This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
Guard
Reggie Jackson, DET vs. PHI ($18): Jackson's value fell in the preseason due to renewed knee soreness, but he's been a nice surprise thus far. Not only has he surpassed 30 fantasy points in all three games, Jackson is averaging 36 fantasy points per game for the season. That's an incredible average for an $18 player, as the price is clearly indicative of his preseason rather than the Jackson who averaged over 20 fantasy points per game the last two seasons. The matchup is hard not to like either, with Philly ranking bottom five in fantasy points allowed to point guards dating back to last season.
J.J. Barea, DAL vs. GS ($10): Many people overlooked Barea because of rookie Dennis Smith Jr., but the veteran is showing that he's still a major factor in this offense. In fact, Barea is averaging 30 fantasy points per game, while scoring at least 24 fantasy points in all three games. That's a heck of a floor for a minimum priced player, and he should be leaned on heavily in this matchup against the champs. This is a Golden State team that struggled guarding point guards last season too, allowing over 50 fantasy points per game to opposing guards last season. If that's not enough incentive, the fact that Smith Jr. may miss this game makes Barea look all the more enticing.
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Guard to Avoid
DeMar DeRozan, TOR at SAN ($39): Avoiding San Antonio is always a smart decision, and it's even smarter when it comes to a player like DeRozan. The reason for that is their man-on-man defense, as they rank top three in field goal percentage allowed almost every year. That should affect a player like DeRozan even more, as he's the sort of player who primarily relies on his mid-range jumpers. What also makes DeRozan a tough guy to trust is his status, as he's currently questionable for this game with an illness.
Forward
Stanley Johnson, DET vs. PHI ($10): It's easy to look at Johnson's numbers with a lack of enthusiasm, but the minutes alone makes him an intriguing option. Johnson is averaging 31 minutes per game so far this season, as he's found himself in the starting five. It's led to him scoring between 19 and 20 fantasy points in all three games, which is great value for a minimum-priced player. It's a spectacular matchup too, as Johnson should be guarded by the defensively inept J.J. Redick.
Kelly Olynyk, MIA vs. ATL ($10): It's a wonder why Olynyk's price is at $10, as he has provided $20 value throughout his career. What makes it even more bizarre is the fact that he is in the midst of a big role right now, starting for his new Heat team. Olynyk is performing for Miami too, averaging 28.7 fantasy points per game this season. Another factor to consider is the Hassan Whiteside injury, as Olynyk should be asked to play even more minutes if Whiteside ends up sitting out.
Forward to Avoid
Rudy Gay, SAN vs. TOR ($30): This is the simple case of a pricing system falling victim to previous seasons. Throughout Gay's career, he's been a $30 player that has regularly provided solid value. This is a different circumstance though, as Gay is now a San Antonio Spur and is coming off the worst injury of his career. That's evident in his playing time, as he has yet to play more than 23 minutes in any game this season. All these factors lead to Gay being overvalued on Yahoo!, and he's off-limits until he drops below $25.
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Center
Marc Gasol, MEM at HOU ($29): Gasol has been a beast in his first two games, and now he gets one of the best matchups possible against the Rockets. In his first two games, Gasol averaged 48 fantasy points per game, as he's taken on much more of the offensive load with Zach Randolph out of town. It shows in the usage too, as his 33.3 usage rate is the highest of his career and one of the highest in the league. What adds to the intrigue is the fact that Gasol destroyed these Rockets last season, averaging 19.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.3 steals and 2.5 blocks per game in four matchups against them.
Dewayne Dedmon, ATL at MIA ($11): Dedmon has found himself in the best situation of his career, as he's the everyday starter for the Hawks. While he hasn't gone off yet, the fact that he's averaging over 23 fantasy points per game shows how effective he can be. That's all you can ask for from a minimum priced player, as 2.3 times salary in points will build you an optimal lineup. In addition, Dedmon should be used more heavily, with the Heat allowing the second most fantasy points to opposing centers this season.
Center to Avoid
Joel Embiid, PHI at DET ($34): No one is doubting that Embiid is an elite player, but his situation makes him too tough to trust for DFS. Not only is there a potential minutes restriction to consider, he has one of the toughest matchups in the league. Embiid will be matched up with Andre Drummond, who ranked top three in defensive rating last season. Paired with the fact that Embiid will be limited to under 30 minutes of play, and that makes his upside too low to trust at this sort of price tag.
