To say COVID is hitting the NBA and NFL hard right now would be an understatement. It feels like we’ve had dozens of players enter health and safety protocols over the last week, and it’s causing chaos for DFS. We just hope everyone is healthy, and we want all of you to stay safe for the holidays!
After a short slate on Tuesday, we’re back to a full 11-game card here. That leaves us with a massive player pool and a ton of players to talk about. There’s also an extensive list of injuries, so let’s go ahead and get into it!
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Schedule and Odds
- HOU at CLE (CLE -11) O/U: 221
- ATL at ORL (ATL -8) O/U: 226
- MIA at PHI (PHI -5.5) O/U: 208.5
- LAL at DAL (DAL -2.5) O/U: 216.5
- IND at MIL (MIL -2.5) O/U: 217.5
- NOP at OKC (NO -2) O/U: 210.5
- CHA at SAS (SAS -3.5) O/U: 228.5
- MIN at DEN (DEN -4.5) O/U: 217.5
- MEM at POR (POR -1.5) O/U: 219.5
- WAS at SAC (SAC -2) O/U: 225.5
- LAC at UTA (UTA -9.5) O/U: 215.5
Check out our consensus game odds as well as the odds from each sportsbook at BettingPros
To say COVID is hitting the NBA and NFL hard right now would be an understatement. It feels like we’ve had dozens of players enter health and safety protocols over the last week, and it’s causing chaos for DFS. We just hope everyone is healthy, and we want all of you to stay safe for the holidays!
After a short slate on Tuesday, we’re back to a full 11-game card here. That leaves us with a massive player pool and a ton of players to talk about. There’s also an extensive list of injuries, so let’s go ahead and get into it!
Get a $5 bonus when you make your first deposit at FanDuel
Schedule and Odds
- HOU at CLE (CLE -11) O/U: 221
- ATL at ORL (ATL -8) O/U: 226
- MIA at PHI (PHI -5.5) O/U: 208.5
- LAL at DAL (DAL -2.5) O/U: 216.5
- IND at MIL (MIL -2.5) O/U: 217.5
- NOP at OKC (NO -2) O/U: 210.5
- CHA at SAS (SAS -3.5) O/U: 228.5
- MIN at DEN (DEN -4.5) O/U: 217.5
- MEM at POR (POR -1.5) O/U: 219.5
- WAS at SAC (SAC -2) O/U: 225.5
- LAC at UTA (UTA -9.5) O/U: 215.5
Check out our consensus game odds as well as the odds from each sportsbook at BettingPros
Injury Report
Core Plays
Nikola Jokic (C – DEN): $12,200 DraftKings, $11,500 FanDuel
Jokic is simply the best player in fantasy. The big man leads all parties with 60 DraftKings points per game, scoring at least 62 fantasy points in five straight fixtures. That makes him worthy at any price, especially with Karl-Anthony Towns being one of the worst defensive centers in the NBA.
Dejounte Murray (PG – SA): $10,300 DraftKings, $9,300 FanDuel
Dejounte has been doing some stat-stuffing himself, scoring at least 37 DraftKings points in 10 of his last 11 games. He’s also got a 46-point average in that span, which is right on par with his season average. Reaching that number should be easy in a matchup like this, with Charlotte owning the worst defensive rating in the NBA.
Jalen Brunson (PG/SG – DAL): $6,700 DraftKings, $6,200 FanDuel
It’s weird that Brunson remains so affordable with Luka Doncic already being ruled out. JB has made eight starts for Doncic this season, scoring at least 29 fantasy points in all of them en route to a 37-point average. That floor and average are impossible to find from a $7K player, and it’s far from surprising with Doncic’s 36 percent usage rate out of the lineup.
Cash Game Considerations
Rudy Gobert (C – UTA): $9,000 DraftKings, $9,100 FanDuel
Rudy is a cash game option on every slate. His league-leading rebounding gives him one of the best floors out there, scoring at least 34 fantasy points in 22 of 26 games this season. That has led to a career-best 41 fantasy points per game, providing double-doubles on a nightly basis. The Clippers’ weak frontcourt won’t be able to slow him down either, with Gobert scoring at least 29 DK points in eight of his nine meetings with them last season.
Kristaps Porzingis (PF/C – DAL): $8,600 DraftKings, $8,700 FanDuel
Brunson is the one who enters the lineup for Doncic, but KP is the one who runs the show. The big man has a 37 percent usage rate with Luka off the floor, averaging over 40 fantasy points per game in the outings he’s missed since the beginning of last season. That’s all you can ask for from a sub-$9K player, particularly against the worst defense in the NBA.
Jrue Holiday (PG – MIL): $7,500 DraftKings, $8,000 FanDuel
With Giannis and Middleton likely sitting here, this will be Holiday season. That leaves about 50 percent of the team’s usage and 100 fantasy points on the table, which Holiday will be happy to take on. This dude has been a beast with those guys on the floor anyway, averaging over 34 fantasy points per game. We expect him to flirt with 50 DK points in this spot, making him one of the best plays on the board.
GPP Targets
Tim Hardaway (SG/SF – DAL): $5,600 DraftKings, $5,700 FanDuel
THJ is the final piece to our Dallas stack, taking on a huge role with Doncic sitting on the sidelines. Since the start of last season, Hardaway has been averaging nearly 30 DK points per game when Doncic is out. It’s no surprise when you see that THJ is taking more than 15 shots a game in those outings, a great sign against the league-worst defense.
Mo Bamba (C – ORL): $6,400 DraftKings, $7,100 FanDuel
Bamba has really struggled since the calendar turned to December, but this dude has way too much upside to be this cheap. We’re still talking about a guy who’s scored at least 32 DK points 14 times this season, averaging 30 fantasy points per game for the year. The reason we believe he can end his slump is this matchup, with Atlanta owning a 25th OPRK against opposing centers.
Dillon Brooks (SG/SF – MEM): $6,400 DraftKings, $6,200 FanDuel
Injury fill-ins will remain a significant theme in these articles for the remainder of the season, and Brooks is undoubtedly one of those guys. He’s actually taking on a ton in the absence of Ja Morant, generating a 32 percent usage rate with him off the floor. That has led to DB scoring at least 27 DK points in four straight games, providing a 36-point average in that stretch. In a matchup like this, that becomes even more enticing, with Portland surrendering the second-most fantasy points to opposing small forwards.
Value Plays
Pat Connaughton (SG/SF – MIL): $5,000 DraftKings, $6,000 FanDuel
Connaughton should be in for a huge workload with Milwaukee’s two best players out. He’s likely to start in the absence of Giannis and could be looking at 40 minutes of play. If you look at the 18 games that Pat has played at least 29 minutes, he’s averaging over 25 fantasy points per game.
Kevin Love (PF/C – CLE): $4,800 DraftKings, $5,300 FanDuel
Love has been seeing limited minutes all season, but he’s still providing elite fantasy production. The big man is playing just 20 minutes a night this season but is averaging 24 fantasy points per game. That’s a brilliant rate from a $5K player, and we love that he’s got a 31-point average over the last three outings. The matchup is majestic, too, with Houston playing at the fastest pace in the NBA.
Larry Nance Jr (PF/C – POR): $4,600 DraftKings, $5,400 FanDuel
It looks like Nance will start for Robert Covington from here on out, and that alone makes him a great value. That means he’s in line for 30 minutes a night, and Nance has proven to be a 30-point player when given this role. That was certainly the case in his first start, dropping 29 DK points across 26 minutes of action. Facing a 23rd-ranked Memphis defense only adds to his intrigue here.
Advantageous Pricing
- Dejounte Murray (PG – CHA): $10,300 DraftKings, $9,300 FanDuel
- Pat Connaughton (SG/SF – MIL): $5,000 DraftKings, $6,000 FanDuel
- Russell Westbrook (PG – LAL): $10,600 DraftKings, $9,200 FanDuel
- Damian Lillard (PG – POR): $9,900 DraftKings, $8,700 FanDuel
- Kyle Lowry (PG – MIA): $8,100 DraftKings, $7,000 FanDuel
- Reggie Jackson (PG – LAC): $6,800 DraftKings, $5,900 FanDuel
- Jonas Valanciunas (C – MEM): $8,700 DraftKings, $7,600 FanDuel
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Joel Bartilotta is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Joel, check out his archive and follow him @Bartilottajoel.
