3 NBA FanDuel Value Plays to Target on 3/2/21

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.

Nerlens Noel, PF, New York Knicks ($5,500)

With Taj Gibson out for the New York Knicks, Nerlens Noel is set for plenty of minutes tonight.

Over the past two games, Noel has played 41 and 39 minutes, which is a noticeable increase from the 22-32 minutes he was playing over his last six games -- consistent with what we saw through the first part of the season. Tonight, Noel is projected for 34.04 minutes and 32.6 FanDuel points, making him the top overall value option on the slate.

That shouldn't be a surprise, as Noel gets to see some playing time while Derrick Rose, Julius Randle, and RJ Barrett are off the court. When that is the case, Noel is producing 0.99 FanDuel points per minute, compared to the 0.83 FanDuel points per minute he is producing while they are on the court. That jump in production is very solid and has the potential to be amplified tonight since the Knicks (30th) are in a pace-up spot versus the San Antonio Spurs (12th). All of this should put Noel in a great spot to be one of the most productive players on the slate.

Desmond Bane, SG, Memphis Grizzlies ($3,500)

The Memphis Grizzlies have a few injuries worth monitoring tonight and that could open up some value.

Right now, Grayson Allen is out, and Kyle Anderson is listed as questionable for Memphis. This could lead to Desmond Bane seeing plenty of minutes or being in the starting lineup as we saw him in there on Sunday. If he is in the starting lineup, Bane could end up as one of the most popular players on the entire slate, as he is the minimum salary and going up against the Washington Wizards, where the total is set at 235.5 points.

We also see this as a pace-up spot for Memphis (14th) because Washington (1st) plays so fast this season. On top of that, the Wizards are allowing the seventh-most (42.19) FanDuel points per game to opposing shooting guards this season. This gives Bane a projection of 25.03 minutes and 18.8 FanDuel points, making him the best value option among small forwards tonight. He could very well push past that projection if this game lives up to its fantasy potential and exceeds the current game total.

Will Barton, SF, Denver Nuggets ($4,900)

The Denver Nuggets are visiting the Milwaukee Bucks where the total is set at 235 points, and you want some exposure to this game.

While there are plenty of stars to pick from in this matchup, there are also a number of value options you should be considering, which should start with Will Barton. He is currently projected for 35.59 minutes and 27.2 FanDuel points, which makes him the best-projected value option among small forwards tonight. Let's take a look at why Barton is so highly-projected tonight.

Besides the very high game total, the Bucks are allowing the seventh-most (43.54) FanDuel points per game to opposing small forwards this season. The Bucks are also allowing the fourth-most (14.4) made three-pointers by their opponents this season, which presents a bit of upside for Barton, who is hitting shots from downtown at a 38% clip this season. This also happens to be a significant pace-up spot for the Nuggets, who are currently 26th in offensive pace, while the Bucks are the ninth-fastest team in the league. All of these factors combined should put Barton in a great spot to deliver fantasy points tonight.