Which players should you build around and which players should you fade in DFS as we tip off tonight's NBA action? Our experts have the answers.
Today's panel includes ESPN Fantasy's Kyle Soppe, André Snellings and Jim McCormick, as well as DFS expert Renee Miller.
Players to build around
Kyle Soppe -- Dillon Brooks, Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzlies are very much in the running for the most ping pong balls this summer, something that holds significant value given that it is the last season in the current lottery system, so they have nothing to lose by continuing to run Brooks out there for the 32.8 minutes per game that he is averaging this month. I will happily take that sort of court time against a bottom 10 defense that is giving up over 117 points per game over the past three weeks. With Brooks shooting over 40 percent from distance during his extended March run, there is a decent ceiling here that comes alongside a high floor that comes naturally with playing this many minutes against a porous defense. Added bonus? Brooks ranks outside the top 50 at the small forward position at defensive real plus minus ... so he can help fantasy players win and the Grizzlies lose: everyone is happy!
Renee Miller -- Bobby Portis, Chicago Bulls
Tonight's eight-game slate is one that really lends itself to a high floor with upside second-tier approach. Having no stand-out star PG or must-play expensive center puts guys like Eric Bledsoe, Tyreke Evans and Marc Gasol in the forefront of my lineup plans. There is the small forward issue, however. Fitting one of Giannis Antetokounmpo or LeBron James is going to be important. It's even possible to fit both but in most lineups, I don't want to make that many sacrifices. Among a few viable $6-7K power forwards, Portis is the definition of solid value lately. His 38 fantasy points per game in the last four games include two double-doubles and six steals. He should be able to keep it going against a Knicks team that ranks seventh in fantasy points allowed to power forwards in their last five games. Building around Portis gives you flexibility to go with an entirely mid-range lineup or fit one of the superstars in with him without selling the whole farm.
André Snellings -- Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
Antetokounmpo has stepped it up in his last couple of games, both of which featured scoring in the 30s with double-digit rebounds, seven assists and at least three steals. The Bucks are currently in the seventh slot in the East, and have struggled a bit as a team, but are still within shouting distance of a top-4 seed and home court advantage. This seems to have motivated Antetokounmpo, who also gets stars in his eyes when he faces James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. In his three games this season against Monday's opponent, he has averaged 33.7 points (68.4 FG%, 79.3 FT%), 10.0 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.3 blocks per game.
Jim McCormick -- Jeremy Lamb, Charlotte Hornets
Nicolas Batum will miss tonight's tilt in Philadelphia due to an Achilles ailment, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. With Batum off the floor this season, Lamb enjoys a team-high increase in usage rate (2.4 percent). This spike in opportunities also sees Lamb net the highest leap in fantasy points per minute (using DraftKings' model) on the team with Batum sidelined. Priced as a backup commodity while likely to inherit a sizable workload tonight, Lamb is a sound bargain to build around.
Players to fade
Kyle Soppe -- Lonzo Ball, Los Angeles Lakers
Ball is going to be a special fantasy asset and I'll be talking him up when we start preparing for the 2018-2019 season, but in a one-day setting, I'm passing tonight. His shooting percentage is trending back toward a batting average (30.3 percent from the field and 23.1 percent from 3 over the past two weeks) and he figures to draw the attention of Victor Oladipo, the second highest graded defensive SG this season. Indiana operates at a below average pace, something that will limit the volume of possessions for Ball and considering that the Pacers are 0.5 games out of the three seed, but just 3.0 games clear of the eight seed, I'm not interested in any Laker tonight.
Renee Miller -- Robert Covington, Philadelphia 76ers
This is a weird fade from me. Covington is usually fine, but has his dud games here and there, for instance vs. Brooklyn Friday night. He has good numbers vs. Charlotte this month and the matchup for fantasy in general is a fine one. The fade comes because unlike all the other positions, the two ways I want to play SF are spend, spend, spend OR save, save, save. Covington's salary is awkwardly right in the middle: Too expensive for a value salary saver, not cheap enough to risk another low shot volume, low peripheral effort from Covington.
André Snellings -- Kemba Walker, Charlotte Hornets
The Hornets have nothing to play for, and are on the road against a 76ers squad that is actually fighting for home court advantage in the playoffs. Walker has been pedestrian of late, including scoring only 10 points (4-10 FG) with two assists and one rebound in his last outing against the Knicks. In two games against the 76ers this year, Walker has averaged 18 points (40 FG%, 67 FT%) with 6 assists, 2 rebounds and 1 combed steal/block.
Jim McCormick -- Dejounte Murray, San Antonio Spurs
I still love Murray in redraft fantasy hoops given how he compiles steals and rebounds at atypically high rates. For daily, however, we covet volume rather than specialization, and Murray's inconsistent scoring pattern reveals a dangerously low floor. To meet value on DraftKings, he'll need to hover around 32 fantasy points, a feat he's met once in the past eight outings.