NBA

3 NBA FanDuel Value Plays to Target on Friday 4/30/21

Thomas Vecchio  —  @DFS_Tom Apr 30th, 2021
Bobby Portis could be one of the chalkiest players on the slate if Giannis Antetokounmpo​ is out. Who else should you build your lineups around?

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.

Bobby Portis, PF, Milwaukee Bucks ($4,800)

Tonight we spell chalk PORTIS.

Bobby Portis that is. He is shaping up to be one of the chalkiest players on tonight's slate since Giannis Antetokounmpo left last night's game early and didn't return. Throughout the season, we have seen Portis in the starting lineup when Antetokounmpo has been out, and that is the case we should see tonight. This is what will cause him to be one of the most popular players on the slate, as he is producing 1.14 FanDuel points per minute on a 22.4% usage rate when Antetokounmpo is off the court.

The matchup against the Chicago Bulls is not only a revenge game for Portis, but it also happens to be an easier defensive matchup because Chicago is allowing 43.91 FanDuel points per game to power forwards, which is 16th in the league. Portis is currently projected for 20.59 minutes and 23.1 FanDuel points. However, those minutes could jump closer to 30 if and when Antetokounmpo is ruled out.

Maurice Harkless, SF, Sacramento Kings ($3,600)

With De'Aaron Fox and Harrison Barnes out of the lineup for the Sacramento Kings, there are plenty of minutes available for value players.

The Kings find themselves as 8.5-point underdogs on the road to take on the Los Angeles Lakers, where the game total is sitting at 223.5 points. While the Lakers are known for their defense in recent seasons, they've seen that slip recently, and that is translating to more fantasy points for opposing teams. Hopefully, this provides an opening for Maurice Harkless to add in some fantasy points in what should be a solid fantasy environment.

Harkless is projected for 31.94 minutes and 20.6 FanDuel points, making him the third-best value option among small forwards tonight. While that is under one FanDuel point per minute, if he hits that projection, he will be exceeding his salary-based expectations. Harkless fits well with a stars-and-scrubs lineup strategy, as he is only $100 more than the minimum salary.

Landry Shamet, SG, Brooklyn Nets ($4,500)

The Brooklyn Nets are on the second night of a back-to-back and still have a few injury situations worth monitoring.

Last night, Kyrie Irving sat out due to an injury, as well as Bruce Brown Jr., Chris Chiozza, Nicolas Claxton, and James Harden. Since they are on the second night of a back-to-back, there is speculation around Kevin Durant and if he will be playing after recently returning from an injury. We also could see Blake Griffin sit out due to injury management as he's been known to do on back-to-backs. Simply put, there is a giant question mark on the Nets' players and potential rotation tonight.

However, Landry Shamet could be one of the key players for the Nets, regardless of who else is in or out of the lineup. He has played 28 minutes or more in each of his last seven games, has posted double-digit real points in five of those seven games, and has taken seven three-pointers more in six of his last eight games. There is a clear path to upside for Shamet tonight and considering this game against the Portland Trail Blazers has a massive 240-point over/under, it's safe to say he won't have an issue reaching value.