FanDuel & DraftKings NBA Cheat Sheet 1/2/19
Welcome to the wild world of NBA DFS. The final hour to lock can be a tiring with the injury news, but we hope to have you prepared with fill-in options and what to do when scenarios occur. The cheat sheet will fill you in on the top games to target, values, tournament picks, cash game options, and much more. Prices are set for DraftKings and FanDuel, and the focus will be on whatever the main slate is listed as for each site. Pricing is listed (FD/DK). Players with no designated listing are playable in cash and tournaments. Players with designated game styles are for those only.
Vegas Numbers
Highest Implied Team Totals
- Clippers (118)
- Mavericks (115)
- Kings (114)
- Grizzlies (110)
- Spurs (110)
- Heat (110)
Lowest Implied Team Totals
- Bulls (103)
- Nuggets (104)
Potential Blowouts
- Clippers -12.5
Analysis: Nine games tonight, and only one real blowout concern with the Clippers taking on the hapless Pistons at home. The Clippers have a monster 118 total to target, but the Mavs, Kings, Grizzlies, Spurs, and Heat are all sitting over 110 with closer games projected. The Bulls are the only real team I am not targeting tonight going up against the Jazz. The Nuggets-Pacers game features two stronger defenses, so the implied totals are rather low. However a value like Aaron Holiday can be used, or Nikola Jokic in GPPs.
Injury Report
- Kristaps Porzingis – Questionable
- Gary Harris – Questionable
- Karl-Anthony Towns – Questionable
- Andrew Wiggins – Questionable
- Jeff Teague – Questionable
- Blake Griffin – Doubtful
- Malcolm Brogdon – Out
- D’Angelo Russell – Out
- Marvin Bagley – Out
- Willie Cauley-Stein – Out
- Markieff Morris – Out
Analysis: Kristaps Porzingis was a late scratch last game, and is dealing with knee soreness. This is not a good sign, and we will need to tread lightly heading into tonight. Maxi Kleber would get more run, and see 25+ minutes if Porzingis was to sit out. Minnesota has been giving us the same scenario for a few days now. The names we continue to be after are Shabazz Napier, Gorgui Dieng, Jarrett Culver, and Robert Covington. Josh Okogie continues to be a disappointment, but is cheap and getting minutes. He ranks behind the four still. The Warriors don’t have a ton of value due to injuries anymore, but with the names out tonight, Alec Burks, Damion Lee, Glenn Robinson, and Marquese Chriss are getting reliable minutes and giving us above average fantasy production.
Point Guards
- Luka Doncic ($10,800/$12,000)
- Spencer Dinwiddie ($8,400/$8,300) – GPP
- Kyle Lowry ($7,800/$8,200)
- Chris Paul ($7,400/$8,200)
- De’Aaron Fox ($7,200/$7,300) – GPP
- Ja Morant ($6,300/$6,400)
- Terry Rozier ($6,200/$6,800)
- Collin Sexton ($5,100/$5,900)
- Aaron Holiday ($5,100/$5,700)
- Shabazz Napier ($5,000/$5,900)
Analysis: Luka Doncic is expensive, but it is hard to ignore him here in this spot. Brooklyn is an easy defense to target in fantasy, and Doncic is averaging 46 fantasy points per game over the last ten games. I like Spencer Dinwiddie in tournaments on the other side of this one. He has a 48 fantasy point ceiling over the last eight games, and a 36% usage rate. Both De’Aaron Fox and Ja Morant square off against each other, and this is going to be a fun matchup. Morant and Fox both have 35+ fantasy point upside in this one. With a matchup against the Cavaliers, Terry Rozier is someone I have interest in, especially on FanDuel where he is just $6,200. Sexton, Holiday, and Napier all are cheaper options who are rather safe on this slate.
Shooting Guards
- Jimmy Butler ($8,700/$8,600)
- Donovan Mitchell ($7,700/$8,100)
- Devonte Graham ($7,700/$8,200) – GPP
- DeMar DeRozan ($7,700/$7,400)
- Buddy Hield ($6,200/$6,700) – GPP
- Damion Lee ($6,000/$6,600)
- Jordan Clarkson ($4,600/$5,000)
Analysis: I don’t love shooting guard tonight, although DraftKings has the multi-position eligibility to help a bit. Damion Lee and Jordan Clarkson are some of the cheaper to mid range names I am building around tonight. Lee is averaging 29 fantasy points per game over his last ten, while Clarkson has taken the bench scoring role off Utah well, and gets Chicago tonight. Buddy Hield and Devonte Graham have high ceilings, but the floors have been a bit lower than i’d like for cash games of late. Donovan Mitchell and Jimmy Butler are the pay up options, averaging over 40 fantasy points in their last ten games.
Small Forwards
- Paul George ($8,000/$8,800) – GPP
- Danilo Gallinari ($6,000/$6,100)
- Alec Burks ($5,600/$6,500)
- Miles Bridges ($5,000/$5,300)
- OG Anunoby ($4,900/$5,200) – GPP
- Glenn Robinson ($4,700/$5,600)
- Jarrett Culver ($4,300/$5,000)
Analysis: Small forward is a bit thin up top, but Paul George under $9,000 is a nice price tag. He is averaging 40 fantasy points per game, and while he is shooting 37% from the field over the last ten games, he gets a solid matchup against Detroit tonight. The blowout is the only real concern here. Danilo Gallinari is back, and averaging 30 fantasy points over his last ten healthy games. The Spurs are not a defense I am afraid of anymore. Alec Burks and Miles Bridges are two mid-range option that can be trusted in all formats. Glenn Robinson and Jarrett Culver continue to play well for a cheaper price tag. I would save OG Anunoby for GPPs instead who has had a lower floor.
Power Forwards
- Bam Adebayo ($8,800/$8,100)
- Kevin Love ($7,200/$8,000)
- Jaren Jackson ($6,800/$7,000) – GPP
- Richaun Holmes ($6,700/$7,100)
- Draymond Green ($6,700/$6,800)
- P.J. Washington ($5,300/$5,800)
- Robert Covington ($5,200/$5,600)
- Brandon Clarke ($5,100/$5,100)
- Marquese Chriss ($4,300/$5,400) – GPP
- Maxi Kleber ($4,200/$5,500)
Analysis: Power forward is loaded with a wide range of options, and some cheaper names that can deliver. Starting at the bottom, Kristaps Porzingis being ruled out puts Maxi Kleber firmly in play as a value. Against a weaker Brooklyn front court, this is a solid matchup. Brandon Clarke is averaging 25 fantasy points per game over his last ten games, and Sacramento is a matchup where he can thrive in. PJ Washington and Robert Covington are reliable options in all formats. We still have Draymond Green below $7,000, and is averaging 33 fantasy points per game over his last ten. Richaun Holmes and Jaren Jackson are both sitting with over a 40 fantasy point ceiling over the last ten games.
Centers
- Nikola Jokic ($9,200/$9,100) – GPP
- Rudy Gobert ($8,800/$8,900)
- Jonas Valanciunas ($6,600/$6,700)
- Tristan Thompson ($6,400/$6,900)
- Gorgui Dieng ($6,400/$6,500)
- Dwight Powell ($5,100/$5,600)
Analysis: Rudy Gobert is my guy tonight against Chicago, who rank bottom five in rebounding, fantasy points allowed, and defensive efficiency to opposing centers this season. Nikola Jokic would be my GPP pivot, as Indiana rank 25th against opposing centers this season. Some mid range centers have appeal this evening. Jonas Valanciunas is averaging 30.5 fantasy points per game over the last ten games, and the Kings are a defense that struggles against opposing centers. The same goes for Gorgui Dieng and Tristan Thompson. Dwight Powell is another cheap name going up against Brooklyn, who have allowed the third most fantasy points per game to opposing centers.
