This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
Dealing with the COVID protocols was a nightmare for the first few weeks, but it's become very profitable recently. We've finally gotten a good read on how this works, and we finally understand what these rotations are forming into. There are still reports that drop every day, though, and it's imperative to keep eyes and ears on news as much as possible. There's a lot to discuss with this slate, though, so let's go ahead and get into it!
Guards
Bradley Beal, WAS vs. CHI ($37)
Beal and Spencer Dinwiddie are both excellent players, but neither is a great fantasy option when both are on the floor. On the other hand, both of these guys have proven to be monsters when the other one sits. That's why we like Beal here, with Dinwiddie and Montrezl Harrell expected to miss this game. Beal leads the club with a 29 percent usage rate with those two off the floor while averaging over 1.1 Y! points per minute. That's on full display in the last two games, with Beal dropping at least 52 fantasy points in both outings
Reggie Jackson, LAC at BKN ($19)
R-Jax has been in the dreaded COVID protocols for the last week, but people forgot how good he was without Paul George earlier in the season. He led the Clippers in shot attempts with PG out, scoring at least 25 Yahoo points in 26 of 32 games this season. That's plenty from a sub-$20 player, and we love that he's playing 30-35 minutes and taking 15-20 shots in every game that George sits. It's not like Brooklyn is a tough matchup either, with the Nets ranked eighth in pace while surrendering the seventh-most fantasy points to opposing PGs.
Guard to Avoid
Stephen Curry, GSW at UTA ($44)
Fading Curry is about as appealing as swallowing a quarter, but he simply hasn't been the same guy over the last month. Over his last 13 games played, Chef Curry has scored fewer than 41 Yahoo points in nine of those. Scoring 41 fantasy points sound fine, but it doesn't get it done from a $44 player. He's also averaging below 40 Y! points in that span, which is terrifying since he faces a Top-5 defense in the NBA. Getting Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins back from COVID protocols certainly won't help his usage either.
Forwards
Hamidou Diallo, DET vs. SAS ($21)
Detroit struggled with injuries before a COVID breakout turned this into a G League team. That's left this roster without Jerami Grant, Cade Cunningham, Cory Joseph, Isaiah Stewart, Kelly Olynyk and Josh Jackson. That's almost the whole rotation, leaving Diallo with a delightful role. In fact, Diallo has played at least 34 minutes in four straight fixtures, scoring at least 32 fantasy points in all of those. That floor is incredible, but the 41-point average in that stretch is simply spectacular. He should continue to see that sort of workload with so many players missing, and we certainly don't mind that San Antonio sits third in pace and 22nd in points allowed.
Marcus Morris, LAC at BKN ($19)
While Jackson has been the primary beneficiary of George's absence in the backcourt, Morris has taken over the frontcourt. It's actually Kawhi Leonard's injury that has forced Morris' hand the most, with the better twin looking like the Clippers' best player over the last two weeks. Marcus has actually scored at least 28 Y! points in nine of his previous 10 games, providing at least 35 in four of his last five fixtures. That's unbelievable from a $19 player, and it appears Yahoo! is sleeping at the wheel with Morris.
Forward to Avoid
Bojan Bogdanovic, UTA vs. GS ($18)
This guy is in my fade section all the time, and it's easy to see why. We just hate how little he does outside of scoring, averaging 2.8 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.5 steals, and 0 blocks over the last 12 games played. That's about 5.8 Yahoo points per game, making him impossible to trust. That means he needs at least 20 raw points to reach value, and it's led to Bogey posting a 23-point average over his last 15 games played. You can find much better from an $18 player, especially since Golden State has the best defensive rating in the NBA.
Centers
Nikola Jokic, DEN at HOU ($56)
We've already recommended a ton of value plays, so let's get Big Honey in our lineups for a guaranteed 50-60 fantasy points. It feels silly to say that someone is guaranteed for that much, but Jokic has actually scored at least 41 Yahoo points in all but one game this season. That has led to his absurd 56-point average, with The Joker scoring at least 57 fantasy points in eight of his last 10 games. All of that is terrifying for Houston, with the Rockets ranked fourth in pace and dead-last in defensive efficiency. If this game stays close, we truly believe Jokic could reach 70 Yahoo points in this spot.
Nicolas Claxton, BKN vs. LAC ($18)
I trust Claxton about as much as my ex-girlfriend, but it's hard to overlook the last few games. Claxton has actually been taking on the most extensive workload of his career, playing at least 30 minutes in three straight fixtures. That's rare from this guy, and it's led to Claxton collecting at least 28 Y! points in five consecutive outings. Getting that from an $18 player is hard to overlook, especially since this youngster has so much talent. We also don't mind that he faces a Clippers frontcourt without Leonard and Ivica Zubac.
Center to Avoid
Alperen Sengun, HOU vs. DEN ($15)
Sengun is the apple of many fantasy managers' eyes, but it's just not his time yet. This guy has proven to be a beast when given big minutes, but that hasn't been the case much recently. He actually hasn't cracked 24 minutes in eight straight outings, playing just 21 combined minutes in the two most recent games. That's a terrifying total, especially since he has 22 or fewer fantasy points in all but two of those. That's the minimum you'd need from a guy like this, and he could be limited here if Jokic burns him as expected.
