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 Jim McCormick, André Snellings and Kyle Soppe, as well as DFS expert Renee Miller.
Players to build around
Kyle Soppe -- Bogdan Bogdanovic, Sacramento Kings
Since we flipped the calendar to 2018, Bogdanovic has been playing a shade over 30 minutes per game and, to be completely honest, I'd be interested in just about anyone under $6,000 playing 30-plus minutes against the Nets. That said, Bogdanovic isn't just "anyone." He's developing into a bit of a scorer.
His average number of field-goal attempts has increased during each full month this season. Also, there were only 10 players who both made more three-pointers and shot a better percentage from distance in February than my man "Bogie." (If he comes through for us tonight, can we all get him a better nickname?) The Kings and Nets both own bottom-10 defenses, so there should be no shortage of points in this one and this is a cheap way to get some solid exposure.
André Snellings -- LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
There are a couple of dynamics at work here. First, the Cavaliers are still desperately trying to right the ship while simultaneously trying to convince the world that the ship has already been righted following their series of trades. Truth be told, we've entered the home stretch of the season, and Kevin Love is still sidelined, so James is the only creator on the entire roster.
Cleveland can still be formidable, but only if James is playing up to his MVP-level, which lets the role players play their given roles simply and efficiently. In other words, James will play well because he needs to play well. On top of that, he's facing one of his "style descendants" in Ben Simmons. As the ancestor of the "overly huge mega-athletic lead guards in power forward bodies" club, James always tends to produce when matched up with the youngsters.
Renee Miller -- CJ McCollum, Portland Trail Blazers
Shooting guard is tough to figure out tonight. D'Angelo Russell, the most expensive option, plays way down in pace in Sacramento tonight, and though the Kings are the worst overall defensive team in the league, their DvP to guards is merely average. Conversely, appealing bargain choices like Dwyane Wade and Rodney Hood are playing up in pace and getting significant court time, but are nonetheless hard to trust.
I love that McCollum's salary has dropped following his mega-dud game against the Kings. He's going to play his usual 35-ish minutes tonight in what is projected to be the second-highest scoring game of the night, against the sixth-worst defensive team in the league. McCollum should be right back to scoring 20-30 real points, with plenty of peripheral upside to get you to 40 fantasy points. I'm locking in McCollum at SG, while taking a more flexible and varied approach to PG and C, where there are lots of good choices.
Jim McCormick -- Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves
Tonight's matchup with Portland is quite favorable, as the Trail Blazers have allowed the fifth-most FanDuel fantasy points to power forwards over the past five games. It also helps that Towns leads the league in double-doubles, and trailing only Andre Drummond during the past five games in rebounding opportunities. We know his fantasy floor is already incomparably high and now that Jimmy Butler is missing from the lineup, but Towns' ceiling is truly impressive tonight.
Players to fade
Kyle Soppe -- Ben Simmons, Philadelphia 76ers
There obviously aren't a lot of fade options on a four-game slate, but I'm not willing to pay top dollar for a rookie who figures to see plenty of LeBron James. Sure, Simmons is impressive and I love his long-term outlook, but "The King" will be looking to send a message to a city that is shamelessly recruiting him. I fear that could mean a long night for Simmons.
In two games against Cleveland, Simmons has totaled just 24 points, 12 assists (11 turnovers), and 14 rebounds -- numbers that simply aren't appealing at his current price point. Furthermore, the Cavaliers are in the midst of a five-game homestand and have off-days on both sides of this game, making this a good spot for a rested James to impose his will. If you're "trusting the process" tonight, Joel Embiid is far-and-away the best member of the 76ers to roster in this spot.
André Snellings -- Ben Simmons, Philadelphia 76ers
Simmons has played very well of late. He's seemingly gotten through his rookie wall, and his good play is reflected with near-max level pricing in DFS. However, he is coming off three straight solid, but by no means monster outings. He also has had two performances of relative insignifigance in his meetings against the Cavaliers this season. I simply do not expect him to live up to his price tag on Thursday.
Renee Miller - Brandon Ingram, Los Angeles Lakers
Ingram is coming off an attention-grabbing 50-fantasy point game in Atlanta. The Lakers now head South for a matchup with Miami, the team with the fifth-slowest pace. That's a downgrade for the Lakers, as is the fact that Miami surprisingly boasts the seventh-best defensive efficiency in the league.
Recently, the Heat have been the worst matchup in the league for small forwards, allowing just around 20 fantasy points per game to the position. It's a small slate, but there are several other appealing options at SF, starting with LeBron James -- the only true star on the schedule -- but also including affordable options like DeMarre Carroll, Robert Covington, Nemanja Bjelica and Josh Richardson, not to mention the bargain Justin Jackson.
Jim McCormick -- Andrew Wiggins, Minnesota Timberwolves
Wiggins has not surpassed four combined assists and rebounds in four of his past five games, proof his game is somewhat hollow past his penchant for putting up a lot of shots. Even with Butler sidelined, I don't project Wiggins to enjoy a jump in any statistical category other than scoring. At similar pricing, I'd prefer Brandon Ingram, who has averaged more than five assists over the past five games.
