Yahoo Fantasy Basketball Picks Today: Free NBA DFS Rankings 4/8/22

There is a nine-game yahoo fantasy basketball slate on tap for the third to last day of the NBA regular season. The largest point total is with Charlotte – Chicago, which carries a 234.5 over/under. There is not much to monitor in terms of injuries. Kristaps Porzingis has already been ruled out for today, while Anthony Davis sets up as a game-time decision. It seems unlikely that the Lakers would play him at this point with literally nothing to play for but pride, but it bears watching, nonetheless.

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 — LaMelo Ball $35

LaMelo Ball was in this spot last night and it really paid off. He dominated a weaker Orlando squad and continued his hot run. He is available at essentially the same price today and projecting as a strong play at point guard. Ball ranks out with the fourth-best point projection at point guard and has the cheapest salary of the top four by far. His value score makes him a great upper-tier value and the Bulls have been a great matchup for opposing point guards, allowing the third-most points per game to the position and the eighth-most rebounds. The Hornets need to keep playing their stars and Ball should be in for more big minutes today.

Guard — Malik Monk $19

The Lakers look likely to sit all of their star players once again today, although that could still change so be sure to watch the later reports. Malik Monk played over 37 minutes and went for 24 points and seven rebounds yesterday against the Warriors. Tonight, he has a better matchup on tap against the equally distraught Thunder. There are a couple of solid names at shooting guard on this slate, but it is hard to look past the $19 salary on Monk. His usage was through the roof in the Lakers’ last start, and he is the top play at shooting guard today in the projections. Take what is being offered in terms of savings with Monk and use it to buy some studs at other positions.

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Forward — Jimmy Butler $35

The Heat have a nice matchup against the Hawks but do have some injury concerns to monitor with P.J. Tucker out. The Heat are looking to lock up the top seed in the Eastern Conference, so expect Jimmy Butler to be in for heavy usage again today. Butler has been solid of late, averaging 44.0 Yahoo points over his last two games and has the top point projection today of any player above $30 in the Yahoo salary structure. Atlanta is bottom 10 in terms of points and rebounds allowed at the small forward position this year, so Butler’s ceiling today also gets heightened by this matchup and the overall pace Atlanta plays at.

Butler 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.

Forward — Kevin Durant $54

The Nets’ Kevin Durant has been an absolute stud since rejoining the team and dropped a triple-double in his last outing against the Knicks. The Nets are still chasing the seventh seed and will need to win every game from here on out to make that happen. Cleveland is not the fastest-paced team, but they are without two of their top players down the middle, which should push this to more of a run and gun affair with smaller lineups potentially on both sides. Durant exploded in the last game in this kind of environment and feels likely to do so again today. He is ranked to -three in the overall selections and might have the best game environment of all the top three projected players, with a more competitive opponent in Cleveland on tap. Pay up for Durant, who is almost certain to push for or exceed 40 minutes of floor minutes once again.

Center — Pascal Siakam $38

The Raptors are still battling for seeding with the Bulls, so expect to see their stars continue to play big minutes down the stretch. Pascal Siakam absolutely dominated the Hawks two games ago, going for 31 points and 13 rebounds in over 37 minutes of playing time. He gets an even better matchup with the Rockets today, who allow the most fantasy points to the center position per game. If anyone is going to keep playing their starters through to the end, it seems likely to be Toronto. Siakam is the top play at center in the Awesemo Model by over 6.0 points, so spending up in this spot is more than worth the salary being expending. The upside is pretty much unbeatable with the Raptors star, who has been one of the best players in the league over the last week or so.

Yahoo NBA DFS Value Play — Jaylen Hoard $15

One of the biggest fantasy stories down the stretch has been the play of Oklahoma City forward Jaylen Hoard. Hoard is essentially a G league waiver addition that has lit up the scoresheet in three of his last four games. In the three games he has played 35+ minutes, Hoard has produced over 38.0 Yahoo points in each of those contests and is averaging well over 1.2 Yahoo points per game in those starts as well. It is a ridiculous story that highlights how crazy NBA DFS can get down the stretch. Still, you have to play him in this spot, especially against the Lakers who are also starting a B unit every night. Hoard is the top value at small forward today and likely the best value overall on the slate.

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