Geoff Lambert breaks down value plays for Friday’s slate of FanDuel NBA contests.
This piece is part of our article program that features quality content from experts exclusively at FantasyPros. For more insight from Geoff, head to GoingFor2.com.
Welcome again to the Friday edition of my FanDuel values column. Every Friday here at FantasyPros, I will give my tops plays under $5,500. Let’s take a look at today’s nine-game slate.
Create FanDuel lineups using our DFS Lineup Optimizer tool 
Point Guard
Cory Joseph (IND) $4,900 @ BOS
Joseph, or CoJo as he is called in daily fantasy circles, hasn’t played particularly well while filling in for the injured Darren Collison over the last few games, but he has been playing a lot of minutes, and it’s only a matter of time before he finds his comfort level. The Celtics are a tough defense, but after their overtime victory last night in Washington D.C., they may have tired legs.
The Pacers come into the game having not played since Monday thanks to a now infamous leaky roof in New Orleans, their fresh legs should allow them to get off to a good start, and CoJo’s volume should make him a viable fantasy option.
Shooting Guard
Avery Bradley (LAC) $4,600 @ DET
It’s not often there is a revenge narrative for a player so soon after he was traded to his new team, but that is the case with Bradley. He was a member of the Pistons a little over a week ago, and now returns to Detriot as a member of the Clippers. He hasn’t been terribly impressive in a Clippers uniform yet, but a visit to the Motor City could change that.
Bradley is one of the best perimeter defenders in the league, and his steals help boost his fantasy value to offset the lack of scoring you sometimes get from him. With the motivation of playing his old team, expect him to be aggressive on offense and put up enough FanDuel points to hit five times value at $4,600 (23 FD points).
J.J. Reddick (PHI) $5,400 vs NOP
Redick was one of my favorite value plays before he went down with an injury, but he looks to be back to full strength after logging 33 minutes in his last game against Washington.
Redick is averaging 17 points and 6.5 three-point attempts per game, both career highs. He is a key cog for the Sixers offense and creates space for both Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid to work in the paint or mid-range. The Pelicans are the fifth worst team in points allowed to shooting guards, giving up 42.01 FanDuel points this season.
Small Forward
There are no values I like at small forward tonight.
Power Forward
Derrick Favors (UTA) $5,500 vs CHA
Favors has been up and down this season and still hasn’t really recovered from his injury-plagued 2016-17 campaign. However, a good matchup with the Hornets who are on the second game of a back-to-back could be enough for him to put up some good fantasy numbers tonight. His 7.2 rebounds per game give him a high floor, and he could easily get a double-double against a team that gives up 46.56 FanDuel points to power forwards on the season.
Center
Tristan Thompson (CLE) $4,700 @ ATL
The Cavs will come into this game extremely short-handed having traded away Channing Frye, Isaiah Thomas, Derrick Rose, Iman Shumpert, Dwayne Wade and Jae Crowder. They likely will not have their new pieces, Jordan Clarkson, Larry Nance Jr, Geroge Hill and Rodney Hood, ready to go by tipoff, leaving them with very few bodies for this game.
What does that mean for Thompson? A ton of minutes against the second worst team in points allowed to centers giving up 56.01 FanDuel points on the season.
