Skip to main content

FanDuel NBA DFS Strategy Advice: Friday (4/2)

FanDuel NBA DFS Strategy Advice: Friday (4/2)

Welcome to a 10-game Friday slate as we enter Easter weekend. As recently traded players settle into their roles with their new teams, be sure to monitor any news regarding playing time and expected usage. With 10 games on tap, we have a lot of value available. Whenever you build your lineup, make sure that you love it — if you don’t, you can tinker with it to find something you genuinely like. 

But not to worry, I’m here to help you build a great lineup for this NBA slate. Early on, I like the Memphis, Toronto, Phoenix, and Utah players. The MIL/POR game should be a high-scoring affair as well. I know I basically listed half the slate, but I really like a lot of options tonight.

Create FanDuel lineups using our DFS Lineup Optimizer tool partner-arrow

Most Value Per Dollar

Below is a list of the top-10 players of the day expected to generate the most value relative to their salary. 

Svi Mykhailiuk (SG – OKC) $3,700
After earning two-straight starts for the Thunder, Mykhailiuk should earn the start again tonight, yet he’ll cost you just $3,700. That makes him a great play. Mykhailiuk posted 34.8 FD points and 22 real-life points in his last on-court appearance. Phoenix is one of the toughest matchups in the league, but Svi should still see the floor for 30-plus minutes. Even if he regresses, I can see him hitting 7x value, making him a solid GPP or cash play. 

Jordan Clarkson (PG – UTA) $5,300
As the leading sixth-man of the year candidate, Clarkson doesn’t always play big minutes. But when he’s on the floor, he’s quite efficient. In just 26 minutes in his last outing, Clarkson posted 34.4 fantasy points, and he can reach 40. He tallied 27 FD points across just 23 minutes in his previous matchup with the Bulls. I see him as a safe play because he should see more run than 23 minutes against a mediocre Chicago defense in a pace-up spot. 

De’Anthony Melton (SG – MEM) $4,100
Honestly, you can make an argument for any player facing the Timberwolves. Not only are they 27th ranked in defensive efficiency, but they also rank 23rd in FD points allowed to shooting guards. Melton has seen an uptick in points in his last couple of games, and he really went off against Houston with 33 FD points. While I will say Minnesota is a bit better than the Rockets, this is still a nice spot for the Memphis guard that should provide a lot of opportunities.  

Chris Boucher (C – TOR) $4,700
Despite his inconsistent minutes, Boucher is quite efficient on the floor, tallying 1.27 FPPM in his last five games and 1.21 FPPM this season. With Kyle Lowry and Rodney Hood out, the whole team should see an uptick in usage, Boucher included. Even if he plays just 25 minutes, the Raptors center can reach 6x value. I still see him as a GPP play since his minutes aren’t concrete, but he has some serious upside. Keep an eye out for lineups as well. If Aron Baynes ($3,600) earns the start for Toronto, he could also make a sneaky play at the center spot. 

Patrick Williams (SF – CHI) $3,600
Williams has seen an improvement in his game of late, but his price has stayed stagnant, making him a fine play for tonight’s slate. The rookie scored 26.1 FD points against a stingy Phoenix team last game and did even better against Golden State. He is almost guaranteed to get a steal and/or block while grabbing three to five boards, and he can even score in double-figures. His ceiling is a bit limited, though, so I see him more as a cash play tonight.

Tyrese Haliburton (SG – SAC) $5,600
The Sacramento rookie has been a 0.94 FPPM guy this season, and his usage has sat just shy of 24% in his last couple of games. Expecting him to earn the start again means he should garner 30-plus minutes. Haliburton can score 20 points while facilitating the ball to earn plenty of assists. However, I see him as more of a GPP. While he does have a high ceiling, he has also been known to post some dud games. 

OG Anunoby (SF – TOR) $6,600
As I mentioned before with Boucher, this entire Toronto team should see an uptick in usage because of their shorthandedness. In a plus matchup against an up-tempo Golden State team, don’t be afraid to stack your Raptors. The Indiana product just had a stellar performance against the Thunder, and while I don’t expect him to score 47.7 fantasy points again, he can reach 40-plus against Golden State. Anunoby is a stat-sheet stuffer, so don’t be afraid to include him in cash or GPP lineups. 

Isaiah Roby (PF – OKC) $5,500
With nearly half the Thunder projected to sit this one out, we have a lot of value to work with. Roby should earn the start, and if he does, he can easily reach 6x-7x value. It’s not as if Roby is the most efficient player, and the Phoenix matchup might scare some from rostering him. That said, power forward is a bit dry tonight, and Roby is a fine choice. He will have to see the floor for 33-36 minutes with all the injuries, and even if he plays below his season average of 0.91 FPPM, he’ll still reach 5x. 

Jaden McDaniels (PF – MIN) $4,600
This price is too low for any starter on a team projected to score 105-plus points. The Minnesota rookie has seen some serious minutes in his last three games, reaching at least 35 in each of those outings. His fantasy output hasn’t directly followed through with his playing time, but he can drop 40-plus fantasy points at will. In a pace-up spot against Memphis, McDaniels makes a fine GPP play.

T.J. McConnell (PG – IND) $4,800
The Pacers’ backup point guard has been pretty steady of late, scoring between 24-28 FanDuel points in each of his last three outings. I expect similar production from McConnell tonight, but he can also reach 30 fantasy points. Despite being a backup, McConnell has a consistent floor that makes him a worthy cash player tonight. 

Studs Worth Their Salary

  • Damian Lillard (POR) $9,200: In a nice bounce-back game against the Pistons, Dame reminded us all of the player that he is by posting 53.8 FanDuel points. I see him repeating his performance against Milwaukee, and he could be the highest scorer on the slate. The return of C.J. McCollum has understandably moved people off Dame, but his salary has dropped too low, and his usage rate still consistently hovers around 30%.
  • Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) $11,000: You can always make an argument for playing Giannis. But against a sub-par defense that allows the 30th most FD points to power forwards (and in a pace-up spot, too), the argument writes itself. The Greek Freak has the potential to break the slate tonight, and with all the value elsewhere, you should be able to find the dough to fit him in your lineups.  
  • Nikola Vucevic (CHI): $8,800: It’s not as if Vuc has been spectacular in a Bulls uniform, but he is still a great player who can return solid value at a discounted $8,800 price. Many might see the Jazz matchup and be scared off, but it’s not as if Gobert and Co. have been shutdown fantasy-wise against centers. LaVine is questionable, too, and if the All-Star guard gets ruled out, Vuc should see a further bump in usage rate. 

Notable Players to Fade

  • Montrezl Harrell (LAL) $7,300: Harrell has obviously seen a bump in usage in Anthony Davis’s absence, but his price has gone way too high for my liking, especially considering he doesn’t even start. The Kings are indeed a juicy matchup, but Harrell hasn’t played more than 30 minutes in any of his last three games. I see him struggling to even reach 5x value tonight.  
  • Anthony Edwards (MIN) $7,800: Another player that has seen some price inflation of late, I am in the “sell-high” mode for the star rookie. There are plenty of other shooting guard options I like more, and while Edwards can reach 5x value, he is quite unlikely to have a game that will burn your lineups without him in them.  

Create FanDuel lineups using our DFS Lineup Optimizer tool partner-arrow

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.

Ryan Coleman is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Ryan, check out his archive and follow him @ryancoleman_98.

More Articles

Tuesday’s NBA Sleeper Picks Player Predictions: Kevin Durant, Anthony Edwards, Kyrie Irving (4/23)

Tuesday’s NBA Sleeper Picks Player Predictions: Kevin Durant, Anthony Edwards, Kyrie Irving (4/23)

fp-headshot by Raju Byfield | 2 min read
NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer: Tuesday (4/23)

NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer: Tuesday (4/23)

fp-headshot by Joel Bartilotta | 1 min read
Top 10 NBA PrizePicks Predictions: Tuesday (4/23)

Top 10 NBA PrizePicks Predictions: Tuesday (4/23)

fp-headshot by FantasyPros Staff | 1 min read
NBA Underdog Player Picks & Predictions: Tuesday (4/23)

NBA Underdog Player Picks & Predictions: Tuesday (4/23)

fp-headshot by FantasyPros Staff | 1 min read

About Author

Hide

Current Article

4 min read

Tuesday’s NBA Sleeper Picks Player Predictions: Kevin Durant, Anthony Edwards, Kyrie Irving (4/23)

Next Up - Tuesday’s NBA Sleeper Picks Player Predictions: Kevin Durant, Anthony Edwards, Kyrie Irving (4/23)

Next Article