Candelario breaks out in Smokies' romp

Photo credit: Brian McLeod/MiLB.com

Jeimer Candelario needed less than a week last year to justify his midseason promotion to Double-A Tennessee. This season had been a different story -- until Tuesday.

The Cubs' No. 7 prospect, who hit safely in 17 of his first 19 starts with the Smokies in 2015, fell on hard times in his first 18 games this season. He'd struck out 16 times after fanning 21 times in 46 games following his promotion last July.

"You control what you control and strikeouts are going to happen," Candelario said. "You just have to get your pitch to hit and take your walks, like I'm doing now. I've got to keep working hard and be able to get the mistakes."

After languishing below the Mendoza line for much of April, Candelario broke out in Tennessee's 11-2 win at Mobile. The 22-year-old switch-hitter went 2-for-3 with his second homer of the year and six RBIs, more than doubling his season total and raising his OPS 98 points to .722.

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Berrios dominates in Wings' win over Sox

Photo credit: Ben Sandstrom

You'd never know it from the results, but Rochester starter and Minnesota Twins No. 1 prospect Jose Berrios took a couple innings to settle in during the Red Wings' 5-0 win over the Pawtucket Red Sox on Thursday.

"The first two innings, I felt a little too excited, I think," said Berrios. "After the third, though, I just threw my pitches. I was working with all three of my pitches down in the zone, and they weren't able to do much with that."

Berrios struck out three of the first five batters he faced and allowed just one baserunner through two innings -- a two-out walk to No. 3 hitter Blake Swihart in the first. Once he found his groove, however, Berrios retired the Red Sox in order over the next three innings and hadn't allowed a hit through five.

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Daily Fantasy Basketball Strategy: March 21, 2016

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If you read my Sunday plays and followed me for Twitter updates, you probably did quite well in both cash games and tournaments; I know I did. Humble-brag aside—hey, everybody gets lucky, right?—we’re back to nine games on Monday’s NBA slate, so let’s check out the Vegas lines to get started. 

Vegas lines and totals

Philadelphia @ Indiana (-15.5) – total of 208.5
Denver @ Cleveland (-11) – total of 214
San Antonio (-6) @ Charlotte – total of 199.5
Milwaukee @ Detroit (-7.5) – total of 205.5
Orlando @ Boston (-8.5) – total of 214
Washington @ Atlanta (-6.5) – total of 206
Sacramento @ Chicago (-7) – total of 217.5
Golden State (-11.5) @ Minnesota – total of 231.5
Memphis (-2) @ Phoenix – total of 204.5

The 76ers-Pacers total isn’t high enough for me to want to touch that blowout, but most of the other games are in play on a similar level. With every spread but two between six and 11.5 points, it’s difficult to differentiate them from each other besides the two outliers. Grizzlies-Suns should be a close game, but it won’t be that high-scoring, while Warriors-Wolves is likely going to get out of control. Other than that, Kings-Bulls is the top target followed by Magic-Celtics and Nuggets-Cavs on a lesser scale considering the increased blowout potential, although Cleveland has been playing down to opponents of late. Find my top plays of the day below.

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Daily Fantasy Basketball Strategy: March 20, 2016

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Sunday ends what has been probably the most balanced scheduling week in NBA history. Every night had between six and nine games, a remarkable feat that provides for plenty of DFS intrigue as well as no oversaturated slates. With six games in play Sunday, you’ll have just enough to build top-notch DFS teams without the level of randomness that a 10-game night brings. To start, let’s get Vegas’ thoughts.

Vegas lines and totals

Portland @ Dallas (PK) – total of 213
Orlando @ Toronto (-10) – total of 210
Boston (-11) @ Philadelphia – total of 215.5
L.A. Clippers (-8) @ New Orleans – total of 212.5
Utah @ Milwaukee (-1.5) – total of 193.5
Sacramento @ New York (PK) – total of 213.5

A couple of high-scoring pick ’ems lead the way Sunday, with both Blazers-Mavs and Kings-Knicks looking like close, high-scoring games. The top five totals are all within a few points of each other, but three of the games have the potential to get ugly, though none project as a complete blowouts where starters don’t play the entire fourth quarter. For the most part, Jazz-Bucks is certainly one to avoid with a total under 195.

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Daily Fantasy Basketball Strategy: March 16, 2016

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We’re back with nine NBA games Wednesday, including a few teams that have been stricken by injury at this late juncture in the season. Mining value from those situations is always key to DFS success, but so is understanding how a game is likely to be played. The Vegas lines always help with the latter scenarios. 

Vegas lines and totals

Orlando @ Charlotte (-9) – total of 210.5
Dallas @ Cleveland (-9.5) – total of 208.5
Chicago @ Washington (-5) – total of 212.5
Oklahoma City (-3.5) @ Boston – total of 219
Atlanta @ Detroit (-1) – total of 197.5
Minnesota (-3) @ Memphis – total of 206
L.A. Clippers @ Houston (-3) – total of 214
New Orleans @ Sacramento (-2.5) – total of 222.5
New York @ Golden State (-15.5) – total of 220.5

There are two especially nice lines Wednesday, with Thunder-Celtics and Pelicans-Kings playing near 220 total points with close spreads. The Warriors should blow the Knicks out of the water, but add Clippers-Rockets as an appealing DFS game on this nine-game slate as well. The Grizzlies’ situation will likely factor into many DFS lineups, but let’s take an early look at the top plays with what we do know.

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Daily Fantasy Basketball Strategy: March 15, 2016

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Tuesday’s six-game slate lacks the excitement of Monday’s nine-gamer, and just two teams find themselves on the second end of a back-to-back set. Scores are unlikely to be quite as high Tuesday as they have been lately, as least before any injuries or rest that comes about during the day. Let’s see how Vegas projects what could be a rather tame night in DFS.

Vegas lines and totals

Boston @ Indiana (-2) – total of 207.5
Denver @ Orlando (-5) – total of 211
Philadelphia @ Brooklyn (-7) – total of 208.5
Toronto (-2) @ Milwaukee – total of 206.5
L.A. Clippers @ San Antonio (-9) – total of 200
Sacramento (-2.5) @ L.A. Lakers – total of 217.5

After a loaded Monday which saw a spread over 230, one over 220 and one over 215, Tuesday offers just one above 211; Kings-Lakers is a battle of teams who struggle defensively, which makes it a prime DFS target. Clippers-Spurs looks like a game to avoid, which the largest spread and the lowest total, while the rest of the games project within five points of each other in terms of spread and total. That means much of Tuesday’s action will be determined by injuries and streaks, which leads us right into the top plays.

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Daily Fantasy Basketball Strategy: March 11, 2016

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DFS scores are getting juicy as the season winds down and teams continue to rest players with nagging injuries or for no reason at all. That may happen Friday as well, but there are already a few key absences that will play a big part on a 10-game slate. Let’s see which games Vegas has pegged as the top ones to target. 

Vegas lines and totals

Brooklyn (-3) @ Philadelphia – total of 211
Detroit @ Charlotte (-4.5) – total of 201.5
Houston @ Boston (-6) – total of 223
New Orleans @ Memphis (-1) – total of 204
Minnesota @ Oklahoma City (-12) – total of 225.5
Miami @ Chicago (-1) – total of 201
Washington @ Utah (-4.5) – total of 201
Orlando @ Sacramento (-1) – total of 220
New York @ L.A. Clippers (-10) – total of 202.5
Portland @ Golden State (-12.5) – total of 227

There are four monster lines Friday and only one other within 15 points of them. That’s going to lead to a serious focus on about half the slate tonight, but two of those games are projected as blowouts, while two should play pretty tight. Rockets-Celtics and Magic-Kings are easily the top two targets of the night, which will be reflected in the top plays below.

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Daily Fantasy Basketball Strategy: March 9, 2016

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We’ve got nine NBA games on tap for Wednesday, and without wasting any time, let’s take a look at Vegas’ projections for these tilts.

Vegas lines and totals

New Orleans @ Charlotte (-9) – total of 210
Memphis @ Boston (-9) – total of 207.5
Houston (-9.5) @ Philadelphia – total of 217.5
Miami (-3) @ Milwaukee – total of 200.5
Detroit @ Dallas (-2.5) – total of 205
New York (-1) @ Phoenix – total of 207
L.A. Clippers @ Oklahoma City (-5.5) – total of 215.5
Cleveland (7.5) @ Sacramento – total of 216
Utah @ Golden State (-12.5) – total of 208

Another night where we see no spreads under 200 is upon us, as the average scores in the league continue to rise as the season goes on. Targeting Clippers-Thunder isn’t a bad idea in a few examples, and the same goes for Rockets-76ers as well. There are a couple blowout concerns but besides the Warriors, those teams are playing on the road, which makes a complete shellacking all the less likely. Even the Warriors are facing a playoff team, so 12.5 might be more of a late cover than an early blowout. Enough about the lines, though, and let’s take at the top plays at each position.

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Daily Fantasy Basketball Strategy: March 7, 2016

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A high-scoring weekend has come to an end, and there’s a chance scores may drop a little bit on Monday. There’s one game that DFS owners will most likely be all over, and a couple others that may be somewhat easy to avoid. The Vegas lines should give us a clue which games are which.

Vegas lines and totals

Minnesota @ Charlotte (-9.5) – total of 211.5
Memphis @ Cleveland (-10) – total of 203.5
San Antonio (-6.5) @ Indiana – total of 196.5
Sacramento @ New Orleans (-1.5) – 220
Milwaukee @ Chicago (-6) – total of 208
L.A. Clippers (-4) @ Dallas – total of 210
Orlando @ Golden State (-14.5) – total of 222.5

Kings-Pelicans is a great target Monday, especially with New Orleans continuing to be beset by injuries. The latest Eric Gordon ailment as well as some back issues for Norris Cole could open up some extra usage and value for teammates in a prime matchup. The Warriors might be out for blood after losing to the Lakers on Sunday, so it will be tough to go too big on a late game that could get ugly. A few others project in the middle tier, while Spurs-Pacers and Grizzlies-Cavs seem like ones to avoid on the surface. Let’s see how this analysis holds up in top plays below.

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Daily Fantasy Basketball Strategy: March 6, 2016

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After Saturday’s rest epidemic—special thanks go out to the Nets and Spurs—Sunday’s slate brings us seven games with a rare afternoon start time. Most Sundays have one or two matinee games, but four of the seven games on this slate start at 5 p.m. or earlier. Let’s take a look at Vegas’ lines on the Sunday slate.

Vegas lines and totals

Golden State (-16.5) @ L.A. Lakers – total of 222.5
Oklahoma City (-7.5) @ Milwaukee – total of 219
Phoenix @ Memphis (-10.5) – total of 207.5
Dallas (-3.5) @ Denver – 210.5
Portland (-1) @ Detroit – total of 206
Philadelphia @ Miami (-14.5) – total of 212
Houston @ Toronto (-7.5) – total of 214

The Warriors should crush the Lakers, especially if Kobe Bryant and Jordan Clarkson sit, while Thunder-Bucks has a high total as well but should be a much closer game, as OKC tends to play down to its opponent on the road. None of these games scream “Fade!” except maybe Suns-Grizzlies, but there’s always a good way to take advantage of the dumpster-fire Suns on any slate. With five of the seven games having spreads of at least 7.5 points, avoiding possible blowouts will be nearly impossible. My top plays below reflect that.

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Daily Fantasy Basketball Strategy: March 2, 2016

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Big Wednesday returns to the NBA schedule with the first slate of at least nine games since the same day last week. Hopefully that’s a trend for the rest of the season, as four games or fewer are generally boring—although not as much lately—while nights with 10-plus tend to have some information overload. Speaking of having too much knowledge, let’s check in with the Vegas lines.

Vegas lines and totals

Chicago @ Orlando (-3) – total of 209
Charlotte (-8.5) @ Philadelphia – total of 209
Portland @ Boston (-5) – total of 219
Utah @ Toronto (-6) – total of 193.5
Sacramento @ Memphis (-5.5) – total of 214.5
New Orleans @ Houston (-5.5) – total of 219
Washington (-3.5) @ Minnesota – total of 220
Indiana (-2) @ Milwaukee – total of 202.5
Detroit @ San Antonio (-10.5) – total of 200.5
L.A. Lakers @ Denver (-7) – total of 211.5
Oklahoma City @ L.A. Clippers (-1) – total of 220.5

Four lines in particular stand out Wednesday: Blazers-Celtics, Pelicans-Rockets, Wizards-Wolves and Thunder-Clippers. Kings-Grizzlies stands alone in the next tier, but the first four games all project to be pretty close with over/unders around 220 and all make for decent GPP stacks—you never know when a projected tight game hits OT and explodes for crazy fantasy-point totals. You can be assured most of those games will be covered below at least once in the top plays.

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Daily Fantasy Basketball Strategy: March 1, 2016

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The NBA calm before the storm continues Tuesday with just six games on the slate. We haven’t seen more than eight games since last Wednesday, which is just fine if you ask me. Not only are there less back-to-backs to deal with, but there are also less games to analyze and write up as well. It also makes the top plays of the day more clear. Wednesday will be a disaster though. Anyway, let’s gauge Vegas’ feelings on Tuesday’s slate.

Vegas lines and totals

Phoenix @ Charlotte (-13) – total of 205.5
Portland (-5) @ New York – total of 207.5
Chicago @ Miami (-5.5) – total of 200.5
Orlando @ Dallas (-5) – total of 212.5
Brooklyn @ L.A. Lakers (-1.5) – total of 212.5
Atlanta @ Golden State (-11.5) – total of 225

Hawks-Warriors has easily the highest total of the night, and the 11.5-point spread isn’t exactly as likely for a blowout as the 13-point spread on Suns-Hornets. It projects as a game that’s played in the 8-to-10-point range all night, but the Dubs can always hit you with a late barrage to cover. There are no games to totally fade on this slate, which is always nice when it’s a short one in terms of games in action. Keep reading to find out Tuesday’s top plays.

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Daily Fantasy Basketball Strategy: February 27, 2016

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A light eight-game slate Friday, relatively speaking at least, bleeds into a seven-game Saturday slate. There are actually eight games, but with the Heat-Celtics matinee stricken from most major tournaments, I’ll also strike it from the analysis here. Let’s get started by looking at the Vegas lines.

Vegas lines and totals

Minnesota @ New Orleans (-5) – total of 217
San Antonio (-6) @ Houston – total of 212.5
Portland (-3) @ Chicago – total of 207
Detroit @ Milwaukee (-2) – total of 203.5
Golden State (-3.5) @ Oklahoma City – total of 234
Brooklyn @ Utah (-11) – total of 196.5
Memphis (-6.5) @ Phoenix – total of 208

The main event Saturday is most certainly Warriors-Thunder, with a total of 234 and a small spread. This game should be hotly contested and easily reach the 110s on each side, which means tons of fantasy goodness, although most of the worthwhile players in the game are expensive, making it difficult to completely stack. Going with Wolves-Pelicans or Spurs-Rockets isn’t a bad alternative, while Nets-Jazz should be mostly avoided with a low total and blowout potential. Scroll down to take a look at my top plays Saturday.

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Daily Fantasy Basketball Strategy: February 25, 2016

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With the NBA schedule once again balancing out quite a bit after the All-Star break, Thursday brings six games after a manageable 10 on Wednesday. Rather than waste words in the intro, let’s head right to the Vegas lines.

Vegas lines and totals

Golden State (-8) @ Orlando – total of 222.5
Milwaukee @ Boston (-8) – total of 217.5
Oklahoma City (-5) @ New Orleans – total of 222.5
Brooklyn (-1.5) @ Phoenix – total of 208.5
Houston @ Portland (-4.5) – total of 222
San Antonio (-3) @ Utah – total of 193

There are three monster lines on Thursday’s slate, and none of the games project as massive blowout risks. It should be easy to stay away from Spurs-Jazz, a battle of two of the NBA’s best defensive teams, especially with both squads at full strength. Even Bucks-Celtics has a pretty nice line while Nets-Suns features two bad defenses, keeping that game in play for the handful of halfway-decent players on either team.

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Daily Fantasy Basketball Strategy: February 23, 2016

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After Monday’s high-scoring seven-game slate that Mr. Zack Rewis so accurately predicted yesterday, Tuesday brings us five more games for our DFS playing pleasure. As is our weekly norm of late, we will be taking some time today to break down the slate using the values over at FantasyDraft.com. If you don’t already play DFS at FantasyDraft, you’re missing out. The scoring is the same as DraftKings, but you’ll notice the extra positional flexibility—three guards, three forward/centers and two utility spots—is great for diversifying lineups and limiting chalk.

If you sign up through our referral link, you will receive one month of our Front Office DFS content for free. If you already have a subscription to Front Office, let us know and maybe we can hook you up with a different sign-up reward. Enough about FantasyDraft.com though, as it’s time to get Vegas’ thoughts on Tuesday night.

Vegas lines and totals
Orlando (-6) @ Philadelphia – total of 208.5
New Orleans @ Washington (-5) – total of 213.5
Houston @ Utah (-5) – total of 202.5
Sacramento @ Denver (-1) – total of 223
Brooklyn @ Portland (-11.5) – total of 210.5

Not only is that Kings-Nuggets game projected as the closest of the night, it also has a Warriors game-esque total of 223. Even the Jazz game is in play with a matchup against the uptempo Rockets, and there is truly no game to completely fade tonight, as high scores could be in abundance yet again. Nets-Blazers looks like a potential blowout, but there’s one player in particular I still love in that matchup.

Now, for the top options and values at each position:

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Daily Fantasy Basketball Strategy: February 21, 2016

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Sunday is a big day in the NBA after a short-slate Saturday, but with the four early games excluded from the big GPPs on most sites, we’re going to focus on the six games starting at 6 p.m. or later. Without further ado, let’s see what Vegas thinks of the Sunday slate.

Vegas lines and totals

Indiana @ Orlando (PK) – total of 200.5
Memphis @ Toronto (-8.5) – total of 202
Charlotte (-6.5) @ Brooklyn – total of 203
Philadelphia @ Dallas (-10) – total of 203.5
L.A. Lakers @ Chicago (-7) – total of 206.5
Utah @ Portland (-3.5) – total of 198

Sunday’s is one of the more balanced slates you’ll see, as all games are within 8.5 points of each other from a totals perspective and no games have a spread larger than 10 points. Lakers-Bulls will certainly be a popular game to choose from as will 76ers-Mavericks, as three of those four teams are pretty bad defensively. Pacers-Magic should be a tight game with the potential for some overtime, but without the extra periods it may not prove to be wise to target heavily in DFS, although there are a few options. It’s time now to take a look at Sunday’s top plays.

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Daily Fantasy Basketball Strategy: February 18, 2016

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After what seems like a month off due to the All-Star break, the NBA finally returns Thursday with a three-game slate. What was set up to be a very competitive trio of games has been dashed a bit by Jimmy Butler‘s injury, and it’s a tough slate from a DFS perspective with little value to be had barring any big trades at Thursday’s afternoon deadline. Let’s take a look at the Vegas lines to get an idea of what to expect. 

Vegas lines and totals

Utah @ Washington (-1) – total of 197
Chicago @ Cleveland (-12.5) – total of 207
San Antonio (-4.5) @ L.A. Clippers – total of 205.5

Bulls-Cavs is the highest-scoring game, but also has a chance to be over before the final five minutes, possibly stripping the starters of 5-7 fantasy points apiece. The Spurs-Clippers’ total has dropped a few points since it was released, and I still think the under is a good bet at the current total, but it should go down to the wire in L.A. I was surprised to see the Jazz as underdogs even on the road, as they’ve been great since returning to full health, but the total of that game is in line with my projections. Let’s take a look at the top plays at each position.

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Daily Fantasy Basketball Strategy: February 10, 2016

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Eighty percent of the NBA is in action Wednesday night, and most of these teams will be playing their last game for a week. This means last-minute bedlam could be on the way with some teams giving players a headstart on their All-Star break rest, so keep an eye on starting lineups and follow me on Twitter @christripodi for updates before lock. Now, for the Vegas lines. 

Vegas lines and totals
San Antonio (-8) @ Orlando – total of 203
Sacramento (-4.5) @ Philadelphia – total of 216.5
Charlotte @ Indiana (-4) – total of 200
Denver @ Detroit (-5.5) – total of 208
Memphis (-3.5) @ Brooklyn – total of 197.5
L.A. Clippers @ Boston (-1) – total of 209
L.A. Lakers @ Cleveland (-15.5) – total of 209
Utah @ New Orleans (-2.5) – total of 194.5
Atlanta (-2.5) @ Chicago – total of 203
Toronto (-6.5) @ Minnesota – total of 207
Golden State (-16) @ Phoenix – total of 220
Houston @ Portland (-4.5) – total of 213

Warriors-Suns has the highest projection, but it’s possible that game is over before the fourth quarter even begins. That leaves Kings-76ers and Rockets-Blazers as the top two contested lines on the night, with Clippers-Celtics coming in a close third. The blowout potential will keep me off most high-priced Cavs (with one definite exception) and Warriors, while every other game is likely to see its starters play a full complement of minutes. Let’s take a look at Wednesday’s top plays.

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Daily Fantasy Basketball Strategy: February 9, 2016

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Just three days remain until the NBA’s All-Star break begins, which will be a nice opportunity for those in the DFS world to take a little break from over-analyzing every slate with a fine-toothed comb. Tuesday gives us a solid five-game slate, which is just enough to diversify your lineups but not too much where random variance comes into play to destroy GPP hopes and dreams with a random outburst. As usual, Vegas has an opinion of what will happen, so let’s use that as a launching pad. 

Vegas lines and totals

San Antonio (-7.5) @ Miami – total of 193.5
Washington @ New York (-1) – total of 207
Boston (-4) @ Milwaukee – total of 208
Utah @ Dallas (-2) – total of 185
Houston @ Golden State (-14.5) – total of 230

It may be a five-game night but from a DFS perspective, there are really only three games to choose from. Rockets-Warriors is the obvious choice, but it also has some blowout potential. Meanwhile, Wizards-Knicks and Celtics-Bucks project to be high-scoring as well and much closer, which always provides the potential for overtime and generally guarantees a full workload for starters. Jazz-Mavericks is an absolute no-no with one of the lower totals you’ll see, and Spurs-Heat looks like another slugfest that isn’t terribly appealing for fantasy. With these lines in mind, let’s see who Tuesday’s top plays are.

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Daily Fantasy Basketball Strategy: February 6, 2016

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With Super Bowl Sunday on tap for tomorrow, Saturday’s slate features an unusual 10 games after 11 on Friday. That means a ton of teams are playing on back-to-back sets, 11 to be exact, which is something the NBA wanted to avoid this year. With the Super Bowl and impending All-Star break, however, it just wasn’t meant to be. Let’s see how Vegas feels about this 10-game slate. 

Vegas lines and totals

Washington @ Charlotte (-4.5) – total of 209
Detroit @ Indiana (-3.5) – total of 203.5
New Orleans @ Cleveland (-9.5) – total of 209
Brooklyn @ Philadelphia (-1.5) – total of 206
Dallas @ Memphis (-6) – total of 192.5
Chicago @ Minnesota (-3) – total of 204
L.A. Lakers @ San Antonio (-16) – total of 204
Utah (-6) @ Phoenix – total of 189
Oklahoma City @ Golden State (-8) – total of 231

Thunder-Warriors is the must-see game of the night, and it’s also the highest-scoring projection by over 20 points. The problem with stacking the game is simple: You can really only fit three high-priced studs in your lineups, and there aren’t very many near-minimum options to make that viable unless you get very lucky. Stacking that game should really be reserved for GPPs, but you’re going to need a piece in cash games too. Let’s see which players from that game and others will lead you into the green.

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Daily Fantasy Basketball Strategy: February 4, 2016

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We’re trading big slates for small slates every night now that the NBA is planning around Super Bowl Sunday and heading into the All-Star break, meaning there are just four games Thursday after a jam-packed 11-gamer Wednesday. Let’s take a look at what Vegas thinks about the slate before getting into the top plays for action on FantasyDraft.com. If you haven’t already signed up at FantasyDraft, sign up through our referral link to receive one month of Front Office content. For more information about FantasyDraft, check out this informative article by Seth Klein as to what makes FantasyDraft such a great spot to play DFS at. 

Vegas lines and totals

New York @ Detroit (-4.5) – total of 202.5
L.A. Lakers @ New Orleans (-10.5) – total of 209.5
Toronto (-1) @ Portland – total of 204
Houston (-7.5) @ Phoenix – total of 214

Lakers-Pelicans and Rockets-Suns are the obvious games to target, with the latter being a bit more appealing thanks to a lower spread and a higher total. I don’t expect the former to be over after three quarters either, despite the hefty spread, so a full game from somebody like Anthony Davis should be in the cards, barring his usual in-game injury. Knicks-Pistons and Raptors-Blazers profile as the tighter games of the night but also the lower-scoring ones, and I’m generally focused on the first two for fantasy value tonight, as those are the teams with bigger defensive holes. Here’s a refresher on the FantasyDraft scoring system. 

Point = +1 PT
Made 3pt. shot = +0.5 PTs
Rebound = +1.25 PTs
Assist = +1.5 PTs
Steal = +2 PTs
Block = +2 PTs
Turnover = -0.5 PTs
Double-Double = +1.5PTs (MAX 1 PER PLAYER: Points, Rebounds, Assists, Blocks, Steals)
Triple-Double = +3PTs (MAX 1 PER PLAYER: Points, Rebounds, Assists, Blocks, Steals)

Now, for the top options and values at each position:

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Daily Fantasy Basketball Strategy: February 3, 2016

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Heavy Wednesdays are back in the first week of February, with a whopping 11 games as a follow-up to Tuesday’s short five-game slate. It’s a lot to digest, but it also means there are more viable plays to sort through. Let’s start with the Vegas lines. 

Vegas lines and totals
Cleveland (-9.5) @ Charlotte – total of 205.5
Atlanta (-8.5) @ Philadelphia – total of 207
Indiana (-7) @ Brooklyn – total of 201
Detroit @ Boston (-3.5) – total of 207.5
Orlando @ Oklahoma City (-12.5) – total of 212
Golden State (-10.5) @ Washington – total of 224.5
Miami @ Dallas (-3.5) – total of 193.5
New Orleans @ San Antonio (-13) – total of 206.5
Denver @ Utah (-7) – total of 195.5
Chicago @ Sacramento (-2) – total of 213
Minnesota @ L.A. Clippers (-11.5) – total of 208.5

Warriors-Wizards stands out for obvious reasons, but the game does have some potential to turn into a blowout with the way the Wizards are playing of late. The same goes for Magic-Thunder, Pelicans-Spurs and even Wolves-Clippers, while Bulls-Kings has both a high total and a chance of staying close. Of course, the injury questions surrounding Rajon Rondo and DeMarcus Cousins complicate that one. With the caveat that there are multiple injuries that could really create value or move some mid-tier players into top plays, let’s break down a potential lopsided Wednesday slate.

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Daily Fantasy Basketball Strategy: January 31, 2016

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After a high-scoring Saturday where even scores in the 300s missed cashing in some 50/50s, Sunday brings us six more games, a few of which project to be friendly for DFS purposes. Vegas is expecting a high-scoring slate in real life, and I’m expecting a good amount of DFS points to be scored as well. As usual, the afternoon matinee will not be included in this writeup. 

Vegas lines and totals

Boston (-4.5) @ Orlando – total of 204.5
Atlanta @ Miami (-1) – total of 192
Phoenix @ Dallas (-11) – total of 201.5
Golden State (-10.5) @ New York – total of 216.5
Minnesota @ Portland (-7) – total of 209.5
Charlotte (-4.5) @ L.A. Lakers – total of 202

Warriors-Knicks has easily the high over/under of the night, and with Golden State playing on the road on the second night of a back-to-back after collapsing late against the 76ers, this game projects as one that seems unlikely to be over after three quarters, boding well for all its fantasy options. The only game that really projects as an avoid is Hawks-Heat, but even that game has a couple solid plays as well. Let’s take a look at who those plays are and more for Sunday’s six-gamer.

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Daily Fantasy Basketball Strategy: January 27, 2016

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Normally a huge night for the NBA, Wednesday has “just” eight games on the schedule. While that may seem like a decent amount of games, most Wednesdays in the past have featured anywhere from 10 to 13 games, so eight is certainly a nice reprieve for somebody who goes through and projects the top eight players on every team in action like myself. There are lots of potential blowouts on this slate, so let’s take a look at which games Vegas projects to get out of hand. 


Vegas lines and totals

Phoenix @ Cleveland (-16.5) – total of 210.5
Denver @ Boston (-8.5) – total of 209.5
Philadelphia @ Detroit (-12) – total of 202
Houston @ San Antonio (-10) – total of 205.5
L.A. Clippers @ Atlanta (-3) – total of 207.5
Oklahoma City (-8) @ Minnesota – total of 210
Charlotte @ Utah (-5.5) – total of 191
Dallas @ Golden State (-15.5) – total of 215

With four games having double-digits spreads, six having spreads of eight or higher and one having an over/under 11 points lower than the next-closest game, Wednesday’s slate could get a little weird. You’re unlikely to be able to get away from rostering a few guys who may not play much in the fourth quarter, as Clippers-Hawks is the lone high-scoring game with a tight spread and even that one doesn’t have elite matchups for the studs of note. Who are the safest stars and value picks to target on a slate like this, when no game is seemingly safe?

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Daily Fantasy Basketball Strategy: January 25, 2016

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Monday is a great day for NBA fans, as the top two teams in the league will square off when the Spurs travel to Golden State to face the Warriors. There are eight lesser games on the slate as well, so let’s get right to the Vegas lines and see how this slate lines up.

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Daily Fantasy Basketball Strategy: January 24, 2016

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After a high-scoring Saturday night, Sunday brings us just four NBA games on Conference Championship Sunday in the NFL. With two early tips, we’ll have news on some of the day’s big injuries before lock. Let’s take a look at Vegas’ outlook on Sunday’s short slate.

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Daily Fantasy Basketball Strategy: January 20, 2016

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From 10 games Monday to four games Tuesday and another 11 on Wednesday, the NBA schedule has been a bit unbalanced lately. With so many games on tap Wednesday, there are bound to be some excellent DFS plays on the slate. Let’s start with the Vegas lines.

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Daily Fantasy Basketball Strategy: January 19, 2016

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Monday’s loaded MLK Day schedule has led us back to another short slate, with just four games on tap for Tuesday. There are a good amount of DFS plays on the ledger, though, and it should be a fun slate. Let’s see how Vegas feels about it.

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Daily Fantasy Basketball Strategy: January 16, 2016

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After a few days off from sharing my picks with the public—and turning some nice profits, of course when I’m not on the record—it’s time to kick back into writing gear for an eight-game Saturday. The last few days have been nearly perfect with the amount of games on the schedule, and without further ado, let’s take a look at the projected lines around the league.

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Daily Fantasy Basketball Strategy: January 13, 2016

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Looks like I jinxed Carmelo Anthony last night, as the Knicks star was well on his way to another huge game before bowing out just after halftime with an ankle injury. I’m sure my lineups weren’t the only ones crushed by that injury, but Wednesday is another day and it’s one with 10 games on tap, so let’s take a look at the Vegas lines in hopes of choosing players who will make it through the game.

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Daily Fantasy Basketball Strategy: January 12, 2016

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The NBA has given us just the right amount of games Tuesday, with an eight-game slate set to tip off at 7 p.m. Injuries to Anthony Davis and Kobe Bryant have the potential to seriously alter the DFS landscape for Tuesday, but first, let’s see how Vegas views the night.

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Daily Fantasy Basketball Strategy: January 10, 2016

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As usual, we won’t include Sunday’s early games, as DraftKings does not include them in its big tournaments. That still leaves us with a solid seven-game slate that includes a few enticing spreads.

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Daily Fantasy Basketball Strategy: January 9, 2016

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With the two early games Saturday not including in DraftKings’ big tournaments, we’ll focus on the five-game night slate, which still has many good options when it comes to DFS plays. Let’s dive right in.

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Daily Fantasy Basketball Strategy: January 7, 2016

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After a week off basking in the Florida sun, I’m back in chilly New York City for the rest of winter. Yippee. After Wednesday’s “massacre” (h/t to The Fantasy Fix’s Zack Rewis for that one), Thursday brings us four NBA games and, per usual of late, plenty of injury news that will help determine the top DFS plays. Read on to see how those ailments affect the short slate.

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Week 16 Rookie Report: Preston Smith busting out in D.C., Orchard finishes strong

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As the NFL season winds down, coaches and general managers of non-playoff teams are actively using the final weeks to evaluate their rosters heading into 2016, seeing who can be valuable contributors for their teams’ future. Three youngsters saw increased roles Sunday for their downtrodden squads, while a second-rounder continues to emerge on defense for the NFC East champions. Chris Tripodi breaks down what he saw from the first-year crop in the Week 16 Rookie Report. 

Jarryd Hayne (RB-SF)

With Carlos Hyde and Shaun Draughn out of commission in Week 16, Hayne was recalled from the practice squad on Dec. 26 and thrown into the starting lineup a day later against the Lions. The former Australian Rugby star carried nine times for 27 yards and caught five passes for 20 yards in his first extended NFL playing time.

Hayne picked up over half his rushing yards on San Francisco’s opening drive, which culminated in a short touchdown pass and a 7-0 lead. On the game’s second play, Hayne took a handoff and cut back against the grain to find the hole in the defense before being taken down rather easily by a defensive lineman after four yards. A few plays later, Hayne showed good vision and squeezed through a tiny hole before running through multiple arm tackles on his way to 11 yards and a first down.

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