Draft Kings

DraftKings Preview: Best Value Plays 1/13

Cody Taylor lists his best value plays on DraftKings to help you fill out your roster for tonight.

Alan Draper profile picture
Sports Editor
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With 10 games set to tip off tonight, you’ll have plenty of options to choose from when building your DraftKings lineups. In order to take some of the elite players like Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden among others, you’ll need to have some cheaper options on your team as well.

Each Wednesday, we’re helping you build your lineups by highlighting some of the cheaper options that figure to do well given their recent success or upcoming matchup. These players will all cost you less than $6,000.

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 $20,000 first-place prize. Here are six cheap players to keep an eye on tonight:

PG: Goran Dragic, Miami HEAT – $5,800

Dragic looks to be one of the more reliable options at point guard tonight priced within our budget. Over his last 14 outings, he’s scored less than 20 fantasy points just twice. On the season, he’s averaging 25.6 fantasy points per game, while putting up 12.3 points, five assists, 3.3 rebounds and one steal per game.

Miami continues their West Coast trip tonight with a matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers. The Clippers rank 21st against opposing point guards, so Dragic should continue his solid play again this evening.

Update: The HEAT have announced that Dragic will miss the remainder of the road trip with a strained calf. It seems likely that Tyler Johnson will see the bulk of minutes in Dragic’s place, so you should consider Johnson tonight for $3,800.

SG: J.J. Redick, Los Angeles Clippers – $5,300

With so few top names in action tonight at shooting guard, this might be where you want to play it cheaper. Redick should be your guy to consider given his recent success. Over his last six games, Redick has put up at least 20 fantasy points in each of those games. In fact, he’s scored less than 20 fantasy points only twice during the last 15 games.

Redick is obviously a prime candidate to earn the bonus points DraftKings hands out for three-pointers. He’s shooting 48 percent from three-point range on the season, and has several outings in which he’s knocked down at least four threes.

Honorable Mention: Eric Gordon – $4,800

SF: Chandler Parsons, Dallas Mavericks – $5,400

Parsons is coming off of his best game of the season last night after contributing 25 points (on 10-of-14 shooting), eight rebounds and two blocks against the Cleveland Cavaliers. He’s been extremely hot over the last two games as he’s shot 16-of-21 from the field and has added 19.5 points per game.

It seems as though Parsons is starting to put up consistently impressive performances in what had been a rather inconsistent season. Considering his price tag for tonight, he could be worth a look at either your forward or small forward slot.

Honorable Mention: Harrison Barnes – $5,400

PF: Cody Zeller, Charlotte Hornets – $5,500

If you took our advice last week with Zeller, he came through big for you. Last Wednesday against the Phoenix Suns, Zeller put up 13 points, 11 rebounds, three steals and a block in 34 minutes of action. With Al Jefferson sidelined with an injury and Frank Kaminsky struggling, Zeller has proven to be a solid option in the front court for the Hornets.

Zeller and the Hornets face a favorable matchup tonight against an Atlanta Hawks team that ranks 22nd against opposing power forwards. There are a lot of top players going tonight at power forward, so Zeller could be a guy you want in your forward slot instead.

Honorable Mention: Amir Johnson – $4,900

C: Robin Lopez, New York Knicks – $5,000

Lopez has been very consistent over the past couple of weeks or so for the Knicks. He’s turned in six-straight outings with at least 20 fantasy points, and is averaging 24 fantasy points over that stretch.

The Knicks face off against the Brooklyn Nets tonight, and the Nets have been one of the worst teams in the league against centers. Last week against the Toronto Raptors, the Nets gave up 41.8 fantasy points to Jonas Valanciunas. They rank 28th against centers, so Lopez should strongly be considered here.

Honorable Mention: Ian Mahinmi – $5,000

UTIL: Joe Johnson, Brooklyn Nets – $4,900

Johnson has been a solid fantasy play this season. He’s a player that’s going to give you a little bit of everything as he’s averaging 11.2 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game this season. He’s also good for a couple of three-pointers a night, which will get you some bonus points.

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 three contests you can enter now:

$275K Sharpshooter:
– $275,000 prize pool
– $20,000 first place prize
– FREE for new users or just $3
– Over 20,000 finishing positions win money guaranteed
– Starts Wednesday, January 13th at 7:00pm EST
– Salary cap style drafting: $50,000 to select PG, SG, SF, PF, C, G, F and Utility

$350K Wednesday Shootaround:
– $350,000 prize pool
– $50,000 first place prize
– Only $20 to enter
– Over 4,000 finishing positions win money guaranteed
– Starts Wednesday, January 13th at 7:00pm EST
– Salary cap style drafting: $50,000 to select PG, SG, SF, PF, C, G, F and Utility

Giant $5 Double Up ($70,000 Guaranteed):
– $70,000 prize pool
– Only $5 to enter
– Double your money tonight
– Top 7,000 scores win $5
– Starts Wednesday, January 13th at 7:00pm EST
– Salary cap style drafting: $50,000 to select PG, SG, SF, PF, C, G, F and Utility

Alan is an expert gambling writer who works as one of the chief editors for Basketball Insiders. He has been covering online gambling and sports betting for over 8 years, having written for the likes of Sportlens, Compare.bet, The Sports Daily, 90min, and TopRatedCasinos.co.uk. His particular specialisms include US online casinos and gambling regulations, and soccer and basketball betting. Based in London, Alan holds an MA in English Literature and is a passionate supporter of Chelsea FC.

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