Daily Fantasy Basketball 2015: NBA DFS DraftKings Optimal Rankings for Dec. 2
The highest fantasy point totals should come from the New Orleans Pelicans at Houston Rockets matchup. The Pelicans are 30th in points allowed and the Rockets are 28th.
There's a good chance we could see 250-plus points scored in this game. If that's not a game made especially for a DraftKings player, one doesn't exist.
The Rockets' James Harden ($10,300) has shaken off a slow start, and he's been on fire of late. In his last six games, he averaged 56.7 fantasy points. Heading into a game against the league's worst defense, Harden seems as safe a pick as any.
That's the reason he tops the optimal rankings list:
| 1 | James Harden | SG | New Orleans | $10,300 |
| 2 | Anthony Davis | PF | Houston | $10,700 |
| 3 | Andre Drummond | C | Phoenix | $9,000 |
| 4 | Stephen Curry | PG | Charlotte | $10,600 |
| 5 | Paul George | SF | L.A. Clippers | $10,200 |
| 6 | Jimmy Butler | SG | Denver | $7,700 |
| 7 | Eric Gordon | SG | Houston | $6,000 |
| 8 | Kawhi Leonard | SF | Milwaukee | $8,700 |
| 9 | Blake Griffin | PF | Indiana | $9,100 |
| 10 | DeAndre Jordan | C | Indiana | $7,300 |
Anthony Davis ($10,700)
Pelicans superstar Anthony Davis is in a similar situation. The Rockets haven't proven they can stop anyone, let alone a player like Davis. The Unibrow isn't just a scoring threat; he's also putting up huge numbers with his defensive prowess.
On Tuesday night in the team's 113-104 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, Davis compiled 61 fantasy points. Eighteen of those points came from his nine blocked shots.
Davis managed to produce this level of productivity on a night that saw him shoot just 4-of-15 from the field. The Grizzlies are a much better defensive team than the Rockets. Thus, it stands to reason Davis should get more open looks on Wednesday.
Expect him to have an even bigger fantasy output.
Andre Drummond ($9,000)
With a per-game average of 16.9, the Detroit Pistons' Andre Drummond is leading the league in rebounding by a large margin. His game has advanced to a point where it really doesn't matter who the opponent is; Drummond is going to grab his share of caroms.
On Wednesday, Drummond and the Pistons will be at home against the Phoenix Suns. At home, Drummond is averaging 51.5 fantasy points per game compared to 45.5 on the road.
Per ESPN.com, Drummond is even shooting free throws better at the Palace of Auburn Hills (44 percent compared to 34 on the road). Tab the Motor City Mastodon to round out your Big Three.
Sleeper Picks
Patrick Beverley ($4,100)
Sure, Patrick Beverley is a defensive specialist, and Harden takes a bulk of the shots from the perimeter in the Rockets offense, but the former should find himself in position to have his biggest offensive game of the season against the Pelicans.
In a game that should feature plenty of scoring, you'd have to think Beverley could get up seven to 10 shots. When you add in his ability to get steals (seven in his last three games), there's reason to believe he could be worth more than his modest salary.
Leandro Barbosa ($3,200)
Sometimes, the biggest bargains of the day can come from the Golden State Warriors bench. The team wins by an average of 15.3 points per game.
Translation: There are a lot of blowouts. Players like Leandro Barbosa wind up seeing extended minutes. Consider this a mild gamble, but the Warriors have a decent chance to blow out the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday.
That could mean 20-plus minutes for Barbosa. In a 23-minute performance against the Suns on November 27, Barbosa exploded for 30.75 fantasy points. If he can deliver 24 or more, it'll be a huge win for anyone bold enough to draft him.
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