Daily Fantasy Basketball 2015: DraftKings Breakout DFS Rookies and Sleepers
Daily fantasy basketball is such a pleasure when you pick a couple studs who come through for 65 fantasy points each. But the best feeling by far is finding that under-the-radar guy who comes through for a huge night.
So, without further ado, here are some kids in line for nice nights and a few veterans who should exceed their (relatively) low expectations.
Rookies
Emmanuel Mudiay ($6,200) @ Warriors
Emmanuel Mudiay belongs in the league. He has the size (6'5"), handling, lateral quickness, and explosive athleticism to hang with the best ball-handlers in the west. He's still sloppy with the rock—averaging 5.6 turnovers per game, according to the DraftKings website, but he has the confidence and short memory to continue to attack.
Per Basketball-Reference.com, Mudiay ranks 12th in the league and first among rookies, with a usage percentage of 29.5. He plays over 30 minutes a game and scores nearly 12 points to go along with his 5.8 assists.
Friday night, he'll battle with the front-runner for MVP (though I imagine shooting guard Klay Thompson will spend time defending Mudiay). The Warriors allow the fourth-fewest fantasy points per game to opposing point guards this season. However, they play at the fourth-fastest pace and won't hesitate to get into a fast-break game. That's where Mudiay can best showcase his skill set.
The rookie guard will likely see a fair amount of time against the Warriors reserves. This game is a projected blowout, with the Nuggets as 17-point road underdogs, according to Odds Shark.
Willie Cauley-Stein ($4,600) vs. Rockets
No DeMarcus Cousins vs. the Rockets. That should mean more usage and playing time for the fellow Kentucky alum. However, Cauley-Stein had his worst game since becoming a starter on Wednesday. He scored no points and had just four boards.
I love Cauley-Stein Friday night. The defensive-minded big will shine in a frenetic, fast-paced game. He was brought in for games just like this. He's built to switch onto guards and force them into difficult shots.
His minutes should increase as should his rebounding numbers. Hopefully he watched film of Hassan Whiteside's full-court domination Houston earlier this week—that's the blueprint for athletic leapers against this slash-happy team.
Sleepers
Dewayne Dedmon ($3,000) vs. Raptors
Dedmon filled in for the injured Nikola Vucevic in Houston on Wednesday and came through for his fantasy owners. He filled up the stat sheet with four points, seven boards, two blocks, two steals, an assist and six fouls.
He'll start against a Toronto unit that loves to go small and ranks 11th against opposing centers, according to DraftKings. Any time you can get a starter for minimum value, you have to strongly consider, especially if it's a center who should fall backwards into at least six rebounds.
Joe Johnson ($4,600) vs. Lakers
Joe Johnson is a confident isolation player who makes way too much money every year. He's second in the league with a $24.9 million salary for the 2015-16 season, according to International Business Times. Fortunately for Johnson, he'll be checked for some of this game by the only player who fits those parameters better than he does: Kobe Bryant.
The Lakers allow 116.8 points per game. They have the highest team defensive efficiency rating and they play at the third-fastest pace in the league, all according to Basketball-Reference.com. Joe Johnson has shot poorly so far this season, but he's undervalued because of it. If he plays at the same level and shoots closer to his career percentage, he should be in for a monster night.
Shaun Livingston ($3,000) vs. Nuggets
This is a deep sleeper, and I'm advising against starting Livingston in cash games. But if you're desperate for a minimum-value guard in a Guaranteed Prize Pool or a Qualifier, this is the night for the Warriors' veteran backup.
Why?
Per DraftKings, the Nuggets are dead last against opposing point guards. The Warriors are 17-point favorites. This has the makings of a blowout where Steph Curry sits for the entire fourth quarter. If Livingston plays 25 minutes, he'll well exceed his value because he scores, assists and rebounds well for a point guard. Be mindful, that's a big "if."
Enter the DraftKings $25K Sharpshooter contest this weekend. Use promo code BLEACHER REPORT when you sign up.
