This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
It's rare to have a Saturday slate with all of the games happening in the same time range, but that's what we have here. All of the games start between 7 p.m. EST and 9:30. That's precisely what we want from an eight-game schedule because we shouldn't have too many annoying surprises with the games all bunched up. With that in mind, let's get started with one of the best point guards in the NBA.
GUARD
Trae Young, ATL vs. WAS ($46)
Trae got off to a slow start this season, but he's rolling right now. Young is averaging nearly 50 Yahoo points per game, scoring at least 39 Y! points in all but five games this year. That's the floor and average you're looking for from a high-priced player, and we definitely don't want to fade him against Washington's woeful defense. The Wizards rank last in points allowed and defensive efficiency while surrendering the second-most fantasy points to opposing PGs. In their most recent matchup last month, Young had a casual 40 points and 13 assists.
Tyus Jones, WAS at ATL ($20)
Tyus got off to a terrible start in his first month as the Wizards' point guard but that's a thing of the past. Jones is averaging 34 Yahoo points per game across his last 14 fixtures, showcasing a 58-point upside in that span. That's the stud we saw when he filled in for Ja Morant in Memphis, and he needs to be $30 in this type of role. The matchup with Atlanta is amazing too, ranked 27th in defensive efficiency and 28th in points allowed. He also had 31 Y! points against them in that Trae Young gem.
We also like his brother, Tre Jones, who is starting for San Antonio at just $14.
Guard to Avoid
D'Angelo Russell, LAL at UTA ($22)
The Lakers look completely lost right now, and moving D-Lo to the bench hasn't done anything for them. What it has done is kill Russell's fantasy value, as he's scored 25 or fewer Yahoo points in six of seven games since being relegated. The only three games that he scored over 21 Y! points were all blowouts, being held to 22 minutes a night in that span. We don't expect this to be a blowout, and it'll likely have D-Lo looking at another 20-minute dud.
FORWARD
DeMar DeRozan, CHI at SAS ($39)
The Bulls were terrible through the opening month of the year, but they've been playing much better since DeRozan started taking over. The former All-Star has scored at least 29 Yahoo points in all but two games this year, posting a 42-point average across his last 20 games. The main reason we want to use him is this matchup with San Antonio, sitting 25th in defensive efficiency and 26th in points allowed. They're also surrendering the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing PFs, with DeRozan dropping 36 and 46 Y! points in their two matchups this year.
Khris Middleton, MIL vs. GSW ($27)
Middleton had a slow ramp-up in his return from offseason surgery, but he's finally back to a full workload now. A few blowouts have limited his fantasy numbers over the last week, but he's been playing 30-35 minutes in competitive games. He's played at least 32 minutes in eight of his last 10 outings, averaging nearly 40 Yahoo points per game in that span. He was an All-Star in that type of role in the past, and he needs to be back to the $35 we've become accustomed to in this full-time role. We also don't mind that Golden State ranks 23rd in defensive efficiency ratings.
Forward to Avoid
Andrew Wiggins, GSW at MIL ($16)
I feel bad piling on Wiggins because he genuinely looks lost on the court right now. The former All-Star has been relegated to the bench because of his poor play, and he's averaged fewer than 20 Yahoo points per game before a rare start Friday. He's actually failed to crack double-digit Y! points in three of his last four outings, scoring fewer than 30 fantasy points in 30 of 34 games this year. That's hard to fathom since that was close to his season average, and we certainly don't want to trust him against a Top 10 Milwaukee defense.
CENTER
Isaiah Hartenstein, NYK at MEM ($24)
Why does Yahoo continue to keep Hartenstein so cheap? This guy has been incredible since taking over for Mitchell Robinson as the starting center in NY, scoring at least 29 Yahoo points in 11 of his last 14 games. He's been even more ridiculous recently, scoring at least 32 fantasy points in six consecutive outings while playing 35 minutes a night in that span. As long as this guy plays 35 minutes, he should be a $30 player against this beat-up Memphis team.
Daniel Gafford, WAS at ATL ($19)
Gafford was the player I was touting most in the offseason, and I can't tell you how excited I am to see him succeed. The big man is finally playing the role we've been waiting for, playing a season-high 37 minutes in his most recent outing. That's no surprise when looking at the frontcourt depth of this roster, with DG generating a 33-point average across his last 14 outings. That's amazing from such an affordable player, and he should thrive against this 27th-ranked Atlanta defense. He had 33 Y! points across 28 minutes in that previously mentioned matchup last month.
Center to Avoid
Andre Drummond, CHI at SAS ($26)
Drummond was one of the best players in DFS for two weeks when Nikola Vucevic was out, but that run is over now. Vooch just returned to the lineup three games ago and resumed his role as a starter in Chicago's most recent outing. That relegated Drum back to the bench, and he played just 12 minutes over the last two games since the demotion. This guy played just 13 minutes a night through the first 31 games off the pine and needs a price drop since he's back to being a 15-minute bench player.
