This article is part of our DraftKings EuroLeague DFS Picks series.
Slate Overview
There are only three games Friday and it's hardly the best slate we have ever seen, but we will give it a whirl. Things will look different for Fenerbahce, as new head coach Sarunas Jasikevicius is expected to be at the helm Friday. In terms of injuries, Monaco and Fenerbahce are both down a key piece, Milan and Valencia will be down several important players, and Olympiacos could be full strength for the first time in a long time.
Guards to Go After
Players listed in order of confidence
Preferred Plays
Mike James, AS Monaco ($11,700)
It's hard to get away from James, particularly with Jordan Loyd out again. It's really not that difficult to fit him in your lineups, and although he will probably be rostered at about 70 percent, I think you just find other ways to differentiate. James possesses one of the best floors on the slate -- as well as best ceilings.
Marko Guduric, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul ($8,500)
Scottie Wilbekin, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul ($8,300)
Going with one of Fenerbahce's best bucket-getters and high-usage players in the game that has the highest over/under and is expected to be the most competitive is a good recipe for success. I could see either coming through, and it's a true coin flip between the two.
Thomas Walkup, Olympiacos Piraeus ($9,500)
Walkup is priced way up and Olympiacos is pretty healthy, but he's still the leader and has the potential to rack up steals in bunches. I think he's fine for those entering multiple lineups.
Nicolas Laprovittola, FC Barcelona ($9,800)
I don't question Laprovittola's upside at all. He absolutely has one of the better ceilings on the slate due to his ability to get very hot behind the arc. I do worry about the floor in a game that Barcelona is favored comfortably in.
Valuable Values
Elie Okobo, AS Monaco ($7,900)
He's out there for his defense and plays second fiddle to James, but I really think if he gets around 23.0 DraftKings points he could find himself in the winning lineup at a low roster percentage.
Devon Hall, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan ($6,500)
Stefano Tonut, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan ($5,800)
With Nikola Mirotic still out and Maodo Lo joining him on the sidelines, I really think one of the four Milan guys I mention is going to pay off his price tag and find a spot in the winning lineup. I see Hall running the point and Tonut playing as the spot-up shooter off him.
Josep Puerto, Valencia Basket ($4,600)
This is a GPP-only play, but with Jared Harper and Xabi Lopez-Arostegui out and Puerto ablel to play multiple positions, he makes for good salary relief in lineups including James.
Frontcourt in Focus
Players listed in order of confidence
Preferred Plays
Shavon Shields, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan ($11,000)
As if his usage could increase any further, he could see even more opportunities with Milan down its leading and third-leading scorers. If the game remains close, it will be because Shields is knocking down shots. He can hit value even at the elevated price.
Alpha Diallo, AS Monaco ($9,200)
You may assume the second beneficiary of Loyd's absence is Okobo, but it's actually Diallo, who should both see the ball in his hands more often and get up more shots.
Nigel Hayes-Davis, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul ($9,700)
The only thing that scares me about Hayes-Davis is the coaching change. I'm curious to see if Jasikevicius gives guys minutes in the upper-30s, because that is something he never did with Barcelona. Hayes-Davis is someone who needs those big minutes to be productive at this price.
Jan Vesely, FC Barcelona ($9,000)
Willy Hernangomez, FC Barcelona ($8,800)
They will split the minutes at the center spot almost right down the middle, and both are very much in play on such a small slate. Vesely is the favorite to start.
Nicolo Melli, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan ($8,700)
Generally when Melli is this expensive it's an automatic fade, but with how much playmaking Milan is lacking, he's in consideration despite a tough matchup.
Valuable Values
Brandon Davies, Valencia Basket ($8,200)
Semi Ojeleye is out, which could lead to some extra shots for Davies. He shows every once in a while what he is capable of by hitting 30.0 points on DraftKings.
Johnathan Motley, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul ($8,000)
Motley has not yet capitalized on the absence of Georgios Papagiannis, and although the matchup is tough he's just as athletic as anyone on the Monaco roster and could record a double-double at any moment.
Damien Inglis, Valencia Basket ($7,200)
Inglis is another Valencia frontcourt player who could benefit from Ojeleye's absence. He won't wow you with his scoring ability, but he does all the dirty work and can crash the glass, which could lead to a sneaky 3x night.
Dyshawn Pierre, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul ($7,000)
I would like to confirm he's still starting with the coaching change, but he's a stretch forward at an affordable rate who will playing in the most fantasy-friendly game on Friday's slate.
Jabari Parker, FC Barcelona ($7,700)
Just a play on talent here. The matchup is tough but he can heat up at any point when he's aggressive enough.
Victor Claver, Valencia Basket ($4,700)
Claver can stretch the floor and could see at least 20 minutes with Ojeleye on the sidelines.
