PG – Kris Dunn, Chicago Bulls vs Philadelphia 76ers
Dunn finally made his way back from a lengthy absence due to a concussion just before the All-Star break. He also participated in the Rising Stars Challenge to get more game time in his legs. Dunn should get back up to 30-plus minutes moving forward, and given his dip in price, he’s still worth taking a risk on even if he may not be back to 100 percent just yet.
Also consider: Austin Rivers, Los Angeles Clippers @ Golden State Warriors
There aren’t a ton of other reasonably priced point guards around, but Rivers fits that bill. He reached 5x value in each of his first three games since returning to the Clippers lineup and is playing well over 30 minutes per game. He’ll now be up against a Warriors team which has had its fair share of problems containing opposing point guards, so this could be another opportunity for him to shine.
SG – D'Angelo Russell, Brooklyn Nets @ Charlotte Hornets
Russell looks like he’s finally getting back to his best. He put up 18.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 6.3 assists in 28.4 minutes over his last three games before the break, reaching 34 or more fantasy points on FanDuel in two of those contests. He remains fairly priced despite his surge in production, and a nice matchup against a Hornets team with shaky perimeter defense can allow him to continue his strong run.
Also consider: Bogdan Bogdanovic/Buddy Hield, Sacramento Kings @ Oklahoma City Thunder
Bogdanovic has been catching fire of late. The Kings rookie is putting up 13.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.4 steals, and 2.6 3-pointers over his last seven games, reaching 5x value on five occasions. His price has risen due to his strong play, but he may still provide good value against a Thunder team which has struggled to defend shooting guards since Andre Roberson went down. If Bogdanovic’s price is too rich, Hield is a lower-priced option to consider. Hield has torched the Thunder to the tune of 18.5 points on 54 percent shooting with 6.0 rebounds in two meetings this season.
SF – LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers vs Washington Wizards
James is back to being a triple-double threat ever since the Cavs overhauled their roster at the trade deadline. He carried over that fine form in the break by winning another All-Star MVP. And now, he’s set to face one of his favorite opponents to go up against: the Wizards. In two meetings against them this season, he’s put up an unbelievable line of 38.5 points, 11.0 rebounds, 11.0 assists, 1.5 blocks, and 1.5 steals. He might just be as close to a sure thing fantasy-wise as anyone on this slate.
Also consider: David Nwaba, Chicago Bulls vs Philadelphia 76ers
Nwaba is set to start for the Bulls moving forward with Chicago going full-on tank mode. He’s generally been able to take advantage of his opportunities to play this year. One of those chances came against the Sixers last month, when he went for ten points, five rebounds, and four assists in just 22 minutes. If he can come close to 30 minutes of playing time against Philly, he should be able to provide a ton of value given his dirt-cheap price.
PF – Bobby Portis, Chicago Bulls vs Philadelphia 76ers
There aren’t a ton of truly outstanding power forward options but Portis could be one of them. Portis has been terrific in two meetings against the Sixers this season. He’s averaging 17.0 points, 1.05 rebounds, and 2.0 steals against them, and had a terrific 47-fantasy-point outing against them last month.
Also consider: Larry Nance Jr., Cleveland Cavaliers vs Washington Wizards
Nance had a huge breakout game in just his second appearance with the team. He went off for 13 points, nine rebounds, two blocks, and a steal in their win against the Thunder just before the break. That’s exactly the type of production the Cavs expected when they acquired him in the deadline. He should continue to get playing time as the big man off the bench against the Wizards, against whom he had 18 points, ten rebounds, and two steals when he was with the Lakers.
C – Dwight Howard, Charlotte Hornets vs Brooklyn Nets
After going through a bit of a rough patch, Howard finally got back on track in his last two games before the break. He went for 22 points, 13 boards, and two blocks against his old team, the Orlando Magic, in his most recent game. It shouldn’t be too hard to imagine Howard having an even bigger game when he takes on the hapless Nets, who just continue to get dominated inside by opposing big men.
Also consider: Jarrett Allen, Brooklyn Nets @ Charlotte Hornets
Howard and the Hornets haven’t been immune to surrendering big games themselves. That makes Nets big man Jarrett Allen an intriguing pick. Allen has not been quite as consistent of late after delivering a string of strong fantasy performances. But still, Allen offers a lot of upside due to his reasonable price as well as the decent matchup.
What are your fantasy forecasts for tonight? Let us know in the comments below!