Fantasy basketball advice: NBA FanDuel sleepers/busts for Friday, Jan. 30

As for what we're going to be doing in this space : The goal here will be to direct your attention toward some players who you might not otherwise consider. If you're here and reading this, then you already know that LeBron James is really good. But when filing out a roster you can't just pick out stars. You'll blow your cap that way and get stuck praying to the Basketball Gods that a guy like Kosta Koufos gets into the game. No, if you want to win, you have to take advantage of certain matchups -- and in order to do that you have to know where to look. That's what we're hear for. Also, this space is going to be used to give you advice for Friday's games. Tuesday night is generally a slower one in the NBA, while Wednesdays are always packed (there are 11 games slated for this Wednesday). So with that, let's get started.

Michael Carter-Williams, G, Philadelphia 76ers: The ball is in his hands in Philadelphia. Did you know that Carter-Williams' usage rate (an estimate of the percentage of team plays used by a player while he was on the floor) of 27.5 is the 13th-highest number in the NBA? And since Tony Wroten went down with an injury two weeks ago, that number has jumped to 31, which is right around where you'll find guys like DeMarcus Cousins, Derrick Rose and James Harden. Over that stretch without Wroten, Carter-Williams has also been averaging 17 points, six assists, four rebounds and two steals, and on Friday he'll be going against the Minnesota Timberwolves, owners of the NBA's worst defensive rating. This is a dream matchup for M.C.W, and one that you should take advantage of.

Robert Covington, F, Philadelphia 76ers: We're going heavy with the Sixers here, and there's a reason for that. Actually, there are a couple. One, they're playing the Timberwolves, who can't guard anyone. Also, teams like the Sixers, and New York Knicks are the ones you want to look at when filling out a roster in this format. They have no stars, and barely any players with recognizable names. Someone, though, has to put up numbers; even the worst NBA teams usually hit 90 points in a game. Right now those someones are Carter-Williams and Covington. Over his past five games Covington is averaging 14 points, four rebounds, two assists and a steal. He's also attempting six three-pointers per game this year. Against Minnesota's leaky D, some of those looks are bound to be open ones.

Luol Deng, F, Miami Heat: Deng has been playing his best ball of the season of late, and has a good matchup Friday night against the Mavericks. He won't put up big numbers, but in FanDuel you can't build a team full of stars. Deng's the kind of player you slide into your lineup for a decent price and then don't worry about. He won't cause any damage, and at the end of the night you'll look up his numbers and see something in the 18-4-4 range. This matchup against the Mavericks is also a good one for him. Dallas is, at best, an average defense, and as you'll read in the section below, there's good reason to believe that the Mavericks won't be at their best Friday night in Miami.

Kyrie Irving, G, Cleveland Cavaliers: The Cavaliers will be playing their third game in four nights on Friday, and fatigue has to set in on some point for Irving. He played 41 minutes on Sunday, 42 minutes on Tuesday and 39 minutes on Wednesday. Yeah, he's coming off a 55-point performance and is averaging 38 points per game over that stretch, but somewhere along the line his legs are going to start feeling weak. There's only so much the body can take, and Irving's game is a strenuous one. The ball is often in his hands, and on defense he's never given a break. Normally Irving is a good play in this format. In this case, though, you're better off spending your money somewhere else, even with him facing off against the lowly Sacramento Kings.

Monta Ellis, G, Dallas Mavericks: The Mavericks will also be playing their third game in four nights on Friday. A stretch like that can cause problems for anyone, but especially a small 29-year-old guard whose game is all about speed. Furthermore, Ellis and Mavericks will be facing the Heat, who over the past 10 games have been holding opponents to 97 points per 100 possessions, a mark which if maintained throughout the season would lead the league. A lot of that has to do with the emergence of Hassan Whiteside, the seven-foot pogo stick the Heat currently have masquerading as a center. This is a bad matchup for Ellis, and one you should stay away from.

Joe Johnson, G, Brooklyn Nets: Johnson has really snuggled over his last 10 games, averaging just 12 points per game and shooting 35 percent from the field. He won't be an expensive play, but whatever price he's given will be too high, even against the Toronto Raptors, who struggle on defense. Stay away from him no matter what.

The Boston Cletics can't guard anyone these days, which seems like the type of thing James Harden will be able to take advantage of... Ditto for Kyle Lowry going against the Nets... If you're looking for someone to break the bank on, go with DeMarcus Cousins. He's playing the Cavaliers who, as mentioned above, are going to be playing their third game in four nights. Also, the man tasked with guarding Boogie will likely be Timofey Mozgov, who has to be even more tired than the rest of his teammates after being traded to Cleveland earlier this month... Another star worth spending the money for: LeBron James, assuming he's active on Friday. If he plays, he'll be well rested after missing Wednesday's game, and likely looking to carry the load in order to give Irving a break.