and it's clear that he's losing opportunities to guys like Bradley Beal, Spencer Dinwiddie, and Montrezl Harrell. What concerns us here is the matchup, though, with Utah sitting Top-5 in defensive efficiency and points allowed.
Centers
Nikola Jokic, DEN at SAS ($55)
We've saved a ton of salary with all of our recommendations sitting below $30, so let's get the top option on the slate in our lineup! That's the 2020-21 MVP, leading the NBA with 55.4 Yahoo points per game. It's his reliability that makes him such a good option, scoring at least 41 fantasy points in every game this season. There are only three healthy players on this slate with a higher average than that, showing just how absurd Jokic has been. The Joker has been even more ridiculous recently, recording a triple-double in three straight games. One of those came against this Spurs team, which is far from surprising when you see that they play at the fifth-fastest pace in the NBA.
Jarrett Allen, CLE vs. SAC ($30)
Allen is playing at an All-Star level, and it's hard to understand why he's still just $30. The Fro has scored at least 34 Yahoo points in 14 of his last 16 games, averaging 19.4 points, 12.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.8 blocks per game in that span. That equates to a 42-point average, and it even includes a two-game stretch where Allen was playing injured. Yes, those were the two games he didn't reach 34 Y! points, making Allen one of the best bets on the board. We love the matchup with the Kings, too, with Sacramento sitting 26th in total defense while surrendering the second-most fantasy points to opposing centers. They're also missing Richaun Holmes, which should allow Allen to feast on the boards even more.
Center to Avoid
Andre Drummond, PHI vs. GS ($27)
Um, what is Yahoo doing here with Drummond? He's undoubtedly a $30 player when Joel Embiid is sidelined, but he's not even worth considering when Embiid is playing. If you look at the 15 games where Drum has come off the bench, he's never played more than 20 minutes in any of them, scoring 21 or fewer fantasy points in 11 of those. You need at least 30-35 fantasy points from someone in this price range, and it's simply impossible with his minute ceiling. Not to mention, Golden State surrenders the second-fewest fantasy points to opposing centers.
