Which players should you build around, and which players should you fade in DFS as we tip off Wednesday night's NBA action? Our experts have the answers.
Today's panel includes ESPN Fantasy's Kyle Soppe, Joe Kaiser and Jim McCormick.
Players to build around
Kyle Soppe -- Blake Griffin, LA Clippers
The April DFS grind is all about targeting desire. These are all professionals, so I'm not going to say that this game doesn't mean anything to the Mavericks, but they appear to have checked out, while the Clippers continue to battle for home-court advantage in the first round. Dallas ranks as an elite defense in terms of preventing fantasy points to forwards this season, but their November shutdown performance of Giannis Antetokounmpo is a longggg time ago, and Dallas, despite a slow pace, is among the five most friendly defenses to forwards over the last two weeks. The Clippers are riding Griffin during their three-game win streak (39 minutes and 31 points on 68 percent shooting), and I see no reason why that changes against a tired Mavs team that ran out of gas in the fourth quarter last night against the Kings.
Joe Kaiser -- Marquese Chriss, Phoenix Suns
For as great as the Warriors have been playing lately, this game has a chance to be somewhat of a trap game; Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala are both sitting out to rest, and the top record in the Western Conference is all but a done deal at this point. This presents a big opportunity for the young Suns, and particularly Chriss, who won't have to deal with Green's energy and trash talk throughout the game. Chriss' athleticism is too much to handle for David West and James Michael McAdoo, and the Suns rookie has a great opportunity to end up with somewhere between 30 and 40 DFS points in this one.
Jim McCormick -- Kemba Walker, Charlotte Hornets
Walker is a nice alternative to Russell Westbrook and James Harden for those seeking more roster balance tonight. Charlotte's offensive engine has averaged 32.3 points, 37.1 minutes and a gaudy 22.7 shots per game over his past three and has an awesome usage rate of 34.1 percent with an offensive rating of 117 points per 100 possessions over his past five starts. About six weeks back, Walker tallied 33 points in a volume-driven outing against Miami, which is evidence he can sustain his impressive pattern of production. Isaiah Thomas and Kyrie Irving are also in positive spots to produce, but Walker is found at significant savings with entirely similar usage and production expectations.
Players to fade
Kyle Soppe -- Kemba Walker, Charlotte Hornets
He may appear to be a tempting play tonight, as he is priced at the very bottom of the name brand point guards, but Miami's defense scares me more than the price point reassures me. Their ability to shut down opposing backcourts has been elite all season long and has actually gotten slightly better over the last two weeks, as they try to earn an invite to the postseason. While Miami has had the last two days off, Walker and the Hornets are coming off of a hard-fought loss in Washington last night, something that figures to limit Walker's effectiveness. For the season, Walker has been settling more (43 percent of his field goal attempts come from 3-point land) and been considerably less efficient (his assist-to-turnover ratio drops by 17.5 percent) on zero rest, something I expect to continue against the stingy Heat. If his legs are shot, Walker is in a tough spot (at least 10 3-point attempts in five straight games), and I'm not sure his other counting stats can compensate enough to justify rostering him on a loaded PG slate.
Joe Kaiser -- David West, Golden State Warriors
West will be a popular play in GPPs due to his minimum salary, weak opponent (Phoenix) and expanded role on a night when Green is out of the lineup resting. The problem is, West doesn't score enough to be a real option in DFS at this stage in his career. While he has shown improvement on the offensive end this season, the veteran's mid-range jumper isn't close to what it once was, and his biggest impact is made with his grit and toughness -- things that don't show up in the box score or create DFS points.
Jim McCormick -- Tobias Harris, Detroit Pistons
Even as he's earned steadier minutes over the past month, Harris' fantasy production is so dependent on his shot falling (which doesn't help when we consider he's taken fewer than 10 shots in two of the past four outings). It's also disconcerting to note the Raptors have ceded the sixth-fewest fantasy points to opposing wings this season and now have a true stopper on the perimeter in P.J. Tucker. We can find stronger profiles in this same price range at the position, as Houston's Trevor Ariza or Boston's Jae Crowder stand out as key examples.
