Picking the correct elite daily fantasy players on a given night is difficult. Watching those stars fail to return value might be one of the worst feelings in DFS, right along with rostering a late scratch or missing out on a sensational bargain play.
Consider the roller-coaster ride DFS players endured with two such players Monday night.
Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins is one of the top big man options night in and night out, but he ran into foul trouble (pitfall No. 1) and was later ejected (pitfall No. 2), playing just 12 minutes in a loss to Golden State. Those who spent up for Cousins were left in terrible shape across all game formats.
Conversely, Warriors guard Stephen Curry started the game ice-cold (pitfall No. 3), only to turn it up late in the first half. With game flow working in his favor until the latter stages of the game, Curry finished with 23 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists, rewarding DFS players who were priced to ride out a shaky beginning.
When it comes to spending up on FanDuel, you can't prepare for the possibility of foul trouble, ejections, slow starts or most other lineup-killing developments; all you can do is look for a great matchup and hope your selection can keep his wits about him and get his shot to fall.
Here are the week’s top elite options:
Tuesday - SG James Harden, Rockets (vs. Hawks): Harden is a sensational play more often than not, but with a home date against an Atlanta team that ranks among the worst in the league on the boards, the bearded legend should be able to rack up a higher-than-normal amount of boards, making him an absolute must-play. Game flow should keep his minutes tally high, as well.
Wednesday - C DeMarcus Cousins, Kings (vs. 76ers): Sure, Cousins comes with major risk (as seen above) and can just as easily torpedo a roster as bolster it. And Cousins faces one other potential issue Wednesday - the possibility that his Kings build a big lead and give the starters some late rest. But this matchup is good enough that Cousins could do major damage even in limited action - and it's no given that Sacramento will be able to fashion a large lead in the first place.
Thursday - PG Stephen Curry, Warriors (at Rockets): Like Harden, Curry is virtually matchup-proof, but his aggressive pricing makes selecting him a difficult pill to swallow. But Curry is a lock for a big game against a porous Houston backcourt defense. There is blowout potential here, but any daily fantasy player who has used Curry knows what he can do against poor defenses even in reduced minutes. Use him confidently.
Friday - SG/SF Jimmy Butler, Bulls (vs. Knicks): Butler has scuffled of late, including a 12-point showing in Chicago's previous encounter with New York. But as a stat-stuffing marvel at home against a Knicks team that has struggled or most of the season, a bounceback effort is a strong possibility here. Butler is capable of big games with or without PG Derrick Rose in the lineup, and should thrive against the visiting Knicks on New Year's Day.
Saturday - C Karl-Anthony Towns, Timberwolves (vs. Bucks): Towns may only be on the periphery of what you might consider "elite", but with a skill set like his in a matchup like this, you can't afford to fade him. Towns has been sensational in his rookie season, and should dominate a Milwaukee team that has struggled mightily on the boards all season long. Expect plenty of points and rebounds for Towns in this one.
Sunday - PG Damian Lillard, Trail Blazers (at Nuggets): Lillard is dealing with plantar fasciitis, but should be good to go. If he is, he's a high-priced lock against a suspect Denver backcourt defense. Lillard is a cinch to play big minutes most nights, and expected game flow should work in his favor. Should Lillard have to sit out, fellow guard CJ McCollum becomes an automatic plug-and-play candidate.
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