Fantasy

Fantasy: Top-150 Overall Rankings for 2014-15

With fantasy basketball drafts approaching, here are Basketball Insiders’ top 150 players for the 2014-15 season.

Published

4 years ago

October 17, 2014

It’s that time of year folks… With the commencement of the 2014-15 NBA less than two weeks away, the majority of fantasy basketball drafts will be held over the next 10 days. Thus, we are rolling out our most comprehensive and complete rankings to date.

Listed below are the official Top-150 overall ranks for the 2014-15 campaign.

Please note: These rankings are based on nine-category fantasy scoring leagues that account for points, assists, rebounds, steals, blocks, three-pointers made, turnovers, field goal percentage and free throw percentage.

Beneath the rankings, I have listed a handful of players that just missed the cut. I have also included a few random stats and other interesting tidbits to help explain the thinking behind a handful of these selections…

1	LeBron James	51	Jrue Holliday	101	Mason Plumlee
2	Anthony Davis	52	Victor Oladipo	102	Zach Randolph
3	Stephen Curry	53	Trevor Ariza	103	Jamal Crawford
4	Chris Paul	54	Kenneth Faried	104	Kelly Olynyk
5	Russell Westbrook	55	Wesley Matthews	105	DeMarre Carroll
6	James Harden	56	Jeff Teague	106	Jordan Hill
7	Carmelo Anthony	57	David Lee	107	Darren Collison
8	Kevin Love	58	Terrence Jones	108	Jeff Green
9	John Wall	59	Jose Calderon	109	Luol Deng
10	LaMarcus Aldridge	60	Rajon Rondo	110	Channing Frye
11	DeMarcus Cousins	61	Markieff Morris	111	Danilo Gallinari
12	Al Jefferson	62	Brook Lopez	112	Draymond Green
13	Serge Ibaka	63	Nerlens Noel	113	Jared Sullinger
14	Blake Griffin	64	Pau Gasol	114	Matt Barnes
15	Kyle Lowry	65	David West	115	Elfrid Payton
16	Dirk Nowitzki	66	Josh Smith	116	Arron Afflalo
17	Chris Bosh	67	Ryan Anderson	117	J.J. Redick
18	Kyrie Irving	68	Robin Lopez	118	Brandon Knight
19	Kevin Durant	69	Kevin Martin	119	Anderson Varejao
20	Kawhi Leonard	70	Kyle Korver	120	Andre Iguodala
21	Damian Lillard	71	Larry Sanders	121	Ersan Ilyasova
22	Nicolas Batum	72	Patrick Beverley	122	Taj Gibson
23	Paul Millsap	73	Lance Stephenson	123	Carlos Boozer
24	Andre Drummond	74	Jeremy Lin	124	Trey Burke
25	Mike Conley	75	Jonas Valanciunas	125	Henry Sims
26	Marc Gasol	76	Tyreke Evans	126	Enes Kanter
27	Al Horford	77	J.R. Smith	127	Nene Hilario
28	Joakim Noah	78	George Hill	128	Eric Gordon
29	DeAndre Jordan	79	Tony Parker	129	Rodney Stuckey
30	Deron Williams	80	Tyson Chandler	130	Avery Bradley
31	Kobe Bryant	81	Greg Monroe	131	Mirza Teletovic
32	Nikola Vucevic	82	Jabari Parker	132	John Henson
33	Eric Bledsoe	83	Jimmy Butler	133	Omer Asik
34	Rudy Gay	84	Michael Carter-Williams	134	Marcus Smart
35	Ty Lawson	85	Brandon Jennings	135	Timofey Mozgov
36	Klay Thompson	86	Paul Pierce	136	Manu Ginobili
37	Derrick Favors	87	Bradley Beal	137	Gorgui Dieng
38	Tim Duncan	88	Danny Green	138	Alec Burks
39	Chandler Parsons	89	Roy Hibbert	139	Tony Wroten
40	Goran Dragic	90	Reggie Jackson	140	Terrence Ross
41	Derrick Rose	91	Amir Johnson	141	K.J. McDaniels
42	Dwyane Wade	92	Josh McRoberts	142	C.J. Miles
43	Dwight Howard	93	Joe Johnson	143	Wilson Chandler
44	Thaddeus Young	94	Tobias Harris	144	Wes Johnson
45	Kemba Walker	95	Giannis Antetokounmpo	145	Miles Plumlee
46	Gordon Hayward	96	Isaiah Thomas	146	Randy Foye
47	Monta Ellis	97	Nikola Pekovic	147	Dion Waiters
48	Marcin Gortat	98	Andrew Bogut	148	Spencer Hawes
49	DeMar DeRozan	99	Mario Chalmers	149	Kevin Garnett
50	Ricky Rubio	100	Andrew Wiggins	150	JaVale McGee

Just Missed the Cut: Gerald Green, Amar’e Stoudemire, Brandan Wright, Julius Randle, Mike Dunleavy, Tristan Thompson, Dante Exum, Mike Miller, Steven Adams, Jodie Meeks, Vince Carter, Kendall Marshall, P.J. Tucker, Marco Belinelli, Samuel Dalembert, Andrea Bargnani, Andrei Kirilenko

* LeBron James has been so good for so long that we tend to take his greatness for granted. He is the only player to average at least 26/6/6 since Michael Jordan in 1991-92 and, amazingly, James has averaged at least 26 ppg, six rpg and six apg in 10 straight seasons. The move from Cleveland (and playing alongside elite scorers like Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love) will be an adjustment, but I have no doubt LeBron will find ways to contribute incredible numbers on a nightly basis.

* Anthony Davis’ stock is so hot right now, many pundits have advocated taking Davis No. 1 overall. While I wouldn’t gamble to that extent (primarily because of Davis’ inability to avoid injury during his first two seasons), the hype is most certainly justified. Davis led the NBA in blocks last season, swatting 2.8 shots per game. He also led the New Orleans Pelicans in steals, averaging 1.3 steals per contest. In the process, Davis became the first NBA player since 2008 to average at least 2.8 blocks and 1.3 steals per game in the same season. Davis also did damage on the boards, grabbing 10 rebounds a night. He joined Shaquille O’Neal as just the second player in NBA history to averaged 20 points, 10 boards and 2.5 blocks during their age-20 season. But Davis’ domination was not limited to the defensive end. He has already established himself as a remarkably effective and efficient scorer. Davis shot 51.9 percent from the floor and knocked down over 79 percent of his free throw attempts, a notably high number for a center. In fact, Davis was only player in the league last season to shoot over 51 percent and 79 percent from the field and free-throw line, respectively.

* John Wall finished his fourth season in the NBA (266 games) with career averages of 17.7 ppg, 8.3 apg and 4.3 rpg. He joined Oscar Robertson, Magic Johnson and Chris Paul as the only players to post these career averages through the first 266 games of their career.

* The last time Chris Bosh played a full NBA season in which he did not have to share the court with LeBron James as a teammate, Bosh averaged 24 ppg and 10.8 rpg. Bosh has always been remarkably efficient, and now with LeBron back in Cleveland and Dwyane Wade inevitably nursing injuries, Bosh will see his usage rate skyrocket.

* Al Jefferson scored 20 or more points in 37 of his last 45 games, averaging 25.1 points on .536 shooting (498-929) and 11.4 rebounds during the stretch. He joined Kevin Love as the only two players in the NBA averaging at least 25 points and 10 rebounds from Jan. 11 through the end of the season.

* Marc Gasol struggled through injuries last season. Fully healthy this preseason, keep in mind that Gasol’s upside is terrific. In 2012-13, Gasol became just the second player in NBA history to average at least 14 points, 4 assists and 1.5 blocks, while also shooting better than 84 percent from the free-throw stripe in the same season. The only player to match those across-the-board totals: Michel Jordan.

* Al Horford has now appeared in 420 regular season games, and has posted a composite average of 14 points, 9.5 rebounds and 1.1 blocks, while shooting 54.1 percent from the floor. This places him in elite company, as only four other players matched those averages through the same number of games played – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O’Neal, Dwight Howard and Artis Gilmore.

* We never want to read too much into Summer League action, but with a guy like Nerlens Noel, we only have limited info to base our opinion on. Noel averaged 12 ppg, five rpg and three blocks in under 25 minutes per contest in Las Vegas. His offensive game is certainly raw, but he’ll be able to contribute right away on the defensive end. It is not a reach to suggest he may be among the league leaders in steals+blocks.

* Yes, Nets GM Billy King is downplaying the severity of Brook Lopez’s recent foot strain (expected to sideline him for up to two weeks), but the red flags are impossible to ignore. Lopez has had incessant issues with his right foot, missing 65+ games in two of the Nets last three seasons. I’m not denying that he’s an incredibly gifted offensive center, but I’m going to let somebody else roll the dice on Lopez this year.

* Which Jonas Valanciunas shows up this season? The JV that was a bitter disappointment over the first half of the season, or the JV that turned it on down the stretch? Over his final 11 games, excluding the season finale in which he only played 15 minutes, Valanciunas averaged a robust 17.1 points (59.6 FG percent) and 11.2 rebounds. Still just 22 years of age, the Lithuanian big man is just finding his footing in the NBA. As long as the price is right, I’m willing to wager Valanciunas returns a nice profit if you pick him in the 70s.

* Larry Sanders was one of the most frustrating players in fantasy hoops last season, burning owners that spent an early round pick on him. While the downside is obvious (off-the-court issues and injuries are frightening), the upside is undeniably enticing. Over his final 28 games of the 2012-13 campaign, Sanders averaged 12.2 points, 11 rebounds and 2.5 blocks. Those are Top-50 overall numbers. Will a new coach give Sanders a chance to redeem himself? The Bucks have a lot invested, so it’s in their best interest to turn their young center around.

* Jose Calderon is one of just two active NBA players shooting over 47 percent from the floor, 87 percent from the charity stripe and 41 percent from behind the three-point arc for their career. Steve Nash is the only member of this exclusive club. Furthermore, the triangle offense is perfectly suited for Calderon, who should put up great numbers in New York.

* Simply put, J.R. Smith was terrible over the first few months of the 2013-14 season. He was suspended for the first five games after running afoul of the NBA’s drug policy; when he returned he was still dealing with the aftereffects of offseason knee surgery. However, as his health improved, his play picked up substantially. Over his first 18 games last season, Smith averaged 10.1 ppg, while shooting 33.3 percent from the floor and 65 percent from the free throw stripe. In contrast, over the final 18 games of the season, Smith averaged 18.6 points while shooting 47.5 percent from the field and 80.6 percent from the line. The production Smith offered over the second half of last year is more in-line with what we can expect going forward (especially if Smith is anointed the starter and sees an uptick in minutes). Opportunistic fantasy GMs will have an opportunity to ‘buy low’ in drafts.

* I’m well aware Michael Carter-Williams put up monster numbers in important categories last season. In fact, he led all rookies in scoring (16.7 ppg), rebounds (6.2 rpg), assists (6.3 apg), and steals (1.9 spg). To put that in perspective, Carter-Williams is just the third player since 1950 to lead all rookies in scoring, rebounding and assists average. He also joined Magic Johnson and Oscar Robertson as the only rookies to average at least 16 points, six rebounds and six assists. However, much like Rajon Rondo, Carter-Williams is far better in real life than fantasy. He shot just 40.5 percent from the floor, 26.4 percent on threes and committed a whopping 3.5 turnovers a night. Yes, despite the being mentioned in the same sentence as Magic and Big O, Carter-Williams finished ranked just 96th overall in nine-category leagues last season. More importantly, the depressing news out of Philly is that MCW has been limited in training camp due to off-season shoulder surgery and may end up missing the first 20+ games of the season.

Draft Kings

DraftKings Preview: Best Value Plays 4/13

Cody Taylor shares his list of top bargain players (under $6,000) on DraftKings tonight.

Published

2 years ago

April 13, 2016

Cody Taylor

Each Wednesday, we help you build your DraftKings lineups for the upcoming night of action. The point of these articles is to highlight relatively cheap players who are poised to do well given their recent success and upcoming matchup.

Tonight features 14 games on the schedule as most teams wrap up their regular season. With nearly every team in action tonight, you will have plenty of options when building your DraftKings rosters. Everyone wants superstar players in their lineup, but in order to afford those players, you’ll need some of these value plays on your squad as well.

If you haven’t done so already, be sure to enter our DraftKings league before 7 p.m. ET tonight. It’s FREE for new users! Here are six bargain players to keep an eye on tonight – all of whom will cost you less than $6,000:

PG: Seth Curry, Sacramento Kings – $5,000

With the Kings shutting down five of their top scorers for the rest of the season, look for Curry to continue to see plenty of playing time. Curry is coming off of his best game in the NBA in which he recorded 20 points, 15 assists, three rebounds and three steals on Monday night against the Phoenix Suns.

Curry’s career night was good for 54.3 fantasy points. Since March 25, Curry has seen a much bigger role with the Kings as he’s averaging 28.7 minutes per game after playing sparingly before that. He’s averaging 15.7 points, 3.7 assists and 2.4 rebounds per game while shooting 54 percent from three-point range during that time frame.

Honorable Mention: Tim Frazier – $5,900

SG: Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers – $5,000

Before you laugh at this selection, consider what we know going into Bryant’s last game. It’s been reported that Lakers head coach Byron Scott plans on letting Bryant play as much as he wants and Scott stated on the record that he’s instructing other players to “get KB the ball.” Knowing the type of player that Bryant is, he’ll want to play big minutes and go out with an impressive performance. Field goal percentage isn’t factored in for DraftKings’ scoring system, so Bryant can shoot it as much as he wants without negatively impacting your team.

He has flashed some vintage Kobe performances a couple of times already this month, as he dropped 35 points on the Houston Rockets on Sunday and he scored 34 points against the Boston Celtics back on April 3. The Utah Jazz desperately need a win tonight (as well as a Houston loss against Sacramento in order to make the playoffs), and Bryant would love nothing more to player spoiler one last time in front of the home crowd at Staples Center. It’s also worth noting that Utah will be without their defensive anchor Rudy Gobert. This is the final time you can have Kobe in your lineup and he may be a steal at $5,000.

Honorable Mention: Evan Fournier – $5,100

SF: Kent Bazemore, Atlanta Hawks – $5,100

Bazemore has been arguably one of the best fantasy players over his last four games for the Hawks. Over this stretch, Bazemore is averaging 17 points, eight rebounds, 3.8 assists, 2.8 steals and 1.5 blocks per game, which has translated to 41 fantasy points per game.

Bazemore has proven this season that he can contribute on both ends of the floor and make his presence felt in a variety of ways. On April 1 against the Cleveland Cavaliers, he scored only seven points, but added 12 rebounds, six assists and three blocks, which was good for 36.5 fantasy points. The Hawks should continue to play their starters with playoff seeding on the line heading into the final night of action.

Honorable Mention: Maurice Harkless – $4,600

PF: Marvin Williams, Charlotte Hornets – $5,300

Williams is another starter who you can count on playing since the Hornets are still fighting for playoff seeding. Some of the league’s best players could be getting some rest tonight with playoff positions already locked up, but Williams seems likely to play as he normally would.

Williams has been very consistent over his last six outings, as he’s scored at least 24 fantasy points in each of those games. The Hornets are up against the Orlando Magic tonight, and Williams went off for 26 points, nine rebounds, two assists and a block the last time the Hornets and the Magic faced off on March 16.

Honorable Mention: Jabari Parker – $5,900

C: Mason Plumlee, Portland Trail Blazers – $4,700

Plumlee has been very productive over the past several weeks. Since March 1, Plumlee has scored fewer than 20 fantasy points just twice (in a span of 21 games). He’s a guy who comes in at price lower than $5,000 and he seems likely to give you at least 20 fantasy points.

He has proven that he can do a little bit of everything, as he’s averaging 12.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.6 blocks and 1.2 steals in five games during the month of April.

Honorable Mention: Jonas Valanciunas – $5,000

UTIL: Toney Douglas, New Orleans Pelicans – $5,500

The Pelicans have been ready for the offseason for quite some time now given all of the injuries they have endured this season. Douglas has been a direct beneficiary of those injuries, starting in 17 out of the Pelicans’ last 18 games.

Douglas has turned in four-straight outings with at least 30 fantasy points and has been one of the team’s leading scorers in each of those games. Look for that production to continue as the Pelicans face off against a Minnesota Timberwolves team that ranks 26th against opposing point guards.

If you are taking our advice tonight, let me know how your team did by reaching out to me on Twitter, @CodyTaylorNBA.

*****

We encourage you to give these players a look as you build your starting lineups for tonight. Here are contests you can enter now:

Sharpshooter:
– Last chance to play before the playoffs start
– Prove your NBA knowledge
– Make every game more exciting
– FREE for new users
– Must join by Wednesday, April 13th at 8:00 pm EST
– Salary cap style drafting: $50,000 to select PG, SG, SF, PF, C, G, F and Utility

Giant Double Up:
– Last chance to play before the playoffs start
– Prove your NBA knowledge
– Make every game more exciting
– Must join by Wednesday, April 13th at 8:00pm EST
– Salary cap style drafting: $50,000 to select PG, SG, SF, PF, C, G, F and Utility

Draft Kings

DraftKings Preview: Best Value Plays 4/6

Who are the best value players on DraftKings? Cody Taylor gives his top options cheaper than $6,000.

Published

2 years ago

April 6, 2016

Cody Taylor

Wednesday in the NBA is typically one of the busiest nights of the week as most teams are in action. There are eight games set to tip off tonight, leaving you with plenty of options when building your DraftKings lineups.

The key to winning in DraftKings is having some cheaper players on your rosters who will perform well and allow you to afford players like James Harden, Kemba Walker and Paul George (among others). We’re here to help you set your lineups by highlighting several cheaper players who seem poised to do well given their recent success or upcoming matchup.

If you haven’t done so already, be sure to enter our DraftKings league before 7 p.m. ET tonight. It is FREE for new users! Click here to draft your team. Here are six bargain players to keep an eye on tonight – all of whom will cost you less than $6,000:

PG: Tim Frazier, New Orleans Pelicans – $4,600

Frazier seems like a safe bet to have in your lineup for the remainder of the season. The Pelicans have been battered by injuries this season, and Frazier will be relied on heavily. Frazier began the season with the Portland Trail Blazers, but averaged less than eight minutes per game — he’s averaging 28.1 minutes in 11 games with the Pelicans.

Frazier has proven that, when given an opportunity to play extended minutes, he can contribute all across the board. He’s averaging 13.5 points, 6.3 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game during his brief stint in New Orleans, which has translated to 30 fantasy points per game. He’s been on a tear lately, as he’s averaging 37.9 fantasy points over his last four outings.

Honorable Mention: Shane Larkin – $4,300

SG: Evan Fournier, Orlando Magic – $4,500

Fournier should be a player you can count on for at least 20 fantasy points or so. Outside of a few players like James Harden, Victor Oladipo and C.J. McCollum, there are really not a lot of the top names in action tonight at shooting guard, so this may be where you opt to go cheaper.

Since the beginning of March, Fournier has been a consistent fantasy option as he’s scored fewer than 20 fantasy points only four times (in a span of 17 games). He’s shown that he can get hot as well as he recorded 22 points, three assists and two rebounds on Sunday against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Honorable Mention: James Ennis – $3,500

SF: Maurice Harkless, Portland Trail Blazers – $4,100

Harkless is another player who has greatly benefited from an increased role. After playing sparingly for most of the season, Harkless has started the past eight games in a row for the Blazers and has been a solid fantasy option in the starting lineup.

Harkless is coming off of his best fantasy performance of the season after recording 20 points, a career-high 16 rebounds, two assists and two steals last night for the Blazers, which was good for 48.5 fantasy points. In 11 games as a starter, Harkless is averaging 13.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.1 steals and nearly one block per game. During his current stretch as a starter, he’s averaging 29.1 fantasy points per game.

Honorable Mention: Jordan Hamilton – $4,200

PF: Thomas Robinson, Brooklyn Nets – $4,700

We’re seeing many teams having to go with some of their deeper role players and Robinson fits that bill. He’s seen a huge spike in playing time over the past week or so as he’s earned the start in three out of the Nets’ last four games. He’s averaging 13.3 points and 12.3 rebounds during that stretch, which has been good for 36 fantasy points per game.

Robinson is a good candidate to earn the bonus points DraftKings hands out for double-doubles as he’s turned in four-straight double-double performances. It seems like a safe bet to continue to ride with Robinson in your lineups until he cools off. With just five games remaining for the Nets, keep Robinson on your radar as the regular season winds down.

Honorable Mention: Markieff Morris – $5,300

C: Cody Zeller, Charlotte Hornets – $4,200

Zeller has been playing very well over the past week or so for the Hornets. He’s turned in four-straight outings with at least 20 fantasy points, including back-to-back performances with over 30 points last week.

He turned in one of his better all around performances of the season on Sunday, recording eight points, six rebounds and five steals against the Cleveland Cavaliers. With several of the top centers in action tonight, you may want to slide Zeller into your utility spot.

Honorable Mention: Mason Plumlee – $4,400

UTIL: Elfrid Payton, Orlando Magic – $5,600

Payton has been playing better in recent weeks after having an up-and-down season. Payton has scored at least 25 fantasy points in each of his last seven games. During that stretch, Payton recorded his first triple-double of the year, scoring 20 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, which was good for 53.5 fantasy points.

Given his ability to rebound and distribute the ball, he can go off on any given night and come close to notching another triple-double. If you are in need of a utility player or another guard, Payton could be your guy.

If you are taking our advice tonight, let me know how your team did by reaching out to me on Twitter, @CodyTaylorNBA.

Draft Kings

DraftKings Preview: Best Value Plays 3/30

Who are the best bargain plays on DraftKings? Here are a number of guys cheaper than $6,000 to play.

Published

2 years ago

March 30, 2016

Cody Taylor

Wednesday in the NBA is typically one of the busiest nights of the week as most teams are in action. There are nine games set to tip off tonight, leaving you with plenty of options when building your DraftKings lineups.

The key to winning in DraftKings is having some cheaper players on your rosters who will perform well and allow you to afford players like Stephen Curry, Hassan Whiteside and Kawhi Leonard among others. We’re here to help you set your lineups by highlighting several players who seem poised to do well given their recent success or upcoming matchup.

If you haven’t done so already, be sure to enter our DraftKings league before 7 p.m. ET tonight. It is $3 to play (or FREE for new users) and it has a $10,000 first-place prize (and a $100,000 total prize pool). Click here to draft your team. Here are six bargain players to keep an eye on tonight – all of whom will cost you less than $6,000:

PG: Toney Douglas, New Orleans Pelicans – $4,900

It seems as though just about any player you can get your hands on from the Pelicans could be a safe bet. The team announced on Tuesday that Jrue Holiday and Alonzo Gee will miss the rest of the season, which leaves the team with seven players on the injured reserve out for the rest of the year.

Douglas comes in as a solid option for you tonight and he won’t break your budget. In his increased role, he’s become a very reliable fantasy option as he’s scored at least 20 fantasy points in 10 out of his last 11 outings. If you’re looking for a cheap option at point guard, Douglas could be your guy.

Honorable Mention: Shelvin Mack – $6,000

SG: Josh Richardson, Miami HEAT – $4,700

Richardson has benefited from an increased role with the team in recent weeks. His minutes per game have increased from 15.7 in January to a season-high 29.1 minutes per game in March. He’s averaging 12.8 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists during the month of March.

He earned his second start of the season for Miami on Monday against the Brooklyn Nets in place of a sick Goran Dragic. Richardson would be in line to earn the start again tonight against the Los Angeles Lakers if Dragic can’t go, but Richardson should still be a great option for you even if Dragic does play. Miami has Dragic listed as questionable for tonight’s game, so keep an eye on his status closer to tip off.

Honorable Mention: J.J. Redick – $4,700

SF: Mirza Teletovic, Phoenix Suns – $4,700

With only a couple of the top small forwards in action tonight, Teletovic could be an option for you if you want to go cheaper here in order to save of your money for some other players. Teletovic and the Suns face off against a Milwaukee Bucks team that ranks 29th against opposing small forwards.

He’s been a reliable option over the past week or so as he’s turned in five-straight outings with at least 20 fantasy points. During that stretch, Teletovic has averaged 15 points and 5.2 rebounds for the Suns.

Honorable Mention: Matt Barnes – $5,300

PF: JaMychal Green, Memphis Grizzlies – $5,000

Green is another guy to target tonight on a very favorable matchup against a Denver Nuggets team that ranks 28th against opposing power forwards. Green has proven that he can contribute big games, as he’s turned in some performances with over 20 points for the Grizzlies.

There are a lot of the top power forwards in action tonight, so Green may be a guy you want to put in your forward or utility slots. The Grizzlies have been decimated by injuries this season so Green will have plenty of opportunities during games to contribute.

Honorable Mention: Patrick Patterson – $3,900

C: Jonas Valanciunas, Toronto Raptors – $5,100

Valanciunas has put together a solid week of performances as he’s scored at least 20 fantasy points in four-straight games. He’s a prime candidate to earn the bonus points DraftKings hands out for double-doubles as he’s recorded 19 double-doubles this season.

Valanciunas faces a great matchup tonight as the Atlanta Hawks are the fourth-worst team in the league against opposing centers. He could be a great option for your team as a utility player as well.

Honorable Mention: Bismack Biyombo – $4,300

UTIL: D.J. Augustin, Denver Nuggets – $4,700

If you took our advice on Augustin last week, he turned in a solid outing for you. Last week against the Philadelphia 76ers, Augustin recorded 22 fantasy points after having nine points, five assists, two assists and two steals for the Nuggets.

After that outing, he turned in performances with 39.8 and 41.5 fantasy points. If you are in need of a cheap utility guy, Augustin could be your guy since he’s been playing so well as of late.

If you are taking our advice tonight, let me know how your team did by reaching out to me on Twitter, @CodyTaylorNBA.

*****

We encourage you to give these players a look as you build your starting lineups for tonight. Here are two contests you can enter tonight:

$100,000 Hot Shot:
– Make every shot and rebound more exciting
– $10,000 first-place prize and a $100,000 prize pool
– $3 to play or FREE for new users
– Must join by Wednesday, March 30th at 7:30pm EST
– Salary cap style drafting: $50,000 to select PG, SG, SF, PF, C, G, F and Utility

$5 Double Up:
– Make every shot and rebound more exciting
– $5 to play – finish in the top half of the contest and you double your money for a $10 prize
– Must join by Wednesday, March 30th at 7:30pm EST
– Salary cap style drafting: $50,000 to select PG, SG, SF, PF, C, G, F and Utility