DraftStreet Diary: Early & Late Leagues on Sunday

I’ve mentioned this before, but it’s especially true on Sundays. If you don’t join the Guaranteed Prize Pool leagues early, they will fill up. I entered three teams in the 1:00 GPP, a $600 event, and three more in the $1,000 contest that closes at 6:00 EST — there’s still time to enter that one; click on the logo at left to open a free DraftStreet account.

If you are reading this in time, and want to use Kevin Durant ($22,992) or LeBron James ($22,916) plenty of 1:00 leagues remain in other formats ranging from 2-man to 20-man, at the $2 level and other denominations ($5, $11, $22, $55, $109, $215 and $420). All players from the Heat, Celtics, Thunder and Lakers will be ineligible in 6:00 leagues, leaving five evening games to choose from.

This will be my fourth winning week in the last five. Even without finishing first, you can turn a profit by earning consolation prizes. It takes only one “good” night every seven days to come out ahead; I’m still waiting for one “great” night.

The chart suggests five players in three different price ranges. You can make unlimited roster changes until the 6:00 EST deadline.

F1 Blake Griffin (LAC-F) $16,294
F2 Nicolas Batum (POR-F) $15,335
G1 Jameer Nelson (ORL-G) $14,906
G2 Jared Dudley (PHO-G) $8,404
C1 Al Horford (ATL-C) $16,819
C2 Marc Gasol (MEM-C) $13,375
U1 Devin Harris (ATL-G) $7,978
U2 P.J. Tucker (PHO-G) $6,024

This is a well-balanced lineup, as opposed to a ‘Stars-and-Scrubs’ approach. The injured Chris Paul, LaMarcus Aldridge ($17,566) and Carmelo Anthony ($16,988) are the most expensive players on the board. I’m hoping Blake Griffin is even better tonight and Nicolas Batum is nearly as good on the road as he was at home. Filling with Jared Dudley and P.J. Tucker doesn’t mean I like Phoenix to win; it’s more about the Dallas defense.

It’s always free to open a DraftStreet account. Don’t wait for next week’s Freeroll. You can start in free leagues that will help you learn the rules, and even win points there that can be redeemed for prizes.

The Fantasy Spin, published by 9:00 every morning, previews all of Sundays games in more detail and reviews what happened last night, when Jrue Holiday torched the Knicks.