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FanDuel DFS NBA Strategy Advice: Monday (1/18)

FanDuel DFS NBA Strategy Advice: Monday (1/18)

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day! In honor of the holiday, the NBA will be featuring games all day long, starting at 12:05pm with the Magic and Knicks. There are nine games on the docket today, but five of them come in the early window. For this article, we’ll be focused on FanDuel’s Main Slate, which includes only four games that tip off with Dallas and Toronto at 7:35pm. As always, we’ll name values, studs, and fades for the day’s DFS festivities. Let’s get right to it!

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Most Value Per Dollar

Players expected to generate the most value relative to salary.

Point Guard

NAME (TEAM) OPPONENT PRICE MATCHUP RISK
Trey Burke (DAL) at TOR $4,300 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ High
Coby White (CHI) vs. HOU $7,500 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Low

 

  • Burke’s production has been less-than-stellar over the last week, but he’s still averaged 29 minutes per game across his last three. Point guard is super top-heavy on tonight’s slate, with few options under $6K to really feel confident about. Burke comes with some risk, but if you’re looking for a cheap flyer who’s going to play heavy minutes, he’s your man.
  • White’s price tag has risen steadily to $7.5K, but he’s been as good as advertised this season. The second-year guard has posted averages of 16.3 points, 6.1 assists, and 5.3 boards, showing that he’s more than just a scorer in this league. The Bulls get the best available matchup for guards tonight, and with the point guard position so loaded at the top, White is actually one of the better values at his current salary.

Shooting Guard

NAME (TEAM) OPPONENT PRICE MATCHUP RISK
Victor Oladipo (HOU) at CHI $7,500 ⭐⭐ High
Donte DiVincenzo (MIL) at BKN $4,400 ⭐⭐⭐ Medium

  • John Wall is out tonight, and with Houston’s roster severely depleted, Dipo should be thrown into big minutes in his Rockets debut. The matchup with Chicago isn’t one to shy away from, and the guard will likely be asked to handle a heavy offensive load.
  • DDV consistently sees minutes in the mid-to-high 20’s, and he’s exceeded 30 FD points four times this season. Priced at just $4.4K, I like him as a value play in a game that features the night’s highest over/under (240).

Small Forward

NAME (TEAM) OPPONENT PRICE MATCHUP RISK
Pascal Siakam (TOR) vs. DAL $8,200 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Medium
Joe Harris (BKN) vs. MIL $4,500 ⭐⭐⭐ Medium

 

  • Following two disappointing efforts against Charlotte over the weekend, Siakam’s price tag has dipped to just $8.2K. That’s a salary to take advantage of, as he averaged nearly 50 FD points per game across four games prior. The matchup with Dallas is friendly, giving “Spicy P” the chance to turn up the heat.
  • Harris logged 30 minutes Saturday with James Harden and Kevin Durant on the floor, and the sharpshooting forward should continue to see quality floor time alongside Brooklyn’s new powerhouse stars. At just $4,500, he’s got plenty of upside in a matchup that has a 240 over/under. With defenses drawn elsewhere, Harris could see some open looks and really break value at his low salary.

Power Forward

NAME (TEAM) OPPONENT PRICE MATCHUP RISK
Kristaps Porzingis (DAL) at TOR $6,900 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Medium
Lauri Markkanen (CHI) vs. HOU $6,100 ⭐⭐⭐ Low

 

  • KP has seen his minutes and production rise in each of his last two games, and he scored a season-high 35.6 FD points his last time out. Porzingis’ price tag is the lowest it will ever be, and at a sub-$7K salary, there’s plenty of room to blow past value.
  • After missing seven games, Markkanen has played at least 32 minutes in two straight, and he dominated in his last one, going 29/10 while posting 43.5 FD points. Just like Porzingis, Markkanen’s salary is far too low given his upside. He should be one of the top values of tonight’s slate.

Center

NAME (TEAM) OPPONENT PRICE MATCHUP RISK
Wendell Carter (CHI) vs. HOU $5,900 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Low
DeAndre Jordan (BKN) vs. MIL $4,500 ⭐⭐⭐ Medium

 

  • Carter is another Bull whose salary is exploitable this evening, as he’s registered at least 34 FD points in four of his last five contests. Tonight’s matchup with Houston is among the best for centers, and this salary makes him a juicy addition to daily rosters.
  • Jordan comes with some risk now that the usage is dominated by two (or possibly three) superstars. Still, Jordan should see minutes in the 20’s, and he doesn’t need huge playing time to exceed value thanks to his ability to crash the glass and rack up blocks.

Studs Worth Their Salary

  • Luka Doncic (DAL) $11,300: He’s produced at least 77 FD points in three of his last five, and he’s got another great matchup on tap tonight.
  • James Harden (BKN) $10,300: Harden triple-doubled and went off for 73.4 FD points in his Brooklyn debut, and he’ll be facing Milwaukee in what’s projected to be the highest-scoring game on the slate. His price likely won’t be lower than this for the rest of the season.
  • Jrue Holiday (MIL) $7,600: I hate to sound like a broken record, but Brooklyn and Milwaukee’s over/under is 240 tonight! There should be plenty of scoring and plenty of opportunities for everyone involved. Holiday’s two-way abilities give him 50-point upside tonight, and his price is very affordable.

Notable Players to Fade

  • Christian Wood (HOU) $9,800: He’s been unbelievable this season, but his price tag is nearly $10K, which gives me pause tonight. There are just four games and a much smaller player pool than usual, but there are some great values at PF, which makes Wood a fade for me here.
  • Kyrie Irving (BKN) $9,500: The price is just way too high for a guy who’s missed so much time. We’re not sure how he’ll fit in with Durant and Harden when he’s back in the picture, and I’d much rather spend my money elsewhere.
  • LeBron James (LAL) $9,500: The King is averaging just over 45 FD points per game this season, and he’s been ultra-consistent with those scores. We just haven’t seen the 50 and 60-point upside performances that James has produced in years past. I’d prefer to pay up somewhere else, especially in tournaments.

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Beyond our daily fantasy basketball content, be sure to check out our Daily Fantasy Basketball Tools. From our Lineup Optimizer – which allows you to build winning DFS lineups in seconds for Cash and GPP contests – to our DFS Cheat Sheets – that helps you get a quick read on the day’s players – we’ve got you covered this fantasy basketball season.

Zachary Hanshew is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Zachary, check out his archive and follow him @zakthemonster.

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