This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
The COVID craziness has been dying down in the NBA recently, but this slate is going to be nuts. We have just six games and 12 teams in action, but there are more question marks than I've ever seen. Not only do we have numerous teams playing a back-to-back, but we also have numerous injuries to go along with the COVID protocols. That leaves a lot up in the air as I'm writing this, so be sure to check injury reports and lineups before submitting lineups!
Guards
Cole Anthony, ORL at DET ($27)
There is a chance that Anthony might not play here, but this pricing is truly criminal by Yahoo. Anthony has been playing at a $35 level this season, averaging 37 Yahoo! points per game. He's actually been even better recently, scoring at least 34 Y! points in 11 of his last 12 full games. He's quite simply the playmaker and primary ball-handler for Orlando, and he should continue to be a usage hog as long as he's in there. We adore all of that against Detroit, with the Pistons ranked 23rd in defensive efficiency and 23rd in points allowed.
Evan Fournier, NYK at BOS ($14)
This pricing is extraordinary. We just saw Fournier drop a career-high 41 points in this matchup on Thursday, and you'd think that'd earn him a price bump. In any case, we'll capitalize on that because Fournier has been crushing the Celtics all season. In fact, Evan is averaging 35 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.3 steals in their three meetings this season. Those are the numbers you'd usually see from a $50 player, and we're willing to take the risk here despite Fournier's recent struggles.
Guard to Avoid
Jaylen Brown, BOS vs. NYK ($36)
Brown has had some fantastic games this season, but he's not the same guy when this roster is at full boar. Jayson Tatum, Dennis Schroder, Marcus Smart, and Al Horford are fully healthy, and it's hurting Brown's fantasy value. In fact, JB has only cracked 45 Yahoo points four times all season. You need at least 40 fantasy points from a $36 player to reach value, and all of these guys being back severely limits his upside. These teams also played on Thursday, and Brown dropped 23 Y! points in an ugly performance.
Forwards
Khris Middleton, MIL at CHA ($29)
With Jrue Holiday and George Hill out for the Bucks, Middleton could be playing a ton of point guard. They really don't have a backup, and we've seen Middleton be a monster in these circumstances before. With Holiday off the floor, Middleton ranks second on the team with a 32 percent usage rate, averaging 1.2 Y! points per minute. The increased role is one thing, but it becomes even more attractive in a matchup like this. The Hornets rank 28th in defensive efficiency, dead-last in points allowed and first in pace. That makes them the best matchup in fantasy basketball, surrendering the second-most fantasy points to opposing SFs as well.
Mikal Bridges, PHX vs. MIA ($15)
You don't need a whole lot from a $15 player to reach value. The simple fact is, Bridges plays way too much to be this cheap. Averaging 24 Y! points per game already makes Bridges a good value, but we love that he has at least 26 fantasy points in three of his last four games. We can't ask for any more from such an affordable player, and he should benefit with a matchup against a team that has half of their starters missing. As long as Bridges plays the 30-35 minutes we anticipate, he should be a great pairing with some of the more expensive studs like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jayson Tatum.
Forward to Avoid
Hamidou Diallo DET vs. ORL ($26)
Diallo was one of the favorites for Player of the Week just last week, but that's because the Pistons were in the middle of a COVID breakout. They were missing Cade Cunningham, Isaiah Stewart, Killian Hayes and Josh Jackson, but all of those guys have returned since. In the two games since those guys returned, Diallo has combined for just 37 Yahoo points. He actually had a higher per-game average than that last week, and it's incredible just how much usage can hurt some of these guys. That crazy form earned him this inflated price tag, and we simply don't want to trust Hamidou unit he gets below $20 like he was earlier in the season.
Centers
Robert Williams, BOS vs. NYK ($26)
We've been waiting for The Time Lord to get going all season, and it looks like he's hitting his stride. The big man has scored at least 35 Yahoo points in six of his last seven games, averaging 41 fantasy points per game in that stretch. That's a massive total from a $26 player, and he's proven to be one of the best per-minute producers in the NBA throughout his career. We love that against a 23rd-ranked Knicks defense, with Williams averaging 12.3 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.7 steals and 4.3 blocks in his three meetings with NY this season. That amounts to nearly 50 fantasy points per game!
Hassan Whiteside, UTA at IND ($12)
We have no clue who will suit up for Utah here after resting eight guys on Friday, but we do know that Rudy Gobert hasn't cleared COVID protocols. That means Whiteside should get a start at center, and this dude is a beast when given the opportunity. Not only has Hassan proven to be a $35 player in this role in the past, but he's also averaging 19.8 Y! points per game across 15 minutes a night this season. That equates to a 40-point average if he plays 30 minutes, which seems extremely likely in a starting role.
Center to Avoid
Mo Bamba, ORL at DET ($23)
Bamba landed in the dreaded COVID protocols a few weeks back, and he hasn't been the same guy since then. It's unclear if that's the reason why but averaging 20 Yahoo points per game across 20 minutes a night over his last four fixtures is an ominous sign. Those are horrific totals from a $23 player, and it's becoming clear that Wendell Carter Jr is the go-to guy in this frontcourt right now. Mo really struggled in his first matchup with Detroit, too, scoring 20.6 Y! points in nearly 30 minutes of play.
