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 Andre Snellings and Kyle Soppe, as well as DFS expert Renee Miller.
Players to build around
Renee Miller -- Reggie Jackson, Detroit Pistons
There's a lot of red (injury designations) in the point guard columns, so the ability to grab a solid one at relatively low cost is important to me tonight. Jackson didn't play last night, gets the 76ers on the second half of a back-to-back set, and has been in a word, solid. Philly is a great guard matchup, with their fast pace and generous fantasy defense to opposing backcourts. Jackson has exceeded his season averages against the 76ers in two meetings this season and is coming off a 29 point game in Brooklyn, a similar fantasy situation. I was happy to see him play 32 minutes in that one, his seventh game since returning from the ankle injury. One of the reasons to build around Jackson is the alternatives: Goran Dragic could be in line for a repeat good game tonight vs. the Hawks, but Kyle Lowry hasn't been worth his salary, the Pelicans guards play in Memphis, and others in Jackson's salary range, like DeJounte Murray and D.J. Augustin have been more volatile than he has.
Andre Snellings -- LaMarcus Aldridge, San Antonio Spurs
Aldridge is the horse for the Spurs this season, and has stepped up huge down the stretch to the tune of 30.4 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.1 blocks and 2.0 assists during his last nine games. On Wednesday, the Spurs have yet another must-win game in the Western Conference playoff race against a Los Angeles Lakers defense that has allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing power forwards and the ninth-most to opposing centers this season.
Kyle Soppe -- LaMarcus Aldridge, San Antonio Spurs
In most instances, I'll be fading 33-year-olds on the second night of a back-to-back toward the end of a long season, but not this time. The Spurs need wins (they are currently tied with Utah for the four seed but are just two games clear of the ninth seeded Nuggets) and if we've learned anything over the past three weeks, it's that running their offense through Aldridge has proven largely successful. In San Antonio's past seven victories, their big man has averaged a shade under 23 field goal attempts per game while averaging a double double and blocking more than two shots per game. It's no secret that they will look to get him involved early and often, so love the bump that comes with squaring off against an opponent that averages 5.5 more possessions per game than the methodical Spurs. Because of his age, you may even be building around a somewhat contrarian piece on this slate and I expect that to be a profitable strategy.
Players to fade
Renee Miller -- Kyle Lowry, Toronto Raptors
I love the Raptors, living just across the lake from Toronto, but I just can't stomach rostering Lowry tonight. He had a three-game streak of scoring 11 points going, then went even lower versus the defensively challenged Cavaliers last night, managing just five points. Boston is the top defensive team in the league, a ranking that hasn't suffered despite some shifts in the rotations lately. Lowry has averaged 35 fantasy points against them this season, right in line with his home average, but even if he reaches that mark tonight, he's not a great value at around $8K. I'd prefer to save at PG to free up spending for guys like Anthony Davis, Ben Simmons, LaMarcus Aldridge and/or a quality center tonight.
Andre Snellings -- Taurean Prince, Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks have nothing to play for, which has led to them having curious substitution patterns with their best players without always necessarily reporting a given injury. Prince played only 10 minutes on Tuesday, sitting the entire second half, with no reason given. Over his last three games, he is averaging only 7.3 points (35.7 FG%), 3.7 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 1.0 steals with 3.0 turnovers in 20.3 minutes per game. Plus, he's facing a strong Miami Heat defense that actually has reason to want to win Wedneday's game for playoff positioning.
Kyle Soppe -- Marc Gasol, Memphis Grizzlies
There's something about facing a motivated team led by Anthony Davis while being a member of an openly tanking organization that really turns me off this time of year. That's the position Gasol finds himself in tonight as his "try hard but not too hard" Grizzlies squad travels to New Orleans to play a team whose playoff seeding changes drastically with each result. Gasol's production of late has been spotty at best, as he has failed to play more than 25 minutes or score more than eight points in three of his past six games and even in one of the games in which he put it all together on the offensive end, he managed just three rebounds. At his price point, I'd rather invest in the elder Gasol and use the savings to splurge on elite players that are playing with a purpose down the stretch.
