Which players should you build around and which players should you fade in DFS as we tip off Thursday's slate? Our experts have the answers.
Today's panel includes ESPN Fantasy's Eric Karabell, Joe Kaiser, Jim McCormick and Kyle Soppe.
Players to build around
Eric Karabell -- Malcolm Delaney, Atlanta Hawks
He's starting in place of Dennis Schroder again, and while the numbers in his first start weren't overly impressive, the Chicago Bulls as a team aren't so impressive, either. Delaney should be good for double-digit points and a few more assists than he provided against the Miami Heat on Monday.
Joe Kaiser -- Kent Bazemore, Atlanta Hawks
The undermanned Hawks will be without leading scorer Schroder on a night when they face a brutal Bulls team that ranks 28th in defensive efficiency. Expect Bazemore to build on his 20-point game against the Heat on Monday and chip in with some rebounds, assists and steals as well. A 35-point DFS night is well within range for the athletic swingman, considering all the variables in this game.
Jim McCormick -- Dennis Smith Jr., Dallas Mavericks and De'Aaron Fox, Sacramento Kings
During a five-game slate without a truly coveted pace and points matchup (LA Clippers vs. Portland Trail Blazers is the closest to such a climate), I'm looking to build rosters around a core of elite, high-dollar players such as DeMarcus Cousins amid a return to Sacramento and Marc Gasol facing a Dallas Mavericks defense that struggles to protect the rim whenever Nerlens Noel is on the bench -- which is fairly often.
That said, I'm also going to need to identify some key values, particularly at guard. Thus, I'm intrigued by talented rookies Smith and Fox. Smith is found at an awesome price on DraftKings and should see right around 29 minutes of exposure against a Memphis Grizzlies team allowing the 11th-most fantasy points per game to points guards (using DK's scoring key). As for Fox, he's tops in usage rate among players in the Kings' rotation playing at least 15 minutes and nets a choice matchup with a patchwork New Orleans Pelicans backcourt past Jrue Holiday. New Orleans has yielded just over 50 fantasy points per game to point guards on the young season.
Kyle Soppe -- DeMarcus Cousins, New Orleans Pelicans
This isn't a #NarrativeStreet selection as much as it is just the smart play. No starter owns a higher usage rate in the early going this season than Boogie, something that I don't see regressing tonight with Anthony Davis' status up in the air and a matchup against his former organization. There are holes you could poke in Cousins' hot start (31 points, 12 rebounds, 2.5 3PM and 3.3 blocks), but I'm encouraged that we are finally seeing him finish short-to-mid range shots at an elite level (he is shooting nearly 63 percent from inside of 16 feet), and there should be no doubt that he is fully engaged for all 48 minutes tonight. It's going to cost you a pretty penny, but you should be paying up and enjoying the ride.
Players to fade
Eric Karabell -- Khris Middleton, Milwaukee Bucks
The veteran hasn't really found his shot yet, and while he's expected to find it soon, the Boston Celtics are one of two East teams permitting fewer than 100 points per game. Giannis Antetokounmpo will get his numbers, but it's hard to rely on other Bucks for this matchup.
Joe Kaiser -- DeAndre Jordan, LA Clippers
The Clippers and Trail Blazers rank first and second, respectively, in defensive efficiency this season. That's going to make for a tough, grind-it-out game, and with Portland using the big body of Jusuf Nurkic as the man in the middle these days, it's going to be a tough night for Jordan to go off with a lot of points or rebounds.
Jim McCormick -- Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics
Brown's playmaking, energy and transition talents are proving important for a rotation still recovering from the loss of Gordon Hayward. I think Brown is an awesome contributor for season-long leagues, but a sizable recent surge in price for daily fantasy puts too much pressure on him to increase what might already be fairly optimal offensive production. It also doesn't help that he could be tasked with defending Antetokounmpo, arguably the toughest cover in the league, for a good portion of the game. This alone could prove taxing on his offensive efficiency, especially as the Bucks are allowing the ninth-fewest fantasy points to opposing small forwards this season.
Kyle Soppe -- Mike Conley, Memphis Grizzlies
Conley was fine last night in this exact matchup, but I'm worried. He hasn't been as aggressive on the offensive end as he was in years past, something that is reflected by the career-low 5.3 assists-plus-turnovers that he is averaging this season (two primary outcomes for a point guard when attacking) and the fact 51.9 percent of his field-goal attempts have come from distance. This is going to be a game played with very little pace, making reasonable volume difficult to count on, so I think it is in your best interest to avoid Conley at his second-tier point guard price tag tonight.
