3 NBA FanDuel Studs to Target on 3/30/18

James Harden, SG, Houston Rockets

Price: $11,300

James Harden (rest) will return to action on Friday as the Rockets draw a dreamy fantasy matchup against the Phoenix Suns.

Harden's coming off a solid stretch of fantasy performances, topping 55 FanDuel points in four of his last six, despite seeing reduced minutes (fewer than 31) in two straight blowouts. His 1.51 FanDuel points per minute on the season are the most in the NBA, so it's no surprise that, with the boost in efficiency from these types of matchups, he is able to post strong fantasy scores in limited minutes.

The Suns are one of those matchups. Since the All-Star break, they rank bottom-five in defensive rating while playing at the league's fastest pace. And, over the course of the season, they have allowed top-two fantasy numbers to opponents at both guard spots.

Making things even better for Harden, Chris Paul (hip, questionable) may not suit up in this one. It's a very soft matchup and the Rockets have all but locked up first place in the West, meaning they don't need to take any chances with injuries. In 21 games without Paul this season, Harden has seen his minutes jump from 34.8 to 36.8 per game, while his fantasy production has gone from 52.2 to 56.3 FanDuel points per game.