Welcome to the NBA Rundown for FanDuel contests on Tuesday, February 16, 2021.

Some of our favorite players at each position in the various price points can be found below for tonight’s six-game slate.

Point Guard

Hamidou Diallo ($6,000)– Diallo didn’t start the Thunder’s last game as expected but it didn’t really matter as he still had a solid game with 28.1 fantasy points. That game was the eighth straight game that Diallo had produced over 25 fantasy points and his seventh straight game with at least 28 fantasy points. Tonight I am expecting Diallo to continue to produce at an elite level as George Hill and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are still out for the Thunder and the Trail Blazers are one of the best match-ups for point guards in the NBA. This season the Blazers rank in the bottom three in both fantasy points allowed per game and defensive efficiency to point guards.

Shooting Guard

Anthony Edwards ($6,000)– Edwards is starting to show why he was the number one pick in the NBA draft. Over his past five games, Edwards is averaging 18.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.6 steals+blocks. Edwards has at least 30 fantasy points in four of those five games. Now the Lakers are a tough match-up for Edwards as they are one of the best defensive teams in the NBA but the match-up doesn’t bother me tonight due to the fact that D’Angelo Russell is going to miss another game. This season when not sharing the court with Russell, Edwards has seen an increase in usage of 2.6% to 27.5% and is averaging a solid 0.94 fantasy points per minute.

Grayson Allen ($4,900)– Allen is a little overpriced at almost $5,000 in salary but even with the elevated salary, I think Allen is a solid play on this small slate. The reason I feel this way is due to the fact that Desmond Bane is out once again for Memphis and in the past two games with Bane out, Allen has played over 30 minutes. Allen has actually played at least 29 minutes in each of his past three games as De’Anthony Melton is also out for Memphis. Allen is not just playing a lot of minutes but he is also playing well with averages of 17 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.3 steals, and 26.83 fantasy points in those games. The Pelicans are also a solid match-up for Allen as they rank in the bottom ten in fantasy points allowed per game to both shooting guards and small forwards this season.

Small Forward

Norman Powell ($6,500)– OG Anunoby is doubtful for tonight’s game and that should mean another start for Powell which is a role he has thrived in this season. In his 14 starts, Powell is averaging 21.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.4 steals. Powell has at least 28 fantasy points in ten of his past 11 starts with one of those starts coming against the Bucks who the Raptors face tonight.

Derrick Jones ($4,500)– I hate rostering Jones as he always lets me down. With that being said I am having a hard time not rostering him tonight as his minutes’ restriction has been lifted. With his restriction off last game, Jones played 32 minutes and he is likely to play that many minutes if not more tonight with Rodney Hood out. Another reason why I am having a hard time not rostering Jones is the match-up against the Thunder. The Thunder have been destroyed by small forwards all season long allowing the sixth-most fantasy points per game to the position this season.

Power Forward

Kyle Kuzma ($5,800)– This season in the five previous games that Anthony Davis has missed that Kuzma has played, Kuzma is averaging 14.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.2 blocks. Kuzma has at least 30 fantasy points in four of those five games. One of those games where Kuzma produced over 30 fantasy points happened to come against the Wolves who the Lakers face again tonight.

Center

Jonas Valanciunas ($7,800)– Valanciunas returned from his bout with Covid five games ago and since then he has been really damn good. In those games, Valanciunas is averaging 21.8 points, 12.6 rebounds, three assists, and a steal+blocks. Valanciuans has at least 34 fantasy points in each of those games and is averaging an elite 1.44 fantasy points per minute in those games.