This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
Guard
Lou Williams, LAC vs. ATL ($33): Williams has been an absolute stud since the opening weeks of the season, and he's the clear frontrunner for Sixth Man of the Year. What makes him particularly enticing here is the fact that Blake Griffin (concussion) is likely to sit, so Williams should get even more shots and usage with him out of the lineup. Griffin leads the team with a 30.1 usage rate, while Williams sits second on the team with a 28.8 usage rate. His fantasy production has been bonkers too, with Williams scoring at least 30 fantasy points in eight straight games while averaging over 40 fantasy points per game in that span. Not to mention, Atlanta rank 28th in defensive efficiency.
Ish Smith, DET at NOP ($20): Smith has been a great fill-in for Reggie Jackson (ankle), and he has yet to see his price rise to where it should be. In fact, Smith is averaging 29.5 fantasy points per game in his five outings since the Jackson injury, and he's averaged over 30 fantasy points per game as a starter throughout his career. The best part of this play is the matchup though, as he faces a New Orleans Pelicans defense that allows the second most fantasy points to opposing point guards.
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Guard to Avoid
Isaiah Thomas, CLE at MIN ($26): Thomas is a player who's hard not to like, but his role makes him too tough to trust for fantasy purposes right now. In his first two games since returning from hip surgery, Thomas has played 19 and 21 minutes while scoring almost one fantasy point per minute. That's about what we expect from Thomas, but that makes his salary too high with his limited workload. Thomas will be lucky to play 25 minutes here, which means his ceiling is about 30 fantasy points. That's simply not enough from a $26 player, no matter how good Thomas is.
Forward
LeBron James, CLE at MIN ($59): King James is playing at another level right now, and he's leading the league with 55 fantasy points per game. It's the consistency that truly makes James a great option, as he's only scored less than 45 fantasy points seven times all season. He absolutely destroyed the T-Wolves last season too, averaging 26.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 13.0 assists in two games against them. Minnesota currently sits 21st in defensive efficiency this season, so James should have no problem duplicating those numbers from last year.
Serge Ibaka, TOR at BRK ($21): Ibaka got off to a slow start this season, but he's been scorching-hot as of late. In fact, Ibaka has at least 28 fantasy points in 12 of his last 14 games, and he's really starting to discover his role in this offense. It's the matchup that truly makes him intriguing though, as Ibaka faces a Brooklyn defense that allows the most fantasy points in the league to opposing power forwards. All of this positivity comes at an incredible discount too, as Ibaka's production should have him near $30, rather than the $21 we get to use him at.
Forward to Avoid
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, BRK vs. TOR ($28): Since the emergence of Caris LeVert, RHJ has seen a drop in his fantasy numbers. Not only is he averaging fewer than 22 fantasy points in his last three games, Hollis-Jefferson has only surpassed 37 fantasy points three times all season. That's a low floor for a $28 player and he's even riskier in a matchup like this, as he faces a Toronto defense that ranks sixth in defensive efficiency. That was clear in his one meeting against them this season, as RHJ scored only 13 fantasy points against the Raptors just last month.
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Center
DeAndre Jordan, LAC vs. ATL ($30): Jordan has quietly had a monster season for the Clippers, and the loss of Chris Paul clearly hasn't affected him as much as most people expected it would. It's the tasty matchup that makes him such a superb option on this slate though, as he faces an Atlanta defense that ranks 28th in defensive efficiency while allowing the second most fantasy points to opposing centers. The strong indicators don't end there though, as the Hawks also allow 12.8 rebounds per game to opposing centers, which is the worst mark in the NBA. Jordan currently leads the league with over 15 rebounds per game, and 20 seems far from a stretch in this spectacular matchup.
Jonas Valanciunas, TOR at BRK ($15): Valanciunas is one of the most inconsistent centers in the NBA, but his upside is too high to be priced this cheaply. In fact, Valanciunas has at least 33 fantasy points in six of his last 13 games. That's absurd production for a $15 player and the fact that he averages 23 fantasy points a game for the season only adds to his value at this diminished price. The icing on the cake is the matchup though, as he faces a Brooklyn Nets defense that allows the fourth most fantasy points to opposing centers.
Center to Avoid
Nikola Jokic, DEN at GS ($37): While Jokic's salary seems enticing, he's simply too risky in a spot like this. The main reason for that is his matchup, as he faces a Golden State defense that renders opposing centers useless via their small-ball lineups, and Jokic will be asked to cover players like Kevin Durant or Draymond Green. It showed in his two meetings against the Warriors this season, as Jokic has averaged just 13.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists against them.
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