Winding Your Way Down On DraftStreet
Daily fantasy basketball will keep you humble. Since Christmas, I’ve had more winning weeks than losses, and learned that it takes only one good night out of seven to turn a consistent profit. Last week, that good night never happened and I lost the entire $100 bankroll.
Fortunately, tonight is a brand-new season and we will try again. My results have been good when there are a limited number of NBA games, and with just four this evening, there are more limited player options than usual. That doesn’t mean it’s easy to pick the best 8-man team; even the 15 names I mention in the chart (sorted into three price ranges) fit together in thousands of different ways.
Don’t forget that there are Pick ‘Em leagues, Snake drafts and other great games on DraftStreet every day in addition to the always fun, always challenging Salary Cap format. Your odds of winning in $2 leagues are much, much better than the 1,000-1 shot in our Freeroll. There is a maximum number of entries in cash leagues, with larger prize pools and way more consolation prizes.
| DraftStreet 15 | Feb. 24 |
| Stars | Over $13,000 |
| Kobe Bryant | $16,979 |
| Josh Smith | $17,513 |
| Al Jefferson | $16,708 |
| Paul Pierce | $13,747 |
| Rudy Gay | $14,237 |
| Scrubs | Under $9,000 |
| Alec Burks | $8,892 |
| Jonas Valanciunas | $8,020 |
| JaVale McGee | $7,623 |
| Devin Harris | $6,862 |
| Enes Kanter | $6,292 |
| Starters | $9,000 to $13,000 |
| Kyle Lowry | $12,810 |
| DeMar DeRozan | $12,583 |
| Gordon Hayward | $9,277 |
| Kenneth Faried | $11,672 |
| Andre Miller | $11,587 |
All leagues close at 7:00 EST, and you can make unlimited roster moves until then. Here’s one of the lineups I’m using, subject to breaking news of injury or illness:
F1 Josh Smith (ATL-F) $17,513
F2 Rudy Gay (TOR-F) $14,237
G1 Ty Lawson (DEN-G) $17,814
G2 Bradley Beal (WAS-G) $13,339
C1 Jonas Valanciunas (TOR-C) $8,020
C2 JaVale McGee (DEN-C) $7,623
U1 Kenneth Faried (DEN-F) $11,672
U2 Gordon Hayward (UTA-G) $9,277
I’m going with three Nuggets and no Lakers, as L.A. will be tired. Likewise, avoiding the exhausted Celtics is probably a good idea. Clearly, I’m punting the center position. Al Jefferson at $16,708 was tempting, but if Utah gets a big lead, Enes Kanter could get extra minutes and costs $10,000 less.
The Fantasy Spin is here every morning, by 10:00 EST. Follow me on Twitter — @SheridanFantasy — for updates.