I’ll be starting on baseball tomorrow. I’m going to try and get some position rankings posted, as well as preview the game setups for the different sites offering daily draft fantasy baseball this season.  See you guys Monday.

POINT GUARD:

• Jrue Holiday remains near minimum salary and continues to produce.  He gets a Chicago team who may or may not have Derrick Rose going tonight.  I’d recommend Holiday no matter if Rose plays or not.
• Mike Conley is mid-priced and has a great matchup against Golden State.  He should be worth the salary.
• Darren Collison is going tonight against Utah, but you definitely want to be careful with this one.  I don’t think Chris Paul is returning today, but you never know.
• CJ Watson is a decent play if Stephen Curry can’t go Saturday.
• Devin Harris should go today, but I’d avoid him.  Also, avoid Keyon Dooling if you have been using him in place of Harris.
• Jason Kidd has a tough matchup against Rajon Rondo and the Celtics.
• I’m avoiding Chauncey Billups.  He’s a great player, but he’s been inconsistent over the last couple of weeks.  His salary is to high to gamble on.
• Deron Williams is the most expensive PG today, but he’s a little banged up and I’m not sure he’s going to earn that lofty salary.
• Avoid Chris Paul (injury), Derrick Rose (wrist), Devin Harris (illness), Jason Terry (injury/tough matchup).

SHOOTING GUARD:

• Terrence Williams is a low priced option and his has a good matchup against the Raptors.
• Wes Matthews has been one of my favorite low priced roster fillers, but he’s dealing with a sprained MCL which seems to be limiting his production.
• Marcus Thornton against Utah should still be a strong play.
• O.J. Mayo has a great matchup against the Warriors and this is one of the better times to play him.
• Stephen Jackson is expensive and he has to deal with Dwyane Wade tonight.  It might be a safe play to avoid him.
• Dwyane Wade and Monta Ellis are at the top of the SG board.  Wade gets a tough Charlotte matchup while Ellis gets the easier matchup with Memphis.

SMALL FORWARD:

• Small Forward is going to require some salary tonight.  There aren’t any reliable, low priced options.  Hedo Turkoglu is about as low as I would go and even he’s inconsistent and expensive.
• John Salmons has a decent matchup with Denver.
• Upper mid-priced plays have Paul Pierce with a tough matchup against Dallas and Caron Butler with a tough matchup against the Celtics.  I see the Dallas/Boston game being a fairly low scoring defensive affair, which can be death to fantasy stats.
• Rudy Gay is my favorite SF play.  He’s got a great matchup agains the Warriors and should put up a big number.
• Gerald Wallace looked pretty good last night, but I’m not sure how the ankle is going to hold up in back to back games.  He’s an expensive, risky play.
• Carmelo Anthony is at the top of the SF board and has as decent matchup with Milwaukee.  Spend the money if you have it.

POWER FORWARD:

• Chris Hunter is minimum salary and should get minutes for Golden State.  He’s risky.
• James Johnson is minimum salary and he makes a great play with Luol Deng certainly out tonight.  Johnson could keep the job for the entire 2-3 weeks which Deng is expected to be out.
• Josh Boone has been productive, but Yi Jianlian is expected back Saturday so avoid Boone.
• Taj Gibson had a big night Friday, but he’s inconsistent.
• Paul Millsap could get big minutes if Mehmet Okur misses time due to  a stomach virus.  Make sure you check Okur’s gametime status before using Millsap.
• Elton Brand has been playing better of late and gets a good matchup with a weak Chicago interior.  Joakim Noah might play in this one but I don’t think he will be very effective.
• At the top of the PF board, Zach Randolph is a must play against the Warriors, especially if Marc Gasol continues to miss time with his neck injury.
• Chris Bosh should also have a good night against a very discouraged Brook Lopez and the Nets.  Lopez threw a temper tantrum at practice and could mail it in for this one.
• Avoid Joakim Noah (plantar fasciitis), Kenyon Martin (injury), Michael Beasley (inconsistent), Yi Jianlian (uncertain minutes).

CENTER:

• Hasheem Thabeet is minimum salary and could get a start if Marc Gasol can’t go due to his neck injury.
• Johan Petro is still getting a little run with Kenyon Martin out.
• Brad Miller has been a solid low priced play, but there is a chance Joakim Noah could cut into his minutes tonight.
• I don’t play Samuel Dalembert often, but he’s got a nice matchup with Chicago.
• Andrea Bargnani has been shooting well and has a favorable matchup wtih the Nets.  I’m not sure Brook Lopez is going to give full effort tonight after showing some real disgust with the team.
• The Toronto game should be a prime matchup for Brook Lopez against the weak rebounding Bargnani.  I’ve just got a bad vibe about Lopez in this one.  He could mail it in or he could come out and just dominate out of anger.  Devin Harris returns to take some of the scoring away from Lopez, while the pathetic Yi Jianlian returns to steal some of his rebounds.   Might be safe to just avoid him in this one.
• Andrew Bogut has a nice matchup with the Kenyon Martin-less Nuggets.  He should have room to work inside.

POINT GUARD:

• Toney Douglas leads the bargain bin roster fillers today.  He’s minimum salary, but he’s got a tough matchup against Rajon Rondo and the Celtics.  I still think he exceeds his minimum salary.
• Jannero Pargo is another minimum player, but I don’t like him quite as much as Idid last night.  Derrick Rose may still be out, but Kirk Hinrich will return from his one game suspension.  Flip Murray got a start last night, so it may be Hinrich and Murray getting the starts tonight, with Pargo off the bench.
• Jrue Holiday is low priced and should continue to get big minutes, especially if Lou Williams misses tonight with his back spasms.
• Jose Calderon is supposed to take the starting job away from Jarrett Jack tonight for Toronto, but both of these guys are equally priced and will probably still continue to split minutes no matter who actually starts.
• Darren Collison has been bumped up in salary price recently, but he’s still a sweet deal with a prime matchup against the Warriors.
• There are a lot of mid-priced PG plays Wednesday.  Aaron Brooks against Memphis, Mo Williams against the Pacers and Stephen Curry against New Orleans are all decent plays if you need a mid-price PG.
• At the top of the PG salary scale, I like Rajon Rondo against Toney Douglas and the Knicks.  Douglas is still inexperienced and Rondo may take full advantage.
• Avoid Devin Harris (illness), Derrick Rose (wrist), Jason Terry (injury).

SHOOTING GUARD:

• Terrence Williams is low priced and has been playing well lately.  He’s got a decent matchup against Philadelphia.
• Wes Matthews continues to get minutes for Utah and makes a solid low priced roster filler.
• Flip Murray could get another start for the Bulls in place of Derrick Rose.
• Mike Dunleavy and Dahntay Jones could both see an uptick in minutes with Danny Granger out of the lineup.
• Marcus Thornton has seen his salary price creep up lately, but if you are ever going to play him, tonight is the night with a great matchup against the Warriors.
• Ray Allen could be a sneaky good play against the Knicks.  I don’t play Allen often, but his matchup is good and the price is right.
• Jamal Crawford will be a good play again tonight against the defenseless Raptors.  Joe Johnson is also out, so Crawford will need to score.
• Manu Ginobili has a tough matchup against Orlando, but you might still want to give him a look since his price is good.
• Stephen Jackson will again be asked to carry the Bobcats against OKC with Gerald Wallace out, but Thabo Sefolosha is a tough defensive player and may give Jax fits.  Be careful here.
• Monta Ellis is the most expensive player on the SG board and he might be worth the money against Collison/Thornton and the Hornets.
• Avoid Joe Johnson (achilles), Lou Williams (back), Peja Stojakovic (injury), Courtney Lee (inconsistent).

SMALL FORWARD:

• SF is a little thin tonight and you are going to have to spend some salary here.  Stephen Graham is the only decent minimum salary play.  He should get another start in place of the injured Gerald Wallace.
• The mid-priced range is a cluster of risks with John Salmons against the Clippers, Hedo Turkoglu against the Hawks, Wilson Chandler against the Celtics and Richard Jefferson against Orlando.  Nothing really appealing out of that group.
• Paul Pierce may be a decent play against the Knicks.  He’s a little expensive though and could rest if this one turns into a blowout like the Celtics last game did against the Pistons.
• Caron Butler is similarly priced to Pierce and has a good matchup against the shorthanded Bulls.
• In the higher priced range, Rudy Gay against Houston, Andre Iguodala against the Nets and Josh Smith against the Raptors are all solid plays.
• At the top of the board LeBron James should earn his maximum salary price, if the game against Indiana doesn’t turn into a laugher.
• Kevin Durant is about 20% cheaper than James, but has a tougher matchup against Charlotte.  Durant should get in a full game though as that contest should be close.
• Avoid Gerald Wallace (injury), Danny Granger (injury), Luol Deng (injury), Andrei Kirilenko (injury), Thaddeus Young (thumb).

POWER FORWARD:

• James Johnson should get another start with Luol Deng likely out.  Check Deng’s gametime status later today.
• Chris Hunter is an interesting minimum salary play against the Hornets.  He put up 22pt/7reb against the Lakers in his last one.
• Josh Boone might be good low priced roster filler.  He’s getting minutes with Yi Jianlian out and had a good line last night with 13pt/20reb. 
• Drew Gooden is a lower priced option and has been putting up some good lines.
• Elton Brand has good matchup against the Nets and should earn his mid-priced salary.
• Troy Murphy should be a dependable option against Cleveland.  Danny Granger is going to be out and someone will have to pick up the scoring slack.
• Luis Scola has been one of my favorite plays lately.  He’s got a great opportunity against the Grizzlies who may again be without their big man, Marc Gasol.  Ride the streak.
• David West has an excellent matchup against the Warriors.
• Zach Randolph has a good matchup against a smallish Houston interior.
• At the top of the PF board, David Lee has a bad matchup with the Celtics, Dirk Nowitzki should just destroy the Bulls, while Chris Bosh has to deal with Al Horford/Josh Smith and the Hawks.
• Tim Duncan has to matchup Dwight Howard and the Magic.  Avoid him.
• Avoid Yi Jianlian (injury), Kevin Love (inconsistent minutes/slumping).

CENTER:

• Hasheem Thabeet is minimum salary and could get another start if Marc Gasol can’t go.  Check Gasol’s gametime status.
• Brad Miller has been dealing with a sore thumb, but he’s been consistently earning his low salary.
• Kendrick Perkins is mid-priced and has a good matchup against the Knicks.  It’s one of his better matchups.
• Emeka Okafor is very inconsistent, but it’s hard to resist a matchup with the Warriors.  High risk / High reward.
• Andrea Bargnani is going to start losing playing time soon I think.  He can’t rebound and should get completely schooled by Al Horford.  Avoid him.
• Al Horford is my favorite center play tonight.  He should dominate the above mentioned Bargnani.  15 rebounds isn’t out of the question for Horford.
• I’ve been down on Chris Kaman and will continue to avoid him.  The coaching change for the Clippers has hurt his value more than any other player on the team.
• Dwight Howard is at the top of the Center board, but has a tough matchup with the Spurs.  He should put up good stats, but don’t expect a monster game.

POINT GUARD:

• Jannero Pargo is minimum salary and could get some run if Derrick Rose is going to miss with his injured wrist.
• Randy Foye is on the verge of losing playing time.  Avoid him.
• Mike Bibby is dealing with an injury so avoid him.  Jamal Crawford could be a really nice SG play against the Nets if Bibby can’t go.
• Earl Watson will get a start with T.J. Ford out.  Watson has a tough matchup against the Bobcats though.
• Will Bynum gets a start tonight with Rodney Stuckey still sidelined. 
• Mike Conley lost a big chunk of minutes to Marcus Williams in the last game, so play it safe and avoid Conley.
• Steve Nash is expensive and he scares me tonight.  Goran Dragic is healthy and Leandro Barbosa could also play.  Nash is tired and he needs some rest, and he could start getting it soon, which would really hurt his daily cash game production.
• Chauncey Billups against Washington is probably going to be the best PG play Tuesday.
• Tyreke Evans gets a tough matchup with Lakers.  He’s the most expensive PG on the board and I just don’t think he’s going to earn his salary against the Lakers.
• Avoid Devin Harris (illness), Derrick Rose (wrist), Rodney Stuckey (injury).

SHOOTING GUARD:

• Terrence Williams is getting good playing time and makes a nice low priced roster filler against the Hawks.
• Jamal Crawford is a great play tonight against the Nets.  Mike Bibby is having some injury problems and Joe Johnson is out.  Somebody has to pick up the scoring, and it should be Crawford.
• Jason Richardson is another interesting mid-priced play.  He’s wildly inconsistent, but if you want to gamble, he always has the ability to reward you.
• Manu Ginobili is also a good mid priced pick against Miami.
• Stephen Jackson starts to get you into the higher priced players, but he’s got a very nice mathcup with Indiana and should try to take over this game with Gerald Wallace likely out.
• Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade sit atop the SG board and they are similarly priced.  Bryant gets Sacramento while Wade gets the tough matchup with San Antonio.  Both should produce similar stats.
• Avoid Joe Johnson (achilles), Mike Dunleavy (eye).

SMALL FORWARD:

• Stephen Graham is minimum salary and he got the start last game in place of Gerald Wallace. 
• FSL finally adjusted Andray Blatche’s salary, but it only bumped up to the mid priced level similar to players such as Tayshaun Prince, Ron Artest and Grant Hill.  I’d still go with Blatche at his new salary given the fact the he has huge upside every night and he’s got a good matchup against Denver, who is without Kenyon Martin.
• Danny Granger has had some nagging injuries and he isn’t always on his game.  He’s a risky, expensive play so be careful using him.
• Rudy Gay has a good matchup against a Chicago team who will likely be without Luol Deng and Derrick Rose.  Gay could have a big night.
• Josh Smith is an interesting play against the Nets.  Joe Johnson is out so Atlanta may look to play inside against a NJ team who is missing starting PF Yi Jianlian.  Al Horford will tangle with Brook Lopez, which may leave Smith open for opportunities.
• Avoid Gerald Wallace (ankle), Luol Deng (leg), Tayshaun Prince (back), Grant Hill (concussion).

POWER FORWARD:

• James Johnson is minimum salary and will probably get another start for the injured Luol Deng.  He played 42 minutes in his last one, which is pretty good for minimum salary.
• Jason Maxiell matched up with a tough Boston team last night and his matchup doesn’t get any easier tonight with Cleveland.  He held his own Monday with 11pt/10reb and should be able to do similar against Cleveland.
• Udonis Haslem got the start in place of Michael Beasley in Miami’s last game.  I haven’t yet seen a report on whether Beasley is playing Tuesday, so check it gametime and then consider Haslem if you need a lower priced PF.
• Carl Landry has been very dependable, but his matchup is a little tough against the Lakers.
• Troy Murphy has a matchup against Charlotte, but Boris Diaw should be able to stick to Murphy pretty well and keep him under control. 
• Amare Stoudemire is one of my favorite PF plays.  He has just been killing it and he gets a good matchup with Minnesota who have a banged up Kevin Love at PF.
• Zach Randolph sits atop the PF board and he has become really expensive.  He’s got a good matchup with a weak Chicago interior, so if you have the money he should produce near his salary.  Also, Marc Gasol has a strained neck and might be limited.  If so, then Randolph will have the inside all to himself.
• Avoid Tim Duncan (overpriced/inconsistent minutes), Kevin Love (banged up), Michael Beasley (injury).

CENTER:

• JaVale McGee again.  He actually produced last night, so congrats if you had him going.  He’s minimum salary, but you never know what your are going to get with him.
• Brad Miller gets a matchup with Memphis.  Marc Gasol has a strained neck and I’m not sure how much he’s going to play.  Miller could be decent if Gasol is out.  Check it gametime.
• Al Horford has seen his salary steadily rise over the last couple of weeks and Tuesday he has to contend with the Nets and Brook Lopez.  Not a bad play, but don’t expect too much.
• Andrew Bynum had a decent game Monday against the Warriors and can probably put up a decent number against the Kings.
• Brook Lopez is in an interesting spot Tuesday.  New Jersey will be without Devin Harris and Yi Jianlian, so it could be one of those games where Lopez tries to put the team on his back and carry them.    He has to contend with Al Horford and Josh Smith inside for Atlanta, who I’m sure might be planning on taking out the Nets’ biggest weapon, so I’m not sure what his upside is.  Since he’s only about 10% more than Horford, I’d gamble on Lopez.
• Avoid Marc Gasol (neck), Ben Wallace (knee), Jermaine O’Neal (injury risk/tough matchup).

POINT GUARD:

• Toney Douglas could be a decent minimum salary roster filler against the Sixers.  He’s getting a look as the season winds down.
• Jrue Holiday is my favorite near minimum roster filler at PG.  He makes a fine cheap play against the Knicks.
• Darren Collison is also in action tonight against the Clippers.  You can pair up Collison and Holiday and have enough salary cap to fill the rest of your roster with studs, especially given the thin options with only 6 games going.  The problem is, everyone else is probably using this strategy too.
• The expensive PG options really aren’t that attractive anyway.  Deron Williams is fighting a shoulder injury, Stephen Curry has a tough matchup with the Lakers and Baron Davis continues to be overpriced given his horrible inconsistency.
• Chauncey Billups against Houston is an ok option and Rajon Rondo against Detroit is decent as well if you really want to spend money on a PG. 

SHOOTING GUARD:

• Bill Walker has been getting some good run and he is near minimum salary.  He’s a good play if you want a SG roster filler.
• Wes Matthews had a career high 29 points yesterday.   You can’t beat that kind of production from a near minimum salary player.  Ride the hot streak.
• Marcus Thornton against the Clippers should continue to produce good returns at his low salary.
• Kevin Martin has a good matchup against Denver, but he’s a little pricey, especially with Trevor Ariza now back on the court.
• Kobe Bryant has a prime matchup against the Warriors.  He should have 25 by halftime.  The only problem is that he could ride the pine for the second half.  Given all the cheap roster filler options available, I think you have to roll the dice on Kobe getting a full games worth of stats.  If he gets benched, then he just gets benched.
• Avoid Lou Williams.  He got benched last night and could get the same treatment tonight.

SMALL FORWARD:

• Andray Blatche remains mispriced on most sites and he’s a must play at his salary.  It allows you to use extra cap space elsewhere.
• SF is a bit thin tonight and this is probably the position where you should spend a big chunk of your salary cap budget.  Andre Iguodala has  good matchup against the Knicks and Carmelo Anthony has a good matchup against Houston.  Use them both if you have the cap space.
• Tayshaun Prince is an interesting play tonight.  He’s very cheap, but he’s got a difficult matchup against the Celtics.  With Andray Blatche at the same salary, you should probably just avoid Prince.
• Avoid Andrei Kirilenko (injury).

POWER FORWARD:

• I’ve been recommending Jason Maxiell as a low priced roster filler, but there is a chance Ben Wallace could return.  Even if Wallace remains out, the matchup against Boston is a bad one.  Avoid him.
• Paul Millsap should get another chance to shine tonight with Andrei Kirilenko out and Mehmet Okur questionable.  Millsap wasn’t that great on Sunday, but he’s still a good mid-priced option.
• Luis Scola has been on fire and has a great matchup against a Denver team who is without starting PF Kenyon Martin.  Definitely an attractive play.
• David West has been streaking and gets a matchup with the Clippers.  He’s a bit expensive, but might be worth it.
• At the top of the PF board we have David Lee against the Sixers and Pau Gasol against the Warriors.  Both excellent, but expensive plays.

CENTER:

• Here we go again with the JaVale McGee dilemma.  He’s minimum salary and has a matchup with a Utah team who will probably be missing their starting Center.  Again, do you feel lucky?
• Kendrick Perkins against Detroit, Samuel Dalembert against New York and Emeka Okafor against the Clippers are all similarly priced and similarly risky plays.
• Chris Kaman has been burning me lately.  Something just doesn’t seem right with him and his stats have  been disappointing.   I’ve got enough salary cap to play him, but I think I’m going to pass on him.  His matchup is decent, but I’ve just got a bad vibe about him.   I could be completely wrong, so use him at your own risk.
• Andrew Bynum has a great matchup against the Warriors and should be able to earn his salary.

POINT GUARD:

• Today’s low priced PG plays:  George Hill against and the Clippers.  Parker is out and Hill is running the point.
• Mike Conley has been playing much better lately and has a good matchup against Denver.
• Will Bynum will get another start if Rodney Stuckey can’t go.  Bynum had 20 assists Friday and should earn his salary again tonight.
• Aaron Brooks continues to play well and has a matchup against the Nets.
• Jameer Nelson is an acceptable play against Washington.
• Chauncey Billups is a little expensive tonight, but should produce a good return on investment.
• Avoid Tony Parker (hand), Rodney Stuckey (injury), Ty Lawson (shoulder). 

SHOOTING GUARD:

• Terrence Williams is a good minimum salary player if you want to fill a SG roster spot at low salary and spend salary cap elsewhere.
• Rasual Butler has been producing with the absence of Eric Gordon.  Give Butler a play if you need a low priced SG.
• Manu Ginobili remains my favorite mid-priced SG play.  He didn’t get big minutes last night, but he should easily earn his salary tonight.
• Rip Hamilton is a little more expensive than Ginobili, but he should produce a similar fantasy number as Manu.
• Kevin Martin is expensive, but has a good matchup against the Nets.
• Joe Johnson is a just a little more than Martin and I’d spend the extra salary if you have it and go with Johnson.
• Monta Ellis is the most expensive SG and I’d avoid him tonight.  The injuries are just too risky to gamble on the high salary.
• Avoid Eric Gordon (leg), Tracy McGrady.

SMALL FORWARD:

• Andray Blatche is a must play at his low salary, even with the tough matchup against Orlando.
• Tayshaun Prince has been consistently been earning his salary and makes a nice lower priced play against Atlanta.
• Caron Butler is expensive, but has a favorable play against the Knicks.
• Rudy Gay should put up a big number against the Nuggets.

POWER FORWARD:

• Jason Maxiell has done a great job filling in for Ben Wallace and makes a good minimum salary roster filler tonight against the Hawks.
• Drew Gooden has been steady, give him a look if you want a PF in the lower mid price range.
• Luis Scola is one of my favorite PF plays tonight.  He’s been on fire lately and matches up against the Nets who will be without starting PF, Yi Jianlian.
• The top of the PF board is loaded with good plays:  Chris Bosh against Golden State, Zach Randolph against a Kenyon Martin-less Denver, Dirk Nowitzki against the Knicks and David Lee against Dallas.  Bosh is most definitely my favorite, but he’s a little more expensive than the others.
• Avoid Kenyon Martin (injury)

CENTER:

• I’ve been recommending JaVale McGee as a minimum salary roster filler, but tonight you have to avoid him against the Magic and D. Howard.
• If you insist on playing a minimum salary roster filler at center, give Johan Petro a look.
• Al Horford should put up a solid number against a Detroit interior that will be missing Ben Wallace.
• Andrea Bargnani should fire away at will against the Warriors.
• If you want quality, go straight to the top of the board and play Dwight Howard.  He should school JaVale McGee and the Wizards.

POINT GUARD:

• Jrue Holiday has been hot lately and at a minimum salary you have to continue to ride him.   His matchup isn’t great against the Cavaliers, but the minimum salary is a low risk play.
• Darren Collison is still low priced and has a good matchup against Denver.
• George Hill is getting good minutes with Tony Parker out.  The defense should be focusing on Manu Ginobili after his last two big games, which may leave Hill open to do some scoring.  If nothing else, he’ll keep feeding assists to Manu.
• Mike Conley has a good matchup against the Knicks.  He went for 18pts/5ast/3reb/1steal two weeks ago at New York.
• Andre Miller has been very consistent lately and has a good matchup against Sacramento.
• If you want to invest some money in the PG position, Russell Westbrook against New Jersey, Rajon Rondo against Indiana and Deron Williams against Milwaukee are all good plays.  I like Westbrook the best.
• Avoid Derrick Rose (wrist), Mo Williams (inconsistent), Steve Nash (health/bad matchup), Rodney Stuckey (injury), Raymond Felton (inconsistent).

SHOOTING GUARD:

• Wes Matthews at Milwaukee is a good minimum salary roster filler if you want to load up with your salary cap money on another position.
• Terrence Williams is another near minimum who has been showing signs of life lately.
• Marcus Thornton is a nice low priced play at home against Denver.
• Manu Ginobili has been playing well and you have to keep riding him at his mid-priced  salary.
• Rip Hamilton should have a good game against the Wizards, especially with Stuckey out.
• Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade are equally priced.  Bryant gets Phoenix and Wade gets Chicago.  Both are at home and have good matchups, but the Bulls playing without Derrick Rose and Luol Deng could allow Wade to have the better night statistically.  Miami also needs to win this game for the playoff race, so look for Miami to keep the pedal to the metal for the whole game.
• Avoid Jason Richardson (banged up), Eric Gordon (leg), Lou Williams (tough matchup), Tracy McGrady (it’s Tracy McGrady), Peja Stojakovic (injury).

SMALL FORWARD:

• I’m laying off of LeBron James tonight.  He’s the highest salaried player on the entire board and he might not get close to earning that salary tonight.  I could see Cleveland blowing Philly out and the King sitting for most of the second half.  The Cavs really don’t need this game and have no reason to push LeBron.
• If you want to spend money at SF, go with Kevin Durant.  He’s 20% cheaper than James and will probably tally more fantasy points against the lowly Nets than LeBron will against Philly.
• Not much in the SF bargain bin tonight.  Al Thornton is probably the lowest salaried player I’d go with.
• Andray Blatche had it going again in his last one and you have to keep playing him at his given low salary, especially if Ben Wallace remains out for Detroit.
• Tayshaun Prince has been a steady play and he gets the Wizards tonight.
• At the upper end of the SF board, Rudy Gay has as good matchup against the Knicks while Gerald Wallace has a good matchup against the Clippers.
• Avoid Danny Granger (high salary/ tough matchup), Luol Deng (calf), Paul Pierce (inconsistent lately).

POWER FORWARD:

• J.J. Hickson is a decent near minimum salary play tonight with Antawn Jamison and Shaq out of the lineup.  Hickson and Anderson Varejao should both get big minutes.
• Drew Gooden has been putting up some good lines lately and gets a matchup against Tyson Chandler and the Bobcats.
• Jeff Green is a solid play against the Nets, who will likely be without their starting PF, Yi Jianlian.
• I really like David West against Denver.  The Nuggets will be going without starting PF, Kenyon Martin, so West should have room to work.
• As always, you want to squeeze David Lee onto your roster if you have the salary cap space.  He’s got a favorable matchup against the weak defensed Grizzlies.
• I’ve been debating on whether to play LaMarcus Aldridge.  He’s been sluggish and a little inconsistent lately, but his salary is reasonable.
• Avoid Kenyon Martin (injury), Yi Jianlian (injury), Antawn Jamison (knee), Amare Stoudemire (high salary/tough matchup), Michael Beasley (injury).

CENTER:

• JaVale McGee is a bargain at minimum salary.  He went for 20pt/9reb last night and could find success again against a Detroit team who will likely be missing Ben Wallace.
• Mehmet Okur is a decent mid-priced play against Milwaukee.
• Jermaine O’Neal has  a good matchup against a weak Chicago interior, but his health is always a risk.
• Andrew Bynum could post a solid line against Phoenix.
• Brook Lopez is an excellent play against the weak interior of Oklahoma City.  Big men have been hanging big numbers on OKC lately. 

POINT GUARD:

• I’m still rolling with Darren Collison and his abnormally low salary.  Keep riding him until FSL changes the salary.
• Jrue Holiday is also still in the bargain bin and makes a nice minimum salary roster filler if you want to spend your salary cap on another position.  His matchup isn’t great against Charlotte, but the salary is right.
• The middle of the PG board is bare.  Not much to play.  Maybe Jarrett Jack if you feel lucky.
• Toward the top of the PG board, Russell Westbrook is a nice play against New Orleans.
• Chauncey Billups against Minnesota, Rajon Rondo against Memphis and Tyreke Evans against Toronto are all acceptable plays, although the salary on each of these three is pretty high and any one of them could  turn in a low odds dud.
• My favorite PG pick today is Deron Williams.  I played him last night and he paid off with a good game.  He gets a Detroit team tonight that will be without Rodney Stuckey.
• Avoid Baron Davis (attitude/stomach virus), Rodney Stuckey (injury), Mike Conley (bad matchup).

SHOOTING GUARD:

• Wes Matthews is again the best minimum salary, roster filler player available.  Plug him into your roster if you want to spend money at another position.
• Marcus Thornton is another nice low salary play, as long as his back doesn’t act up.
• Manu Ginobili is one of my favorite SG starts.  He is mid-priced and will start at SG against the Knicks.  He had a huge game in his last one.
• Richard Hamilton is the same price as Ginobili and should put up similar stats as Manu tonight.  Pairing them together could pay well.
• Stephen Jackson is expensive and I’m shying away from Jax tonight.  He hasn’t quite been earning his salary and he didn’t look that great last night.
• Dwyane Wade is the most expensive player on the SG board, but if you have the money you have to roll with him.
• Avoid O.J. Mayo (slumping/bad matchup), Lou Williams (bad matchup), Eric Gordon (leg), Peja Stojakovic (injury).

SMALL FORWARD:

• No real bargains on the SF board.  Tayshaun Prince is probably the lowest priced player that I would use tonight.
• Caron Butler could have a nice game against the Nets, but he’s a fairly high salary given his inconsistency.
• Paul Pierce is equal price to Butler and I’d definitely avoid Pierce.  Seems like his thumb injury is just causing him to coast along.
• Further up the price scale is Rudy Gay against Boston.  I don’t see Rudy earning his high salary against that Celtic defense.
• Andre Iguodala has a tough matchup and he looked horrible last night.  Avoid him.
• Gerald Wallace is always a good play and should earn close to his salary.
• I’m going straight to the top of the SF board and playing Kevin Durant, because I just don’t really trust any of the other SF options.  I’ll be pairing him with Tayshaun Prince to keep under the salary cap.

POWER FORWARD: 

• Jason Maxiell is minimum salary and could get another start if Ben Wallace can’t go.
• Carl Landry is an attractive play against Toronto.  He isn’t flashy, but he is dependable to earn his mid-priced salary.
• David West is one of my favorite PF plays.  He’s risky for sure, but he could have a big game tonight against the Oklahoma City interior.
• David Lee is another good pick, although he draws a tough San Antonio defense. 
• Avoid Zach Randolph (back), Kevin Love (inconsistent minutes), Kenyon Martin (injury), Jason Thompson (inconsistent minutes).

CENTER:

• You are going to have to spend money at the center position tonight.  Mehmet Okur is the lowest priced guy I’d start.
• Jermaine O’Neal is a mid-priced play, but he went big minutes Tuesday and he’s fighting a sore knee.  He could be in for a letdown against the Clippers.
• Chris Kaman is probably my favorite center play, especially considering the  condition of Jermaine O’Neal described above.
• Brook Lopez could also be a nice play with Erick Dampier and Brendan Haywood both a little gimpy
• Andrea Bargnani was hot last night and could continue to surprise against a weak Spencer Hawes and the Kings.
• Avoid Brendan Haywood (back), Erick Dampier (finger), Marc Gasol (bad matchup), Ben Wallace (knee).

POINT GUARD:

• Rodrigue Beaubois is a minimum salary play with Jason Terry out.  He’s been hot and playing him at minimum will allow you to go with more expensive players at other positions, which is a necessity on thin nights.
• Darren Collison is another low priced pick and you should continue to use him until FSL adjusts his salary.  He’s got a great matchup against the Warriors.
• Devin Harris had a nice game in his last one and gets a favorable matchup against Memphis.
• George Hill will start for San Antonio and could be a nice play tonight, but don’t expect too much with the matchup against Cleveland.
• Avoid Mo Williams (slumping), Jason Terry (injury), Tony Parker (hand), Jonny Flynn (bad matchup).

SHOOTING GUARD:

• Manu Ginobili should be in the starting lineup with Tony Parker out.  George Hill will start at PG.  Manu is a decent mid-priced play. but he has a tough matchup with Cleveland.
• Marcus Thornton has been one of my favorite low salary roster fillers, but his back is acting up, so avoid him tonight.
• Courtney Lee returned from injury and put up a nice line in his last game and could have another one against Memphis.  He’s really inconsistent though.
• Joe Johnson is at the top of the SG board and is the best play out of the group tonight.  He’s expensive and recovering from the flu, but he should earn his salary against the Knicks.
• Avoid Monta Ellis (injury), Tracy McGrady (fatigue).

SMALL FORWARD:

• Not many SF options tonight, so you are probably going to have to spend some salary on this position.  Caron Butler had a nice game in his last one and should earn his upper middle-priced salary against Minnesota.  He’ll get all the minutes he can handle with Terry out.
• Rudy Gay is just a tad more expensive than Butler and has  good matchup with the Nets.  Play him if you have the salary cap space.
• LeBron James is questionable tonight so you have to avoid him at his maximum salary.  It’s just too big of a gamble to play him.
• Josh Smith is a decent play against the Knicks and he should earn pretty close to his high salary.
• Corey Maggette is trying to play through his hamstring problem, but he is just too high priced to gamble on.
• Avoid Marvin Williams (banged up).

POWER FORWARD:

• David West has a great matchup with the Warriors and makes an excellent play tonight.
• Antawn Jamison is another good high priced play.  If LeBron sits, Jamison will put the team on his back and carry them.  He could put up a big line tonight.
• Zach Randolph against  New Jersey and David Lee against Atlanta are both good plays, but very expensive.
• No really dependable cheap PF options tonight, although if you really want a minimum salary roster filler, Chris Hunter could get minutes if Ronny Turiaf can’t go.
• Avoid the  JJ Hickson/Anderson Varejao tandem.
• Avoid Yi Jianlian (injury)

CENTER:

• Brook Lopez has been playing better and could have a nice game against Memphis, although Lopez is expensive.
• Al Horford is a great mid-priced pick against the Knicks.
• Avoid Brendan Haywood (back)