FanDuel Daily Fantasy Basketball Helper: Saturday 2/29/20

If you're new to daily fantasy basketball -- maybe you started your DFS journey during the MLB or NFL seasons, or maybe basketball is your sport and this will be your first year giving it a shot -- you're in for a treat. The NBA scene changes on a week-to-week, day-to-day, and -- depending on injury news -- even a minute-to-minute basis, making every slate a unique one that requires an ever-changing approach.

With so much changing so quickly, we're here with plenty of tools to help you out. We have daily projections, a matchup heat map, a lineup optimizer, and a bunch of other great resources to help give you an edge.

Daily fantasy NBA is very reliant on opportunity, so you'll need to make sure that you're up-to-date with key injuries. Our projections update up until tip-off to reflect current news, we have player news updates, and the FanDuel Scout app will send push notifications for pressing updates regarding your players.

We'll also be coming at you with this primer every day, breaking down a few of the day's top plays at each position.

Let's break down today's main slate:

The Slate

Lots of missing totals on the board as we await news on several star players on the slate, including Portland Trail Blazers star guard Damian Lillard, Los Angeles Lakers star forward LeBron James, and other players possibly resting with five of the fourteen teams on the second leg of a back-to-back.

Point Guard

Malcolm Brogdon ($5,900): Brogdon has seen a price reduction and has slipped under $6,000 for the first time in the calendar year, and it is because of a drop in production. At first glance, it would be easy to chalk that up to the return of Indiana Pacers star guard Victor Oladipo, but that is not the case. The former Virginia Cavaliers' standout has still averaged 32.06 FanDuel points per game in his last six, five of which featured Oladipo. The bigger reason for his production drop is that two of his last three contests have been decided by 29 or more points. Brogdon should see his full allotment of minutes as only a 6.5-point favorite against the Cleveland Cavaliers, which makes him a high-floor option here.

Markelle Fultz ($5,500): The former number-one pick has found his stride with the Orlando Magic, and while there was cause for concern with Fultz's fantasy projections coming off an injury and D.J. Augustin being back, Fultz has still seen 29.75 minutes per game across his last four contests, which bodes well that he has secured his starting job for good. Fultz will attack a San Antonio Spurs team that has given up the seventh-most FanDuel points to opposing point guards, and it may get worse without rim protector LaMarcus Aldridge in the Spurs' lineup.

Other Notable Picks: Trae Young ($10,000), Collin Sexton ($5,800), Rajon Rondo ($4,200)

Shooting Guard

Devin Booker ($7,400): This is an interesting pricing for one of the game's brightest stars as a sizable home favorite, and he will attract plenty of attention on this slate. Devin Booker should be worth his likely lofty ownership against the atrocious Golden State Warriors, a team he has already lit up this season, averaging 30.67 points per game against the Dubs. Even matching his season averages in assists (6.5) and rebounds (4.0) would smash value here, and in a high-paced matchup like this, Booker should have ample opportunities as the cornerstone piece of the slate.

Kevin Huerter ($4,700): Despite how bad the Atlanta Hawks have been, they have not gotten blown out very often. That means a full complement of minutes for their starters, including the second-year guard Huerter, who is averaging an enormous 37.8 minutes per game in February. Huerter also has asserted himself in the offense more alongside Trae Young, and he's taken double-digit shot attempts in every game this month. He is a far more affordable option to the aforementioned Young, and Huerter should fire outside shots at a Portland team giving up the third-best three-point percentage to opponents in the NBA.

Other Notable Picks: C.J. McCollum ($8,800), Damion Lee ($5,800), Victor Oladipo ($4,800)

Small Forward

Jaylen Brown ($6,400): Jayson Tatum has been crazy hot, and his price has ballooned as a result. But Jaylen Brown might be a better point-per-dollar choice Saturday night because of his consistency. He has scored at least 32.4 FanDuel points in every game since returning from injury last Saturday, and that alone would pay off for solid value. However, facing a Houston Rockets team with no centers and the second-fastest pace in the NBA could let Brown finally unleash his upside. With Kemba Walker still out with a knee injury, Brown and Gordon Hayward are affordable paths to ball handlers in this prime matchup.

Carmelo Anthony ($5,700): Melo's value very much relies on Damian Lillard missing yet another contest with a groin injury, but if Dame sits, Melo is positioned well in this pricing area as Portland's clear second option behind McCollum. Anthony boasts a 26.3% usage rate without Lillard on the floor and will be a clear double-double threat against a high-paced Hawks squad that surrenders the third-most rebounds in the league.

Other Notable Picks: Gordon Hayward ($6,100), Mikal Bridges ($5,100), Trevor Ariza ($4,700)

Power Forward

Anthony Davis ($10,700): AD's best game of the season (and one of the best overall performances in the league) was October 29th, when he torched the Memphis Grizzlies for 40 points and 20 rebounds at the Staples Center. Davis should have ample opportunities on the block and on the glass if LeBron were to miss his second game in a row, and LBJ is questionable with a groin injury. Davis's production was disappointing Thursday as he sat the entire fourth quarter against the Warriors, but he should bounce back and see a whole game of action as only 6.0-point road favorites.

Robert Covington ($6,200): Not listed as the starting center for the Rockets, Covington is actually the tallest player in their starting lineup at 6'7". That would explain his strong rebounding efforts in February, posting 7.9 rebounds per 36 minutes since being traded to Houston. He also has made himself at home in the offense, shooting an average of 12 times per game in a Rockets uniform before seeing only three quarters in a blowout of Memphis. Until further notice, Covington is a high-floor option with double-double potential.

Other Notable Picks: John Collins ($8,400), Draymond Green ($5,600), Kyle Kuzma ($4,200)

Center

Nikola Vucevic ($8,700): Vucevic's price has dropped slightly due to a rough week, but he rebounded with a monster Friday game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, posting 27 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists in a win. With many teams that notoriously play small on this slate -- as well as several timeshares (including an incredibly messy Cavs frontcourt) -- Vucevic at a reduced price is one of the few reliable options. He should see more than 30 minutes and is plenty affordable against a Spurs team with few seven-foot options with Aldridge out.

Other Notable Picks: Deandre Ayton ($9,000), Tristan Thompson ($5,400)

Austin Swaim is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Austin Swaim also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username ASwaim3. 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.