This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
Friday's NBA slate is action-packed, with nine games on tap beginning at 7:00 PM Eastern time. Now that players have had a game to make their first impressions, the guys below stand out as the top values in this slate based on what we've seen so far. FanDuel's format only counts the eight highest scores in your nine-player lineup, so keep that in mind when making your selections.
POINT GUARD
Elfrid Payton, NO at SAC ($7,000): Payton messed around and got a triple-double in his Pelicans debut Wednesday, putting his versatile skill set on full display. The 10th overall selection in 2014 delivered 15.9 points, 7.8 assists and 5.5 rebounds per 36 minutes last season, and that was while battling a haircut that blocked a sizable portion of his passing and shooting lanes. Now sporting a more basketball-friendly hairdo, Payton should wreak havoc on the Kings if given similar playing time to Wednesday's 37 minutes.
Spencer Dinwiddie, BKN vs. NY ($5,500): Those who locked in Dinwiddie on Wednesday were rewarded, and that should again be the case here. Coach David Fizdale has the Knicks playing at a frenetic pace, which is good news for both New York's – and their opponents – fantasy prospects. Dinwiddie's coming off the bench, but he still played 32 minutes Wednesday en route to 23 points, six assists and four rebounds. A repeat effort would make him a tremendous value at $5,500.
SHOOTING GUARD
Tim Hardaway, NY at BKN ($7,000): Hardaway's a streaky scorer, but he can carry a team when he's on, as he was against Atlanta in the opener with 31 points, six rebounds and five assists. He should continue to shoulder a massive load with Kristaps Porzingis recovering from a torn ACL. And there's no penalty for poor efficiency, so Hardaway's combination of offensive ability and opportunity makes him a great upside pick at $7,000.
Dennis Schroder, OKC at LAC ($7,000): As long as Russell Westbrook remains sidelined by a knee injury, Schroder represents tremendous value, especially since he's listed as a shooting guard rather than a point guard. He stuffed the stat sheet in the opener with 21 points, nine rebounds and six assists, and Schroder should continue to thrive in a Thunder system designed to operate around a ball-dominant guard.
SMALL FORWARD
Kawhi Leonard, TOR vs. BOS ($9,400): With LeBron out of the East, the Celtics are probably the biggest obstacle standing between Toronto and the Finals. Leonard was brought in to topple such obstacles, so he should get the green light to do everything he can on both ends in this marquee matchup. His recent injury woes are still priced into Leonard's $9,400 valuation, but his 24-point, 13-rebound effort in his Raptors debut suggests Leonard is back to pre-injury form. Take advantage of this discount while it lasts.
Cedi Osman, CLE at MIN ($6,200): Osman's no LeBron, but Cleveland's new starting small forward showed that he's a quality player in his own right with 17 points, 10 rebounds and four assists over 33 minutes in the team's opener. While some will be wary of using Osman against tough defender Jimmy Butler, it's worth noting that his strong showing Wednesday came while being guarded primarily by Leonard, who's no slouch himself. There are plenty of touches up for grabs on the Cavaliers right now, and Osman should see a big enough chunk of them to continue being effective.
POWER FORWARD
Jaren Jackson, MEM vs. ATL ($6,100): Jackson's versatile defensive ability is perfect for this format, as his three steals and one block in his NBA debut demonstrated the type of secondary contributions he's capable on any given night. The rookie fourth overall pick also chipped in with 10 points and five rebounds, while his combination of interior offense and outside shooting should translate to even better numbers against an Atlanta defense that gave up 126 points to the Knicks in their first game.
Aaron Gordon, ORL vs. CHA ($8,400): It seems like we've been waiting forever for Gordon to blossom into a star, so it's easy to forget he's only in his fifth season. That fifth season got off to a tremendous start against the Heat, as he racked up 26 points and 16 rebounds in 38 minutes. His career progress thus far suggests Gordon should improve on last season's 17.6 PPG and 7.9 RPG this year, meaning outings like the one he posted in his season debut should occur quite frequently.
CENTER
Gorgui Dieng, MIN vs. CLE ($4,200): Dieng's a nice option for owners hoping to catch lightning in a bottle at a low price. His 24 minutes in the opener were the most of any Minnesota bench player, and Dieng capitalized on the opportunity with 30 fantasy points. He should see plenty of run against a Cavaliers team that usually rolls with two traditional bigs on the floor.
