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Tuesday is one of those slates where most of the good matchups belong to bad players and vice-versa. Fortunately, there are some cheaper injury replacements at a few different positions, and playing those guys allows the flexibility to pay up for some of the studs.
While the only super-cheap option I like is at center, there are decent plays at just about every price for every position. I might fill point guard last, just because I like that position best, but you certainly do not have to do it that way.
Point Guard
Brandon Jennings is averaging 17.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 6.4 assists as a starter this season. Jennings is a solid play until his price goes up or Derrick Rose returns.
Jameer Nelson is averaging 15.7 points, 2.7 rebounds and 7.3 assists in 35.3 minutes over his last three games. Nelson could see even more playing time if Jamal Murray and Emmanuel Mudiay are both out, and I especially like him on FanDuel where he is cheaper than Brandon Jennings.
Among the teams playing Tuesday, only the Nuggets have allowed more fantasy points to point guards than the Pelicans. Kyle Lowry has scored at least 29 points in four consecutive games, and he could easily make it five in a row.
| PLAYER | TM | H/A | OPP | GP | MPG | FT% | 3PTM | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | FG% | USAGE | FDPTS/G | DKPTS/G | YPTS/G | $FD | $DK | $Y |
| Brandon Jennings | NYK | A | WAS | 49 | 24 | 76% | 1.1 | 8.3 | 2.6 | 4.8 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 1.9 | 39% | 17.98% | 18.7 | 20.3 | 19.2 | $5,600 | $5,100 | $10 |
| Jameer Nelson | DEN | A | LAL | 46 | 25.6 | 74% | 1.3 | 9 | 2.1 | 4.7 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 1.9 | 45% | 16.78% | 18.2 | 19.9 | 18.8 | $5,100 | $5,600 | $13 |
| Kyle Lowry | TOR | H | NOP | 47 | 37.4 | 83% | 3.2 | 22.9 | 4.8 | 6.9 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 2.9 | 47% | 24.79% | 39.9 | 43.2 | 41.5 | $8,700 | $8,600 | $42 |
Shooting Guard
My guess is if Emmanuel Mudiay and Jamal Murray are both out, Will Barton will take most of Murray’s minutes, with Wilson Chandler handling the ball while Jameer Nelson is on the bench. Barton has failed to reach double-digit points just once when he has played more than 30 minutes, and he is certainly capable of scoring with less playing time, as well. At the very least, Barton is a strong GPP play.
While I like Barton’s upside, Gary Harris is cheaper and will probably play more minutes. If you need to save a little bit of money I am fine going down to Harris, and he is probably the better cash play as well.
DeMar DeRozan showed no ill-effects from his three-game absence, scoring 22 points with seven rebounds and six assists in 36 minutes Sunday. He is pretty cheap on DraftKings, and worth paying for on the other sites as well.
| PLAYER | TM | H/A | OPP | GP | MPG | FT% | 3PTM | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | FG% | USAGE | FDPTS/G | DKPTS/G | YPTS/G | $FD | $DK | $Y |
| Will Barton | DEN | A | LAL | 34 | 28.3 | 76% | 1.4 | 13.2 | 4.3 | 3 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 1.6 | 45% | 20.02% | 23.8 | 25.5 | 24.5 | $5,000 | $5,200 | $18 |
| DeMar DeRozan | TOR | H | NOP | 45 | 35.4 | 85% | 0.4 | 27.8 | 5.4 | 3.9 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 2.4 | 47% | 34.31% | 40.4 | 42 | 40.5 | $8,900 | $7,800 | $42 |
| Gary Harris | DEN | A | LAL | 22 | 27.5 | 73% | 1.3 | 12.5 | 3 | 2.8 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 1 | 47% | 18.96% | 21.6 | 22.9 | 22.2 | $5,000 | $4,800 | $17 |
Small Forward
Only the Knicks have allowed more fantasy points to small forwards than the Kings among teams playing Tuesday. Trevor Ariza will almost certainly bounce back from a two-point effort Sunday, and he should be a pretty safe cash-game play.
Kawhi Leonard has scored at least 23 points in eight straight games, and he provides plenty of other stats as well. I would much rather pay up for Leonard than mess around with guys like Carmelo Anthony and Nicolas Batum.
After feasting on Phoenix’s defense in back-to-back games, Danilo Gallinari now gets the Lakers. Gallinari had 14 points, five rebounds and six assists in his only game against the Lakers this season, and I think we can expect similar numbers Tuesday.
| PLAYER | TM | H/A | OPP | GP | MPG | FT% | 3PTM | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | FG% | USAGE | FDPTS/G | DKPTS/G | YPTS/G | $FD | $DK | $Y |
| Trevor Ariza | HOU | H | SAC | 51 | 34.5 | 73% | 2.6 | 12 | 5.4 | 2.2 | 1.9 | 0.3 | 1 | 42% | 14.42% | 25.2 | 27.2 | 26.4 | $5,100 | $5,100 | $22 |
| Kawhi Leonard | SAS | H | OKC | 43 | 33.6 | 91% | 2.1 | 25.4 | 5.7 | 3.2 | 1.8 | 0.7 | 2 | 49% | 30.22% | 40.1 | 42.4 | 41.1 | $9,600 | $8,800 | $43 |
| Danilo Gallinari | DEN | A | LAL | 42 | 34.3 | 89% | 1.9 | 17.3 | 5 | 2.2 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 1.4 | 44% | 19.28% | 27.1 | 29 | 28.1 | $7,000 | $6,300 | $22 |
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Power Forward
Kenneth Faried had 21 points and 13 rebounds in 37 minutes with Nikola Jokic out Saturday. I suspect Faried will play closer to 30 minutes Tuesday with Jokic out, but even that would make him a nice value play.
LaMarcus Aldridge has been a pretty consistent scorer all season, but he is averaging 9.8 rebounds over his last five games thanks mostly to Pau Gasol’s absence. Aldridge is averaging 3.4 assists over that span as well.
Marvin Williams has scored at least 13 points in four consecutive games, with Cody Zeller missing the last three of those contests. Williams had eight points and nine rebounds against the Trail Blazers two weeks ago, and he should provide similar production at a reasonable price Tuesday.
| PLAYER | TM | H/A | OPP | GP | MPG | FT% | 3PTM | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | FG% | USAGE | FDPTS/G | DKPTS/G | YPTS/G | $FD | $DK | $Y |
| Kenneth Faried | DEN | A | LAL | 42 | 22.5 | 71% | 0 | 9.9 | 7.8 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 1 | 57% | 17.23% | 22.8 | 23.7 | 22.8 | $6,600 | $5,400 | $17 |
| LaMarcus Aldridge | SAS | H | OKC | 43 | 32.3 | 81% | 0.3 | 17.5 | 7.2 | 2.3 | 0.6 | 1 | 1.3 | 49% | 24.17% | 31.6 | 32.8 | 31.7 | $7,800 | $6,700 | $33 |
| Marvin Williams | CHA | A | POR | 42 | 27.3 | 83% | 1.8 | 11 | 5.4 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 41% | 18.11% | 21 | 22.5 | 21.9 | $5,100 | $4,900 | $15 |
Center
Jusuf Nurkic did not do much Saturday with Nikola Jokic out, but Nurkic is still averaging 9.7 points and 7.2 rebounds in 21.2 minutes per game as a starter. The Lakers have been terrible against opposing centers all season, and Nurkic worth a shot with Jokic out again Tuesday.
Ivica Zubac has played at least 26 minutes in each of the last two games, recording double-doubles in each. Julius Randle is recovering from pneumonia but he will sit out Tuesday, which means Zubac should be a pretty safe play for at least one more game.
Steven Adams wasn’t great Sunday with Enes Kanter out, but seven points and 10 rebounds in 27 minutes are nothing to sneeze at. That is probably Adams’s floor, and I would be fine paying for it if you don’t trust Nurkic or Zubac.
DeMarcus Cousins has 13 consecutive double-doubles, and he failed to score 20 points in just one of those games. Cousins had 32 points, nine rebounds and five blocks in his only game against Houston this season.
| PLAYER | TM | H/A | OPP | GP | MPG | FT% | 3PTM | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | FG% | USAGE | FDPTS/G | DKPTS/G | YPTS/G | $FD | $DK | $Y |
| Ivica Zubac | LAL | H | DEN | 15 | 12.3 | 86% | 0 | 4.9 | 3.7 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 44% | 20.20% | 11.3 | 11.9 | 11.3 | $3,900 | $3,500 | $10 |
| Jusuf Nurkic | DEN | A | LAL | 40 | 18.4 | 51% | 0 | 8.5 | 6 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 2 | 53% | 22.83% | 18.5 | 19.8 | 18.5 | $4,100 | $5,000 | $12 |
| Steven Adams | OKC | A | SAS | 46 | 30.2 | 71% | 0 | 12.1 | 7.6 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 2 | 59% | 16.61% | 25.5 | 26.8 | 25.5 | $6,000 | $5,400 | $19 |
| DeMarcus Cousins | SAC | A | HOU | 47 | 34.6 | 78% | 1.8 | 28.4 | 10.6 | 4.4 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 3.5 | 46% | 37.40% | 49.8 | 53 | 50.7 | $11,400 | $11,200 | $54 |