NBA

3 NBA FanDuel Value Plays to Target on Wednesday 12/29/21

Thomas Vecchio  —  @Tom_Vecchio1 Dec 29th, 2021

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.

Kyle Anderson, SF/PF, Memphis Grizzlies ($5,100)

The Memphis Grizzlies have seven players listed as out tonight.

This is going to change their lineup and rotation, meaning we should be seeing Kyle Anderson as the starting small forward tonight. This should cause him to be one of the most popular players on the entire slate for a few reasons.

First off, this is a great game environment with a 226.0-point over/under and a 6.0-point spread versus the Los Angeles Lakers. Next, both teams are in the top 10 of the league in offensive pace, setting up a great back and forth nature to this game. There should be plenty of possessions on both sides, enabling all players involved to rack up plenty of fantasy points.

The Lakers are right around the league average, allowing 40.54 FanDuel points per game to opposing small forwards, putting Anderson in a spot to reach and exceed fantasy value. Anderson is projected for 27.85 minutes and 29.2 FanDuel points, making him the fifth-best value option among small forwards.

Derrick Walton, PF, Detroit Pistons ($4,000)

With a staggering 12 players listed as out for the Detroit Pistons, they have a few value options to consider.

That's right. 12 players are out for the Pistons tonight, and that means we should be seeing very solid minutes for the players that they have available. Derrick Walton Jr. is in line to be the starting point guard again and is coming off a game where he played 31 minutes and posted 20.8 FanDuel points.

He missed all five of the field goal attempts he had in that game but still managed to score 20 FanDuel points -- definitely encouraging. Walton is doing plenty when it comes to peripheral stats, and he just needs to find his rhythm from the floor.

Walton enters with a strong projection of 29.46 minutes and 29.1 FanDuel points, which puts him as the third-best value option on the entire slate.

JaVale McGee, C, Phoenix Suns ($5,200)

When Deandre Ayton is out, you should roster JaVale McGee.

It can really be that simple if you want it to be. McGee is producing 1.32 FanDuel points per minute on a 24.0% offensive usage rate when Ayton is off the floor. This should put a bit of a priority on McGee tonight since he has a solid matchup versus the Oklahoma City Thunder, who are allowing 54.39 FanDuel points per game to centers (10th-most in the league).

McGee is projected for 25.81 minutes and 35.7 FanDuel points, making him the third-best value option among centers tonight. This game has a 216.5-point over/under, which is solid. However, a 14.5-point spread in favor of the Phoenix Suns could potentially limit his ceiling.