Which players should you build around and which players should you fade in DFS as we tip off Wednesday's NBA action? Our experts have the answers.
Today's panel includes ESPN Fantasy's Joe Kaiser, Kyle Soppe and Eric Karabell, plus DFS expert Renee Miller.
Players to build around
Eric Karabell -- Tyreke Evans, Memphis Grizzlies
Evans is older now and durability is a major problem, but he's been healthy lately and productive, with 19 points in two of three games and a healthy number of rebounds and 3-pointers as well. Evans has finally topped $5,000 on DraftKings but not by much, so he remains a bargain capable of 30 fantasy points on any given night in this format.
Joe Kaiser -- Bradley Beal, Washington Wizards
The Suns are playing better under Jay Triano, and the interim coach has already praised Devin Booker for his improved dedication to defense. I'm not really buying it, though, based on what I've seen. Tonight, we will see just how much Booker cares on the defensive end when he faces one of the best scoring 2-guards in the game in Beal, and I like Beal's chances of going off in this game -- particularly if Booker is also putting the ball in the hoop for the Suns. This could turn into a back-and-forth type of competition between the two, and if it does, you're going to make sure you have Beal -- and Booker too -- in your lineups.
Kyle Soppe -- Dennis Schroder, Atlanta Hawks
Schroder missed a pair of games last week with an ankle injury, but that appears to be in the rear-view mirror, as he has logged 68 minutes over Atlanta's past two games. Even with his health seemingly no longer an issue, Schroder's DraftKings price has dropped 9.1 percent over the past 10 days -- and that, friends, is what they call a "buyer's market." On a full slate, you need to build your roster around rock-solid options with a few high-upside players, so why not lock in Schroder? At his price, Schroder needs just 35 points to hit 5X. He has totaled more than 35 fantasy points in every game this season (at least 20 points and five assists in each game), and the below-average 76ers defense is unlikely to slow him. He owns a top-10 usage rate, and yet, he is priced outside the top 10 at his position.
Renee Miller -- Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat
Assuming Hassan Whiteside is out again tonight, Adebayo is in the perfect situation to be the cornerstone of lineups tonight. He faces Chicago, one of the league's most generous frontcourts for fantasy, and is coming off his first career double-double, a 13-point, 13-rebound effort vs. the Minnesota Timberwolves. While I don't love using the only center slot on FanDuel on a bargain play often, tonight, I think it's a smart move. There are many expensive stars on this huge slate, but many of the top centers are in less-than-desirable matchups (e.g. Nikola Jokic, Nikola Vucevic, and Rudy Gobert). At his price, Adebayo is a strong bet for 8-10X value tonight.
Players to fade
Eric Karabell -- Dennis Smith Jr., Dallas Mavericks
The rookie is expected to play through a knee injury, but even with pristine health, he hasn't been worth it yet, as he's shot terribly from the floor and the line, and he's committed 14 turnovers over his past three games. The Clippers boast a defensive-minded point guard in Patrick Beverley, and he won't make things easy.
Joe Kaiser -- Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers
Lillard is off to a poor shooting start (39.7 FG%), and tonight he goes on the road to face a Utah team that plays at the slowest pace in the league and ranks fourth in defensive efficiency. If there were ever a time to fade the Blazers' star point guard, this would be it. Keep him out of your lineups on Wednesday.
Kyle Soppe -- DeMarcus Cousins, New Orleans Pelicans
I love me some Boogie, but not in this spot -- it's just not worth the risk. He is likely to guard Karl-Anthony Towns, and I'm just not confident he can stay on the court. Cousins has recorded at least five fouls in four of his last six games, and one of those games shouldn't count, as it came against a Cavaliers team that rarely uses their center position, so Cousins was never in much danger. I'm not a fan of his reliance on his jump shot (his average distance of missed shot is up over 18 percent from last season) and fear that we could see even more of that if he picks up a few early fouls. Yes, I know how good Cousins has been, and by no means am I writing off his massive numbers as fluky, but I'm not ready to assume that he approaches the 37.3 minutes that he has averaged, and that is going to make achieving value difficult. Given the price point, I'll take Blake Griffin or Kristaps Porzingis instead.
Renee Miller -- Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers
When it comes to the top point guards tonight, I don't see how I'm getting away from John Wall vs. Phoenix. Given the complexity of the slate tonight, it's not impossible to pay up for two top point guards, but even if you do that, should it be Lillard as your No. 2? Lillard is the second- or third-most expensive PG option tonight, but he faces a Utah team that plays at the league's slowest pace and allows the fewest fantasy points to opposing point guards. He is going to struggle to reach even 5X value in this game -- and, in fact, has done so only twice this season, so don't overpay for his floor tonight.
