In daily fantasy basketball, finding players you want to roster is a lot easier than finding players to avoid.
You can find a ton of great information and research on guys you might want to include in your DFS NBA lineups, but what about guys you may want to lessen your exposure to, or even fade altogether?
Avoiding players whose matchups or situations aren't as great as they seem can often be just as important as finding the best targets. After all, it takes only one player to sink a lineup. Searching for the landmines could mean the difference between winning and losing your contests. Which players should we avoid tonight?
Mario Hezonja, SF, Orlando Magic
FanDuel Price: $6,000
Mario Hezonja crushed it for the Orlando Magic before the All-Star break, but Aaron Gordon will be back in the starting lineup for Thursday's game against the New York Knicks.
Even though Hezonja should still see a solid amount of playing time, he is no longer in cash-game consideration with Gordon back in action. He's also in a somewhat tough matchup. The Knicks rank just outside the top 10 in fantasy defense against small forwards this year, holding them to 0.79 FanDuel points per minute.
Jarrett Allen, C, Brooklyn Nets
FanDuel Price: $5,300
Jarrett Allen saw his minutes taper off right before the break, and if that trend continues tonight against the Charlotte Hornets, Allen's price tag may make him tough to roster.
Even if Allen does see more minutes tonight, he'll be up against a rested Dwight Howard, who has once again been an above average defender this season. Howard is holding players he defends to a 46.7% shooting clip, including just 53.5% shooting inside 10 feet.
Kosta Koufos, C, Sacramento Kings
FanDuel Price: $4,200
The last time Kosta Koufos played the Oklahoma City Thunder, he racked up 5 fouls in 19 minutes of action, and tonight he'll have to battle for playing time in a fully healthy Sacramento Kings frontcourt.
Skal Labissiere is probable to return from a shoulder injury, and with the Kings out of playoff contention, they will likely lean more on younger players down the stretch. Even if Koufos does see solid playing time tonight, the Thunder rank fourth-best against centers.
Jordan Sharp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Jordan Sharp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username TEHSHARP. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in his articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.