This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
Although 13 games will go off Saturday, Yahoo's featured contests exclude the early PHI/TOR game, do we'll be excluding players from this matchup in the article.
Plenty of games are repeats from Friday, so we have the gift of hindsight as a way to gauge certain matchups. As far as pace, the MIN/PHO has an over/under of 216.5 and could exceed that if it stays close. Conversely, LAC/MEM is clocking in at a messy 196.5 and should probably be avoided in cash lineups.
We'll begin with players that break the $50-plus threshold. All five played Friday, and all had excellent games. As for the best player to meet or exceed Friday's feats, my early money would be on Russell Westbrook ($59) against a porous Utah defense. Giannis Antetokounmpo ($60) got hot Friday after Dwight Howard exited the game, so if Howard sits Saturday, the Greek Freak will also be in line for a big night.
I'm not quite as high on DeMarcus Cousins ($57) and Anthony Davis ($56) against Miami, as the Heat have been sneakily stingy to centers even without Hassan Whiteside in the picture. However, Miami is riddled with injuries at other positions, so the duo still warrant consideration. Davis has outperformed Cousins all week, so Davis would be the safer play for a dollar less. Finally, the game flow for Kevin Durant ($57) is largely unaltered, but in this case a tougher Denver team comes into Oakland, and while Durant put up 45.9 YFP against them in their last matchup, that's a number that won't meet value at his price. None of these players are fades, but I'm singling out Westbrook as my favorite of the bunch.
I'll now highlight two players to target and one to avoid for each position. The additional non-highlighted players hold equal weight as favorable options.
GUARD
Eric Bledsoe, MIL at CHA ($28): I realize I sped past myriad options to get to Bledsoe, but I'm going to serve you better with cheaper options on this slate. Bledsoe eviscerated the Hornets on Friday and they could be further hobbled with Kemba Walker questionable. Look for a big stat line once again in this repeat game.
Shabazz Napier, POR at LAL ($10): Damian Lillard is expected to miss his second consecutive game Saturday as he rests a lingering hamstring injury, giving Napier another start. Napier totaled 14 points, five assists, four rebounds and three steals in 37 minutes Friday against Denver. He shot only 6 of 15 from the field, though. A likely better shooting night and the Lakers' NBA-leading pace gives Napier plenty of potential.
Other guards to consider: Jrue Holiday, NO at MIA ($34), C.J. McCollum, POR at LAL ($27), Jamal Murray, DEN at GS ($21), Tyler Johnson, MIA vs. NO ($16)
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Guard to Avoid:
Rajon Rondo, NO at MIA ($26): For starters, he's way overpriced. Also, with the Pelicans employing a smaller lineup with Jrue Holiday at the two and E'Twaun Moore at the three, Rondo quickly starts looking like a waste of space in the backcourt. Rondo and the Pelicans aren't a great fit, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him out of New Orleans next year.
FORWARD
Kyle Kuzma, LAL vs. POR ($28): I used him everywhere Friday and had great results, so I'll dip back into that well again. Portland seems to lose a little bit of its zip without Damian Lillard, and Al-Farouq Aminu will have trouble keeping up with the talented rookie. With consecutive games of at least 50 YFP, expect somewhere in the 40s with a high ceiling.
Josh Richardson, MIA vs. NO ($22): Richardson is firing on all cylinders, and his price is almost laughably low for his potential. He's a size mismatch for E'Twaun Moore and should steer clear of DeMarcus Cousins and Anthony Davis and put in an excellent game. For the money, he might be my favorite pick on the slate.
Other forwards to consider: Khris Middleton, MIL at CHA ($28), Jonathon Simmons, ORL at WAS ($27), Wilson Chandler, DEN at GS ($13)
Forward to Avoid:
Thaddeus Young, IND vs. BKN ($26): Young has come nowhere near his season averages in the last few games, and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson stuck to him like glue in their last tangle with the Nets. It's inevitable that he'll emerge from this four-game slump, but I don't think it'll happen on Saturday.
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CENTER
Karl-Anthony Towns, MIN at PHO ($46): Should you fade DeMarcus Cousins or Anthony Davis but still want to spend up at center, Towns has an excellent matchup against the Suns. He torched them for 55 YFP when they last met, and circumstances haven't changed much for the Suns, as they still rank near the bottom against centers.
Mason Plumlee, DEN at GS ($13): Plumlee has been flourishing at the four alongside the now-healthy Nikola Jokic, and since he has dual eligibility on Yahoo I like sliding him into this spot if you've gone expensive with a Westbrook or a Durant. I haven't intentionally faded Warriors; I just think they have an excellent chance to keep it close.
Other centers to consider: Nikola Vucevic, ORL at WAS ($44), Jusuf Nurkic, POR at ATL ($24), Johnny O'Bryant III (if Howard sits), $10
