Which players should you build around and which players should you fade in DFS as we tip off Tuesday's NBA action? Our experts have the answers.
Today's panel includes ESPN Fantasy's Joe Kaiser, André Snellings, Eric Karabell, Jim McCormick and Kyle Soppe, plus DFS expert Renee Miller.
Players to build around
Renee Miller -- Bobby Portis, Chicago Bulls
Tonight offers just five games, but with little defense to be found, it could still be a high-scoring night. I think there are several Timberwolves close to must-own territory, three top-tier center options, potential value plays at the point, and Bradley Beal (whom I hope is someone's building block today) at the 2, but power forward doesn't offer a lot to get excited about. The overall weakness of both the Bulls and Suns teams could provide some fantasy fireworks in Chicago. Over the last few games, Portis and Lauri Markkanen have been doing very similar things, though a significant price discrepancy remains. There's a good chance both forwards come out exceeding value in this top-six fantasy matchup, but Portis allows you to strengthen the rest of your roster much more than Markkanen.
André Snellings -- Bradley Beal, Washington Wizards
With John Wall out nursing his knee, the Wizards have to depend more than usual on Beal. He responded with 26 points, 7 assists, 3 treys, 2 blocks, 2 steals and a rebound on Saturday against the Trail Blazers with Wall out. On Tuesday, Beal and the Wizards will face a relatively weak defensive Minnesota Timberwolves squad that has allowed the ninth-most fantasy points to opposing point guards, as well as 26 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals with almost 4 made 3s to opposing shooting guards on the season.
Kyle Soppe -- John Henson, Milwaukee Bucks
Since Greg Monroe was moved to Phoenix in the Eric Bledsoe trade, Henson has stepped up his game (at least seven boards in six of seven games), and I'll happily save a little bit of coin tonight in this favorable matchup. The Suns rank dead last in both rebounding rate and paint points against, two stats that are more than enough for me to roster Henson when a double-double is really all you need for him to be worth the money tonight. I'm expecting Henson to flirt with a season high in minutes, given that Phoenix outrebounded Milwaukee 75-53 on Wednesday (a game in which Henson did not play), even more reason why Henson is the percentage play at center tonight to free up cap space.
Joe Kaiser -- Khris Middleton, Milwaukee Bucks
Middleton is two games removed from a 40-point, 9-rebound, 3-assist, 4-steal effort against Phoenix, and while that came with Giannis Antetokounmpo out of the lineup, it certainly had to have helped his confidence on the court. Tonight, he is reasonably priced, as he faces a Sacramento team on the second of a back-to-back after Monday's emotional win over the defending champion Warriors. This is an excellent opportunity for another big game out of Middleton and the rest of the Bucks; Sacramento ranks 29th in the league in defensive efficiency.
Eric Karabell -- Bradley Beal, Washington Wizards
The absence of Wall gives Beal a bit more appeal, for his usage rate should rise and he's already earning about as many shots as he wants. Beal has scored 20 or more points in six consecutive games while hitting plenty of 3s and occasionally contributing assists and boards. Beal's price still doesn't reflect the likely increase in production.
Jim McCormick -- Derrick Favors, Utah Jazz
I was a big proponent of Favors late in the offseason, given the gap between his upside and market price in season-long drafts. The absence of Rudy Gobert has undeniably increased Favors' opportunity rates and subsequent production pattern over his past eight games, during which he has averaged 29.5 MPG, 15.9 PPG, 8.8 RPG and 1.6 BPG. The revival of the block rate is a good indication he's rounding into form. The Nuggets, meanwhile, lack rim protection and are among the softest in field goal allowance within five feet of the rim sans Paul Millsap. Found at reasonable pricing and with a practical path to 35 fantasy points, Favors is a fine building block tonight.
Players to fade
Renee Miller -- LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
Given that I want to be able to spend on Beal, Antetokounmpo and one of the top centers tonight, I'm hesitant to make big sacrifices to fit James. I think he's had his revenge -- it's Dwyane Wade's turn! -- and in the second game of a back-to-back set I do worry that he takes it easy, or at least easier than he has been over the past two weeks. He probably has a 45-fantasy point floor, regardless, but he needs at least 60-plus to pay off his salary, and on a night like this, I think the mid-range players you'll sacrifice to get James in are too valuable to miss out on.
André Snellings -- Hassan Whiteside, Miami Heat
Whiteside missed practice on Saturday with a sore knee, and though he did play on Sunday, he managed only 21 minutes of action. He has not played more than 28 minutes in any of his past four games. Thus, it isn't clear that he'll be able to play his usual minutes or produce his usual numbers on Tuesday against the Cavaliers. The Cavs have been surprisingly stingy against opposing centers this season, giving up the third-fewest fantasy points to centers in the FanDuel scoring system and the fifth-fewest to centers in DraftKings.
Kyle Soppe -- LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
Fading The King is always dangerous, but a slow-moving opponent on the second night of a back-to-back? I'll pass. I realize that James is knocking down 3s at a career-best rate (42.3 percent), but color me a bit concerned that 35 percent of his field goal attempts have come from distance over the past two weeks. James has played just one back-to-back this season, and it was his second-worst shooting night of the season and saw him attempt just one free throw against the Knicks. James is obviously capable of anything, but I'd rather invest in Antetokounmpo in this price range or save a little bit of money and go with Nikola Jokic.
Joe Kaiser -- De'Aaron Fox, Sacramento Kings
The Kings appear to have found something in Frank Mason III, who put the team on his back and kept Fox on the bench throughout the fourth quarter in Monday's win over the Warriors. I won't be surprised if Kings coach Dave Joerger sticks with Mason down the stretch against the Bucks, and if that happens, it will mean limited minutes again for the promising rookie out of Kentucky.
Jim McCormick -- Hassan Whiteside, Miami Heat
Without the consistently elite rebounding results we covet from Whiteside, he's a somewhat hollow fantasy option, given his lack of scoring ceiling. The Cavs have run a fairly potent small-ball lineup of late, and while this could afford Whiteside clean looks inside, it could also compromise his minutes against a hot offensive opponent. Pivoting from Whiteside could prove prudent tonight.
