Which players should you build around and which players should you fade in DFS as we tip off tonight's NBA action? Our experts have the answers.
Today's panel includes ESPN Fantasy's André Snellings and Kyle Soppe as well as DFS expert Renee Miller.
Players to build around
André Snellings -- Otto Porter Jr., Washington Wizards
This was a tough two-man race for me between two do-it-all small forwards that have played very well of late: Porter and Batum. Porter has the tougher matchup against a Pacers defense that has played well against small forwards this season, whereas Batum is on the second half of a back-to-back playing at altitude in Denver. I ultimately go with Porter because he has played so well in his more on-ball role with John Wall down of late and he should be rested coming in. During his last three games without Wall, Porter has averaged 20.3 points (53.8 FG%, 87.5 FT%), 7.0 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.7 3-pointers and 1.3 steals with only 1.3 turnovers.
Renee Miller -- Ricky Rubio, Utah Jazz
I am setting myself up for failure here, and I know it, but I can't get away from Rubio tonight. Not only does he get the league-best DvP matchup for point guards with the New Orleans Pelicans, he gets to take advantage of their faster pace, and fifth-highest turnover rate. Those factors are great, but also consider that during his last five games, Rubio hasn't produced fewer than 33 fantasy points while averaging 41 fantasy points per game. He's double-doubled in two of those, narrowly missing in two others with nine assists. He will come back to Earth, probably with a big low scoring thud, and the daily sites know it because his salary hasn't risen as much as it should have given the last two weeks. I'm not saying there's no risk with Rubio, but I'm all-in on this hot streak tonight.
Kyle Soppe -- DeAndre Jordan, Los Angeles Clippers
Jordan's lack of scoring upside makes him a player I rarely roster, but considering that he has 35 rebounds in his 62 minutes since the Blake Griffin trade and he faces the worst rebounding team in the NBA tonight, I'll make an exception tonight. Over the past two weeks, the Mavs have allowed an average of 15.4 points and 11.9 rebounds to the opponents' top producing big, and while Hassan Whiteside and Nikola Jokic factored into that, so did lesser fantasy options in Ed Davis, Josh Jackson, and Willie Cauley-Stein. All of that is to say that I think Jordan's scoring projection should be in the 12-15 range (right where he was in his first two games against Dallas this season), thus making his 20-rebound upside more than worth paying up for.
Players to fade
André Snellings -- Myles Turner, Indiana Pacers
Turner (knee) has been listed as questionable on the injury report due to knee soreness for three straight games now, including Monday. He played in both of the previous games, and even played well on Friday night. He struggled on Saturday, however, to the tune of 0 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists and a blocked shot in only 14 minutes of action. If he sits on Monday he's obviously a fade, but even if he plays as he has the previous two games, I don't trust him to be physically able to play at his best even though he's still priced that way.
Renee Miller -- Avery Bradley, LA Clippers
Bradley doesn't look to be a big beneficiary of the blockbuster trade that just went down last week. He enters a crowded backcourt that's going to get more crowded soon. With Lou Williams the primary scoring and ball handling option, he'll mainly be valued for his defensive contributions. He saw an encouraging 32 minutes in his starting debut with the Clippers, but managed fairly meager output in every category, and hasn't scored more than eight points in a game since mid-January. The matchup with Dallas represents a big pace downgrade, and the Mavericks have turned the ball over at the lowest rate in the NBA, which means Bradley likely won't be able to boost his stat line with a bunch of steals. The structure of tonight's slate is such that I'm looking to spend at SG and C, building in value at the forward slots. Bradley is one of several "meh" guards in the $5,000 range I'll be fading tonight.
Kyle Soppe -- Dwight Howard, Charlotte Hornets
Howard has been nothing short of great for the past month, but I'll pass at this price point based on the matchup. Listen, the Nuggets may not be an intimidating team, but they are they second-best rebounding team in the NBA and they have a versatile big man in Nikola Jokic playing at a high level (19 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 8.8 assists per game during his past six games) that could get Howard in the type of foul trouble that limits his production. Howard's scoring has dipped by more than 15 percent when on the second night of a back-to-back this season and the schedule really isn't lined up in his favor, as this is his second of four road games in a six-day stretch. I don't think you lose you contest tonight because of Howard, but I do believe that there are a handful of bigs that will provide more per dollar value on this slate.
