FanDuel NBA 3-Man Challenge Strategy: Friday, November 29th
Hello Grinders, hope you had a good Thanksgiving. FanDuel has an interesting 3-Man Challenge today with five games on the daily fantasy basketball slate, which is something we don’t see often. Also interesting is that there is no $5 player, meaning the 5-1-1 lineup construction isn’t in play today. Let’s look at a few of my favorite players in each price tier:
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$1 Range
Nerlens Noel – It feels weird to lead off with Noel, a backup center averaging just 18.3 minutes per game, but Noel is averaging 1.22 FD points per minute and gets to feast on a Pelicans team missing Derrick Favors. With rookie Jaxson Hayes set to start against Steven Adams, Noel will get to play against Jahlil Okafor in the second unit, who isn’t exactly known for his defensive prowess. I’m not expecting a massive game out of Noel, but the matchup, pace and price tag is good enough for him to be considered at just $1.
Omari Spellman – It’s definitely point chasing, but Spellman dropped 41.7 FD points in his last game against the Bulls in just 24 minutes. The matchup here against the Heat is definitely nowhere as good, and the return of Draymond Green adds another body to the rotation. But there’s no denying Spellman has carved out a role on this Warriors team, and he said in a post-game interview that he’s now in a better place mentally than when he was with the Hawks. Something has clicked for Spellman this season, and I don’t mind chasing his last outing a bit in case it’s the start of something good.
$2 Range
Goran Dragic – This play depends on whether Jimmy Butler plays, as Dragic isn’t as strong an option should Butler suit up. Butler is questionable with an illness and when he missed the Heat’s last game, Dragic drew the start and played 33 minutes. Dragic only finished with 17.9 FD points, but the minutes were there and 30+ minutes here against the league’s worst defense is juicy. Just keep an eye on Butler’s status and the Heat starting lineup, as the Heat do have depth at the guard spot in Dragic, Justise Winslow, Kendrick Nunn and Tyler Herro, so they could go a number of ways to fill Butler’s void.
Mike Conley – I’m a sucker for narratives, and Conley in a #revenge game against the Grizzlies in Memphis is something that I’d have interest in. The Grizzlies are now 6th in pace and bottom-6 in defensive rating, so this is a great matchup on paper for Conley, narrative aside. Conley did face the Grizzlies in Memphis a few games ago and finished with 26.3 FD points, so that was a bit of a disappointment considering he played 35 minutes, but this still remains a solid spot on paper.
Jonas Valanciunas – On the other side of that Memphis/Utah game, I like Jonas Valanciunas at just $2. The matchup against Rudy Gobert is not a good one, but that will likely keep people off JoVal. Valanciunas just man-handled the Clippers for 57.7 FD points, so there is massive upside here if he can get the minutes. Valanciunas typically plays just 24-26 minutes, but the Grizzlies are going to need his size to help contain Gobert down low (the Jazz have also listed backup center Ed Davis as questionable, so his potential return would also be a reason to get Valanciunas some extra leash).
$3 Range
Jrue Holiday – Holiday has topped 56+ FD points in two of his last three games, and he’s taken control of this Pelicans offense with Lonzo Ball out. Ball and Derrick Favors should remain out for this game, giving Holiday another chance to run this offense. The matchup against Chris Paul and the Thunder is a neutral one, so you’re really banking on Holiday staying hot and aggressive.
Bam Adebayo – Adebayo started out slow last game but got the Heat close to make it a game at the end against the Rockets. He now gets to face a Golden State team that continues to roll out Willie Cauley-Stein and Marquese Chriss as its centers. Golden State allows the 5th most fantasy points to opposing centers, making this a smash spot for Adebayo. If Butler misses this game, Adebayo would also benefit, as CourtIQ shows he sees a +1.3% usage bump with Butler off the court and averages 1.33 fantasy points per minute.
$4 Range
Trae Young – I actually don’t love Young’s individual matchup against Malcolm Brogdon and the Pacers, who I consider a plus-defender. At the same time, this $4 range doesn’t have many options with players who have legit 60+ FD upside. Young has reached 60+ FD points four times this season already, and 50+ FD points eight times. He’s the type of player who can have slate-breaking ceiling games, and the one I love the most in this range from a ceiling perspective. If you play Young, you’re hoping “defense doesn’t matter” and that he can catch fire.
Brandon Ingram – It’s weird to consider Ingram here, but he’s reached 39+ FD points in five straight games and like I mentioned in my writeup above for Jrue Holiday, he’s seeing an increased responsibility on the offensive side of the ball with Lonzo Ball and Derrick Favors out. His minutes are secure and his matchup against Danilo Gallinari isn’t one that scares me. He tends to be scoring dependent, which isn’t ideal for a site like FanDuel that heavily weights blocks and steals, but his floor is fairly secure.
Kawhi Leonard – Kawhi has disappointed in revenge games in the past, but he’s coming off rest (he sat their last game) and now gets to continue his Thanksgiving feasting on a bad Spurs defense. Despite their reputation, the Spurs are a bottom-five defense this season and don’t have anyone on this roster that can contain Leonard. I don’t love how Leonard has to share his usage with Paul George in the first unit and Lou Williams / Montrezl Harrell in the second unit, but he’s still one of the better $4 options we have when factoring in the matchup.