FanDuel & DraftKings NBA Cheat Sheet 1/24/20

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

• Rockets (119)
• Thunder (117)
• Spurs (116)
• Pelicans (116)
• Pistons (115)
• Timberwolves (114)
• Grizzlies (114)
• Nuggets (113)

Lowest Implied Team Totals

• Knicks (104)
• Warriors (104)
• Celtics (105)

Potential Blowouts

• Thunder (-11)

Injury Report

• Andre Drummond – Probable
• Jimmy Butler – Questionable
• Paul George – Out
• Jayson Tatum – Out
• Malcolm Brogdon – Out
• Jaylen Brown – Questionable
• Jamal Murray – Out
• Steven Adams – Questionable
• Marvin Bagley – Out
• RJ Barrett – Out
• Lauri Markkanen – Probable
• Kendrick Nunn – Questionable
• Michael Porter – Questionable
• Gary Harris – Probable
• Patrick Beverley – Doubtful
• Goran Dragic – Questionable
• Enes Kanter – Out
• Paul Millsap – Out
• Josh Hart – Questionable

Point Guards

• Russell Westbrook
• Trae Young – GPP
• De’Aaron Fox
• Chris Paul
• Kemba Walker
• Ja Morant – GPP
• Kyle Lowry
• Derrick Rose
• Lonzo Ball
• Dejounte Murray – GPP
• Kendrick Nunn – GPP – If he plays
• Monte Morris
• TJ McConnell

Analysis: Russell Westbrook has been playing out of his mine lately, and has seen over a 30% usage rate this season. He gets a pedestrian Minnesota defense, and is one of the top pay up positions at the position. Trae Young is a high upside play as usual, averaging over 50 fantasy points in the last two weeks. He has a 36% usage rate, and OKC only ranks 22nd in defensive efficiency against opposing point guards. With Jayson Tatum and Enes Kanter off the floor, who are both ruled out tonight, Kemba Walker has seen a 33% usage rate and averages 1.29 FPPM. I will continue to lock in Lonzo Ball at these price tags. He is averaging over 40 fantasy points per game in the last two weeks, and gets Denver tonight who rank 22nd against opposing point guards. The Miami situation is going to be interesting tonight, with Dragic, Butler, and Nunn all questionable. We have a couple of values filling in for injured point guards like Monte Morris and TJ McConnell.

Shooting Guards

• James Harden
• Zach LaVine
• Devin Booker
• DeMar DeRozan
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – GPP
• Jrue Holiday – GPP
• Buddy Hield
• Andrew Wiggins
• Marcus Smart
• Dillon Brooks
• Dennis Schroder
• Kevin Huerter
• Tyler Herro
• Torrey Craig – GPP
• Duncan Robinson – Monitor Miami’s guard situation

Analysis: James Harden hasn’t been totally worth the price tag of late, but gets Minnesota tonight who rank 15th against SG and overall are a weaker defense. Harden is averaging over 1.60 FPPM this season, so is always in play. I like the slightly cheaper options again like Zach Lavine, who is averaging 46 fantasy points per game in the last two weeks, and gets the Kings tonight. Devin Booker is also in a great spot against the Spurs, who rank 21st in defensive efficiency against opposing shooting guards. On the flip side of that game, DeMar DeRozan is of course going to be a strong play against the Suns. SGA has been playing some amazing basketball of late, averaging nine fantasy points more than his season norm in the last two weeks. Buddy Hield, Andrew Wiggins, and Marcus Smart are all solid mid-range plays tonight. Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson could end up being extremely popular value plays depending on how the Miami injury situation turns out. Herro is fairly safe anyway.

Small Forwards

• Brandon Ingram
• Kelly Oubre – GPP
• Pascal Siakam
• Danilo Gallinari
• Will Barton
• Gordon Hayward
• Jaylen Brown – GPP (Because of health)
• TJ Warren
• Jarrett Culver
• Eric Gordon
• Markieff Morris – GPP

Analysis: Brandon Ingram’s price has dropped a bit, but he is averaging over 40 fantasy points in the last two weeks. He is a strong pay up option again, sitting with a 30% usage rate. Kelly Oubre is back and a strong play against the Spurs who rank 28th against opposing small forwards this season. Danilo Gallinari, Will Barton, and Gordon Hayward are strong options in the mid range. Tatum and Kanter being out gives Brown a 27% usage rate. His status right now is that he will try and play. Hayward would be a safer route for cash games, but Brown has the higher upside. Hayward sees a 22% usage rate with them off the court, and averages 1.03 FPPM. Now say Brown sits, Hayward has seen a 27% usage rate and averaged 1.24 FPPM. Eric Gordon is on the cheaper side, and worth a look in a high scoring Rockets game. T.J. Warren is still on the cheaper side on FanDuel, and is averaging 30 fantasy points per game in the last two weeks.

Power Forwards

• Kawhi Leonard
• Domantas Sabonis
• Bam Adebayo – GPP
• LaMarcus Aldridge
• Jaren Jackson
• Nemanja Bjelica
• Robert Covington – GPP
• Zion Williamson
• Jerami Grant
• Daniel Theis
• Nerlens Noel – If Adams is out

Analysis: Kawhi Leonard continues to be a dominate force, averaging 59 fantasy points per game over the last two weeks. With Paul George out again, fire away with Leonard. Domantas Sabonis is in a possible blowout spot, but is averaging 40 fantasy points over the last two weeks, and Golden State ranks 18th against opposing power forwards. Jaren Jackson is in a good spot against Detroit, who rank 29th against opposing power forwards. Both him, Robert Covington, and Nemanja Bjelica are plays in the mid-range I feel the most comfortable with. Jerami Grant is a cheap option to consider, although DK has him at $6,000. He has earned it, and New Orleans ranks 27th against power forwards. Nerlens Noel and Daniel Theis are cheap options that will see a tick up in minutes due to injury. Although Adams hasn’t been ruled out yet.

Centers

• Nikola Jokic – GPP
• Karl-Anthony Towns
• Nikola Vucevic
• Clint Capela
• DeAndre Ayton
• Jonas Valanciunas – GPP
• Myles Turner – GPP

Analysis: I will echo my thoughts on Nikola Jokic from the last few slates, where he hasn’t been worth the price tag, but is now down to below $10,000. I slightly prefer KAT tonight as the pay up option, who has a 30% usage rate and Houston ranks 21st in defensive efficiency against opposing centers. Clint Capela is in a great spot, as KAT struggles on the defensive side, and Minnesota ranks 25th in defensive efficiency against opposing centers this season. He is also at a solid price tag, averaging 36 fantasy points over the last two weeks. DeAndre Ayton has picked up his play, and is averaging 40 fantasy points per game over the last two weeks. It is hard to go cheaper, but Myles Turner remains a cheap GPP threat.