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
Renee Miller -- Donovan Mitchell, Utah Jazz
Mitchell's hype train has slowed a bit recently, but there are a few reasons to lock him into your lineups tonight. He is among the most consistent options for the price and Mitchell faces the league-best DvP matchup for shooting guards vs. Phoenix tonight, a matchup in which he averages 36 fantasy points per game. He's nice to pair with Damian Lillard, but you can even make Mitchell work in a lineup with James Harden or LeBron James. The mid-range salary offers a lot of flexibility so his high floor and potential upside have me using Mitchell everywhere today.
André Snellings -- Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers
Lillard has been living in the zone for the past month-plus, averaging 34.5 points (47.5 FG%, 88.7 FT%), 5.9 assists, 4.5 3-pointers, 3.8 rebounds and 1.1 steals during his last 12 games. On Thursday, he faces a Cleveland Cavaliers squad that is among the worst in the NBA at defending the 3-pointer, allowing the second-most treys per game and the seventh-highest 3-point percentage. The last time he faced the Cavs back in January, when he was only great instead of his current inhuman, Lillard dropped six treys on his way to 25 points.
Kyle Soppe -- Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
Over his last four games, The Joker is averaging 23 points, 6.8 assists, and 9.8 rebounds...in dominating fashion. How dominating you ask? You know the famed 50/40/90 shooting line that some of the league's greatest shooters chase? Over that stretch, Jokic is rocking a 71.7/46.7/94.4 slash line. Yea, it's only a four game sample, but he's playing at an extremely high level and the Pistons are in a free fall (1-5 in March and 2-8 over their last 10) and in the midst of a brutal six-game 10-day road swing. It's a motivation game this time of year and there is no denying that the Nuggets will be locked in for this one while the Pistons are working on summer plans. Jokic is worth every penny tonight.
Players to fade
Renee Miller -- Andre Drummond, Detroit Pistons
I'll pick on center tonight because there are so many good ones to choose from. Drummond is one of the only centers with a bad matchup tonight, and though he's not as expensive as Joel Embiid, I think there are a bunch of guys who will outscore him tonight, thus making Drummond a poor value play. Those include Rudy Gobert, Nikola Jokic and Marc Gasol, with Dwight Howard and DeAndre Jordan in the mix too. Drummond had a terrible game against the Nuggets earlier in the season -- including six turnovers, and the return of Paul Millsap makes this an even tougher matchup. What's more, he has exceeded 15 real points just once this month, which really means he needs 20-plus rebounds to pay off his salary. Given that Denver ranks second in the league in rebounding rate, Drummond has an uphill battle in the already thin air of the Pepsi Center.
André Snellings -- Andre Drummond, Detroit Pistons
Drummond is facing Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets on Thursday. The Nuggets are only middle of the pack against opposing centers (allowed the 16th-most fantasy points to the position over the last 10 games), but the team is playing well and fighting for playoff position while the Pistons are spiraling into the lottery. Drummond's numbers have slid recently, as he's averaged 10.8 points, 14.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.8 blocks and 1.0 steals during his last four games. Those stats are solid, but translate to 36.8 fantasy points per game on FanDuel and 36.3 on DraftKings, well below his price point in both leagues. With the game in Denver, there's a legitimate blowout possibility as well that could further limit Drummond's opportunity to produce.
Kyle Soppe -- Blake Griffin, Detroit Pistons
The perception early on was that Griffin's quality of play was spiking with the move to Detroit, but did you know that his last game with 15 points and 10 rebounds came on February 1st? The fact that he is attempting nearly as many 3s as free throws this month is a major concern considering that he is a 31.6 percent career shooter from distance, and it significantly lowers not only his scoring floor, but also his rebounding, as he's spending less time around the rim. Griffin's name holds weight, but I believe his price point isn't representative of the production you should be expecting.
