This article is part of our FantasyDraft NBA series.
Each week, RotoWire will provide value plays for your daily fantasy basketball lineups on FantasyDraft. Users have a salary cap of $100,000 to select a lineup comprised of three guards, three forwards/centers and two utility players.
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The target for each player to reach value is 2.5x the player's salary. If a player costs $10,000 against the cap, expected value is 25 fantasy points.
Evan Turner ($10,400)
Turner's versatility has been on full display recently, as he has averaged 28.8 fantasy points per game over his last five, topping the five-rebound and three-assist marks four times each over that span. He has a chance to improve even further on those numbers with huge minutes on the horizon due to injury issues in Boston's backcourt. Turner's ability to contribute in secondary stats grants him a high floor when he's playing his customary 27 minutes per game, so he's about as safe as it gets when his playing time is raised to the mid-30's.
Thaddeus Young ($13,200)
Young needs about 33 fantasy points to return value at his current price, and he has reached that mark five times in the last seven games while exceeding 40 four times in that span. His one-game sample since point guard Jarrett Jack went down with a knee injury saw Young rack up 23 points and 15 rebounds, and, while he's unlikely to double down on that performance, the forward is a safe bet to get more offensive opportunities with less ball-dominant point guards Shane Larkin and Donald Sloan running the show for the Nets.
Will Barton ($12,600)
Barton had been on an absolute tear prior to Sunday's clunker against Portland, averaging 42.5 fantasy points per game in his previous eight, and over 47 in his last three. The last time Denver's go-to scorer was held below 25 fantasy points, he rebounded with a season-high 58.0 in his next appearance, so there's no reason to treat his last game as anything but an outlier. Barton has been consistently outperforming his price for the past month and is a bench player in name only.
Zaza Pachulia ($11,100)
Pachulia is one of three Mavericks priced at exactly $11,100, but he has topped 30 fantasy points in each of his last five appearances while teammates Deron Williams and Dirk Nowitzki have done so just twice combined over that span. The Georgian's consistency during that time is remarkable - he has scored between 14 and 17 points while grabbing between eight and 15 rebounds in every game. While some players have greater upside, it's foolish to overlook a player who has more than tripled his salary for five straight games.
Notable injuries
Bradley Beal (leg), Week-to-Week
Beal still hasn't resumed on-court activity for the Wizards, indicating that he isn't particularly close to a return. Garrett Temple will continue to serve as the main beneficiary of Beal's absence, while Ramon Sessions and Kelly Oubre should continue to see some added minutes with the shooting guard out of commission.
Jarrett Jack (knee), Out For Season
Jack's knee injury against the Celtics on Sunday was originally being called a sprain, but it has since been diagnosed as a torn ACL that will force the point guard to miss the remainder of the season. While the Nets may look to go out and get another point guard, Shane Larkin and Donald Sloan will both see increased responsibilities in Jack's stead.
Tony Parker (hip), Day-to-Day
Parker's hip injury kept him out of the lineup Monday, and will do so again at least for Wednesday's game against the Jazz. Patty Mills should enter the starting lineup as long as the veteran point guard remains sidelined, while Ray McCallum is expected to see some extended run off the bench.
Avery Bradley (hip), Day-to-Day
Bradley is expected to miss at least the next two games with a hip injury. Celtics head coach Brad Stevens likes to adjust his rotation based on matchups, but expect guards Evan Turner and Marcus Smart to see the floor more as Boston lacks other experienced backcourt options to fill Bradley's shoes.
Kevin Durant (toe), Day-to-Day
Durant missed Monday's game against Sacramento, and Tuesday's practice, leaving his status for Wednesday's contest against the Grizzlies in doubt. If Durant does miss more time, Anthony Morrow figures to draw another start, with Kyle Singler seeing a few extra minutes off the bench. His injury doesn't seem too serious, so don't expect the Oklahoma City star to be out much longer.
Al Jefferson (knee), Out Six Weeks
Jefferson's surgery to repair a torn meniscus was successful, but he's still expected to miss about six weeks while allowing the injury to heal. The absence of Jefferson's volume scoring should allow other key offensive cogs like Nicolas Batum, Jeremy Lin and Marvin Williams to play larger offensive roles, but it remains to be seen whether they're able to maintain their efficiency without Jefferson on hand to draw the defense's attention. Those expected to benefit most from the center's extended absence are big men Cody Zeller and Frank Kaminsky.
