Matt Best

Home/Matt Best

About Matt Best

This author has not yet filled in any details.
So far Matt Best has created 32 blog entries.

Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Week 26

Chances are you’re either in the finals or in the semi-finals of your fantasy hockey leagues. More than ever is it important to maximize how many player starts you’ll have in a week as well as focusing in on what teams have the easiest matchups. Below in my Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Week 26 article, I’ll outline players that have great matchups this week as well as the teams you should stay away from when picking up players.

Must Adds

Jamie McGinn – LW/RW – Anaheim Ducks
14% Owned
OPP: EDM/CGY/VAN/DAL

Jamie McGinn has been constantly producing in Anaheim to the point where it’s no longer a fluke. He’s found chemistry within the top six no matter who he’s played with and he’s getting a ton of powerplay time. McGinn hasn’t been held without a shot on goal since March 11th. He also hasn’t had a game without recording a hit dating back to February 24th against Anaheim while he was a member of the Sabres. The Ducks have been the most lethal offensive team as of late and there’s no reason McGinn should slow down any time soon.

Radko Gudas – D – Philadelphia Flyers
27% Owned
OPP: WPG/WSH/OTT/PIT

Radko Gudas is everything you want in a stay at home D-man. He’s also everything you want when it comes to filling categories such as penalty minutes, blocked shots & hits. He’s a part of what I like to call the “100 club”. You need at least 100 hits, blocks and penalty minutes to join. Gudas fits right in with 277 hits, 137 blocks and 108 PIMs. With four games on the schedule against teams that shoot a lot, Gudas will have a chance to keep on contributing.

Darren Helm – C – Detroit Red Wings
2% Owned
OPP: BUF/MTL/MIN/TOR

I’ll start by saying this – if you can get Justin Abdelkader (41%) get him instead of Darren Helm. The reasoning for picking up either is the same. Detroit has the easiest four game schedule this week. Helm is getting a great opportunity to play along side Pavel Datsyuk and Anthony Mantha. Helm also has the fourth most hits among all Red Wings (105). Against four very bad teams this week, there’s production to be had.

Cody Eakin – C – Dallas Stars
9% Owned
OPP: NSH/ARI/LA/ANA

If there’s one thing I like in a player, it’s time on ice. Cody Eakin is in no danger of losing his spot centering the top line until Tyler Seguin comes back. Over his last seven games he’s been producing at exactly a point per game pace. Playing next to Jamie Benn and Patrick Sharp, it’s a no-brainer to have Eakin on your team.

Drops

J.T. Miller – C – New York Rangers
18% Owned
OPP: CAR/BUF

If there was a segment called “trap of the week” this would be it. At first glance, J.T. Miller has been producing well. Two goals over his last three games and getting top six minutes. The problem with this is, the Rangers have two games this week and his production will likely cap off at two points at the most if you decide to keep him. Streaming someone who has just two games is just not worth it at this point.

Devante Smith-Pelly – RW – New Jersey Devils
21% Owned
OPP: BOS/FLA/TBL

I’ll be the first to say that the Honeymoon is over with Devante Smith-Pelly. Why? He’s producing at a pace that is unsustainable for most players, never mind a career bottom six forward. Pointless in his last two games as well as seeing his ice time dip to 14 minutes to go along with a tough schedule this week, it’s time to cut ties with Smith-Pelly.

Thanks for reading! If you have any NHL season long or DFS questions, feel free to contact me via Twitter @BESTofMATT

 

 

 

DraftKings NBA DFS Must Plays-Stay Aways-Bargain Bin-March 25th

Nine games in the NBA tonight and not one team is on the latter end is of a back-to-back. Do fresh legs for one star mean he’s worth his lofty price of $9,600? Teams are also getting ready to head into the playoffs so your value now lies in not only who’s starting, but also who is still getting a ton of minutes. Below I’ll break down all the must plays, stay aways and who’s in the bargain bin for tonights slate in the association.

Must Plays

Klay Thompson – SG ($6,800) vs Dallas Mavericks

Klay Thompson priced this low is something that needs to be exploited. After having a .571% field goal percentage last night (While throwing up 21 shot attempts), I expected his price to go up by more than $100. Over the last five games, the Mavericks have given up the 5th most DraftKings points to opposing shooting guards per game (48.9). Thompson has also been heating up beyond the arc, hitting 12 of his last 15 over the previous two games. Three pointers in DraftKings give you a nice little bonus too. Thompson is a no-brainer tonight.

DeMar DeRozan – SG ($7,800) @ Houston Rockets

Playing whoever James Harden is supposed to guard in DFS is almost automatic every time. It’s more automatic now more than ever. James Harden simply does not play defence. DeMar DeRozan has had success against the Rockets before, too. In their last matchup, 19 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists and two steals – he stuffed the stat sheet. Look for him to do the same thing tonight.

 

Stay Aways

Giannis Antetokounmpo – SF ($9,600) @ Atlanta Hawks

Price-wise, Giannis Antetokounmpo represents the “best SF” on the board. He should be the biggest fade tonight. At his price, he needs about 58 points in order for him to hit value while placing in a GPP. Atlanta does an admirable job guarding opposing small forwards, giving up the 21st most DraftKings points per game over the last five (40.1). Fade off of the highly-owned Antetokounmpo.

LaMarcus Aldridge – PF ($7,100) vs Memphis Grizzlies

Everyone is going to own LaMarcus Aldridge tonight in cash and GPP’s. You need to fade off of him. There’s a good chance he only gets about 25 minutes against a beaten up Grizzlies squad after the Spurs get a 10+ point lead. His production has started to dip as well, only scoring eight points and pulling down five boards against the Heat on Wednesday. At $7,100, I don’t see Aldridge hitting value.

The Bargain Bin

Omri Casspi – SF ($4,200) vs Phoenix Suns

Sacramento players are great for DFS, awful if you expect them to win a lot. They score a ton. 106.4 points per game, good for third most in the league. They also give up a ton of points. 109.2 points against per game, the most in the league. Who’s second worst? The Suns at 107.6 points against per game. This game is going to be an absolute shootout where points are going to come from everywhere. Get in on the action by taking Casspi who has been getting fed constant minutes regardless if he’s starting or not.

Jerryd Bayless – PG ($3,800) @ Atlanta Hawks

The Bucks have a very shorthanded backcourt. No OJ Mayo, no Michael Carter-Williams, no Greivis Vasquez. Enter Jerryd Bayless. He’s the only experienced option left for Milwaukee and they’re forced to give him a ton of playing time. In 33 minutes against the Cavs in their last game, he put up 15 points and five rebounds. If he can get you anywhere between 19-23 points, that’s value for his price.
Thanks for reading! If you have any NBA DFS or season long questions, feel free to contact me via Twitter @BESTofMATT

Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Week 25

The playoffs are still underway for most leagues and in order to advance into the next round – you need some strategic adds and drops. I will not only cover what players you should add and drop but also mix in some strategy in this week’s Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire.

It’s easy. Games played equals opportunity. Opportunity equals stuffing your categories with points. Points equals wins. If you haven’t checked weekly schedules for teams, I suggest you start immediately in the playoffs. I always recommend picking players up on four game streams but this week it’s definitely worth noting how many games some teams have. This deep into the season, it’s not worth picking someone up that plays two games just because they’re a name of value. Punch your ticket into the next round and then worry about re-adding players.

Must Adds

Vincent Lecavalier – C,LW – Los Angeles Kings
6% Owned
OPP: NSH/MIN/WPG/EDM

Out of all the teams that have four games this week (CAR, LA, NYI, NYR, PHI, VAN) none have an easier schedule than the Kings. Vincent Lecavalier has looked like “Old Vinny” from years ago since being moved to LA from Philadelphia. Talk about a revitalizing trade. He has eight goals in 32 games since being traded (puts him on pace for about 21 goals in a full season) and has been hot as of late. Dating back to March 5th, he’s only been held off the scoresheet in two games.

Rickard Rakell – C – Anaheim Ducks
18% Owned
OPP: MTL/TOR/OTT

The Anaheim Ducks have the easiest schedule this week. Montreal, Toronto and Ottawa are all inside the bottom ten of the league when it comes to the standings while Toronto and Ottawa have the honour of being in the top ten of giving up the most goals per game (Montreal gets an honourable mention at 11th). Rickard Rakell is getting fed a steady diet of minutes as well as playing on the same line with a former Rocket Richard winner in Corey Perry. It wouldn’t be far fetched to say Anaheim could score five or more against these three teams with Rakell definitely getting in on the action.

Frans Nielsen – C – New York Islanders
30% Owned
OPP: PHI/OTT/TBL/CAR

Frans Nielsen has quietly been having a great season for the Islanders. Currently third on the team in points, he’s been very under-owned in fantasy. Over his last 12 games he’s only seen his minutes dip below 16 twice while being above 20 minutes four times. He’s really clicked well recently with Ryan Strome and Nikolay Kulemin and should continue to this week with a relatively easy schedule.

Radko Gudas – D – Philadelphia Flyers
24% Owned
OPP: NYI/CBJ/COL/ARI

Don’t be fooled by his two recent goals. That is not why you’re picking up Radko Gudas. Sure, if he scores – that’s just icing on the cake. Gudas is great when it comes to other categories such as blocked shots or hits. In fact, he’s a monster when it comes to that. Gudas is fourth in hits in the NHL while having over 100 blocked shots. If you’re needing those stats padded, Gudas is the go-to guy.

Drops

Lee Stempniak – LW,RW – Boston Bruins
47% Owned
OPP: NYR/FLA/TOR

Lee Stempniak is back to doing what Lee Stempniak does when he’s not the number one option on a team. Disappear. Pointless in his last six games and seeing back-to-back nights with less than 13 minutes of ice time, it’s time to cut ties with Stempniak. At the pace he’s playing right now in Boston, with a full season with the B’s he’s projected to score 9 goals. He scored 16 in 63 games for the Devils this year. The last time he had 16 or more goals in a full season was in 2010-2011 with the Coyotes.

Ryan Callahan – RW – Tampa Bay Lightning
32% Owned
OPP: DET/NYI/FLA

It’s a shame Ryan Callahan had to find himself on this list. He was producing so well after the All-Star break (14 points in 22 games). He’s on here because he’s been recently dealing with an “undisclosed injury”. I don’t like the sounds of that at all and I don’t want to run the risk of missing games and having his production fall off when he comes back. There are much safer options out there.

 

Thanks for reading! If you have any questions, feel free to contact me via Twitter @BESTofMATT

 

DraftKings NBA DFS Must Plays, Stay Aways & The Bargain Bin, March 18th

Friday is an exciting night for some of the top players in the NBA. Unfortunately in DFS, I’m off of three of the biggest names. They just won’t hit value. Tonight I found a pair of players from the same team in the bargain bin that should get an extended run. I’ll also breakdown the biggest must plays for tonight’s slate including a player that has been thriving since the trade deadline.

 

Must Plays:

Tobias Harris – SF ($6,300) vs Sacramento

Tobias Harris has been loving life as a Piston. He has a more defined role under head coach Stan Van Gundy and is shooting the ball a ton. Take away a dud versus the Wizards on the 14th and he hasn’t had less than 30 DraftKings points in five games. Against a Sacramento Kings defence that is downright terrible, Harris is an absolute must in your lineup tonight.

Toney Douglas – PG ($5,100) vs Portland

New Orleans’ backcourt is seriously banged up. That’s bad news for Pelicans fans but great news for DFS players. Toney Douglas has been reaping the benefits of being a starter and has recently torched the Warriors by putting up a line of 22 points, 8 assists and 5 rebounds. Against a Trail Blazer team who struggles at defending guards, Douglas is in for a big night.

Stay Aways:

Russell Westbrook – PG ($10,500) @ Philadelphia
Stephen Curry – PG ($10,300) @ Dallas
Damian Lillard – PG ($9,200) @ New Orleans

Your eyes are reading this correctly. I’m telling you to stay away from the three best point guards in the NBA tonight. Why? It’s simple. They won’t hit value. In a cash game you need about 275 points on an average night. That means Westbrook needs about 58 DraftKings points, Curry 57 & Lillard about 51. That’s just in cash. In GPP’s you need about 300 points or more to even place and that means you need much more production from this trio. Westbrook also carries the possibility to get some rest tonight in Philly if the score gets out of hand. Curry always packs that possibility no matter the opponent and Lillard is on the latter half of a back-to-back after spending last night in New Orleans.

The Bargain Bin:

Bismack Biyombo – C ($4,600) vs Boston

I will play Bismack Biyombo until one of two things happens. First – his price exceeds $5,500. Second – Jonas Valanciunas returns as the starter. Until then, keep pumping the big man into your lineup. During his last game vs Indiana he set a Raptors franchise record by hauling down 25 rebounds. At this point, playing Biyombo is a no-brainer.

Cory Joseph – PG ($3,800) vs Boston

It’s been widely speculated that Kyle Lowry will get some rest heading into the playoffs. He didn’t sit last night against Indiana which leads many to believe he will tonight against Boston. If he does, the only other true point guard the Raptors have not named Delon Wright is Cory Joseph. He’ll log a ton of minutes if Lowry isn’t active and we all know that minutes = opportunity and opportunity = DraftKings points!

BUT… if Kyle Lowry does play

Larry Nance Jr. – PF ($3,300) vs Phoenix

Larry Nance Jr. might not be starting for the Lakers but he’s still getting playing time. He hasn’t had less than 20 minutes in four straight contests. Phoenix gives up an average of 52 DK points to opposing power forwards per game over the last five. In a battle of two of the leagues worst teams, Larry Nance Jr. should get a chance to produce.

 

Thanks for reading DraftKings NBA DFS Must Plays, Stay Aways & The Bargain Bin, March 18th! If you have any NBA DFS or season long questions, feel free to contact me via Twitter @BESTofMATT

Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Week 24

With playoffs underway for most leagues, it’s important now more than ever to maximize on weakness of schedule and the amount of games played per week. What you want to stay away from is players with a low number of games this week as well as tough matchups which would limit their fantasy value. Below in my Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Week 24 outlook, I’ll break down who you should pick up and who you should drop for your playoff matchups.

Must Add:

Charlie Coyle – C,RW – Minnesota Wild
13% Owned
OPP: OTT/NJD/CAR/CHI

Charlie Coyle has seemingly cemented himself on the first line and first powerplay unit with Mikko Koivu and Zach Parise. The 24 year old has shown tremendous growth this year and has almost doubled last years goal output with 23 games left to play. Coyle is a perfect play up until Sunday night when the Wild face the Blackhawks. For the other three opponents, you need Coyle on your roster.

Jori Lehtera – C – St. Louis Blues
8% Owned
OPP: CGY/EDM/VAN

Jori Lehtera has got to be the biggest beneficiary of the linemate lottery. For most of the last two years he’s played along side Jaden Schwartz and Vladimir Tarasenko to form the “STL” line. Playing with those two, Lehtera has massive potential this week to snag you some points. He’s also produces on the faceoff dot (Over 400 wins). The Blues boast one of the easiest schedules this week and Lehtera is someone you can use to exploit that.

Ben Hutton – D – Vancouver Canucks
2% Owned
OPP: WPG/COL/EDM/STL

You might be thinking, Ben who? That’s perfect. Ben Hutton is a player nobody is even focusing on and I can’t figure out why for the life of me. Hutton is getting every opportunity to show Vancouver he can be the go-to guy at the backend for years to come. He’s gobbled up a ton of minutes (20:36 has been his lowest TOI dating back to February 15th) and he’s producing offensively (six points in his last seven games). He’s on the first pairing with Luca Sbisa and is on the backend of the first powerplay unit. Hutton is a converted forward playing defence and has the potential to chip in some serious points as a blueliner.

Reilly Smith – LW,RW – Florida Panthers
26% Owned
OPP: NYI/MTL/TOR/DET

What’s better than being on a hot streak? Being on a hot streak and getting the opportunity to play Montreal and Toronto in the same week. Reilly Smith has been more successful lately because he’s actually been firing the puck on net a lot more (12 shots over his last three games) compared to the rest of the season. He already has 23 goals but look for him to add to that tally against some weak teams this week.

Drops:

Louis Domingue – G – Arizona Coyotes
24% Owned
OPP: NJD/NYR/BOS/WPG

First of all, don’t roster a goalie from Arizona if you want wins. Second of all, Mike Smith is back and looks excellent after posting a 44 save shutout. With the former Olympian back in the crease, it looks like Domingue’s days of carrying the load between the pipes is over.

Jordan Staal – C/LW – Carolina Hurricanes
30% Owned
OPP: WSH/PIT/MIN

People are still holding onto Staal hoping that he’ll gobble up all the offence left behind by his brother Eric. That hasn’t happened since he left and it’s definitely not going to happen against Washington and Pittsburgh. Cut ties with Staal fast.

 

Thanks for reading! If you have any questions regarding Fantasy Hockey or DFS Hockey, feel free to reach out to me via Twitter @BESTofMATT

 

DraftKings NBA DFS Must Plays, Stay Aways & The Bargain Bin, March 11th

Friday night is basketball night! The association is packed with ten games for you to choose from. I’ll breakdown the must plays of tonight, the stay aways and who you should dive into the bargain bin for.

Must Plays:

Brook Lopez – C – ($7,800) @ Philadelphia 76ers

The 76ers are bad. I shouldn’t have to tell you this. They’re also pretty bad at defence in the paint. Brook Lopez should be able to have his way against Philly’s bigs. Only once in his last four games has he attempted less than 17 shots. While the 76ers have given up 65.3 DK points over the last five to opposing centres, Brook Lopez should be firmly placed in your lineup.

Damian Lillard – PG – ($9,800) @ Golden State Warriors

If the Trail Blazers have a shot at beating the Warriors (which they do), it’ll rest solely on Damian Lillard’s shoulders. Ever since the all-star snub (and releasing a song about it) he’s been on fire. Golden State doesn’t defend the point guard position well (54.9 DK points per game over the last five to opposing PG’s). Lillard has played the Warriors twice and has averaged 45.5 points against them. You didn’t read that wrong. Get him in your lineup.

Stay Aways:

James Harden – SG – ($10,600) @ Boston Celtics

James Harden is usually a safe play in cash games but tonight he’s not. He’s struggled against the Celtics strong defence this year. He only produced 21 DK points to go along with just 16 points and 3 assists. In order for Harden to hit value tonight in a cash game, he needs about 42.4 points. I just don’t see that happening. Harden is way too expensive tonight

Marvin Williams – PF – ($5,400) vs Detroit Pistons

Please fade Marvin Williams. His ownership has been through the roof because he’s been pretty consistent (minus a dud against the Pacers). Williams has been making opponents pay with his mobility and his ability to spread the floor. Someone who does that as well? Tobias Harris. Detroit looks like a way better team with Harris and Andre Drummond roaming the paint. Marvin Williams will produce a dud

The Bargain Bin:

Jason Smith – PF – ($3,500) @ Sacramento Kings

With DeMarcus Cousins taking a seat for screaming at George Karl, that leaves Jason Smith as a very good option against a banged up Kings team. Aaron Gordon would be the play here BUT he’s just way too expensive at $6,700. Smith isn’t afraid to shoot the ball. He’s thrown up 22 shots over his last two games and has hit value on his very low price. I don’t expect that to stop tonight.

Avery Bradley – SG – ($4,700) vs Houston Rockets

My favourite play. The “Whoever James Harden is Guarding” play. Avery Bradley is perfect for this category. He loves to toss up three pointers and DraftKings rewards you for drafting three point shooters. In limited time the last time Boston squared off against the Rockets, Bradley picked up 21 points on his way to a 28.3 DK point performance. He should match that and then produce more tonight.

 

Thanks for reading! If you have any NBA DFS or season long questions, feel free to reach out to me via Twitter @BESTofMATT

Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Week 23

The best thing about being the last place team in the league is that nearly nobody will be owned fantasy-wise. The best thing about reading the rest of this article? Finding out who I’m talking about because that person is absolutely stuffing the stat sheet and you’ll want him for your Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Week 23 .

Must Add

Zach Smith – C – Ottawa Senators
8% Owned
OPP: CAR/FLA/TOR 

Zach Smith has been on a tear since Kyle Turris went down. He’s found consistent ice time on the second line with Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Mark Stone while also playing a ton of the powerplay. He’s riding a five game point streak (3G, 2A) and a hit streak of the same length. While the Sens may not have many big names to choose from, Zach Smith is a nice under-the-radar play.

Mike Ribeiro – C – Nashville Predators
20% Owned 
OPP: WPG/CGY/VAN

If you need a plethora of assists and faceoff wins, Mike Ribeiro is your guy. On a four game point streak, the 36 year old has racked up six assists to go along with a goal. He’s really been feeding off of Filip Forsberg on both the powerplay and the second line. As long as Forsberg is hot, Ribeiro will be a hot fantasy commodity.

Mikkel Boedker – LW,RW – Colorado Avalanche
30% Owned
OPP: ARI/ANA/WPG

Perhaps the biggest winner from the trade deadline, Mikkel Boedker is getting the chance to play next to supreme talent. He’s been cemented next to Nathan MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog upon arrival on both the first line and second powerplay unit. It’s not a matter of “if” he can gel with his new linemates, it’s a matter of “when”. If for some reason Boedker is not owned in your league, pick him up now.

Nikita Soshnikov – RW – Toronto Maple Leafs
5% Owned
OPP: BUF/NYI/OTT/DET

The saying does go, save the best for last. Nikita Soshnikov is flourishing in Mike Babcocks system. The 22 year old is an absolute machine across the stat sheet. Hits? 15 in his last three games. Goals? Two in his last three games. Shots? Nine in his last three games. He has certainly earned the trust of his coach and is finding himself time on the first line and first powerplay unit. While the Leafs might not have much offensive talent, Soshnikov is certainly worthy of a pickup this week.

Drops

Jason Pominville – RW – Minnesota Wild
33% Owned
OPP: EDM/MTL

It was nice while it lasted, right? Jason Pominville was a nice streamer to pick up last week but this week he’s absolutely droppable. Pointless in his last three games as well as only having two games this week makes Pominville dead weight on your fantasy team.

Cory Schneider/Keith Kinkaid – G – New Jersey Devils
93%/9% Owned
OPP: SJS/LA

I’m not saying drop Cory Schneider. I’m saying put him on the IR if you own him but do not pick up Keith Kinkaid. Many flocked to the waiver wire to pick him up when Cory Schneider went down but Kinkaid is really not that good between the pipes. He even said that he might have “put too much pressure” on himself. Not exactly what you want to hear from your goalie. The Devils were marginally successful because they relied on Schneider to carry them. Kinkaid is not ready for that workload.

 

Thanks for reading! If you have any questions regarding NHL Fantasy or NHL DFS, feel free to tweet at me @BESTofMATT

DraftKings NBA DFS Must Plays, Stay Aways & The Bargain Bin, March 4th

Very busy night in the association with ten games on the slate. That means there’s plenty of options for you to build your lineup around. Keep reading DraftKings NBA DFS Must Plays, Stay Aways & The Bargain Bin for March 4th below to find out who you should use, who you should stay away from and who you should pick out of the bargain bin.

Must Plays:

Elfrid Payton – PG – ($5,200) vs Phoenix Suns

If anybody absolutely has to be in your lineup tonight, its Elfrid Payton. He has torched the Suns in the past (12 points, 10 assists, 5 steals, 40.8 DK points) and Phoenix hasn’t improved since. Even if Evan Fournier returns to the lineup tonight, the only major source of offence Orlando will have is Payton and Victor Oladipo. Fournier will need a couple games to become an effective DFS option again. At Payton’s low price, picking him is a no-brainer.

Luol Deng – SF – ($6,200) @ Philadelphia 76ers

Even though Luol Deng is listed as a small forward on DraftKings, he’s actually playing power forward for the Heat. Philadelphia can’t guard the power forward position well at all. With Chris Bosh out of the lineup, Deng has scooped up his offensive production. He’s gone eight straight games with 10 or more shot attempts in each contest. Against a bad 76ers squad, he should continue to shoot the ball a ton.

Al Horford – C – ($7,400) @ Los Angeles Lakers

Picking on bad teams is fun. Al Horford should have the paint all to himself tonight against the Lakers. Over the last five games, LA has given up an average of 61.1 DK points to opposing centers. Horford should be able to easily bully his way through Roy Hibbert and snag you some DK points.

Stay Aways:

Damian Lillard – PG – ($9,000) @ Toronto Raptors

There is almost no way that Damian Lillard reaches value tonight against the Raptors. Toronto gives up the third least points per night to point guards at 19.4 and the third lowest field goal percentage at 40.1%. At his lofty price of $9,000, you can find better value on the board instead of Lillard.

Nicolas Batum – SG – ($6,600) vs Indiana Pacers

Nicolas Batum has been incredibly streaky this year. He performs great in favorable matchups and then disappears into mediocrity for the rest. He’s actually playing small forward for the Hornets and that means he’s slated to go head to head against Paul George for most of the night. That’s not favorable at all.

The Bargain Bin:

Matthew Dellavedova – PG – ($3,700) vs Washington Wizards

With Mo Williams sidelined with an injury, Matthew Dellavedova immediately becomes the Cavaliers backup point guard. He’s not afraid to shoot the ball and he’s had some success versus Washington this season. In three games this year, he’s averaged about 20 DK points per contest. At his price, that’s exceeding value.

Anthony Brown – SF – ($3,000) vs Atlanta Hawks

This is a contrarian play, a bargain bin play and a “keep an eye out if Kobe Bryant is going to start” play. When Kobe is out, Anthony Brown takes all of his minutes. The problem is, he hasn’t been able to produce on the offensive side of the ball… yet. Atlanta is a middle of the pack team when it comes to guarding opposing small forwards. If Kobe is out, Brown is a great option in GPP’s.

 

Thanks for reading! If you have any questions regarding NBA DFS or even your season long leagues, feel free to reach out to me via Twitter (@BESTofMATT)

 

Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire – NHL Trade Deadline Week 22

I figured it’s a safe time to write this Trade Deadline article before the actual day wraps up  because in all honesty, the Trade Deadline “day” is almost useless now. With a bunch of fantasy relevant names already on the move, I’ll list some of the biggest names you should be on as well as other players you should just pick up and drop. Also, watch for me on Twitter (@BESTofMATT) to break down the fantasy relevance of trades that happen to break throughout the day

Must Add

Teddy Purcell – RW – Florida Panthers
7% Owned
OPP: WPG/COL/ARI

This is risky, but risks win weekly matchups. Purcell is going to get every opportunity to keep being a top six forward in Florida and some strange part of me thinks he’s going to flourish. There’s two things that are going to push Purcell. First – he’s finally on a contender. Secondly  – but most importantly; he’s on his contract year. Purcell is a high risk, high reward add this week and I’m in.

Zack Kassian – RW – Edmonton Oilers
1% Owned
OPP: BUF/PHI/CBJ/WPG

I can already hear it. “Why Zack Kassian?” It’s simple, with Teddy Purcell gone someone has to play on the second line. He hits and he’s starting to find the score sheet. Kassian has simply been impressing and now he’ll have an even bigger chance to impress playing alongside Leon Draisaitl and Taylor Hall.

Ryan Callahan – RW – Tampa Bay Lightning
33% Owned
OPP: ARI/NJD/BOS

Ryan Callahan is very much a second half player and he’s delivering on that premise. With five points in the last three games, Callahan has looked excellent on the ice. He’s stapled himself on the first line and the first powerplay unit. At 33% owned, if he’s still there – grab him quickly.

Dmitry Orlov – D – Washington Capitals
9% Owned 
OPP: ARI/MTL/MIN/CHI

Dmitry Orlov has now scored more goals than his last three seasons combined. The rise of Orlov (sounds like a movie title, I should probably trademark it) has been paying dividends for owners who have stuck with him. With John Carlson out for 2-3 weeks, Orlov will get a bigger opportunity to shine in Washington. He has hits in five straight games, goals in two straight and a huge jump in playing time, scoop up Orlov before it’s too late.

William Nylander – C/RW – Toronto Maple Leafs
13% Owned
OPP: TBL/WSH/MIN/OTT

William Nylander represents the future of the Toronto Maple Leafs. The young Swede racked up 45 points in 37 games with the AHL’s Marlies and is going to get a big shot up with the Leafs. Already put on the second powerplay unit, Nylander is also slotted to be on the second line with Zach Hyman and Michael Grabner. His dual eligibility between C and RW offers you a fantastic flex opportunity as he’ll be mainly centering and racking up the faceoff wins.

 

Drops

Lee Stempniak – LW/RW- New Jersey Devils (Even if he gets traded, drop him)
44% Owned
OPP: NYR/CBJ/TBL

Lee Stempniak was only producing because nobody else in New Jersey is a threat to be a bigger offensive threat than Stempniak. He’s slumping there and will be a bottom six forward if/when he gets traded. He won’t get near enough time on ice with a new team and even if he sticks around with the Devils, like I said – he’s slumping.

James Reimer – G – San Jose Sharks
33% Owned
OPP: STL/COL/BUF/VAN

James Reimer had it good in Toronto when it came to getting starts. In San Jose he’ll take the backseat to Martin Jones and get some spot starts here or there (which makes him a great DFS play when the time comes). As of now, the Sharks are unsure as to when he’ll even join the team due to possible visa issues. It’s safe to cut ties with the former Leaf.

 

As the trades trickle in throughout the deadline – follow me on Twitter (@BESTofMATT) for all the latest fantasy hockey analysis.

Thanks for reading! If you have any questions regarding NHL Fantasy or DFS, feel free to tweet me!

 

 

DraftKings NBA DFS Must Plays, Stay Aways & The Bargain Bin, February 26

Eight games in the association tonight leaves you a ton of options when picking your DraftKings NBA lineup. Continue reading and find out what players you should build your lineup around and what players you should avoid.

 

Must Plays:

Kyle Lowry – PG – ($8,400) vs Cleveland Cavaliers

There’s no doubt that Kyle Lowry is the heart and soul of the Raptors on and off the court. He always seems to bring his A-game against more difficult opponents. He’s shown twice this year vs the Cavaliers that he always steps up (18-30 FGA/FGM, .455 3P%, averaging 25 points, 8 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 3 steals). At $8,400, Lowry is someone you can reasonably build your lineup around.

Kristaps Porzingis – PF – ($6,500) vs Orlando Magic

This is locked in as not only the best power forward play of the night but also the contrarian play of the night. People will see Porzingis’ name next to dunk-master Aaron Gordon and flock towards him. You should stick with Porzingis. Orlando has a ton of players that love to drive to the net and that means Porzingis might have a block party. In two games played against the Magic earlier this year – Porzingis is averaging five blocks per game. Slide the big Latvian in your GPP lineups and even in some cash ones too.

Tristan Thompson – PF – ($5,400) @ Toronto Raptors

Here’s the thing. The Raptors (Specifically Jonas Valanciunas and Luis Scola) can’t play defence against big men. That bodes well for rebounding machine Tristan Thompson. While Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan throw up shots all game, Thompson will be under the net ready to gobble up all the rebounds.

Stay Aways:

Victor Oladipo – SG – ($7,000) @ New York Knicks

Victor Oladipo is dealing with a bruised thigh but is still good to play. That is terrible for fantasy value. You might peek at his game log and think I’m crazy because he’s put up 40+ DK Points in two of his last four games but look again and look at his minutes. There’s no way Oladipo plays close to 40 minutes on a bruised thigh which severely impacts his value in DFS

Bradley Beal – SG – ($6,400) @ Philadelphia 76ers

This is the classic “trap” pick. Bradley Beal looks like a great option at $6,400 against a bad 76ers squad but dig a little deeper and you’ll see that he’s just over priced. Beal has not looked like himself at all over the last three games, going a combined 18/49 from the field for a FG% of .367. He’s too cold and will be too highly owned based on his matchup. Stay away until Beal figures it out.

The Bargain Bin:

Doug McDermott – SF – ($4,000) @ Atlanta Hawks

With Derrick Rose listed as questionable going into Fridays game, Doug McDermott immediately slides up the offensive priority list. He might not be the starter but I can guarantee you he’s not only better than the 35 year-old Mike Dunleavy but will also shoot the ball a heck of a lot more.

Patrick Patterson – PF – ($3,900) vs Cleveland Cavaliers

Luis Scola will not play a majority of the game because the man cannot play defence. Insert Patrick Patterson. He’s already been averaging more minutes and more points than Scola over the month of February and that won’t change against the high octane offence that Cleveland has.

 

Thanks for reading! If you have any questions regarding NBA DFS or NBA season long leagues, feel free to reach out to me via Twitter @BESTofMATT

Go to Top