This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
We have another key late-season slate on tap Wednesday, with a robust nine games on tap. There are some big-name players sporting injury tags that make the lineup construction process a bit more challenging, but we naturally are still working with a vast player pool that gives us plenty of options across the salary scale at each position.
As customary, we'll highlight multiple advantageous positional matchups to exploit at each position for your Yahoo Fantasy lineups, as well as a good trio of candidates that may be best to steer clear of due to a combination of circumstances/salary.
Guards
Dejounte Murray, ATL vs. DET ($48): The aforementioned injury bug is making matters a bit tricky at the high end of the guard pool, considering Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's status is very iffy due to his quadriceps injury while Donovan Mitchell is also looking like a possible game-time decision due to his knee issue. That makes Murray even more appealing than usual, even at his elevated salary. The versatile guard continues to shoulder a heavy load in the ongoing absence of Trae Young (finger), and Murray checks in having posted tallies of 55.1 Yahoo points or more on five occasions in his last seven games. He's shot a blistering 55.9% against the Pistons in two previous games this season as well, furthering his case on what could be another high-usage night.
Trey Murphy, NOP vs. ORL ($19): There will certainly be plenty of attention paid in this salary range
We have another key late-season slate on tap Wednesday, with a robust nine games on tap. There are some big-name players sporting injury tags that make the lineup construction process a bit more challenging, but we naturally are still working with a vast player pool that gives us plenty of options across the salary scale at each position.
As customary, we'll highlight multiple advantageous positional matchups to exploit at each position for your Yahoo Fantasy lineups, as well as a good trio of candidates that may be best to steer clear of due to a combination of circumstances/salary.
Guards
Dejounte Murray, ATL vs. DET ($48): The aforementioned injury bug is making matters a bit tricky at the high end of the guard pool, considering Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's status is very iffy due to his quadriceps injury while Donovan Mitchell is also looking like a possible game-time decision due to his knee issue. That makes Murray even more appealing than usual, even at his elevated salary. The versatile guard continues to shoulder a heavy load in the ongoing absence of Trae Young (finger), and Murray checks in having posted tallies of 55.1 Yahoo points or more on five occasions in his last seven games. He's shot a blistering 55.9% against the Pistons in two previous games this season as well, furthering his case on what could be another high-usage night.
Trey Murphy, NOP vs. ORL ($19): There will certainly be plenty of attention paid in this salary range to the Trail Blazers' Dalano Banton (who's listed in the "Also Consider" section below), and he undoubtedly makes for a fine value play in his own right. However, Murphy is an intriguing pivot at just $2 higher, having scored 32.8 to 41.7 Yahoo points in his last three games and no fewer than 25.1 since March 13. Murphy should continue holding down the starting shooting guard role Wednesday with Brandon Ingram (knee) still sidelined, and the Magic comes in allowing elevated 37.8% 3-point shooting to the position on the season.
ALSO CONSIDER: Tyrese Haliburton, IND at BKN ($50); Dalano Banton, POR at CHA ($17)
Guard to Avoid
Donovan Mitchell, CLE at PHO ($45): Mitchell earns a rare Avoid designation Wednesday due to both injury concerns and recent performance. The star guard is hampered by a knee issue that cost him Tuesday's game and has him listed as questionable for Wednesday, but even when he has taken the floor recently, he hasn't come close to justifying his current salary. Mitchell has topped out at 32.6 Yahoo points in his last five games, shooting a miserable 31.3% over that span. Given the health risk and the very elevated salary, he's best steering clear of if he's announced as available.
Forwards
Jayson Tatum, BOS vs. OKC ($48): Tatum could be taking the floor without Jaylen Brown (hand) on Wednesday, a scenario in which the former sports a team-high 35.5% usage rate and averages 49.7 Yahoo points per 36 minutes. Tatum has scored at least 48 Yahoo points in three of his last four games as well, a sample that includes a tally of 61.1 against the Hawks at the start of that stretch. The Thunder also surrendered 56.6 Yahoo points in 38 minutes to Tatum back in the first meeting between the teams, and they could be down Jalen Williams (ankle) again in the frontcourt Wednesday. As it is, OKC already comes in allowing an NBA-high 58.2 Yahoo points per contest to power forwards in the last seven games, making Tatum an appealing play under any circumstance.
Rui Hachimura, LAL at WAS ($15): Hachimura's salary is especially eye-catching, considering both his recent production and the matchup against his former Wizards squad. The floor-stretching big has scored 27.8 to 51.5 Yahoo points in four of his last five games, and at least 20.9 in 11 of his last 13 contests overall. Hachimura is shooting an elite 60.3%, including 46.2% from 3-point range, over that entire span, and he now tangles with a Wizards team that's surrendered 51.7% shooting to power forwards overall, along with an NBA-high 54.9 Yahoo points per contest to fours in the last 30 games.
ALSO CONSIDER: LeBron James, LAL at WAS ($51)
Forward to Avoid
Franz Wagner, ORL at NOP ($35): Wagner's salary remains stagnant for some reason, as his recent play hasn't really come close to warranting it. The third-year wing has scored 29.1 Yahoo points or fewer in seven straight games, with the fact his 3-point shooting has completely gone in the tank during that stretch (17.4%) partly responsible. Wagner is also a lot less involved offensively these days, as he's averaging 11.7 shot attempts in that sample, a figure dwarfed by the 15.6 per contest he was putting up in the 60 games prior to it dating back to the start of the season.
Centers
Clint Capela, ATL at DET ($25): While Anthony Davis (listed below in the "Also Consider" section) is certainly an option if you're paying up, I'm going to go with a slightly different strategy Wednesday and suggest a pair of appealing mid-salary/value plays. Capela is the first, with the veteran big man having scored 31.6 to 43.5 Yahoo points in five straight games. Capela is averaging 31.2 Yahoo points per game overall for the season, and he already lit up the Pistons for 49 Yahoo points in one of the previous meetings with them. Detroit also comes in ranked No. 25 in offensive efficiency rating surrendered to centers (35.3) and has surrendered 59.1 Yahoo points per contest to the position in the last 15 games. It's also worth noting the Pistons are tied for the third-most blocks per game allowed (6.0), particularly relevant when considering Capela has multiple rejections in five straight games and is averaging 1.5 blocks per contest.
Naz Reid, MIN vs. TOR ($20)
Reid has been excellent during his extended stint helping fill in for Karl-Anthony Towns (knee), most recently scoring 41.2 Yahoo points against the Rockets on Tuesday night and putting up between 28.1 and 39 Yahoo points in four of the previous five games as well. Reid is getting it done across the stat sheet, averaging a well-balanced 17.0 points (with the help of 40.4% 3-point shooting), 6.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.2 blocks across the 15 games he's played since March 1. Toronto makes for a good target, ranking No. 21 in offensive efficiency rating allowed to power forwards (28.3) and yielding an NBA-high 53.9 Yahoo points per contest to the position in the last 15 games.
ALSO CONSIDER: Anthony Davis, LAL at WAS ($54)
Center to Avoid
Brook Lopez, MIL vs. MEM ($25): Lopez's salary is reasonable enough, but he's still been performing below that level recently and there are other options around or even below his figure that could potentially offer a better return. The veteran big man isn't even capitalizing on the ongoing absence of Damian Lillard (personal/groin), and he's scored 21.9 Yahoo points or less in six of his last seven games. Going back all the way to March 1, Lopez has only scored more than 25 Yahoo points in three of 15 contests, making him a pretty easy Avoid candidate.
