Are you wondering which players you should build around and which players you should fade in Wednesday's daily fantasy action? Our experts have the answers to help you deal with tonight's 12-game slate.
Today's panel includes ESPN Fantasy's Kyle Soppe, Joe Kaiser and Jim McCormick.
Players to build around
Kyle Soppe -- James Johnson, Miami Heat
There are plenty of stars tonight to like, and you can fit two of them into your lineup if you allocate your resources carefully. Johnson is still very reasonably priced and his versatility gives him the ability to reach value without having to overwhelm in any one statistical category. How versatile you ask? His averages per 48 minutes over the last six games speak for themselves -- 22.8 points, 8.8 assists, 10.0 rebounds, 2.0 steals, and 2.6 blocks. Yes, that'll work.
With Dion Waiters hobbled with an ankle injury and the Bucks ranked at, or slightly below, the league average in most metrics, Johnson is a nice lower-priced option that makes it possible to roster both John Wall (because, well, Brooklyn) and Anthony Davis. As for Davis, I'm not worried about Utah because he has been the most efficient player in games where his team is held under 100 points. Giddy up!
Joe Kaiser -- Isaiah Thomas, Boston Celtics
Thomas doesn't need narratives to put up huge scoring numbers, but a matchup against the team that drafted and subsequently gave up on him -- the Sacramento Kings -- certainly doesn't hurt his cause on Wednesday. Expect Thomas, who has averaged 35.2 PPG in his last ten games, to be at his best tonight against a Kings team that ranks 26th in defensive efficiency.
Jim McCormick -- Kosta Koufos, Sacramento Kings
It's not often we'll find Koufos as a building block, but with DeMarcus Cousins suspended for the night, the surge in minutes and offensive opportunity for the Ohio State product should prove quite valuable. The pricing on DraftKings is truly inviting and Koufos should easily exceed value against a Celtics team that ranks 26th in rebounding percentage on the season.
The selection of Koufos allows for great expenditure at several other positions on this slate overflowing with strong matchups, like John Wall in an up-tempo matchup with Brooklyn, Andre Drummond against the Lakers' soft defense or Kawhi Leonard facing a Philadelphia team once again sans Joel Embiid.
Players to fade
Kyle Soppe -- Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
With the "stars and scrubs" approach that I am, to an extent, advocating for Wednesday, then it makes sense for me to make mention of a star on which I'm not willing to spend top dollar. Don't get me wrong, I love Antetokounmpo -- so much so, in fact, that I am getting better at spelling his name. However, there is no shortage of elite plays tonight, so you have to nitpick a bit.
It's no secret that Hassan Whiteside is among the best rim protectors in the league, a major concern for a player like Antetokounmpo who relies on getting to the bucket. He is shooting just 34.3 percent from outside of eight feet this season. The Heat are playing well and have a trio of frontcourt players that rank in the top 60 in defensive real-plus-minus. Miami also operates at a bottom-10 pace. Yes, the Greek Freak is great, but I'm passing tonight.
Joe Kaiser -- DeAndre Jordan, LA Clippers
It's scary to fade any center against the Knicks, a team that hasn't managed to slow down big men this season, but Jordan's offensive production has really cooled off since Blake Griffin returned to the lineup. He hasn't reached double-digits in scoring in any of his last five games, and in two of those contests he didn't record a single blocked shot. If you're left choosing a center in the $7,000 range tonight, which Jordan is on both DraftKings and FanDuel, I'd rather recommend either Marcin Gortat (at Brooklyn) or Dwight Howard (vs. Denver).
Jim McCormick -- DeAndre Jordan, LA Clippers
With Blake Griffin feasting on heavy usage in a ball-dominant role of late, Jordan's offensive output has suffered. Relying solely on rebounding upside, Jordan isn't in a strong spot to exceed value, as he hasn't topped six field goal attempts in any of his past seven starts. I'd much rather take some savings with Utah's Rudy Gobert or truly punt the position with Koufos before spending up on Jordan, especially given his recent offensive limitations.
