Fantasy

NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer: Jan 8

FantasyPros breaks down the top DraftKings and FanDuel daily fantasy players for the NBA's 6-game slate on Monday.

Joel Bartilotta, FantasyPros

Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has scored at least 54 DK fantasy points in 9 of his last 10 games.

We have a great week of scheduling to start Week 12 because games appear to be spread out throughout the week. That’s what we love for DFS, and we’re kickstarting the week with a six-game card.

Core plays

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (PG/SG – OKC): $10,400 DraftKings, $11,800 FanDuel

SGA is one of the frontrunners for MVP, averaging nearly 55 DraftKings points per game. He’s been even better recently, scoring at least 54 DK points in nine of his last 10 outings. We can’t fade that type of form in a matchup like this because he faces a Wizards team that ranks last in both points allowed and defensive efficiency. That was on full display when he had 42 points, six rebounds, and seven assists against them last year.

Bam Adebayo (C – MIA): $8,800 DraftKings, $9,100 FanDuel

Miami has managed to keep their heads above water without Jimmy Butler, and Bam is a huge reason why. The big man has a usage rate approaching 30 percent with JB off the floor, averaging 44 DraftKings points per game this season. He’s also showcased a 72-point ceiling, and one of those upside games could be in play against Houston. We say that because Alperen Sengun is a subpar defensive center, with Adebayo amassing 40 fantasy points in their most recent meeting.

DeMar DeRozan (SF/PF – CHI): $7,800 DraftKings, $8,300 FanDuel

DeRozan got off to a slow start this season, but the former All-Star is rolling right now. DD has scored at least 32 DraftKings points in 16 of his last 17 games, generating a 41-point average in that span. He’s also sliced through this 29th-ranked Charlotte defense, scoring at least 33 DK points in four straight matchups against them.

Cash game considerations

Giannis Antetokounmpo (PF/C – MIL): $11,700 DraftKings, $12,800 FanDuel

The former MVP has scored at least 75 DK points in three of his last four fixtures, totaling a 64-point average across his last 24 games. Luka Doncic and Joel Embiid are the only other players in the same stratosphere, and we want to use him against a 24th-ranked Utah defense.

Jayson Tatum (SF/PF – BOS): $10,300 DraftKings, $10,500 FanDuel

Indiana has been the best matchup in DFS this season. Not only do they play at the fastest pace in the NBA, but they also rank 29th in defensive efficiency. That’s terrifying against a guy like Tatum, scoring at least 37 DraftKings points in all but three games this year. He’s also coming off a 69-point gem against these Pacers over the weekend, his third 60-point game over the last 10 days.

Kawhi Leonard (SF/PF – LAC): $9,000 DraftKings, $9,000 FanDuel

Kawhi has been cooking recently. The Claw took some time to figure out how to play with James Harden, but he’s got at least 33 DraftKings points in 15 consecutive fixtures while posting a 48-point average in that span. That’s the stud we loved in the past, and it’s clear he’s back to playing 35-40 minutes a night as well. Facing Phoenix only adds to his intrigue, scoring 54 fantasy points against them earlier in the year.

GPP targets

Nikola Vucevic (C – CHI): $7,500 DraftKings, $8,000 FanDuel

We’re not sure if Vucevic will return to a full workload in his second game back, but that’s why he’s in the GPP section. The Macedonian was mauling opponents before getting injured, averaging 42 DK points per game in his 12 games before suffering that groin issue. That is an amazing total from a player in this price range, and we love that Charlotte surrenders the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing centers.

Josh Giddey (PG/SF – OKC): $6,300 DraftKings, $6,700 FanDuel

Giddey is a risky option with his volatility, but we love his stat-stuffing ways in a matchup like this. We already discussed how the Wizards own the worst defense in the NBA, surrendering the most fantasy points to opposing guards as well. That should allow Giddey to stuff the stat sheet, averaging 32 DK points per game across his last four fixtures. In his previous matchup with Washington, Giddey finished with 43 DK points, falling just shy of a triple-double.

Brook Lopez (C – MIL): $6,000 DraftKings, $6,900 FanDuel

Lopez has been struggling mightily over the last week, but he’s a great GPP option when examining his upside. This big man averaged over 40 fantasy points per game throughout most of November and December, regularly showcasing 50-point games. That’s hard to overlook from such an affordable player, and a matchup against Utah is a great way to get him back on track. In their most recent meeting, Bro-Lo had 17 points, 14 rebounds, and seven blocks.

Value plays

Khris Middleton (SF – MIL): $7,000 DraftKings, $7,000 FanDuel

We’ve finally seen Middleton return to a full workload. Outside of the game, where he rested in the second half, Mid is back to playing 30-35 minutes a night. He was an $8K player in that role in the past, and he’s averaging close to 40 fantasy points per game in this newfound role. We just talked about how awful Utah has been, surrendering the second-most fantasy points to opposing small forwards.

John Collins (PF/C – UTA): $5,200 DraftKings, $5,500 FanDuel

It’s hard to know what to expect from this Utah rotation, but Collins is always a good option when he starts. That’s what we saw over the weekend, scoring 27 or more DK points in three straight games. That’s all we can hope for from a player in this price range, but we’ve seen Collins be $2,000 more on both sites over recent years.

Nick Richards (C – CHA): $5,700 DraftKings, $6,100 FanDuel

The Hornets have been stung by the injury bug, but Richards has done an excellent job of filling the void at center. He’s been starting for Mark Williams over recent weeks, averaging nearly 30 fantasy points per game in this expanded role. There’s also a chance Washington could be out here, which would guarantee Richards 30-35 minutes and most of the rebounding opportunities. Chicago is no scary matchup, surrendering the seventh-most fantasy points to opposing centers.

Advantageous pricing

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