Now that the first week of the 2020-21 NBA season is just about in the books, it’s time to see which free agent players you should target from your free agencies. Below each player is a DFS outlook as they could potentially become a DFS bargain for your daily lineups as well. These players could also become consistent fantasy contributors for the rest of the season.
Nicolas Batum – Los Angeles Clippers
ESPN: 6.4% rostered
Yahoo: 13% rostered
Analysis: The veteran swingman is in his 13th year in the league. Los Angeles brought him in this past offseason as they were in search of a veteran who could provide experience and depth at the forward position. So far, Batum has started the first two games of the season, and he played especially well in their most recent contest on Christmas Day. He picked up his first double-double on the year (13 points, 10 rebounds). Through two games, he’s averaging 32 MPG, and he has shot an impressive 37.5% from deep.
Prediction: With Marcus Morris (Knee) sidelined, expect Batum to stay in the starting lineup. In his first 12 years in the league, the veteran forward has had a successful career shooting the rock. He’s averaging a career 43.5% FG%, 35.7% 3P%, 84.1% FT% and 51.8% eFG%. It’s safe to predict that with the right amount of minutes played, Batum will easily be a solid scoring threat outside of Leonard, George and Lou Williams. He has the potential to finish fourth on the team in scoring this season.
DFS Outlook: Batum and the Clippers are back in action Sunday as they take on the Dallas Mavericks. Kawhi Leonard is questionable to play (face laceration), and this raises Batum’s DFS stock. Batum has already shown that he can be a viable scoring option already this year. Someone needs to step up if Leonard can’t go. Why couldn’t it be someone who plays the same position? Even if the ‘Fun Guy’ plays, Batum should still see plenty of opportunities that could benefit your DFS lineup. We will have to wait until tomorrow to find out Batum’s asking price on DFS platforms.
DK: N/A
FD: N/A
Yahoo: N/A
Patrick Williams – Chicago Bulls
ESPN: 21% rostered
Yahoo: 30% rostered
Analysis: The rookie out of Florida State has already turned some heads in his young career. In his first career regular season game, he started and played 33 minutes while pouring in 16 points and four rebounds. He shot 44.5% from the field, 33.3% from deep, and 83.3% from the stripe. Outside of Zach LaVine, Colby White and Lauri Markkanen, there aren’t any other players for Chicago that have proved to be consistent scoring options for the team. He could thrive this season as an under-the-radar fantasy basketball option in fantasy leagues.
Prediction: Selected as the Fourth Overall Pick in this year’s NBA Draft, Williams is expected to contribute a lot for Chicago. He will more than likely serve as the team’s starting small forward for the rest of the season. He will have to outperform Otto Porter Jr. as they play the same position. Porter Jr. has battled injuries in his career, which has led to him missing a total of 135 games in two years. As long as Williams plays well and stays healthy, he should be a solid fantasy option for the entire season.
DFS Outlook: Williams and the Bulls take on the Indiana Pacers tonight in the United Center. If you need a cheap option at the small forward position, Williams could be your guy. He will more than likely play at least 30 minutes, and he has the green light to shoot the ball whenever he wants (Top 5 picks can do that). He’s also a good rebounder for his size, so a double-double tonight is a good possibility.
DK: $4,500
FD: $4,500
Yahoo: $11
Mason Plumlee – Detroit Pistons
ESPN: 64.9% rostered
Yahoo: 33% rostered
Analysis: Plumlee joined Detroit this offseason, and he has already shown that he can be a starting center in this league. In Detroit’s first contest of the season, the veteran big man produced 14 points (7-8 FG), eight rebounds, and six assists in 32 minutes played. His efficient play has shown that he could be a viable roster addition to your fantasy team(s).
Prediction: Don’t expect Plumlee to light up the scoreboard every night, but you can rely on him in some matchups. He poured in a solid performance against Minnesota on Wednesday, but we all know that Karl-Anthony Towns isn’t a great defender. In fact, Towns finished with a 115.4 defensive rating last season. He ranked 405th out of 513 players, according to NBA.com’s defensive win shares. Against players like Rudy Gobert, Steven Adams, and other good defenders, Plumlee will have a harder time contributing on offense.
DFS Outlook: Plumlee has a tough matchup tonight against Andre Drummond and the Cleveland Cavaliers. If Drummond guards the former Duke Devil most of the night (instead of Blake Griffin), Plumlee will have a hard time contributing in DFS lineups. Drummond is known for his rebounding and defensive skills. He is a 4x NBA rebounding leader (2016, 2018-20), and he averages 1.6 blocks per game in his career. Avoid Plumlee tonight, but do not be hesitant to start him in better matchups as the season goes on.
DK: $4,800
FD: $5,900
Yahoo: $13
Keldon Johnson – San Antonio Spurs
ESPN: 6.3% rostered
Yahoo: 41% rostered
Analysis: The former 2019 1st-Round Draft Pick out of Kentucky looked fantastic in San Antonio’s season opener on Wednesday. He earned the start at power forward, and he contributed 16 points, five rebounds and three assists in 32 minutes played. He finished with a plus/minus of +3, which was second among all starters for San Antonio (behind Dejounte Murray’s +6). Johnson seems to be a part of San Antonio’s vision for the future, and he could become a solid contributor for your fantasy team(s).
Prediction: Given that he is a former 1st-Round pick, Johnson has all the tools to mold into an every-night starter for the Spurs. In 17 games played last season, he shot the ball at an effective rate. He finished with a 59.6% FG%, 59.1% 3P%, 79.5% FT%, and a 66.9% eFG% shooting staline. These statistics show that he can become one of San Antonio’s top scoring options. Outside of LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan, there aren’t any other proven players that have shown consistent scoring in their careers. Expect Johnson to start most games this season at one of the forward positions.
DFS Outlook: If you are in search of a cheaper option at either the small or power forward positions, Johnson could be the player you are looking for. His matchup tonight against Toronto is an enticing one. The Raptors are coming off a game where they allowed both Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram to score at least 15 points each. Williamson ended up with a double-double (15 points and 10 rebounds), while Ingram fell just shy of a triple-double himself (24 points, 9 rebounds, 11 assists). Expect a solid night from the second-year pro.
DK: $5,000
FD: $4,600
Yahoo: $14
Malik Beasley – Minnesota Timberwolves
ESPN: 46.2% rostered
Yahoo: 45% rostered
Analysis: Beasley finished the 2019-20 NBA season in a Minnesota uniform after the Wolves traded for him mid-season. He instantly proved that he could be one of the top scoring options for an NBA team. After his departure from the Denver Nuggets, he averaged 33.1 MPG and 20.7 PPG while shooting 47.2% from the field, 75% from the free throw line, and 42.6% from deep. With a more guard-heavy team than last season (thanks to drafting Anthony Edwards and trading for Ricky Rubio), Beasley will have a tougher time finding shots on offense. If he can continue to shoot above 40 percent from the three-point-line, he will play plenty of minutes as Minnesota desperately needs shooters surrounding Towns and Russell.
Prediction: Expect Beasley to be in-and-out of the starting lineup all season. Even if he comes off the bench, he should still play at least 25 minutes per game. Until Anthony Edwards develops, he should start over this year’s top pick from the draft. He also has the potential to lead this team in scoring any night of the season. In Minnesota’s first contest on Wednesday, Beasley finished as the team’s leading scorer with 23 points.
DFS Outlook: Right now, Beasley is a bargain DFS guard that you can find for cheap. Don’t expect him to stay cheap all season. He has proven that he can be a streaky player, and if he goes on a hot shooting run like he did last season with Minnesota, his price will rise. Don’t be shy to add Beasley to your DFS lineup(s) tonight as he takes on the Utah Jazz. As mentioned before, Beasley could be Minnesota’s top scorer on any given night.
DK: $5,800
FD: $4,800
Yahoo: $18
