Whether the fantasy game being played is the daily variety or the more "conventional" setup, players always have to take injuries into account. And in the case of Wednesday's FanDuel contests, injuries will heavily influence how rosters are assembled. Russell Westbrook ($11,800), DeMarcus Cousins ($11,200) and Giannis Antetokounmpo ($10,500) all have clean bills of health for Wednesday's games, but LeBron James ($10,200) is listed as a game-time decision as are Damian Lillard, Chris Paul, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love. The question in many of these instances is who do you roll the dice on, or do you simply look for other options?
In the case of Cleveland, it's hard to envision a scenario in which all three of their most important players sit out Wednesday's game against Chicago. James and Love have both been dealing with illnesses recently, with Love's being defined as food poisoning by head coach Tyronn Lue. As for Irving, he's still dealing with a hamstring injury that has sidelined him for three consecutive games. And when it comes to hamstrings, teams are generally cautious when it comes to determining when a player can return to the court.
There are eight games from which FanDuel players can pick their rosters for Wednesday's games. Here are our picks, using the rules of a $60,000 salary cap and a nine-man roster. (Getty)
PG: Dennis Schröder, Atlanta
Opponent: at Orlando
Price: $6,800
Averaging 29.4 FanDuel points per game this season, Schröder has accounted for 31 FanDuel points or more in five of his last seven appearances. His improved play has been a factor in the Hawks playing better basketball overall, getting Atlanta right back into the mix in the Eastern Conference. In the first meeting of the season between the Hawks and Magic, Schröder tallied 39.7 FanDuel points, finishing the game with 19 points and 13 assists. (Getty)
Malcolm Brogdon, Milwaukee
Opponent: at Miami
Price: $5,400
Averaging 19.6 FanDuel points per game on the season, Brodgon's tallied 23 FanDuel points or more in each of the last nine games for the Bucks. While Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jabari Parker are at the top of the list when it comes to where Milwaukee looks for its offensive production, Brodgon's ability to play without the ball in his hands makes him a valuable piece for head coach Jason Kidd. And he's also a very good defender, which can lead to some production in steals category as well. (Getty)
SG: C.J. McCollum, Portland
Opponent: at Golden State
Price: $8,000
McCollum is three days removed from the highest scoring output of his career, as with Damian Lillard out of the lineup he scored 43 points in Portland's win over Minnesota. Even with the Timberwolves focusing primarily on him McCollum was efficient in scoring those 43 points, shooting 16-for-25 from the field while also accounting for five rebounds, three assists and three steals. Golden State will be a much tougher test for McCollum, but if Lillard's sprained left ankle isn't healed enough for him to play C.J. is going to have a heavy load to shoulder yet again. (Getty)
SG: Klay Thompson, Golden State
Opponent: vs. Portland
Price: $6,900
Thompson has posted FanDuel point totals of 34.5 points or more in each of the last three games, and with Portland being as bad as they've been defensively this season that streak could be extended to four Wednesday night. While Thompson is averaging only 15.0 points, 3.0 assists and 2.5 rebounds per game in two meetings with the Blazers this season, Thompson has scored 21 points or more in seven of the Warriors' last 11 games. (Getty)
SF: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Charlotte
Opponent: vs. Oklahoma City
Price: $4,600
Averaging just under 22 FanDuel points per game this season, Kidd-Gilchrist's production has dropped some over the last three games. His highest output during that stretch was the 22.6 points scored against Cleveland, with the other two games both falling below the 20 FanDuel point mark. He's averaging 9.0 ppg on the season, so Kidd-Gilchrist isn't going to give you a great deal offensively. But if he can get into double figures while also contributing as a defender and rebounder, Kidd-Gilchrist is worth the gamble given his price tag. (Getty)
Aaron Gordon, Orlando
Opponent: at Portland
Price: $4,900
Gordon didn't have the best night against the Lakers on Sunday, accounting for just 8.7 FanDuel points on the night. But that's the lone rough spot in a six-game stretch in which he's surpassed his FanDuel average (21.0 ppg) five times, most recently accounting for 34.1 points against the Clippers. In that game Gordon scored 28 points while also grabbing three rebounds and dishing out three assists. (Getty)
PF: Paul Millsap, Atlanta
Opponent: at Orlando
Price: $8,200
With Blake Griffin (knee) still sidelined and both Kevin Love and Kristaps Porzingis being game-time decisions, Millsap is the healthiest power forward among the high-priced options Wednesday. In Atlanta's 131-120 loss to Orlando December 13, Millsap finished with 17 points, nine rebounds, five assists and two steals. He should be good for those numbers again tonight, and given the health situation at the power forward position it may not be a bad idea to go with the one "sure thing" when it comes to his actually being able to play. (Getty)
PF: Enes Kanter, Oklahoma City
Opponent: vs. Denver
Price: $5,500
Averaging 23.3 FanDuel points per game on the season, Kanter has exceeded that number in seven of his last nine outings for the Thunder. Kanter's averaging 13.6 points and 6.3 rebounds per game on the season, and he's scored 19 points or more in six of the last eight games. Denver has some size to use off the bench, but the size of a Jusuf Nurkic shouldn't render Kanter ineffective. At minimum Kanter should score safely into the twenties from a FanDuel standpoint. (Getty)
C: DeMarcus Cousins, Sacramento
Opponent: vs. Miami
Price: $11,200
There is one significant factor that works in Cousins' favor here. The Heat are still without injured starting center Hassan Whiteside (eye). Add in the fact that Cousins racked up 30 points, seven rebounds and four assists in the first meeting back on November 1, and this could be a big night for one of the NBA's best big men. Cousins has tallied 47.9 FanDuel points or more in seven consecutive games. (Getty)
FanDuel NBA Lineup Picks, Advice & Analysis for January 4