Fantasy

NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer: November 15

FantasyPros walks through the best player values for DraftKings and FanDuel NBA DFS.

Joel Bartilotta, FantasyPros

Kevin Durant looks to keep his hot streak alive as the Brooklyn Nets take on the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday.

We’ve seen some massive stat lines over the last few days. It has led to some bizarre scoring in these DFS tournaments, but it feels like the big-name players are really starting to take over. That’s good news here because we have a handful of superstars on this short slate. While we only have five games tonight, we have numerous five-figure players to pick from. Without further ado, let’s get started by peeking at the schedule and odds!

Injury Report

  • Jaren Jackson Jr. (foot) Questionable
  • Kawhi Leonard (knee) OUT
  • Mitchell Robinson (knee) OUT
  • Jusuf Nurkic (adductor) Questionable
  • Kyrie Irving (personal) OUT
  • Desmond Bane (right toe) OUT
  • Nicolas Claxton (eye) Probable
  • Ben Simmons (knee) Questionable
  • Tre Jones (illness) Questionable
  • John Wall (knee) OUT

Core plays

Damian Lillard (PG – POR): $9,900 DraftKings, $9,000 FanDuel
The Trail Blazers are one of the biggest surprises in the NBA, and the return of Dame is the primary reason for their resurgence. The perennial All-Star is averaging 45 DraftKings points per game across 36 minutes per game in the seven games he’s finished. That’s the stud we’ve become accustomed to, and it should continue against the Spurs. San Antonio is 29th in defensive efficiency while playing at the NBA’s fastest pace.

De’Aaron Fox (PG – SAC): $8,800 DraftKings, $8,800 FanDuel
Fox has taken his game to another level this season and has scored at least 36 DK points in every game (save for one game in which he got injured). He’s also averaging 27.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 1.2 steals per game in those 12 games, en route to a 47-point average on DraftKings. That makes him a worthy option at any price.

Cash Game Considerations

Luka Doncic (PG – DAL): $12,800 DraftKings, $12,400 FanDuel
Nikola Jokic has been the safest option in DFS over the last three seasons, but it looks like Doncic is that guy now. The Slovenian is leading the NBA with a 38% usage rate and has scored at least 52 DK points in all but one outing. That has him leading the league with 64 DraftKings points per game, coming off an 83-point masterpiece in his most recent outing. We don’t anticipate him doing that, but Doncic did score at least 75 fantasy points in his last two meetings with the Clippers.

Kevin Durant (SF/PF – BKN): $11,200 DraftKings, $11,300 FanDuel
Durant has taken over this Brooklyn offense in the absence of Kyrie Irving. The former Kia MVP has scored at least 45 DraftKings points in all 14 games this season, generating a 52-point average. It’s no surprise since he’s playing nearly 40 minutes a game while leading this team with a 30 percent usage rate. Squaring off with Sacramento is the best part of this, with the Kings ranked 27th in defensive efficiency ratings. In his last four matchups with Sactown, Durant is averaging 61 DK points per game.

GPP Targets

CJ McCollum (PG/SG – NOP): $7,900 DraftKings, $8,400 FanDuel
McCollum can’t hit a shot right now, but it’s just a matter of time before this playmaker gets hot. The Pelicans’ point guard has still scored at least 32 DK points in 11 of 13 games this season, averaging 38 DK points per game across 36 minutes a night. That’s a great total from an $8K player, and we love this price drop amid this fluke of a slump. Facing Memphis is one of the main reasons why we believe he’ll break that shooting slump, as it ranks 28th in total defense.

Isaiah Hartenstein (PF/C – NYK): $5,300 DraftKings, $4,800 FanDuel
These rotations in New York have been bizarre, but Hartenstein has been a monster when given the opportunity. The offseason signee has at least 20 DK points in 10 of 13 games, posting a 27-point average across 28 minutes a night. He’s also flashed a 40-point upside, and that’s tough to find from a player in this price range. Utah can’t cover opposing big men either, allowing Joel Embiid to drop nearly 100 fantasy points in their most recent outing.

Drew Eubanks (C – POR): $3,900 DraftKings, $4,300 FanDuel
If Jusuf Nurkic is out again, Eubanks needs to be considered for everyone’s lineup. Drew has been starting at center in his absence, averaging 23 DK points per game across 27 minutes a night in his three starts. We saw that same production last season, with Eubanks posting a 28-point average in his 31 starts last year. That makes this diminished price tag hard to believe, especially since he faces a Spurs team surrendering the most fantasy points to opposing centers.

Value Plays

Nicolas Claxton (C – BKN): $5,900 DraftKings, $6,400 FanDuel
Claxton just had one of his worst games of the season on Sunday, but this dude was a beast before that. He has 28 DK points in six of his previous seven games prior to that stinker, flirting with a 40-point average in that span. That’s stupendous from a sub-$7K player, and he should continue that success against one of the worst defenses in the NBA.

Steven Adams (C – MEM): $5,500 DraftKings, $6,000 FanDuel
Adams has been all over the map in terms of consistency, but he always steps up when given the minutes. That’s been the case with Jaren Jackson Jr. sidelined, scoring at least 29 DK points in seven of 14 games this year. That would be a tantalizing total from a player in this price range, and it seems more likely here since he faces a 19th-ranked Pelicans defense. In their four matchups last season, Adams averaged over 31 fantasy points per game!

Reggie Jackson (PG/SG – LAC): $5,100 DraftKings, $5,000 FanDuel
It’s been a nightmarish season for Jackson, but it’s bizarre to see him this cheap. He was $1,500 more this time last season and still has the same role. The Clippes’ starting point guard is still playing 30-35 minutes a night while attempting 10-15 shots a game. As long as that continues, Jackson should be in the $6K price range, particularly with John Wall sitting due to a knee issue. He had some of his best games against Dallas last year, averaging 42 DraftKings points per game in their four matchups.

Advantageous Pricing

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Joel Bartilotta is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Joel, check out his archive and follow him @Bartilottajoel.

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