A six-game, 12-team slate makes up Tuesday’s featured NBA DFS slate. Looking for a superstar or two? Fear not; names such as Jayson Tatum ($10,000), Jaylen Brown ($9,800) and Scottie Barnes ($9,200) are all expected to suit up. Still, building a successful lineup requires a few lesser-known players as well. Which bargains should managers prioritize ahead of tonight’s contests?
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PG Jamal Shead, Toronto Raptors vs. MIA ($4,700)
Immanuel Quickley (foot) is questionable to take the floor this evening. At this point, IQ is unlikely to log many minutes even if he is active. That means Jamal Shead should continue playing a sizable role for Toronto. The guard has been busy to say the least over the past few weeks. Over his last five outings, the Houston alum is averaging 10.4 points and a team-leading 8.4 assists (27.4 FPTS). Despite lackluster efficiency, solid effort on defense (1.6 STL) keeps Shead’s fantasy floor relatively stable.
In the right matchup, Toronto’s backup guard has the potential to produce a quality stat line. That appears to be the case on Tuesday when the Raptors host Miami. The Heat are giving up the most fantasy points this season to point guards. Their league-leading pace on offense also makes for an ideal opponent in DFS formats. In what should be a fast-paced, back and forth affair, Shead should have ample opportunity to make a difference on both ends of the floor.
SF/PF Herb Jones, New Orleans Pelicans vs. UTA ($4,600)
Speaking of two-way difference makers, Herb Jones isn’t always a prime target for DFS purposes. However, on a New Orleans squad that needs defensive effort, he’s always guaranteed a decent workload. Through 56 games this sewason, the wing is putting up 8.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists and an impressive 1.6 steals per game (21.4 FPTS). However, he’s shooting a lackluster 38% from the field and 30% from three-point range. That makes him a fairly volatile option for fantasy managers on most nights.
With that being said, Tuesday presents an ideal opportunity for Jones to make a difference. The Jazz are an absolute mess, especially on defense. They’ve given up 125.9 points per game to opponents, most in all of basketball. In addition, Utah has surrendered the most fantasy points to small forwards. These two clubs also rank within the association’s top 12 in terms of pace of play. When these teams last met in February, Jones tallied 17 points, eight rebounds and seven assists (40 FPTS). Anything close to that would make the veteran a massive steal tonight.
SG/SF Isaac Okoro, Chicago Bulls at WAS ($4,500)
Keeping with today’s theme, Isaac Okoro is known more for his contributions on defense. Still, the Bulls are lacking in warm bodies let alone high-level NBA talent. Josh Giddey (hamstring), Matas Buzelis (illness) and Anfernee Simons (wrist) have all been ruled out tonight. It’s anyone’s guess as to who will score points for Chicago, even against the woeful Wizards. Okoro’s offensive game isn’t great, but he’s not a total slouch. This season, the wing has recorded 9.2 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 0.7 steals per game (17.6 FPTS).
Okoro’s scoring output has risen slightly in recent weeks; he’s putting up 11.0 points on 52% shooting during his last six contests. That bodes well for the 25-year-old’s chances going into Tuesday’s epic tank-off. Washington has given up the second-most points per game to opponents this season (124.6). Much like Chicago, the Wizards are also lacking when it comes to legitimate NBA talent. Okoro is fresh off of a 27.0-point fantasy performance on Sunday vs. Phoenix. Against an even worse opponent, Okoro should replicate those numbers at minimum.
