Daily Fantasy Basketball 2015: NBA DFS Must-Starts for Each Position for Dec. 9
It's December 9, and the injuries are starting to pile up. According to CBS Sports, 26 of the league's 30 teams have at least one player out with an injury. While it's not great for the quality of the play, it does open up some opportunities on DraftKings.
Inexpensive players like Devin Booker, Shabazz Muhammad and Boban Marjanovic have all posted fantasy nights with 23 or more points this week. Those are the type of "punt plays" that can help propel you up near the top of a Guaranteed Prize Pool.
Wednesday's "must-starts" include several players that cost less than $4,000. Let's get into it.
Point Guard: Ricky Rubio ($6,700) vs. Lakers
According to RotoGrinders, the Lakers are allowing more than 58 fantasy points per game to opposing point guards over the past three weeks. That's a full five points more per game than any other team in the league.
Ricky Rubio is still one of the best passers in the league, and the Lakers have allowed the seventh most assists so far this year, per Basketball-Reference.com.
There's triple-double potential here because Rubio, who boards well for his position, will have a lot of opportunities to grab long rebounds. The Lakers shoot the eighth most long twos (between 16 feet and the three point arc) and the eleventh most threes in the league. They're shooting poorly from both distances: 36 percent on long twos and 32 percent from downtown—both rank in the bottom eight in the league, per Basketball-Reference.com.
Other options: Elfrid Payton ($6,600) @ Suns, John Wall ($8,700) vs. Rockets
Shooting Guard: James Harden ($10,600) @ Wizards
I love Harden after a loss—especially one where he only scored 10 points on nine shots. Though he might not admit it, I believe that last season's runner-up to MVP cares a lot about his stats. He can't have back-to-back duds on his résumé.
Fortunately for Harden, he'll take the court against the Wizards Wednesday night, a team that, after a few years of building a stout defensive team, allows the sixth most points per game this season. According to RotoGrinders, they've allowed the eighth most fantasy points to opposing shooting guards this season.
Other Options: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope ($4,600) vs. Grizzlies, Victor Oladipo ($6,600) @ Suns, Devin Booker ($3,200)
Small Forward: Otto Porter ($5,800) vs. Rockets
Porter has been dynamite since the entire Washington Wizards frontcourt went down with injury or for personal reasons. The small forward from Georgetown has averaged 34.7 fantasy points per game over the last three.
If Nene Hilario, Marcin Gortat and Drew Gooden remain out, Wednesday night should actually be Porter's best performance of the season. He's tied for fifth in the league at offensive rebounds per game amongst small forwards.
He'll certainly benefit if Houston's best defensive wing, Trevor Ariza, misses Wednesday night's bout. Per Brian Mahoney of the Associated Press, Ariza went down with a bruised lower back Tuesday night and didn't return. Ariza's replacements, Corey Brewer and Marcus Thornton, are borderline designated hitters who just want to get out and run and shoot. They couldn't care less about keeping Porter off the offensive glass.
Other Options: Jonathan Simmons ($3,000) @ Raptors (If Kawhi Leonard sits), Shabazz Muhammad ($3,400) vs. Lakers, Corey Brewer ($3,500) @ Wizards, Marcus Thornton ($3,800) @ Wizards
Power Forward: Trevor Booker ($4,800) vs. Knicks
Though rookie Trey Lyles has been starting in place of the injured Rudy Gobert, Booker is getting the majority of the minutes. He's recorded two double-doubles and averaged 30.5 fantasy points over the last two games, per DraftKings.
The Knicks allow the sixth most fantasy points in the league to opposing power forwards, according to DraftKings. Booker and Favors will both play the hybrid power forward and center positions, but each of them can shoot the mid-range jump shot, and the spacing offensively works quite well without Gobert clogging the entire lane.
Other Options: LaMarcus Aldridge ($7,000) @ Raptors (if Kawhi Leonard sits), Chris Bosh ($7,400) @ Hornets, Dirk Nowitzki ($6,800) vs. Hawks, Derrick Favors ($7,900) vs. Knicks, Trey Lyles ($3,100) vs. Knicks
Center: Dwight Howard ($7,000) @ Wizards
I already mentioned the disaster that is Washington's frontcourt. Let's make this simple; the Wizards have no one to stop Dwight around the hoop. He should cruise to a double-double, and I don't think a six-dunk, 20-point, 20-rebound night is out of reach.
Both teams rank in the top 10 in pace of play, per Basketball-Reference.com. It'll be fast-paced with guards jacking up shots in transition all game. Most centers wouldn't thrive in that type of contest, but Howard can protect the rim, start the fast break and provide half-court offense Wednesday night in the nation's capital.
Other Options: Andre Drummond ($9,400) vs. Grizzlies, Bismack Biyombo ($5,000) vs. Spurs, Tim Duncan ($5,900) @ Raptors (If Kawhi Leonard sits), Greg Monroe ($7,200) vs. Clippers
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