With just four games on tap on tonight’s slate, the value options aren’t as plentiful as we have seen in recent larger slates. But with teams like the Nuggets, Wizards and Magic still missing many key pieces of their roster, we do have enough to be able to fit in with our spend up options on this short slate. 

Here are a couple options for each site that represent good value for their salary.

 

DraftKings

RJ Hampton ($3,900) – Much of the slate’s value plays will come from the Orlando Magic, who list 11 players as OUT on their official afternoon injury report. That leaves opportunity for guys like Hampton and the Wagner Boys to keep getting huge minutes. Hampton has played 28.7 minutes per game in his last three, contributed a 19% usage rate and has three straight games over 22 DK points. 

Moritz Wagner ($3,200) – For an even lower salary, Mo Wagner will line up next to Franz Wagner in what should be a smash spot for only $3,200. Even with Giannis running around wreaking havoc, the Bucks still allow the 10th-most fantasy points to opposing power forwards this season. The Magic also get a pretty significant pace bump tonight, and with so few bodies, guys like Mo Wagner should be blowout-proof. 

FanDuel

Daniel Gafford ($5,200) – FanDuel’s scoring settings set up perfectly for combination of minutes and defensive stats Gafford can produce tonight. With no Thomas Bryant, Rui Hachimura and Montrezl Harrell on the roster right now, Gafford should gobble up all the frontcourt minutes. Gafford is fresh off a game where he scored 36 FD points with only a 13% usage rate, racking up points in rebounds, steals, and assists in addition to 16 points. The Cavaliers have played centers tough this year, but they are also short-handed and Gafford’s time on the floor makes up for any matchup concerns. 

Aaron Gordon ($5,000) –  EDIT: THE DENVER/GOLDEN STATE GAME IS POSTPONED ON THURSDAY. TIM FRAZIER (PG, ORLANDO) IS ANOTHER STONG VALUE PLAY ON FANDUEL TONIGHT IN ADDITION TO THE OTHER PLAYERS LISTED IN THIS COLUMN.

Assuming he plays tonight (he was Questionable on the 2:30 ET injury report), Gordon’s salary has dropped too low for the role he will be asked to play on the undermanned Nuggets. Less than a month ago, Gordon’s salary was in the $6,000-$6,300 range, but has plummeted since and now provide great opportunity for value. Gordon put up at least 22 FD points in nine of 11 games before the injury and he has an easy path to 5x his salary tonight. 

Yahoo!

Dean Wade ($10) – The Cavaliers will likely turn to Wade tonight to fill their power forward spot with Jarrett Allen still out and Kevin Love more suited to a backup role. Wade played 28 and 33 minutes in his last two games, averaging 22 fantasy points. If he can get us close to 30 minutes at this minimum salary, we could see explosive value. Wade averages 0.75 fantasy points per minute in the month of December. 

Kevin Pangos and Isaac Okoro (both $10) – More Cavaliers minutes are up for grabs, particularly at the point guard position. After Darius Garland went down with injury, the Cavs lost Ricky Rubio to an ACL injury for the season. Both Okoro and Pangos project to get 30 minutes at the two guard spots tonight and the Garland/Rubio combo leaves behind a combined 48.5% usage rate that needs to be filled. Both of these guards will be great pieces to fill out a roster against a Washington Wizards squad that ranks 23rd in defensive rating on the season.