NBA DFS Position Coach: March 28, 2016

I like to have a lot of options, so I am very excited for Monday’s slate. With 10 games on the schedule, there are good plays at every price, especially at the guard and center positions. I usually like to fill my lineup with cheap plays first and see how much I have left for the other positions, but given the lack of depth at the forward positions, it may be best to fill those spots first.

Point Guard

The Pelicans are a complete mess, but they can still be useful for DFS. Tim Frazier has averaged 14.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 5.0 assists since joining the Pelicans, and he played 29 minutes in each of the last two games with Jrue Holiday out. Holiday and Norris Cole are both questionable, and so long as at least one of them is out, Frazier will be worth playing again. If Norris Cole is back, he would be a nice play as well, regardless of Holiday’s status. Cole was averaging 15.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists in March before his back injury, and he would be especially attractive in GPP lineups.

J.J. Barea is averaging 17.9 points and 5.4 assists with Deron Williams out, and Williams will sit again Monday. Barea is a nice GPP play, while I probably prefer Raymond Felton slightly in cash games. Felton is averaging 16.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists in 36.5 minutes with Williams and Chandler Parsons out the last two games.

While Barea and Felton can be productive offensively, they are defensively challenged. The Mavericks have allowed the second-most points and the sixth-most steals since the All-Star break, and that should bode well for D.J. Augustin. Augustin is averaging 15.8 points and 6.2 assists over his last five games.

I won’t tell you not to play Russell Westbrook or Chris Paul, but I will say I much prefer Damian Lillard Monday. Only the Suns have allowed more fantasy points to opposing point guards, and Lillard had 15 points and 15 assists in his only meeting with them this season.

As I mentioned above, the Suns have allowed more fantasy points to point guards than anybody this season, and Ricky Rubio gets to play them Monday. Rubio is averaging 10.7 points, 9.0 assists and 3.0 steals against the Suns this season.

Shooting Guard

I mentioned in the point guard section how poorly the Mavericks have defended since the All-Star break, and that is especially true at the shooting guard position. The Mavs are 27^th in fantasy points allowed to shooting guards, and both Gary Harris and Will Barton have played well against Dallas this season. Harris has been far more consistent than Barton since Danilo Gallinari went down, but Barton is worth considering in a tournament lineup or on FanDuel, where he is slightly cheaper.

The Kings are nearly as bad against shooting guards as they are against point guards, and C.J. McCollum torched Sacramento in both of their meetings this season. McCollum is averaging 26.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists in two games against Sacramento this season. I will likely have either McCollum or Lillard in every one of my lineups Monday.

Seth Curry has started each of Sacramento’s last two games, averaging 13.0 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists. Even if Curry starts Monday there is some risk he loses playing time to Ben McLemore, but that is probably a chance worth taking considering his near-minimum price.

Small Forward

Small forward is very thin again Monday, and once again I am inclined to either go very cheap or simply take the best guy available and move on.

In his first game with the Pelicans, Jordan Hamilton had 11 points, four rebounds and three assists in 24 minutes. New Orleans is pretty desperate for warm bodies, and Hamilton could see even more minutes after a solid debut. He should be a nice value play, especially on FanDuel and FantasyAces.

It is fair to wonder if Hamilton or anybody else on the depleted Pelicans can slow down Carmelo Anthony. New Orleans is 24^th in fantasy points allowed to small forwards, and Carmelo went off for 29 points and 13 rebounds against them earlier this season.

If you want an in-between play at small forward, Gordon Hayward is awfully safe. Only two teams have allowed more fantasy points to opposing small forwards than the Lakers, and Hayward has averaged 19.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists in two games against them this season.

Power Forward

Unlike the other positions, where I think you can find quality plays at just about any price, I am mostly paying up at power forward. I really like the top two power forwards Monday, and there aren’t really any cheaper players to get excited about.

On Friday I wrote about LaMarcus Aldridge’s numbers with Kawhi Leonard out, and that was before he went off for 32 points, 12 rebounds, an assist, two steals and three blocks against the Grizzlies. He may not play that well again for the rest of the season, but he would be a nice play again if Leonard sits.

Like LaMarcus Aldridge, Paul Millsap costs more Monday thanks to strong play over the week. And like LaMarcus Aldridge, I am recommending Millsap anyway. It is really remarkable how terrible the Bulls have been this season, and it is no surprise Millsap is averaging 15.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 4.0 blocks and 2.0 steals in three games against them this season.

If you have to go cheaper, you could do worse than Julius Randle. He has four double-doubles in his last six games, and if he gets another Monday he will be worth his price.

Going even cheaper still, Ed Davis is averaging 10.0 points and 9.4 rebounds over his last five games. No team has allowed as many fantasy points to power forwards as the Kings this season,

Center

Al Horford has been even better against the Bulls than Paul Millsap, and he is a lot cheaper. It may actually be easier to play Millsap considering his position and the other options available at center, but Horford is probably the better value.

DeMarcus Cousins is not expected to play Monday, and as always, that is good news for Kosta Koufos. Koufos has averaged 12.4 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in the 11 games Cousins has missed this season. It doesn’t hurt that the Trail Blazers are 21^st in fantasy points allowed to centers this season.

Chris Andersen isn’t the no-brainer Kosta Koufos is, but he is cheaper on FanDuel and DraftKings. Andersen had 13 points and seven rebounds in 37 minutes with Zach Randolph out Friday, and he would be a nice value if he can repeat that production Monday.

The Nets are 25^th in fantasy points allowed to centers this season, and they match up especially poorly with young, athletic guys who can attack the rim. It is no surprise then to see Hassan Whiteside is averaging 19.0 points, 12.0 rebounds and 3.0 blocks against them this season. Whiteside is the most expensive center on DraftKings, as he probably should be, but he is a pretty nice value on the other sites.

I am likely either paying up for going super-cheap at center, but if you want a mid-priced alternative, especially for a tournament lineup, I like Rudy Gobert. Gobert is barely scoring anymore now that the Jazz are mostly healthy, but he proved last week against the Bucks he can still take advantage of a nice matchup. Only two teams have allowed more fantasy points to centers than the Lakers, and Gobert is averaging 14.0 points, 11.5 rebounds and 4.0 blocks against them. Gobert is overpriced on FantasyAces, but he is worth considering on the other sites.

The Celtics have allowed the fifth-most opponent’s rebounds since the All-Star break. DeAndre Jordan may not be quite as safe as Hassan Whiteside, but he is a lot cheaper on DraftKings and he had 21 points and 15 rebounds against them last month. I especially like him as a tournament play.