One of the keys to finding success in daily fantasy basketball is uncovering potential value plays. If you're looking to roster a stud player or two, you need to consider squeezing in one of these lower-salaried options into your lineup.
Let's take a look at three players who can help fill in the gaps in your lineup.
Goga Bitadze, C, Indiana Pacers ($4,900)
With Myles Turner ruled out tonight, Goga Bitadze is a clear value option from the Indiana Pacers.
Turner was out the other night and we saw Bitadze get the start, where he was able to post 31.1 FanDuel points in 25 minutes of action. That is right where he is projected tonight, set for 23.54 minutes and 31.4 FanDuel points, which makes him the best-projected value option on the slate. Bitadze will be taking on the Orlando Magic, and the game total is set at 223.0 points with a 4.5-point spread.
When Turner is off the court this season, Bitadze is producing 1.20 FanDuel points per minute, which jumps up to 1.26 FanDuel points minute when Turner, Malcolm Brogdon, and Domantas Sabonis are all off the court. Since Brogdon and Sabonis are listed as questionable, this sets up to be a smash spot for Bitadze.
James Wiseman, C, Golden State Warriors ($4,800)
The Washington Wizards are taking on the Golden State Warriors with a 238.0-point over/under, which could be the fantasy matchup of the night.
Not only are we dealing with a slate-high total, but these are the first and second fastest teams in the league in offensive pace. On top of that, the Wizards are allowing a league-worst 58.37 FanDuel points per game to opposing centers. All of this puts Warriors' center James Wiseman in a spot to exceed value in a hurry. Wiseman has managed to produce 1.06 FanDuel points per minute this season and has generally shown a wide range of outcomes.
That inconsistency is shown clearly over his last eight games, a span in which he has produced as many as 31 FanDuel points in 25 minutes and as low as 5.3 FanDuel points in 19 minutes. Despite that inconsistent production, the defensive matchup and overall game environment are too good to pass up tonight.
Monte Morris, PG, Denver Nuggets ($3,800)
If Jamal Murray is going to miss his third straight game, we get some value from the Denver Nuggets.
Over the last two games Murray has missed, Monte Morris got the start in one game and Facundo Campazzo got the start in the other. While we are waiting for Murray to be officially ruled in or out, we can look to Morris as a value option since he is producing 0.92 FanDuel points per minute when Murray is off the court this season.
If he gets the start, Morris will have a fantastic matchup versus the San Antonio Spurs, who are allowing the seventh-most (49.10) FanDuel points per game to opposing point guards. It would be ideal if Morris gets the start, but since the Nuggets run a deep bench, he could see 20-plus minutes even if he doesn't start.