NFL Tickets
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Point Guard
Russell Westbrook $23,350
Russell Westbrook is going to lead us like he does most nights at the point guard position. Tonight, the Thunder will take on the Hornets in Charlotte. The Hornets are a pretty average defensive team, and mostly ride on the back of Batum and MKG. Outside of those guys, Kemba Walker struggles and Marvin Williams isn’t very fleet of foot. Westbrook should be able to get to the rim at will, even if they put Batum on him. He is expensive, but like always, he has the upside to win you a tournament and the floor to make you comfortable in cash games. There are a lot of good ways to pay up, so you have to decide if Westbrook is worth it.
Malcolm Brogdon $6,150
Speaking of point guard value play, we have Malcolm Brogdon. I was off of him after that great game, and reaped the benefits on him being high owned. I am back on board tonight with the Bucks taking on the Knicks. Hopefully some people will jump off the Brogdon train, and he comes in somewhat low owned. The Knicks aren’t horrible against PG’s, but they also aren’t great. Rose is pretty average, and Brogdon will be able to get his. His price has come up a little bit, so the fade is definitely in play once again. However, I will not be on that side this time.
Shooting Guard
Victor Oladipo $11,150
Oladipo returned from injury 2 games ago and has since put up 20 and 30 fantasy points. He looks to be pretty healthy, playing 29 and 25 minutes, and I expect him to continue playing well down the stretch. With Nicolas Batum possibly switching to Westbrook that would force Kemba on to Oladipo. He would have a huge advantage and could have a monster game. It’s early in the day, so I am not sure what his ownership will be, but it shouldn’t be anywhere higher than 25%. He’s cheap, he’s safe and he has the upside. We are going to see the price go way up here shortly, so take advantage while he only needs about 25 to get you value. This is a guy who has a ton of skill, and will flash the upside a few times this season. Oladipo is a solid play in all formats.
Jodie Meeks $5,350
This pick is fully contingent on Evan Fournier being ruled out, which I expect to happen. Meeks has played well with Fournier out, finishing over 15 in all of the games and topping 20 in half. The Hawks are no defensive stalwart anymore, and can be taken advantage of at shooting guard. Meeks is way more athletic than Kyle Korver, and should be able to put up some points. With all of the great high priced plays on this slate, you will definitely need to go down and get some value. Meeks is returning from an injury, so I don’t think he has hit his minutes cap just yet. Because of that, I think his tournament upside is still there. I will have exposure in all formats, but do prefer in cash.
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Small Forward
Giannis Antetokounmpo $20,250
Antetokounmpo has been quite fun to watch this year, going from rim to rim in 5 steps and shooting fadeaway 3’s at the buzzer. He can do everything, and is above average in every aspect of his game. He has also somehow flew under the radar, with Harden and Westbrook having insane seasons. His fantasy points still count the same though, and I think he racks them up here. The Knicks have nobody to cover him, and I don’t think they have anyone that can even slow him down. I can see him having a monster game tonight, and a triple double isn’t out of the question. He is a superstar, but is a little cheaper than some of the other guys, even though his production has been no worse.
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist $9,350
MKG is truthfully one of the worst offensive players in the league. I wish it weren’t the case, but the guy shoots like he has never seen a basketball. However, his defense and offensive rebounding skills allow him to get a ton of minutes. In turn, he will fall into some points, grab some steals and get some boards. In this fast paced game, I think he takes advantage and has a big game. He is cheap around the industry, and I doubt many people will be on him. You can target him in all formats, but I prefer in cash asIi’m not sure his ceiling is there.
Power Forward
Kevin Love $17,350
Kevin Love has supposedly lost 12 pounds with food poisoning over the last 2 days, so this does make me nervous. However, he said he will only return if 100%, so I will deploy him if he plays. I do think there is a decent chance that he ends up sitting, so make sure to keep an eye on the news. Love has a big advantage over Taj Gibson, and should be able to dominate him on the perimeter. Love has no problem shooting lately either, tallying 12 shots in the first quarter against the Hornets the other night. James fully trusts him, and has no problem letting him be the guy on any given night.
Serge Ibaka $12,600
Ibaka has been super solid with Fournier out, staying above 28 fantasy points and topping out at 40. This match up is an interesting one, as Paul Millsap is definitely a positive individual defender. However, I think Ibaka will get a few different defenders throughout the night, and will be able to rack up the points. Millsap can be scored on, and he does struggle with the pick n roll. This is another game I could see stacking, as the upside is there and I think it stays pretty close. Ibaka has definitely seen his price come up so I can see the merit in running a fade here. He will be in some of my tournaments, and I don’t hate him in cash games.
Center
DeMarcus Cousins $21,100
Cousins is a beast, and is one of the only guys in the league who is truly match up proof. Whiteside is hurt, so I don’t expect him to play. That leaves Willie Reed and Udonis Haslem to stop DeMarcus Cousins. Willie Reed and Udonis Haslem. Yes, this is going to be fun. As soon as Cousins sees who will be covering him in this game, I guarantee he will just put his head down and attack every play. If Reed gets into foul trouble, the Heat will be forced to put Haslem out there and it will get really ugly. Haslem is actually almost 75 years old, and will probably have a tough time staying with one of the best athletes on the planet. Cousins has a floor of 50 tonight, and I see his upside sitting at 90. He is the one guy I will force into all my lineups, and will get my exposure to other centers through flex spots and in large field tournaments.
Dwight Howard $14,800
Dwight Howard is back to the guy who is extremely fun to watch and really good at basketball. Howard has been consistently hitting 40 fantasy points, outside of a couple recent bad games. Hopefully that will keep the crowd off of him, as I will be more than happy to play him against the Magic. Both Nikola Vucevic and Bismack Biyombo are average rebounders and below average defenders at best. Howard is going to get a lot of rebounds, and he is gonna be able to score. Whether he does his awkward hook shot or catches some lobs, he will get it done. His price has come back down, and he only needs about 39 to hit value. I see this as a spot with a huge ceiling, and his floor is right around 30.
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