It’s a six-game Saturday slate across the NBA, with 12 different teams in action. That gives fantasy basketball managers plenty of players to choose from when filling out their lineups.
Still, for those building DFS lineups, the biggest hurdle is balancing your budget. Every superstar requires some affordable, under the radar picks. Which lesser-known names should you be targeting tonight?
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $222K Fadeaway [$50K to 1st]
SF/PF Naji Marshall, Dallas Mavericks at WAS ($4,500)
The title of most disappointing team in basketball currently resides in Dallas. At 2-7, the Mavericks look nothing close to a playoff-caliber club. Granted, the team has gotten fairly unlucky. Big men Anthony Davis (calf) and Dereck Lively II (knee) are both injured. That’s left the team with almost no rim protectors outside of Daniel Gafford ($5,400). Naji Marshall’s role in the front court has been fairly consistent; he’s logged 20+ minutes in all nine of his appearances.
Marshall’s numbers this season aren’t eye-popping. So far, he’s averaging 8.1 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.3 assists. That’s partially a result of lackluster 42/15/86 shooting splits. Still, the 27-year-old’s usage gives him a consistent fantasy floor compared to other similarly priced players. During last night’s blowout loss vs. Memphis, he notched 16 points, seven rebounds and four assists (32.8 FPTS). Another stellar performance could be in store on Saturday against Washington. The Wizards have surrendered the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing small forwards. Given the lack of competition for touches, Marshall is poised for another productive outing.
SF Zaccharie Risacher, Atlanta Hawks vs. LAL ($4,400)
Trae Young’s MCL injury has left the Hawks without their leading scorer. Still, this roster isn’t lacking in talent; if anything, there’s now more room for other players to step up. That includes Zaccharie Risacher, last summer’s first overall pick. Through seven games, he’s recorded 12.0 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.0 assists while shooting 43% from the field (31% 3PT). It’s not the kind of output most fans were hoping for from the Frenchman.
With that being said, Risacher has begun to live up to his potential over the past week. Over his last two games, the wing has combined for 37 points, nine rebounds and three steals. Even more important, he’s played 56 total minutes during that time. Tonight’s opponent, the Lakers, have done a decent job on defense. Still, there could be more impetus for Atlanta on offense in order to keep up with Luka Doncic ($11,800) and company. The Hawks are in need of all the help they can get on offense. A double-digit scoring performance would make Risacher a major steal at his current price.
PG Jose Alvarado, New Orleans Pelicans at SAS ($4,300)
Things were already bleak for New Orleans prior to Zion Williamson’s hamstring injury. In addition, Jordan Poole (quad) is also sidelined for the foreseeable future. The latter’s injury leaves the Pelicans fairly limited in the back court. As a result, Jose Alvarado should get more work going forward. The two-way menace does most of his damage on defense, which doesn’t lead to much fantasy production. This season, he’s notched 6.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 steals per game. That’s despite averaging just over 18 minutes.
On this undermanned New Orleans squad, Alvarado is beginning to see more usage. Over his previous two appearances, the Georgia Tech alum has logged 54 combined minutes. During that stretch, he’s accounted for 31 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists and two steals. Another busy evening should be in store tonight for the 27-year-old against San Antonio. Granted, the Spurs wield one of the NBA’s elite defenses. Still, they also have a propensity to turn the ball over. That’s especially true with guard Dylan Harper (calf) injured. The always-pesky Alvarado should make a difference on both ends of the floor in this one.
