I really like a few of the top options Tuesday, especially at the guard positions. Good luck affording them. Cheap plays who don’t make you want to vomit are hard to come by, and while there is always a chance some starters get the night off, as of this writing I don’t see how you can fit more than one stud in a lineup without rostering a couple of really terrible players.

With that in mind, fill the center and forward positions first, since they are the thinnest. There are a lot of shooting guards I like, including a couple of cheaper ones, and then if you have some money left over maybe you can squeeze in a stud or two.

Point Guard

Tyler Johnson has scored at least 11 points in 12 consecutive games and 18 of his last 19. He always throws in a handful of rebounds and assists, and he is leading all point guards in blocks this season as well. Johnson is super safe and relatively cheap, and I don’t want to mess around with any of the cheaper point guards on Tuesday’s slate.

Kyle Lowry is the best point guard on Tuesday’s slate, and it isn’t even close. Toronto has a fantastic matchup against Brooklyn, and Lowry just had 20 points, six rebounds and six assists against Brooklyn four days ago. Lowry is a pretty safe bet to lead the position in fantasy points, and no other point guard on this slate is capable of coming one rebound shy of a triple-double, like Lowry did 10 days ago.

Jordan Clarkson is questionable after spraining his ankle Sunday, and D’Angelo Russell should see increased minutes if Clarkson sits. Russell has been inconsistent all season, but he is averaging 16.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.7 assists in January.

PLAYERTMH/AOPPGPMPGFT%3PTMPTSREBASTSTLBLKTOFG%USAGEFDPTS/GDKPTS/GACEPTS/GYPTS/G$FD$DK$FA
Kyle LowryTORABKN4037.283%3.322.257.21.60.42.948%23.99%39.943.340.241.6$9,000$8,600$6,250
Tyler JohnsonMIAHHOU383175%1.413.94.53.21.20.8143%20.40%2728.427.227.7$6,400$5,600$5,100
D'Angelo RussellLALHDEN3227.377%215.13.94.61.30.32.740%27.35%27.129.627.328.1$6,000$7,000$4,900

Shooting Guard

Dion Waiters has been pretty terrible since returning from a groin injury, but he has played at least 31 minutes and taken at least 17 shots in back-to-back games. The shots will fall sooner or later, and while I would understand if you want to fade Waiters in cash games, his GPP upside is undeniable.

Dwayne Wade is averaging 21.0 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.3 assists on two days rest this season.

Gary Harris is expected to sit Tuesday after he sprained his ankle Monday. Will Barton should start with Harris out, and Barton is averaging 14.2 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists as a starter this season.

Barring some last-minute injuries or rest days, I don’t know that I will save enough money elsewhere to afford James Harden. That being said, Harden is the overwhelming favorite to lead Tuesday’s slate in fantasy points, and it would certainly be nice to lock in that production, especially in cash games.

Lou Williams has a pretty good chance of playing 30+ minutes if Jordan Clarkson is out, though Marcelo Huartas, Jose Calderson and Nick Young could all play more as well. Williams has scored at least 10 points in eight straight games, so even if his minutes stay the same, his floor is relatively high.

PLAYERTMH/AOPPGPMPGFT%3PTMPTSREBASTSTLBLKTOFG%USAGEFDPTS/GDKPTS/GACEPTS/GYPTS/G$FD$DK$FA
Dion WaitersMIAHHOU2129.767%1.112.833.80.90.5237%25.07%2324.723.123.6$5,200$5,300$4,000
Will BartonDENALAL2728.576%1.313.34.62.60.90.41.644%20.34%23.725.42424.4$4,800$5,600$4,400
Dwyane WadeCHIHDAL3730.581%0.918.94.13.81.40.62.243%29.23%31.533.331.732$7,000$6,500$5,400
James HardenHOUAMIA4336.585%3.128.48.211.71.40.45.844%34.01%53.758.554.155.2$12,300$12,200$8,450
Lou WilliamsLALHDEN4524.186%1.917.62.231.10.22.143%30.47%25.227.325.326.1$4,600$4,300$4,300

Small Forward

DeMarre Carroll has played fewer than 30 minutes in each of the last two games because the Raptors were up big in the fourth quarter, but he is still averaging 18.8 points and 6.3 rebounds over his last four games. Carroll might be due for another down shooting night, but even if that is the case, it seems kind of ridiculous he is cheaper than guys like James Johnson and Wesley Matthews.

The last time Gary Harris was out, Wilson Chandler had 24 points and eight rebounds in 32 minutes. Chandler isn’t quite as a strong a play as Will Barton, but he is pretty cheap on FanDuel.

I don’t expect Kawhi Leonard to have a fourth consecutive 30-point game, but he probably has to if he is going to justify his high price. Jimmy Butler will almost certainly provide more rebounds and assists, and he has the best chance of anyone on Tuesday’s slate to outscore James Harden.

PLAYERTMH/AOPPGPMPGFT%3PTMPTSREBASTSTLBLKTOFG%USAGEFDPTS/GDKPTS/GACEPTS/GYPTS/G$FD$DK$FA
Jimmy ButlerCHIHDAL4036.787%1.324.96.84.61.80.32.145%27.41%424442.442.6$9,500$9,100$6,300
DeMarre CarrollTORABKN3526.577%1.810.43.70.81.10.40.744%16.11%18.52018.719.4$4,600$5,200$4,100
Wilson ChandlerDENALAL3630.972%1.616.272.10.80.31.645%23.06%283028.428.8$5,800$6,700$4,700

Power Forward

Dirk Nowitzki is averaging 16.0 points and 6.0 rebounds in January. He is by far the safest power forward going Tuesday, and you will not have to break the bank to play him.

I have given up on Julius Randle for cash games, especially since he is the most expensive power forward in Tuesday’s slate. That being said, LaMarcus Aldridge isn’t playing any better right now, and Dirk Nowitzki’s upside is limited. I’m still enamored with Randle’s triple-double potential, so I will probably put him in at least one GPP lineup.

Power forward is just ugly Tuesday. With the uncertainty surrounding guys like Nikola Mirotic and Clint Capela, the cheapest I can go is Ryan Anderson. Anderson is shooting just .388 from the field in January, and this doesn’t appear to be a good matchup for him, but he is still averaging 12.6 points and 4.0 rebounds this month, and we know he can get hot at any moment.

PLAYERTMH/AOPPGPMPGFT%3PTMPTSREBASTSTLBLKTOFG%USAGEFDPTS/GDKPTS/GACEPTS/GYPTS/G$FD$DK$FA
Dirk NowitzkiDALACHI1524.890%1.713.55.51.60.30.7140%27.26%23.42523.724.3$5,700$6,100$4,950
Julius RandleLALHDEN4029.672%0.113.48.73.80.80.52.649%21.62%29.431.129.829.4$6,200$7,200$5,200
Ryan AndersonHOUAMIA4330.890%2.8145.210.50.30.942%17.85%22.224.322.523.6$5,000$5,100$4,300

Center

The Nets have allowed more points to opposing centers than any team on Tuesday’s slate. Jonas Valanciunas is coming off three consecutive double-doubles, averaging 14.7 points and 16.3 rebounds over that span.

Nikola Jokic has scored at least 16 points in eight consecutive games, and he is averaging 22.0 points, 10.2 rebounds and 5.6 assists in January. Among the teams in Tuesday’s slate, only the Nets and Heat have allowed more fantasy points to opposing centers than the Lakers this season.

Center is almost as ugly as power forward. Robin Lopez is averaging 10.5 points and 7.5 rebounds over his last four games, and he is still cheap enough to be worth a shot.

PLAYERTMH/AOPPGPMPGFT%3PTMPTSREBASTSTLBLKTOFG%USAGEFDPTS/GDKPTS/GACEPTS/GYPTS/G$FD$DK$FA
Nikola JokicDENALAL3525.180%0.513.883.90.70.61.759%20.70%30.231.730.630.4$8,500$8,100$5,600
Jonas ValanciunasTORABKN3826.887%012.29.90.60.50.71.454%19.32%2627.226.526$6,000$6,200$5,100
Robin LopezCHIHDAL4228.266%09.17.10.80.21.7147%15.96%21.522.421.921.5$4,400$4,200$4,300