This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
There will be no shortage of action across the NBA on Wednesday with 10 games on the schedule. Stars will be out in force the with Nets, Lakers and Celtics among the teams in action. The Lakers will be a team to watch because a player or two could be rested. They are a veteran-laden team, they just played Tuesday and they will be taking on the rebuilding Thunder. Interestingly enough, the Thunder will also be playing the second game of a back-to-back set. Let's dig into all of the games and highlight some players to consider for your Yahoo lineups, as well as a few to potentially avoid.
GUARDS
Malcolm Brogdon, IND at TOR ($37): The Pacers certainly haven't eased Brogdon into the season. He's logged at least 37 minutes in all four games and he even played at least 40 minutes three times. While that likely won't hold up over the long haul, he did average 35 minutes per game last season. With gaudy averages of 24.8 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.5 assists, Brogdon presents plenty of upside, while his salary won't exactly destroy your budget, either.
De'Anthony Melton, MEM at POR ($15): When Melton has been given opportunities, he's usually cashed them in. Last season, he averaged 11.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.3 steals across 27 games in which he played at least 20 minutes. He's averaged 30 minutes across three games with Dillon Brooks (hand/thigh) out, which has propelled him to averages of 18.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.0 steals. As long as Brooks remains out, Melton will be an extremely appealing fantasy option.
Guard to Avoid
D'Angelo Russell, MIN at MIL ($27): Talk about a shooting slump. Russell is only averaging 14.3 points across three games, thanks in large part to him shooting 31.8 percent from the field. His 29.8 percent usage rate is nearly one percentage point higher than last season, so his scoring numbers should improve as his percentage normalizes. The problem is, this is not a great matchup for him to get back on track given that the Bucks had the ninth-best defensive rating in the league last season.
FORWARDS
Jaylen Brown, BOS vs. WAS ($37): It's been a weird start to the season for Brown. He exploded in his first game, scoring 73.8 Yahoo points in a double-overtime loss to the Knicks. Two days later, he followed that up with just 8.8 Yahoo points in a blowout loss to the Raptors. He then sat out a game with a knee issue, only to bounce back with 54.3 Yahoo points against the Hornets on Monday. His ceiling is clearly very high and he should remain busy in this matchup as he and Jayson Tatum are the two driving forces behind the Celtics' scoring attack.
Cam Reddish, ATL at NO ($12): During his first two seasons in the league, Reddish had usage rates of 18.9 percent and 19.3 percent, respectively. This season, that mark sits at a whopping 29.4 percent through three games. It's helped that Danilo Gallinari (shoulder) hasn't played yet, and he might not Wednesday, either, given that he's listed as questionable. If he does sit again, Reddish could provide significant value.
Forward to Avoid
Robert Covington, POR vs. MEM ($17): Covington was basically an afterthought in the Blazers' scoring attack last season, posting an 11.5 percent usage rate. Nothing has changed this season with him having a 10.8 percent usage rate through three games. That contributed to him scoring 19.2 Yahoo points or fewer each time.
CENTERS
Jonas Valanciunas, NO vs. ATL ($34): With Zion Williamson (foot) out, the Pelicans need added production from Valanciunas. He hasn't let them down, averaging 17.3 points, 15.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.3 blocks across four games. He's averaging 35 minutes per game, which would be by far the highest mark of his career. Don't expect that trend to change anytime soon.
Steven Adams, MEM at POR ($17): Adams' production took a hit last season playing alongside Williamson with the Pelicans. The Grizzlies are a better fit for Adams because Jaren Jackson Jr. operates more around the perimeter than Williamson did. That's led to a resurgence for Adams, who has averaged 13.0 points, 13.0 rebounds and 4.7 assists across three games.
Center to Avoid
Chris Boucher, TOR vs. IND ($15): There's not much to see here. Boucher hasn't logged more than 20 minutes in a game and has played fewer than 10 minutes in both of his last two games. Even with Pascal Siakam (shoulder) out, Boucher seems firmly entrenched in head coach Nick Nurse's doghouse.
