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
Jim McCormick -- C.J. McCollum and Shabazz Napier, Portland Trail Blazers
It's a great slate for value at point guard, with Napier stepping into a high-usage starting role in place of Damian Lillard, who will miss tonight's game in Memphis for personal reasons. Napier was brilliant in spot duty earlier this season with Lillard sidelined, so there is a precedent for success in such scenarios. It also helps that the Grizzlies have ceded 112 points per 100 possessions during the past 10 games, evidence there is plenty of room for both Napier and McCollum -- who enjoys a robust 5.1 percent surge in usage with Lillard off the court -- to exceed value tonight.
Renee Miller -- Shabazz Napier, Portland Trail Blazers
As Damian Lillard welcomes his son into the world this week, Napier again reaches DFS prominence. At minimum salary and facing a Memphis Grizzlies team that plays poorly, Napier is a virtual lock to reach value tonight. He was regularly turning in 20-30 fantasy point lines when Lillard missed time earlier in the season. I also don't mind slotting him in as a building block because point guard doesn't offer a ton to get excited about, despite the big slate. I'm intrigued by D.J. Augustin and Trey Burke (who is not going for 60 fantasy points again), as well as the upside of other cheap players like Austin Rivers and Elfrid Payton, but none are must-own to me. It's a great spot to save on this slate, and starting with the max savings of Napier will help you create a solid and high upside lineup with star big men.
André Snellings -- Substitute Point Guards
Isaiah Taylor looks to get his third start in the last four games for the Atlanta Hawks with Dennis Schroder (ankle) out. In his two most recent starts, Taylor has averaged 22 points, 3 assists, 2 3-pointers, 2 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 29 minutes. Meanwhile, Damian Lillard is expected to miss Wednesday's game for the birth of his child, which opens things up for Shabazz Napier to likely get a start against the lowly Memphis Grizzlies. Both Taylor and Napier are essentially min-priced players in DFS on Wednesday and each has full-starter potential.
Kyle Soppe -- Kemba Walker, Charlotte Hornets
To say that Walker is feeling himself these days would be an understatement, as he has scored 101 points on 58.9 percent shooting from the field (52.9 percent from distance) over his past three games. No, I don't think that this level of production is sustainable, but I have a hard time believing that the tired Cavaliers (they lost last night in South Beach), who own the third worst defense in the league, will be the team that stops him. Charlotte ranks in the top 10 in pace of play this season and given their run-n-gun mentality of late, there is no real reason to think that they take their foot off the gas in this matchup. We learned it years ago that you simply don't bet against Walker in March, and I am certainly not starting now.
Players to fade
Jim McCormick -- Al Horford, Boston Celtics
It's impressive that Horford has at least seven assists in three of the past four, but even as the team is missing key offensive engine Kyrie Irving, the Celtics' center is averaging just 11.7 PPG on 42 percent shooting during the past six games. Once we factor in the matchup with the league's top defense now that Rudy Gobert is fully healthy, it becomes prudent to look for better options at the position tonight.
Renee Miller -- Ricky Rubio, Utah Jazz
Rubio is always lower priced on DraftKings than he is on FanDuel, so he is somewhat more appealing there, but tonight I'm out on him altogether. He takes on the best defensive team in the league, one that allows among the fewest fantasy points to opposing point guards. He had been playing great before seeing a significant minutes reduction in the blowout win over Golden State on Sunday, and a correspondingly bad line. He doesn't always rest in blowouts, so the poor showing wasn't necessarily predictable. Tonight's game should be closer, but given the slow pace and strong defense on both sides, along with Rubio's salary, it's one I'm largely avoiding in DFS.
André Snellings -- Al Horford, Boston Celtics
The Celtics are facing the Utah Jazz on Wednesday, led by Stifle Tower Rudy Gobert. Horford will be facing Gobert, and a Jazz defense that has allowed the seventh-fewest fantasy points to opposing centers this season. There are players with better odds to produce, and a better price-vs-risk ratio than Horford on this slate.
Kyle Soppe -- Donovan Mitchell, Utah Jazz
It's been an impressive rookie campaign for Mitchell, but I worry about his quality of shot attempts against an elite defense. Since the beginning of February, Mitchell has played three games against top five defenses in terms of efficiency and the results have been, well, not good. In those games, Mitchell hasn't been shy about chucking it up, but with him converting just 31 of 83 shots (37.3 percent), it's hard to argue that it's been an effective strategy. If you're a sucker for sheer volume, I suggest you pay down for Taurean Prince, who has taken at least 18 shots in six of his past eight games and has a matchup with Minnesota's 24th ranked defense tonight. Although Mitchell is already an established scorer, I'm not going in his direction unless he is in good form, and with him shooting 28.8 percent from distance in March, I think it's possible he's tiring as a result of the long NBA season.
