It’s easy enough to determine which players are considered “elite” for daily fantasy purposes, but what about those who emerge from the mid or lower-tier to become must-play options?

Take Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green. He likely won’t ever challenge for a scoring title, but Green's ability to fill the stat sheet on a nightly basis has made him one of the most indispensable players in DFS and his exorbitant price tag reflects this.

The most important question DFS players must ask themselves regarding players like Green is: should you be scared off by his rapidly-climbing salary, or should you ride the wave? And there is no easy answer. While Green is one of the most reliable players in the league when it comes to contributing in multiple categories, he can’t fall back on his scoring if the peripheral stats aren’t there.

As with most elite players, the decision on whether to ride a hot hand should come down to matchup and opportunity and DFSers shouldn’t be surprised if the hot streak comes to an abrupt end at any moment.

Here are the week’s top must-roster options:

Tuesday - PF Draymond Green, Warriors (at Lakers)

Taking the above advice into consideration, Green should have at least one more big game in him before cooling off. Riding a three-game triple-double streak into Tinseltown, Green’s salary is among the highest of the night - but so is his upside. The Lakers can’t defend anybody, and Green has willingly capitalized on favourable matchups all season long. Don’t be afraid to roster him Tuesday.

Wednesday - PG Russell Westbrook, Thunder (vs. Grizzlies)

Westbrook’s ownership percentages are always high whenever Kevin Durant doesn’t play and there’s a good reason for that. Westbrook is a one-man wrecking crew with Durant on the shelf, and with the former scoring champion sidelined with a sprained toe, Westbrook should carry the load once again Wednesday. Also, Westbrook struggled Monday against Sacramento, and rarely has two bad games in a row.

Thursday - C DeMarcus Cousins, Kings (vs. Lakers)

Cousins always carries considerable risk due to his temper and penchant for silly fouls, but he’s hard to fade in a home matchup with woeful Los Angeles. Cousins racked up 21 points and 11 rebounds in just 28 minutes in his previous encounter with the Lakers, who sent him to the line a whopping 14 times in that one. If he can get into the 34-36 minute range, he could be an absolute nightmare for Los Angeles.

Friday - SF Paul George, Pacers (at Pelicans)

George has opened January on fire after regressing in December, and should be able to keep his hot streak going against the defensively reprehensible Pelicans. George’s ability to fill the stat sheet makes him one of the most appealing small forwards on a daily basis, and he should see plenty of action in this one; ignore his rough December numbers and roster him confidently.

Saturday - C Andre Drummond, Pistons (vs. Nets)

Drummond has been sensational this season, especially at home; he comes into the week averaging 18.8 points, 16.6 rebounds, 1.9 steals and 1.5 blocks in 17 games in Detroit. He has also been remarkably consistent, averaging at least 18 points and 15 boards in each full month of the season. The Nets are a train wreck, and Drummond victimized them for 20 points and 18 boards in their first meeting.

Sunday - SF LeBron James, Cavaliers (at 76ers)

This pick is fairly self-explanatory: LeBron should have no trouble racking up stats against the worst team in the NBA. He comes in averaging 25.3 points, 9.3 assists, six rebounds and three steals in 31.7 minutes in three previous meetings against the 76ers this season. Even if the game gets out of hand, James should do more than enough in limited action to return value.

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