NBA

5 NBA FanDuel Value Plays to Target on 1/2/20

Thomas Vecchio  —  @Tom_Vecchio1 Jan 2nd, 2020
Marquese Chriss is set to be the starting center tonight and has a solid matchup against the Timberwolves. What other value plays should you consider tonight?

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-priced options into your lineup.

Let's take a look at five players who can help fill in the gaps in your lineup.

Marquese Chriss, PF, Golden State Warriors ($4,300)

Marquese Chriss is our top projected value play on the night, let's take a look at why.

The Golden State Warriors have ruled Willie Cauley-Stein and Kevon Looney out for this game, which means Chriss will get the start at center as he did in their most recent game. He played 33 minutes against the San Antonio Spurs and was able to post 30.7 FanDuel points. A super-strong performance from a player who is under $5K, and could be in for similar production tonight against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Wolves are allowing 52.3 FanDuel points per game to centers this season -- the 13th-most in the league.

Our projections have Chriss going for 31 minutes and posting 33.5 FanDuel points tonight. That would have him reaching nearly 8x value and should make him one of the more popular plays on tonight's slate.

Jarrett Culver, SF, Minnesota Timberwolves ($4,300)

The Timberwolves have a ton of injuries right now, and that opens up plenty of value options.

Last night, Jarrett Culver got the start and was able to post 31.1 FanDuel points in 32 minutes against the Milwaukee Bucks, which is very similar to where we have him projected tonight. We have him going for 32 minutes and 27 FanDuel points, making him the fourth-best value option overall on the slate. He is up against the Warriors, where the over/under is set at 215 points and should allow Culver to continue his success as the starter.

The Warriors are allowing the fourth-most -- 42.5 -- FanDuel points per game to small forwards this season. Culver would need 21.5 FanDuel points in order to reach 5x value -- which our projections support tonight -- and should be easily obtainable given this defensive matchup.

Aaron Holiday, PG, Indiana Pacers ($5,100)

With Malcolm Brogdon ruled out tonight, Aaron Holiday will be getting the start at point guard.

Overall, this Denver Nuggets at Indiana Pacers game isn't the ideal spot for fantasy production --with only a 210 total. There is no other way to put it, and with eight other games on the slate, we shouldn't see too much ownership on this game. Both teams are sitting in the bottom-10 slowest teams when it comes to offensive pace this season. On top of all of that, Denver is allowing the fourth-fewest FanDuel points per game overall this season, and the Pacers are at the sixth-fewest. This is clearly a slow-paced, defensive matchup, but we can still find value here.

That comes from Holiday, who has played 29 minutes or more in each of the last four games when Brogdon has been out, producing 27 FanDuel points or more in each game. He will be the starting point guard tonight, the minutes will be there, and his price is very modest, it's just a bad overall game environment for fantasy production.

Maxi Kleber, PF, Dallas Mavericks ($4,200)

If Kristaps Porzingis is ruled out again, you should look to Maxi Kleber as a value option.

Porzingis is listed as questionable for tonight's game against the Brooklyn Nets and didn't play in the Dallas Mavericks' most recent game. When he was out, we saw Kleber get the start, play 35 minutes and post 32.8 FanDuel points. Those are some big-time minutes along with some serious production for a player who is just above $4K. If Kleber gets the start again, you should be trusting him in a pace-up spot against the Nets with a total set at 220.5 points.

Kleber is production 0.78 FanDuel points per minute this season when Porzingis is off the court. That isn't super high, but we only need 21 FanDuel points from him in order to reach 5x value tonight.

Christian Wood, PF, Detroit Pistons ($4,100)

Christian Wood should be seeing the starting lineup for the Detroit Pistons tonight.

With Blake Griffin having missed their most recent game -- and listed as questionable tonight -- the Piston will likely turn to Wood at power forward. This game against the Los Angeles Clippers should be a solid fantasy environment for the Pistons, as it is a pace-up spot, a high over/under -- 223 points -- and a middle of the road defensive matchup. The league average for FanDuel points allowed per game to opposing power forwards is 43.9 -- the Clippers are allowing 43.0.

All of this leads to our projections having Wood going for 27 minutes and producing 31.5 FanDuel points, making him the second-best value option at power forward tonight.