Yahoo Fantasy Basketball Picks Today: Free NBA DFS Rankings 2/16/22

The fantasy basketball slate today has 11 games on it and is jam-packed with big games and important injury news to follow. Players like Lebron James, Ja Morant, Anthony Edwards and Fred VanVleet are all set up as game-time decisions. Their availability will have massive impacts on their teams’ rotations. The largest game total for this big slate sits with the Suns vs. Bulls matchup at 234.0 points. The Bulls vs. Kings game also has a big total of 232.5 points to be aware of. With lots of big names listed on the injury report, make sure to keep checking the updates on the Awesemo Projections as the day progresses, and keep your ear to the ground before making your NBA picks today.

This column will use the Awesemo NBA DFS Projections, daily 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 — Trae Young $40

The Hawks take on the Magic, a team that should be a ripe target for an elite guard like Trae Young. Young comes into this slate after dropping 41 points on a good defensive team in the Cavaliers and faces an Orlando squad who ranks in the bottom-12 of the league in points allowed, assists allowed and opponent three-point percentage. Young clocked in with over 43.0 Yahoo points in just over 30 minutes of playing time in their last matchup and has seen his minutes hit over the 35.0-minute threshold in many of his more recent starts. He rates out very highly in the NBA projections on Awesemo today and makes for a perfect starting point at the guard position.

Guard — Jaylen Brown $31

The Celtics’ Jaylen Brown comes in $9 cheaper than Young but is a player who rarely disappoints for fantasy purposes. The all-purpose guard is averaging over 23.0 points, over 6.0 rebounds a game this year, and has managed over 40.0 Yahoo points in three of his last four starts. Brown is shooting better from beyond the arc of late and plays a Pistons squad who is dead last in opposition 3-point percentage. Brown is a fine way to save some cash but maintain good upside at both guard positions.

Forward — DeMar DeRozan $46

The Bulls’ DeMar DeRozan seems nearly unstoppable right now. He has continued to play huge minutes for the Bulls on a nightly basis and is on a stretch that has seen him cash in 35 or more real-life points in six straight games. DeRozan’s usage is not going to change at all today with Zach Lavine still out, yet his price tag remains well under $50 on Yahoo. There is a ton of value available due to the Pacers’ current injury situation and deep talent to choose from at positions like center, where saving money will not be an issue. DeRozan has cracked the 50.0 point mark on Yahoo in five of his last games and faces a Kings team who sits third-last in points allowed this year. Whether or not you should pay up for DeRozan should not be a tough debate today.

DeRozan was showing up well in our NBA projections today and 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.

Forward — Jaren Jackson Jr. $29

The Grizzlies are one team that needs to be monitored closely today as injury news on Morant will be huge for the fantasy fortunes of this team. Jaren Jackson Jr. had a monster game last night with Morant out and will likely be in a high usage spot again today, even if Morant guts it out. Jackson put up over 40.0 Yahoo points in just 25 minutes of playing time yesterday, which sets him up perfectly to play big minutes today on the tail-end of a back-to-back. The Trail Blazers rank out as a great opponent at fifth-last in opposing field goal percentage and have little to offer in terms of talent at forward. Jackson rates out as a great value at Forward on Awesemo and a great way to counter paying up for DeRozan at the four-spot.

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Center — Deandre Ayton $25

The Suns’ three-man-centric offense can be tough to figure at times for fantasy but target the underpriced Deandre Ayton in spots like today against a weaker opponent. Ayton takes on a Rockets team who is dead last in opposing field goal percentage and also ranks 11th worst in rebounding. It is a perfect spot for a player like Ayton to rack tons of quick fantasy points and he was able to grab an easy double-double in just 25 minutes of playing time the last time he faced the Rockets. Ayton has been trending well and has averaged around 35.0 Yahoo points in his last three games, while also seeing his minutes trend upwards. He rates out as a top value option at Center that can be targeted to fit into stud selections at forward and guard.

Yahoo NBA DFS Value Play — Jalen Smith $11

There will be multiple options available to roster cheap players from Indiana’s rotation, although all of them will likely come with big rostership. The most appealing will likely be Jalen Smith, who moved into the starting lineup yesterday. Smith has averaged well over a fantasy point per minute this year and has averaged 28 Yahoo points over his last two games, despite playing just 17 minutes yesterday due to foul trouble. This is one value you do not have to fade. Eat the chalk with Smith if you need a punt and be different elsewhere.

Yahoo NBA DFS Value Play — Buddy Hield $16

The Pacers’ Buddy Hield was a player mentioned yesterday who was projecting well on Awesemo and perhaps due for a breakout, and breakout he did. Hield posted 36 points against the Bucks and has looked much improved as a player over his last three starts. Even if the points come down a bit, look for Hield to again see sky-high usage today as the Pacers do not have many scoring options right now. You should easily get 30+ minutes again for Hield, who is the same price as yesterday and in another plus match-up against the Wizards.

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