Thursday’s slate features just six games, and while there are not too many attractive options at each position, I was surprised to find I like a reasonable number of players at different price points. If you want to go stars-and-scrubs you can do that, but there are enough mid-priced options to go that route as well. In general, I will probably lean more towards mid-tier guys, especially at small forward and power forward where the super-cheap guys are pretty terrible.
Point Guard
In his two games since returning from an elbow injury, Goran Dragic is averaging 21.5 points and 12.0 assists in 36.0 minutes. With Dion Waiters and Josh Richardson out again, Dragic will almost certainly have the ball in his hands a ton, which gives him a high floor and a high ceiling if he gets hot.
Of the 12 teams going Thursday, only the Nets have allowed more fantasy points to point guards than the Cavaliers.
We probably saw Andrew Harrison’s best game of the season Wednesday, but he seems virtually assured of playing more than 30 minutes, which makes him a value in this slate.
| PLAYER | TM | H/A | OPP | GP | MPG | FT% | 3PTM | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | FG% | USAGE | FDPTS/G | DKPTS/G | ACEPTS/G | YPTS/G | $FD | $DK | $FA |
| Goran Dragic | MIA | A | UTA | 13 | 32.5 | 78% | 1.4 | 16.2 | 3.5 | 6.6 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 2.7 | 42% | 14.11% | 30.3 | 32.5 | 30.5 | 31 | $6,800 | $6,300 | $5,150 |
| Chris Paul | LAC | A | CLE | 19 | 31.5 | 89% | 2.2 | 17.9 | 5.2 | 8.8 | 2.8 | 0.3 | 2.4 | 45% | 14.49% | 41.1 | 43.7 | 41.4 | 42.2 | $9,100 | $9,100 | $6,700 |
| Andrew Harrison | MEM | H | ORL | 18 | 26.3 | 80% | 0.8 | 6.7 | 2.2 | 3.4 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 1.6 | 31% | 8.04% | 16.7 | 17.9 | 16.8 | 17.1 | $3,900 | $4,400 | $3,500 |
Shooting Guard
Wayne Ellington will almost certainly play 30 minutes with Josh Richardson and Dion Waiters out, and while I doubt he scores 20 again, there is no doubt he has a much higher ceiling than Rodney McGruder and he is cheaper, too.
Usually, when I recommend Giannis Antetokounmpo I mention his triple-double potential, but I have a much simpler reason for liking Giannis Thursday. No team has allowed as many points, rebounds or steals as the Nets this season and Giannis is the only safe player on Milwaukee’s roster. On such a short slate, Giannis is a very strong play even if his ownership percentage is outrageous.
No team going Thursday has allowed more fantasy points to opposing shooting guards than the Rockets this season. Klay Thompson won’t get many rebounds or assists, but he has at least 18 points in seven consecutive games, and he should be a safe cash play.
| PLAYER | TM | H/A | OPP | GP | MPG | FT% | 3PTM | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | FG% | USAGE | FDPTS/G | DKPTS/G | ACEPTS/G | YPTS/G | $FD | $DK | $FA |
| Wayne Ellington | MIA | A | UTA | 2 | 29 | 50% | 3 | 15.5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0.5 | 52% | 10.61% | 24.4 | 26.3 | 24.5 | 25.9 | $4,000 | $3,000 | $3,000 |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | MIL | A | BKN | 16 | 34.8 | 78% | 0.4 | 22.8 | 8.6 | 5.9 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 3.7 | 53% | 19.23% | 46.5 | 49 | 46.9 | 46.7 | $10,300 | $9,900 | $7,100 |
| Klay Thompson | GSW | H | HOU | 18 | 33.5 | 90% | 2.8 | 20.7 | 3.3 | 2.1 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 2.1 | 48% | 14.09% | 27.6 | 30.2 | 27.8 | 29 | $6,100 | $6,600 | $5,200 |
Small Forward
Gordon Hayward has scored at least 22 points in five consecutive games, and I like his chances of keeping the streak going with George Hill out and Rodney Hood potentially joining him. Heyward should be pretty safe, but he has some upside too, as he has reached seven assists in two of his last four games.
Joe Johnson isn’t as safe, but he is really cheap. Utah will probably need Johnson to create offense with three of its top playmakers out.
Trevor Ariza is averaging two steals per game, and the Warriors are allowing the fifth-most opponent’s steals in the NBA this season. Ariza has been a pretty consistent scorer this season, and he should add some rebounds, assists and a couple of steals as well.
| PLAYER | TM | H/A | OPP | GP | MPG | FT% | 3PTM | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | FG% | USAGE | FDPTS/G | DKPTS/G | ACEPTS/G | YPTS/G | $FD | $DK | $FA |
| Gordon Hayward | UTA | H | MIA | 13 | 35.5 | 91% | 1.4 | 21.4 | 6.9 | 3.8 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 1.9 | 43% | 15.85% | 35.5 | 37.5 | 35.9 | 36.2 | $7,600 | $7,300 | $5,700 |
| Joe Johnson | UTA | H | MIA | 19 | 24.4 | 89% | 1.2 | 8.7 | 3.5 | 2 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 45% | 8.80% | 16.4 | 17.5 | 16.6 | 17 | $3,500 | $4,000 | $3,500 |
| Trevor Ariza | HOU | A | GSW | 18 | 33.3 | 75% | 2.9 | 12.4 | 4.9 | 2.1 | 2 | 0.2 | 0.9 | 44% | 7.52% | 24.9 | 27.1 | 25.2 | 26.4 | $5,200 | $5,400 | $4,650 |
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Power Forward
If you fade Giannis or want even more exposure to the Nets, Jabari Parker is the way to go. Parker has scored 18 or more points in three of his last five games.
Blake Griffin is extremely interesting, especially considering the weakness in Thursday’s slate at power forward. I don’t think the Cavaliers want Tristan Thompson and LeBron James defending Griffin the entire game, but I also don’t think anybody else on the roster has any sort of chance against Griffin. Griffin hasn’t played since Sunday, and the extra rest probably makes him safer than I would usually consider him.
JaMychal Green has at least 10 points in six of his last seven games including one double-double. His ceiling may be limited, but he is as cheap as you can get at the power forward position without going for a complete dart throw.
| PLAYER | TM | H/A | OPP | GP | MPG | FT% | 3PTM | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | FG% | USAGE | FDPTS/G | DKPTS/G | ACEPTS/G | YPTS/G | $FD | $DK | $FA |
| Blake Griffin | LAC | A | CLE | 18 | 33.1 | 77% | 0.2 | 21.1 | 8.7 | 4.4 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 1.8 | 49% | 17.06% | 40 | 41.5 | 40.5 | 40.1 | $9,000 | $8,700 | $6,550 |
| Jabari Parker | MIL | A | BKN | 16 | 32.6 | 80% | 1.1 | 18.6 | 5.9 | 2.2 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 1.6 | 46% | 14.07% | 30.2 | 31.8 | 30.5 | 30.7 | $6,400 | $6,100 | $5,250 |
| JaMychal Green | MEM | H | ORL | 19 | 29.3 | 81% | 0.6 | 9.3 | 6.4 | 1 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 1.4 | 49% | 9.04% | 19.8 | 21.1 | 20.1 | 20.1 | $4,400 | $4,500 | $4,350 |
Center
In his lone start of the season, Salah Mejri had eight points, 11 rebounds, a block and four steals. The four steals may never happen again, but the other numbers are easily obtainable with Andrew Bogut getting the night off.
The Jazz snapped Clint Capela’s streak of seven games with at least 12 points Tuesday, but I think he starts a new streak Thursday. No team has allowed more offensive rebounds than the Warriors this season and Capela could clean up on the glass.
The Heat are allowing 47.92 fantasy points per game on DraftKings to opposing centers. Rudy Gobert would be a nice play no matter what, but he could get a few more shots if Rodney Hood is out as well.
| PLAYER | TM | H/A | OPP | GP | MPG | FT% | 3PTM | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | FG% | USAGE | FDPTS/G | DKPTS/G | ACEPTS/G | YPTS/G | $FD | $DK | $FA |
| Salah Mejri | DAL | A | CHA | 13 | 10.5 | 57% | 0 | 2.8 | 3.3 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 73% | 8.32% | 9.3 | 9.6 | 9.4 | 9.3 | $3,500 | $3,000 | $3,400 |
| Clint Capela | HOU | A | GSW | 18 | 26.4 | 48% | 0 | 12.2 | 8.6 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 1.9 | 1.2 | 63% | 12.66% | 27.2 | 28.2 | 27.6 | 27.2 | $5,900 | $5,700 | $4,900 |
| Rudy Gobert | UTA | H | MIA | 19 | 31 | 66% | 0 | 11.1 | 11.1 | 1 | 0.6 | 2.5 | 1.7 | 63% | 11.97% | 30.4 | 31.8 | 31 | 30.4 | $7,100 | $6,500 | $5,100 |