This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
To call Tuesday's eight-game slate unexciting might be a bit of an overstatement, but the matchups are almost completely devoid of high-dollar players, with only Giannis Antetokounmpo breaking the $50-plus threshold. As a result, both cash and GPP totals may skew a bit lower than normal, and the task of finding high-ceiling players will be a bit more difficult to pinpoint.
As far as the matchups, all 16 of these teams had Christmas Day off. Although one can expect a bit of sluggishness after a major holiday, that intangible can largely be ignored, but Toronto, Brooklyn, and Memphis each have long travel days. When facing a difficult selection, this variable can be a scale-tipper.
Slim as the pickings may be, I'll first take a look at our sole high-dollar elite player. Giannis ($60) is probable to play with a groin injury, and though I predict a decent amount of ownership against the Bulls, I'm opting for something a bit more balanced in my cash lineups. If his injury affects him at all, he'll be a stretch to hit value, making him more of a GPP play on Tuesday.
Below I'll identify one high-salary and one low-budget selection to highlight at each position, with a list of players that hold equal weight. We'll also look at one player to fade at each position, as per usual.
GUARD
Tyreke Evans, MEM at PHO ($33): Evans put up 43.3 YFP against the Suns despite a loss in Phoenix last week, so he'll be looking forward to evening the score on the return trip Tuesday night. He's coming off a 61.9 YFP performance against the Clippers, so all cylinders are firing for Evans as he continues to perform at a high-level with Mike Conley (Achilles) still weeks away from returning to the team.
Tyler Johnson, MIA vs. ORL ($19): I like a lot of players in this range, but I'll highlight Johnson due to a number of reasons, the primary one being the overall health of Goran Dragic (elbow). Even if Dragic plays, Johnson should still earn the start at the two and see a full complement of minutes. The Magic will also look a bit out of sorts as they try to figure out life without Nikola Vucevic (hand) moving forward.
Other guards to consider: Victor Oladipo, IND at DET ($48),;Eric Bledsoe, MIL vs. CHI ($31); Austin Rivers, LAC vs. SAC ($23); Isaiah Canaan, PHO vs. MEM ($12)
GUARD TO AVOID
Reggie Jackson, DET vs. IND ($20): It's been three weeks since Jackson eclipsed the 30 YFP mark and it's been an uninspiring series of games since then as his shot has gone ice-cold, especially from beyond the arc. He also had a bad outing against the Pacers two weeks ago, where he only recorded eight points and three assists in 23 minutes of action.
FORWARDS
Khris Middleton, MIL vs. CHI ($35): Middleton immediately stands out here following his torching of the Bulls two weeks ago (55.2 YFP). Couple that with the possibility of Giannis needing some extra help due to his knee injury, I'm confident in handing the keys to Middleton as my small forward in almost every lineup I field on Tuesday.
Josh Richardson, MIA vs. ORL ($24): With James Johnson (ankle) out, I see Wayne Ellington ($11) as a decent play but I'm willing to spend more on Richardson at this spot as his ceiling is much higher than Ellington's. Both of them should take advantage of Bismack Biyombo as he tries to acclimate to the starting role in Orlando.
Other forwards to consider:Zach Randolph, SAC at LAC ($29); Will Barton, DEN vs. UTA ($27); Buddy Hield, SAC at LAC ($17)
FORWARD TO AVOID
Thaddeus Young, IND at DET ($24): Young has been on my fade list for quite some time now, and his price still hasn't sunk to a level where I'm willing to play him. He did have one of his better recent games against the Pistons, but it isn't enough to move the needle on my original opinion. Whether he is just on a cold streak or dealing with lingering knee issues is up for debate, but he's a fade until I see more consistency again.
CENTERS
Marc Gasol, MEM at PHO ($35): Gasol is primed to make value against the Suns, who rank dead-last against opposing centers. He went for 40 YFP in their last meeting but I think with a few more minutes he could easily exceed that total. Any lingering hip issues seem to be absent as he's gone for 40-plus YFP in his last four contests.
Kelly Olynyk, MIA vs, ORL ($19): I'm obviously wagering that Bismack Biyombo's first outing as Nikola Vucevic's replacement will be a rocky one, so naturally Miami's current primary option in the paint is someone I'm favoring. At $10, Biyombo won't have to do much to make value, but this matchup gives Olynyk's ceiling a boost.
Other centers to consider: Andre Drummond, DET vs. IND ($44); Nikola Jokic, DEN vs. UTA ($39); John Henson, MIL vs. CHI ($13)
CENTER TO AVOID
Jonas Valanciunas, TOR at DAL ($16): Valanciunas went through a four-game stint as a tremendous value in this price range, but I've never been particularly high on him this season as he simply hasn't been consistent enough to depend upon, despite his low cost. He faces a Dallas team that ranks first against opposing centers in terms of fantasy points allowed, and I think he's a sub-par play in this away game.
That'll do it for Tuesday! Don't forget to monitor your lineups for any late-breaking news before tip-off.
