Fantasy basketball advice: NBA FanDuel sleepers/busts for the weekend

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 filling 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 here for. Also, this space is going to be used to give you advice for this weekend's games. So with that, let's get started.

Russell Westbrook, G, Thunder: Yeah, he's the most expensive player right now in FanDuel (his Friday night price is $11,200), but, with the way he's currently playing, it doesn't really matter. Westbrook has now recorded triple-doubles in consecutive games and is averaging a ridiculous 55.4 FanDuel points over his last six. When Kevin Durant goes out, Westbrook dominates. It's that simple. Durant is likely to miss this weekend's games, too, which means Westbrook should be on your team, no matter what the cost. The Thunder play Portland on Friday -- an OK matchup -- and the Lakers on Sunday. If you're already salivating at the thought of Westbrook going up against a hapless Lakers defense, well, you're not alone. Get him in your lineup and enjoy the ride. At the least, you'll have fun rooting for him.

Alex Len, C, Suns: Len is averaging 9.4 points, 10.8 boards and 3.4 blocks in 32 minutes per game over his last five. With Miles Plumlee now in Milwaukee, Len is getting the center minutes in Phoenix and showing everyone why he was taken No. 5 overall by the Suns in the 2013 NBA Draft. Len is talented and is playing in an offense, and for a team, that's allowing him to flourish. Lots of pick-and-rolls. Lots of running and pushing the ball. Phoenix is second in the NBA in pace, trailing only the Warriors, per NBA.com. Center is a thin position and Len is an excellent option there who will give you production without costing much. The Suns played Thursday night, so they will only be playing once this weekend -- Saturday, against the Spurs. It's not the best matchup out there, but if you want a cheap center who won't screw you up with a weak output, Len is your guy.

John Henson, F/C, Bucks: Another cheap big man worth playing, especially on Friday and Sunday. The Bucks want Henson to be on the court, as he's the best defensive big they have on the roster now that Larry Sanders is gone. Henson had been great at the beginning of February, recording more than 20 FanDuel points in his first seven games this month. Then he hit a bit of snag, but Wednesday against the Sixers Henson bounced back with a monster 21-point, nine-rebound, three-block effort. He'll go against the Lakers on Friday night and will cost just $5,400. On Sunday, Henson and the Bucks will face the Jazz -- not a great matchup on paper, but one that Henson will be needed for. That means minutes, which means opportunities. At around $5,000, you can't ask for more.

Tim Hardaway Jr., G, Knicks: The thought was that, given all the Knicks' injuries and trades, Hardaway would be the Knicks player who'd get to shine in the season's final few months. That thought was wrong. Over his last 10 games Hardaway is averaging just 9.6 points in 25.1 minutes per games. He's shooting just 35 percent from the field and 30 percent from behind the three-point line. Sure, he might be the Knicks' second most talented player, but he certainly hasn't shown anything on the court this season. Stay far away from him until he shows the ability to hit shots consistently for a few games. If you want to take a shot on a Knick, Langston Galloway is still the best bet.

Tony Parker, G, Spurs: Is the end near, or is he just struggling? Here are Parker's numbers over his last 10 games (not exactly a small sample size): 28.6 minutes, 11.7 points, 5.7 assists, 39 percent shooting from the field. Yuck. Making matters worse is the fact that those numbers have, somehow, dipped recently (3.0 points and 14 percent shooting in 23 minutes per game over his last three). Maybe there's an injury here that we don't know about. But for our purposes an explanation is meaningless. All that does matter is that Parker, as of now, is playing like the Monstars took his talent. Until it returns, you want nothing to do with him.

John Wall, G, Wizards: This has nothing to do with Wall's ability as a basketball player. Wall is one of the best, and most exciting, young players in the league. But all we care about here are stats and, well, recently Wall's have dipped. Over his last three games he's averaging just 10.3 points while shooting 34 percent from the field. Wall is still an excellent playmaker (he's recording 11.0 assists per game over that stretch), but he needs to shoot the ball better to justify the near-$9,000 you'd have to spend on him. The Wizards do play the Sixers Friday night -- a great matchup -- and the Nets on Sunday. But Washington as a team is floundering right now. Perhaps the group turns things around this weekend, but you should wait to make sure they do before adding Wall to your rotation.

Pau Gasol becomes the man in Chicago with Derrick Rose out for most of the year. Gasol has recorded double-doubles in 17 of his last 18 games, and 22 of his last 26. He's as safe a power forward play as there is ... Aaron Brooks could always score, and now he'll be the starter in Chicago. At the right price, he's someone worth looking at ... Danilo Gallinari is pretty much the last man standing in Denver. He's averaging 25.4 FanDuel points over his last four games and is will cost just $5,100 on Friday night when he plays the Jazz ... Ed Davis has earned himself some playing time in Byron Scott's rotation. Davis is averaging 11.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2.0 blocks and 1.0 steals in 27 minutes per game over his last three. He'll go against the Bucks on Friday and the Thunder on Sunday. At around $6,000, he's an excellent power forward play ... Another Laker worth keeping an eye on: point guard Jordan Clarkson. He put up 22 points Wednesday night against Utah, and has been steadily improving all year ... Need a center for less than $7,000? Get Rudy Gobert. He's averaging 39 FanDuel points over his last two games ... You probably don't need reminding for this one, but just in case: under no circumstances should you be playing Rajon Rondo until we see that he and Rick Carlisle can get along.