This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
Get ready for a wild Friday night with a packed 11-game slate in the NBA. There are many exciting matchups, including the Sixers taking on the Nuggets and the Jazz hosting the Bucks. We also have a ton of options to wade through in DFS, so let's dive right in and discuss some of the better players to target, as well as some to avoid, on Yahoo.
GUARDS
Kyle Lowry, TOR at NO ($31): There are a lot of high-priced options to consider at guard, but don't sleep on Lowry at a more reasonable price. He's been extremely consistent, scoring at least 35.4 Yahoo points in every game this season. Although his assists are down compared to last season, his 24 percent usage rate has enabled him to average 24 points a night. With the Pelicans playing at the sixth-fastest pace in the league, Lowry once again carries a high floor into this contest.
Josh Richardson, PHI at DEN ($19): The big news for the Sixers is that Ben Simmons (shoulder) will likely miss their next three games. In his absence, they have the likes of Trey Burke and Raul Neto to fill in at point guard. While Neto is the more likely of the two to see a bump in playing time, expect Richardson to not only handle the ball more, but also add shot attempts. He scored 42.8 Yahoo points against the Jazz with Simmons departing because of injury, potentially making him a significant bargain.
Guard to Avoid
Bogdan Bogdanovic, SAC at ATL ($15): Bogdanovic is an intriguing young player who can be productive when given extended playing time. The problem for his fantasy value is tied to the Kings' deep depth chart. As a result, he's only averaging 25 minutes per game. Bogdanovic is also stuck in a slump that has seen him shoot 34.5 percent from the field through eight games. While not expensive, he might not be a cheaper option to take a chance on either.
FORWARDS
Jabari Parker, ATL vs. SAC ($23): With John Collins suspended, Parker has taken over as the Hawks' new starting power forward. The initial results have been encouraging with him scoring 31.6 and 30.5 Yahoo points in two games. Parker logged at least 29 minutes in both contests, which should be the norm for him moving forward. His ceiling might not be through the rough, but he can still provide a lot of value at this reasonable price.
Glenn Robinson III, GS at MIN ($13): This is a game to target with the Timberwolves playing at the fastest pace in the league. The Warriors also own a very shallow depth chart, so a few of their players could be in line for productive evenings. One of them might be Robinson, who has scored at least 27.7 Yahoo points in two of his last three games and is averaging 30 minutes a night as their starting small forward.
Forward to Avoid
Jaren Jackson Jr., MEM at ORL ($21): Jackson possesses tremendous talent, but he just can't stay out of foul trouble. When you also factor in his recent bout with a knee injury, he's logged 24 minutes or fewer in four straight games. The Magic play at the third-slowest pace and have allowed the second-fewest points per game in the league, so it's difficult to justify deploying Jackson when Parker can be had for just two dollars more.
CENTERS
Karl-Anthony Towns, MIN vs. GS ($53): As previously mentioned, the Timberwolves playing at a fast pace makes this a very fantasy-friendly matchup. Add in the Warriors' lack of size and the fact they've allowed 121.5 points per game and this is shaping up to be a monster night for Towns. It will take some work to get him to fit within your budget, but his ceiling is as high as any player on this slate.
Dwight Powell, DAL vs. NY ($11): The Mavericks have slowly worked Powell back into the fold after he missed the first three games with a hamstring injury. He looks to be full-go moving forward after logging 34 minutes against the Magic on Wednesday. Powell made the added playing time count, scoring 12 points to go along with eight rebounds, two assists and a steal. That performance should come as little surprise considering he averaged 17.2 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists across 13 games in which he logged at least 30 minutes last season.
Center to Avoid
Derrick Favors, NO vs. TOR ($16): With Zion Williamson (knee) out, the Pelicans sure could use Favors. Unfortunately for them, he's been battling a knee injury of his own, which is why he logged only eight minutes off the bench Monday against the Nets. While Favors should play more in this contest thanks to the added days off, facing the defensive-minded Raptors frontcourt makes him someone to avoid.
