Yahoo Fantasy Basketball Picks Today: Free NBA DFS Rankings 4/1/22

There is an eight-game NBA slate on the table for this Friday, which should have plenty of daily fantasy basketball intrigue and lots of higher scoring potential. There is another “tankathon” matchup between the Rockets and the banged-up Kings, who met just a few days ago. The total on that game sits at 232.5. The highest over/under on the slate is between Denver and Minnesota, a much more marquee matchup that has a 241.5, the highest on the slate by nearly 10 points. Memphis looks like a team to watch for injury news as Desmond Bane, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Steven Adams are all looking doubtful against Phoenix. There should be plenty of value to target on the Grizzlies’ side today.

This column will use the Awesemo NBA player projections, fantasy basketball rankings and NBA DFS tools to build lineups and help wade through the day’s data and news. Make sure to read to the end for a couple of extreme value plays for Yahoo fantasy basketball lineups today.

Yahoo Fantasy Basketball & NBA DFS Value Picks Today

Guard — Theo Maledon $19

The Thunder have a ton of injury issues and are in full play-out-the-string mode. That said, they have a solid matchup against Detroit, who is a bottom-12 team in terms of limiting fantasy points to the point guard position. Theo Maledon has now averaged over 34 minutes over his last four games and is averaging over 1.1 Yahoo points per minute over that same span. He has been very productive and rostering him in a game where the Thunder are 4.5-point underdogs gives a great value and flexibility to start out lineups. He is a top-10 play at point guard today in the Awesemo NBA DFS Projections and one of the best values on the entire slate.

Guard — Cade Cunningham $33

Shooting guard offers a pretty wide range of playable options in the $30 range, but it might be smart to go back to the huge usage and very consistent upside that Cade Cunningham brings on a nightly basis. The rookie has topped 40Yahoo points now in five of his last seven games and has shown increased efficiency as a scorer and fantasy producer of late, averaging well over 1.25 fantasy points per minute in his last two starts. Cunningham has a great matchup against a Thunder squad that remains thin everywhere and is bottom 10 in points, assists and rebounds allowed per game to the shoot guard position. He is a top-three play in the Awesemo NBA Projections and a great target for today’s slate.

Forward — Anthony Edwards $28

It is smart to get some exposure to both sides of this Minnesota – Denver game, and the better play of late from Anthony Edwards makes him a great play today. Edwards is second in the point projections but also has the best value score among the top three plays at his position by a wide margin. Edwards exploded for 38 points against Denver earlier in the season and has been shooting the ball well, landing 24 points in each of his last two games. The pace expected for this game should mean a couple of extra attempts for Edwards, who is still moderately priced, especially for this matchup, and rates out extremely well as a building block target today.

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Forward — Al Horford $21

With Robert Williams being out for the foreseeable future, Al Horford is in play every night when he is available at these prices. Horford returned recently from injury and has played over 31 minutes in each of his last three starts. He has not done much as a scorer but his efficiency in that department could certainly increase against Indiana, who has allowed the third-most points per game to the power forward position this year. There are other cheaper values out there at this position, but Horford is still uber affordable at this price and has shown far better upside without Williams in the lineup historically. Expect a breakout against a Pacers team that does not have much front court depth.

Center — Nikola Jokic $56

As mentioned above, there is a monster total to target in this Minnesota – Denver game and it makes for a perfect matchup to build around Nikola Jokic. Jokic is the top projected play on the slate in the Awesemo NBA Projections and comes in at absolute top form, having posted 67or more Yahoo points in four of his last five games. Jokic does not even appear that expensive for the matchup today, and the Timberwolves still are a bottom-10 team in terms of rebounds, assists and points allowed on the year. The slate has so much value that paying up for Jokic in this spot almost makes too much sense.

Jokic was showing up well in Awesemo’s fantasy basketball rankings today. He is popping as one of the best Yahoo Fantasy Basketball plays on the entire DFS slate. Check out who else is one of the best NBA picks today in the Yahoo NBA DFS Cheat Sheet.

Yahoo NBA DFS Value Play — De’Anthony Melton $16 and Brandon Clarke $13

A lot of eyes will be on Memphis today with multiple of their starters expected to be out. If both Desmond Bane and Tyus Jones do not go, De’Anthony Melton could potentially push for 40+ minutes in a game against Phoenix. It is not the best spot in the world against Chris Paul, but Melton has actually been playing well lately, averaging over 1.10 Yahoo points per minute in his last three outings.

Brandon Clarke has not been as efficient as Melton but he is cheaper and would also see a boatload of minutes in this spot if Steven Adams is out. Clarke’s usage would see a huge bump as well, and he is the top value play on the entire slate in the Awesemo Projections today. Memphis’ value will be chalky, but they will allow for tons of big names io lineups and somehow seem likely to factor into winning lineups on the slate today.

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