FanDuel & DraftKings NBA Cheat Sheet 1/8/19

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

• Rockets (123)
• Bucks (116)
• Magic (115)
• Jazz (115)
• Hawks (114)
• Pelicans (113)
• Celtics (112)
• Mavericks (111)

Lowest Implied Team Totals

• Wizards (104)
• Raptors (104)
• Warriors (103)
• Hornets (102)
• Knicks (102)

Potential Blowouts

• Bucks (-13.5)
• Jazz (-12.5)
• Magic (10.5)

Analysis: We can easily dive into some of the easier games to target, especially the Rockets and Hawks game. With no Russell Westbrook, it evens things out a bit and will make James Harden the player to build around. The Magic and Jazz also have a tick up from their normal seasonal average, and are prime targets. The blowout concerns were fairly obvious from the start with the Bucks facing the Warriors, and the Jazz facing the Knicks. The Magic was a bit surprising where I am not treating this one like a blowout game. However I won’t be targeting the Wizards all that heavily, Orlando is a fairly strong defense. The same goes for the Knicks facing the Jazz.

Injury Report

• Domantas Sabonis – Questionable
• Russell Westbrook – Out
• Kristaps Porzingis – Out
• Bradley Beal – Questionable
• Kemba Walker – Questionable
• Fred VanVleet – Out
• Jrue Holiday – Out
• D’Angelo Russell – Out
• Will Barton – Out
• Wendell Carter – Out
• Norman Powell – Out
• Daniel Theis – Questionable

Analysis: Russell Westbrook is the big one tonight who is resting. This puts Eric Gordon and James Harden as the top high priced option and value option with Harden likely moving to point guard putting more minutes on the table for Gordon. Kemba Walker is questionable still with an illness, which would push Marcus Smart into the starting lineup once again. Jrue Holiday out will put Josh Hart in play. Daniel Theis being out could mean more minutes for Enes Kanter, and this would push him to a cash play, otherwise he is just a tournament play at the moment.

Point Guards

• Luka Doncic ($11,500/$12,300)
• Trae Young ($9,000/$9,700)
• Kyle Lowry ($8,200/$8,600)
• Jamal Murray ($7,000/$7,200)
• Lonzo Ball ($6,300/$7,400)
• Tomas Satoransky ($6,000/$6,400)
• Markelle Fultz ($5,800/$5,800)
• Ish Smith ($5,300/$5,800)
• Aaron Holiday ($4,900/$5,400)

Analysis: Luka Doncic is another pay up option, but there are plenty of options at the position for all prices. Lonzo Ball continues to play well, and will get the Bills tonight. On the flip side of that game, Tomas Satoransky has averaged over 30 fantasy points per game over the last ten.

Shooting Guards

• James Harden ($11,200/$12,800)
• Zach LaVine ($8,400/$8,900
• Donovan Mitchell ($8,300/$8,400)
• DeMar DeRozan ($7,000/$6,800)
• Jordan McRae ($6,100/$6,600)
• Kevin Huerter ($5,700/$6,200)
• Marcus Smart ($5,300/$5,600)
• Terrance Ross ($4,500/$4,800)
• Jordan Clarkson ($4,400/$4,600)
• Josh Hart ($4,100/$4,200)

Analysis: James Harden has a 47% usage rate with Westbrook off the court, and averages 1.85 FPPM. He is the first person to plug into your lineup tonight. With Jrue Holiday out, Josh Hart will pick up some extra minutes for a cheap price tag. Jordan Clarkson should also see some extra minutes with a looming blowout, and has potential to hit the 25 fantasy point mark. Jordan McRae, Kevin Huerter, and Marcus Smart are all value options.

Small Forwards

• Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,400/$11,500)
• Brandon Ingram ($9,300/$8,800)
• Jaylen Brown ($7,100/$7,400)
• Gordon Hayward ($6,500/$7,100)
• T.J. Warren ($6,100/$6,500)
• Alec Burks ($5,700/$5,800)
• Joe Ingles ($5,700/$6,200)
• Troy Brown ($5,300/$5,400)
• Derrick Jones ($4,300/$4,700)
• Glenn Robinson ($4,200/$4,700)
• Eric Gordon ($4,200/$4,400)

Analysis: Giannis is a fine option as usual, but of course the blowout potential is there. He is averaging 55 fantasy points per game over the last ten games, and has a 35% usage rate. Brandon Ingram has been excellent of late, averaging over 40 fantasy points per game, and has a 29% usage rate in the last ten games. Boston’s Jaylen Brown and Gordon Hayward. Small forward has a lot of value options to help balance things out a bit.

Power Forwards

• Bam Adebayo ($8,400/$8,300)
• John Collins ($7,400/$8,000)
• Jayson Tatum ($7,400/$7,600)
• LaMarcus Aldridge ($7,300/$7,300)
• Derrick Favors ($6,900/$7,300)
• Lauri Markkanen ($6,300/$6,900)
• Aaron Gordon ($6,200/$6,200)
• PJ Washington ($5,800/$5,600)
• Maxi Kleber ($4,400/$5,500)

Analysis: It isn’t quite the group of reliable names for power forward, but there are some stable options like Bam Adebayo and LaMarcus Aldridge. Jayson Tatum has been in a bit of a rut without Walker, which hasn’t usually been the case with him off the floor. Tatum is still averaging 38 fantasy points over his last ten games. Aldridge is one of the stronger names, averaging 42 fantasy points over his last ten games. Love the potential for him tonight. Value names are from Gordon down, and Maxi Kleber will continue to get more time with Kristaps Porzingis out.

Centers

• Nikola Jokic ($9,300/$9,200)
• Nikola Vucevic ($8,800/$9,000)
• Rudy Gobert ($7,900/$7,900)
• Clint Capela ($7,600/$7,800)
• Enes Kanter ($5,300/$5,600)
• Brook Lopez ($5,100/$5,300)

Analysis: This is a pay up position for me tonight given the lack of value at the position. As mentioned above Enes Kanter could become a cheap cash game play if Theis is out. Nikola Vucevic is in a tremendous spot against a weak Wizards defense, while Nikola Jokic is coming off a monster game where his offense was finally put to use. There is blowout concern with Rudy Gobert, but against the Knicks he is a viable option. Clint Capela is the big name here against the Hawks, who is also at a reasonable price if you don’t want to pay up for Jokic or Vuc.