There are only four games on Saturday’s NBA schedule and three of those fall in the main DFS slate at DraftKings. That can make finding value plays extremely challenging. Unlike NFL DFS, where one pick can make or break your lineup or it’s tough to find quality low-tier value, NBA DFS differs.
In NBA DFS, you can find quality value plays $5K or under that can give you a quick 10 points off the bench, grab some rebounds, or stuff the stat sheet. We are going to provide you with three players that you need to put in your lineup.
Paul Reed, 76ers, $4,500
Joel Embiid has returned to the lineup, but the team has continued to manage his minutes and he’s going to be out on one game of this back-to-back set over the weekend. That means Reed could see more playing time Saturday. Over the last seven games, he has averaged 23.2 fantasy points per game and remains in the rotation even though Embiid is back. The Grizzlies offer a great matchup too, as they are depleted in the interior due to injuries. Memphis ranks 22nd in fantasy points allowed to opposing centers.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Nuggets, $4,600
Caldwell-Pope has gone for 30+ fantasy points in three out of the last five games, although he has put up some clunkers in between those contests. If you believe in patterns, you should stay away from the Nuggets guard tonight. However, the matchup is favorable against the Hawks, who rank 25th in fantasy points allowed to opposing shooting guards. It does feel like this could be a letdown spot for KCP, but I’ll trust him against a weak opponent.
Trendon Watford, Nets, $4,600
It’ll come down to playing time for Watford. He only logged 13 minutes in the last contest, which translated to 4.8 fantasy points. However, he was averaging 25.4 minutes per game over the previous five games and that led to 27.1 fantasy points per outing. The Nets might rest their top players with the season officially over, which means Watford could get the minutes he needs to pay off at this price. The Pistons are a good spot for him to do damage, as they rank 26th in fantasy points allowed to opposing bigs.