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 one of these lower-salaried options into your lineup.
Let's take a look at some players who can help fill in the gaps in your lineup on FanDuel tonight, using numberFire's daily fantasy basketball projections as a guide.
Tre Jones, PG, Spurs ($5,800)
The 19.0-point spread in Phoenix is harrowing, but the Spurs are still playing hard and just won two days ago in the building of the West's third-seeded Sacramento Kings.
If they find a way to keep this one close, we know Tre Jones should be significantly involved as San Antonio's offensive engine. The usual primary candidates for the role are sitting tonight. Devin Vassell (knee) and Jeremy Sochan (knee) are out, and Keldon Johnson (foot) is doubtful to play.
With that trio off the floor, Jones averages a whopping 37.3 FanDuel points per 36 minutes. The only regular contributor ahead of him, Zach Collins, is also questionable with an elbow injury, per the report. Jones could once again flirt with the triple-double he posted Sunday, amounting to 47.5 total FanDuel points.
However, Jones would likely be one of the first on the bench in the event of a blowout, so I would fault no one for chasing safer options from the team like Malaki Branham, Julian Champagnie, or Dominick Barlow instead.
Corey Kispert, SF, Wizards ($5,000)
Johnny Davis, SG, Wizards ($4,200)
This time of year, this page might as well be the tanking report.
The Wizards are the latest entrant, sitting Kristaps Porzingis for a third straight game with an "illness" per their injury report. He'll join Bradley Beal, Kyle Kuzma, and Monte Morris as starters sitting out of tonight's game against the Bucks.
That should leave a sublime role for Washington's youngsters once again, and second-year forward Corey Kispert and rookie Johnny Davis are the primary beneficiaries.
Kispert has averaged 28.4 minutes on the year, so he's much more so a beneficiary of additional usage. With a heightened 20.4% usage rate over his last five, he's topped 26 real-life points on three separate occasions. That'll get the job done at his $5,000 salary even before accounting for other peripheral stats.
Davis has struggled quite a bit, amassing only 26.3 FanDuel points per 36 minutes in that same period, but the minutes just won't be an issue. They'll let the lottery pick play well into blowouts as they did on Sunday when he started and earned 30 minutes.
They're likely to lead the team in minutes, but Daniel Gafford, Anthony Gill, and Jordan Goodwin should also be involved plenty in the value range.
JT Thor, PF, Hornets ($4,800)
Kai Jones, C, Hornets ($4,500)
There are teams certainly gaming the injury report at the moment, but the Hornets don't even really have that luxury.
PJ Washington (foot) was the latest to suffer an on-court injury on Friday, and he missed Sunday's tilt. Terry Rozier (foot), Kelly Oubre (shoulder), Gordon Hayward (thumb), Mark Williams (thumb), and Dennis Smith Jr. (toe) have all been hurt on the court in recent weeks, as well. Smith Jr. is the only one with a chance to play tonight and is listed as questionable.
That'll push plenty of Hornets onto our radar with the highest active played salaried at $6,300. That's Theo Maledon, but JT Thor and Kai Jones deserve shouts at their tiny salaries.
Thor started for Washington and logged 33 minutes on Sunday, but he clanked his way to just 8.4 FanDuel points. He's eclipsed 27 FanDuel points in two of his last five before Washington's injury, though, so he may have a better night at the office on Tuesday.
The athletic rim-runner Jones is my favorite value play on the slate. He's been used at center but also alongside Williams or Nick Richards, which helped him accrue 31 minutes with Williams active on Sunday in this same matchup. Without him, Charlotte should continue to take a long look, and he's posted 29.8 FanDuel points per 36 minutes with the expanded opportunity since March 1st.
Toronto blew out Charlotte's MASH unit on Sunday, yet Thor and Jones still had full-time roles. They're high-floor value plays with Maledon, Richards, Bryce McGowens, and James Bouknight as alternatives with higher-scoring ceilings.