5 best value guards for daily DraftKings and FanDuel fantasy basketball for October 23rd | 2021-22 NBA season
October 23rd brings eight different showdowns in the NBA, possibly making the daily fantasy basketball roster building a daunting task. The Atlanta Hawks faced off against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first game of the schedule. It started a bit too early to be a part of the DraftKings and FanDuel competitions.
Today also marks the first appearance of back-to-backs for NBA teams, which adds another layer of complication that season fantasy basketball players will be accustomed to considering. Taking note of the prior night's playing time, the opposition's amount of rest, likely rotations and more are how you find value gems on a given day.
Here are seven games on October 23rd that fantasy basketball owners will need to consider.
- Miami Heat (1-0) at Indiana Pacers (0-2)
- Dallas Mavericks (0-1) at Toronto Raptors (1-1)
- Detroit Pistons (0-1) at Chicago Bulls (2-0)
- New Orleans Pelicans (0-2) at Minnesota Timberwolves (1-0)
- Milwaukee Bucks (1-1) at San Antonio Spurs (1-1)
- Phoenix Suns (1-1) at Portland Trail Blazers (0-1)
- Memphis Grizzlies (1-0) at Los Angeles Clippers (0-1)
After spending time diving into the early trends of these rosters, considering injury reports, and favorable matchups, here are the five guards I would recommend picking up in today's fantasy basketball tournaments.
Fantasy Basketball recommendations: Guards
#5 - Kira Lewis Jr.
Estimated salary: $3,300 - $4,000
An often overlooked aspect of back-to-back games is that it almost always leads to an increased amount of playing time for bench players since the team's focal points are fatigued from heavy minutes the night prior.
Kira Lewis Jr. is the solidified backup point guard of a Pelicans team that has struggled without Zion Williamson available. Both of their early losses came against Eastern Conference playoff teams, but there is still value to be found when it comes to fantasy basketball.
If you are playing on DraftKings, Lewis's salary of $3,300 is practically the lowest number possible that could still produce fantasy basketball points at a notable level for your team. Aside from his few buckets in each matchup, the guard is often tasked with initiating the offense when on the floor, leading to a few assists on the regular.
Low evaluation with a decent amount of playing time always piques my interest when building a daily fantasy basketball roster.
#4 - Anthony Edwards
Estimated salary: $7,300 - $7,700
Anthony Edwards proved to be worthy of his top-of-the-lottery selection in the 2019 NBA Draft last season with the Minnesota Timberwolves, and his potential growth was on display on the opening night of his sophomore campaign.
The 20-year-old high flyer tallied 29 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 steal while converting 10 of 21 from the field, 6 of 12 from three, and 3 of 4 from the free throw line in his season debut against the Houston Rockets.
When projecting Edwards' daily fantasy basketball production in game two, it's important to note the Rockets' talent level compared to New Orleans tonight. But most of the improvement in opposition comes offensively and Edwards will still have his opportunity to light up the scoreboard.
His fantasy basketball pricetag in the $7,000's garners hesitation for some, but a performance close to his 44 fantasy basketball points a few nights ago is more than enough for a positive return on investment.