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 Joe Kaiser and Kyle Soppe as well as DFS expert Renee Miller.
Players to build around
Joe Kaiser -- Dwight Howard, Charlotte Hornets
The Bulls are sticking with Cristiano Felicio as their starting center for now, and considering how well Howard has played this season even against well-established big men, I love his chances against the unproven Bulls center. In two games against Chicago this season -- those coming against Robin Lopez -- Howard put up 18.0 PPG and 14.5 RPG. Expect another game in that range tonight with Felicio in there.
Renee Miller -- Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
While there are a ton of guards I like tonight and three top center plays (see my fade below), it's critical to get a top forward in your lineups on this slate. The fact that LeBron James is more expensive than Antetokounmpo is the only reason that he's not my building block tonight. I think you need the $1K in savings and both guys should be in the 50-60-plus fantasy point range. Antetokounmpo is averaging 58 fantasy points against Washington this season, and the Wizards are the fourth-best SF matchup in the league for fantasy. This game is expected to be fast paced, high scoring and close as these teams are well-matched on both ends of the court statistically. Meanwhile, James' Cavs are huge favorites over the Nets, which could limit his action in the fourth quarter. On the whole, this is the position you really want to lock down tonight and Antetokounmpo should give you both the high floor and upside required in your core player.
Kyle Soppe -- Will Barton, Denver Nuggets
It's a six-game slate tonight and the Nuggets/Clippers game not only has the highest projected point total, but that total is 11.5 points higher than any other contest. And who are we to argue? In Denver's nine games this month, an average of 236.2 points have been scored, and considering that Barton is playing nearly 39 minutes per game over his past five games, his floor is a high one. While Barton's 14 made 3s in those five games are proof that he is capable of lighting it up from distance, he's far from a one-trick pony. In fact, he's delivered at least five rebounds and five assists in four of those five contests. I'm making sure to have at least three players from this game in my lineups tonight and Barton is the one I am most excited about.
Players to fade
Joe Kaiser -- Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
Points and rebounds are going to be tougher to come by than usual for Jokic tonight in a matchup against DeAndre Jordan. In the previous meeting against the Clippers, Jokic finished with 18 points and 8 rebounds, and another game like that won't cut it at his current salary (over $10,000 on both DraftKings and FanDuel). Jordan ranks second in the league with 15.0 RPG and his size and athleticism give him a chance to slow down the red-hot Jokic on Tuesday.
Renee Miller -- Jarrett Allen, Brooklyn Nets
Allen has been great lately and that's exciting for him, the Nets and anyone who has taken advantage of his cheap salary since the break. Tonight however, is a night for centers. Nikola Jokic, Dwight Howard and DeAndre Jordan deserve to fill any and all center slots and that leaves no room for Allen or any other bargain option at this position. These three are all playing extremely well right now, get good matchups in high scoring games, and two of them won't break the bank. And even Jokic can be fitted into lineups that don't feature both LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Kyle Soppe -- Hassan Whiteside, Miami Heat
I'll be watching the entertaining rivalry that is Whiteside vs Joel Embiid, but you're going to have a tough time convincing me that Miami's center is worth his price tonight. When these two teams squared off on Valentine's Day, Whiteside gave us 16 points and 10 rebounds. OK, that's fine, but Embiid was sidelined with a bum ankle that game, meaning that Dario Saric (74th in Defensive RPM among power forwards this season) and Amir Johnson (averages nearly as many fouls as defensive rebounds for his career) were the ones responsible for limiting Whiteside. With Embiid (sixth in DRPM in the entire league) fully healthy and making the best rebounding team full again, what exactly is the ceiling that you're paying for here? Jusuf Nurkic is cheaper on both FanDuel and DraftKings, and I'd feel good about projecting him to outscore Whiteside in this spot.
