Man, this is tough right now. I mean, wait until you see the injury report! It looks more like an All-Star roster than an injury report, and it’s making these DFS slates really tough to break down. It does give us a lot to talk about, though, so let’s go ahead and get into it!
This slate features seven games, which is the perfect amount for DFS. There aren’t too many players to be overwhelmed with, but there’s plenty to pick from. The amount of value we have from superstars sitting is equally as crazy, and it makes this yet another fascinating slate.
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Schedule and Odds
- HOU at CHA (CHA -5.5) O/U: 236
- CHI at ATL (CHI -4.5) O/U: 208.5
- BOS at MIN (BOS -8.5) O/U: 218.5
- UTA at SAS (UTA -8) O/U: 228
- MEM at PHX (PHX -9) O/U: 219
- DAL at POR (POR -1.5) O/U: 213.5
- BKN at LAC (BKN -5) O/U: 216.5
Check out our consensus game odds as well as the odds from each sportsbook at BettingPros
Man, this is tough right now. I mean, wait until you see the injury report! It looks more like an All-Star roster than an injury report, and it’s making these DFS slates really tough to break down. It does give us a lot to talk about, though, so let’s go ahead and get into it!
This slate features seven games, which is the perfect amount for DFS. There aren’t too many players to be overwhelmed with, but there’s plenty to pick from. The amount of value we have from superstars sitting is equally as crazy, and it makes this yet another fascinating slate.
Get a $5 bonus when you make your first deposit at FanDuel
Schedule and Odds
- HOU at CHA (CHA -5.5) O/U: 236
- CHI at ATL (CHI -4.5) O/U: 208.5
- BOS at MIN (BOS -8.5) O/U: 218.5
- UTA at SAS (UTA -8) O/U: 228
- MEM at PHX (PHX -9) O/U: 219
- DAL at POR (POR -1.5) O/U: 213.5
- BKN at LAC (BKN -5) O/U: 216.5
Check out our consensus game odds as well as the odds from each sportsbook at BettingPros
Injury Report
Core Plays
James Harden (PG/SG – BKN): $11,200 DraftKings, $11,000 FanDuel
We want to have Harden in our lineup every day until Kevin Durant returns. The simple fact is, James is the offense in his absence. In fact, Harden leads the team with a 37 percent usage rate with KD off the floor while averaging an absurd 1.5 DK points per minute. That was on full display Christmas Day, with James dropping a 36-point triple-double.
Mike Conley (PG – UTA): $6,400 DraftKings, $6,200 FanDuel
Conley has been playing second-fiddle to Donovan Mitchell all season, but with DM out of the lineup, Conley should return to the stud we saw in Memphis. We’re still talking about a solid player, though, with Conley averaging 29 DK points per game. We expect that to be his floor in an expanded role like this, especially against a 24th-ranked Spurs defense.
Delon Wright (PG – ATL): $5,400 DraftKings, $5,700 FanDuel
Wright has been a stat-stuffing machine throughout his career, and we adore this new role he’s got in Atlanta. The Hawks are among many teams amid a COVID breakout, missing Trae Young and John Collins for this game. Those are their two primary playmakers on offense, and it’s clear that Wright will be the primary point guard in Young’s absence. We say that because he’s played at least 34 minutes in three straight fixtures, averaging 30 fantasy points per game.
Cash Game Considerations
Christian Wood (C – HOU): $8,200 DraftKings, $7,900 FanDuel
I want to have all the exposure to this Charlotte-Houston matchup. These are two of the fastest-paced teams in the NBA and two of the worst defenses. That means both clubs should flirt with 120 points at ease, making their top players elite fantasy options. Wood is undoubtedly the Rockets top option, leading the team with 38 DraftKings points per game. We expect that to be his minimum, with the Hornets surrendering the third-most fantasy points to opposing centers.
Malik Beasley (SG – MIN): $6,200 DraftKings, $6,000 FanDuel
Minnesota might be having the worst COVID breakout of any team right now, playing without Karl-Anthony Towns, D’Angelo Russell, Anthony Edwards, Jarred Vanderbilt and Naz Reid. That’s leaving Beasley with as many shots as he can handle, attempting at least 12 three-pointers in four straight games. Not many $6K players fire up 12 shots in general, and it’s scary that he’s taking that many threes. That green light has allowed Malik to maintain a 35-point average in that span, scoring at least 26 DK points in all of those.
Joe Ingles (SF – UTA): $3,700 DraftKings, $4,200 FanDuel
Ingles was a stud last season when he started for Mitchell or Conley. We expect that to be the case here, providing a 29-point average in his 36 starts last year. He simply gets more shots, minutes, and assists as a starter, making him one of the best values in the $4K price range. All you need is 20-25 fantasy points to reach value at this price, and that looks like his floor in this circumstance.
GPP Targets
Jalen Green (PG – HOU): $5,000 DraftKings, $5,600 FanDuel
This is extremely risky with the way Green has been performing, but this is an excellent opportunity for Jalen to get going. We’re talking about one of the best athletes in the NBA, and facing a Charlotte team that ranks bottom-three in total defense and pace is the perfect way to get him rolling. He actually had one of his best games in his return from the COVID list, too, dropping 32 DK points across 25 minutes of action over the weekend. He should easily be looking at 30-35 minutes from here on out, and it makes him a sexy GPP play.
Mason Plumlee (C – CHA): $4,000 DraftKings, $4,600 FanDuel
We said that we want exposure to this game, and there might be no better value than Plumlee. What we like here is that Charlotte is missing Miles Bridges and P.J. Washington. Those two have taken away center minutes from Plumlee all season, but Mason should be looking at 30 minutes of play with both big men out. That makes him hard to fade in such a tasty matchup, especially with Plumlee providing a 34-point average in the four games he’s played over 29 minutes.
Gorgui Dieng (PF/C – ATL): $3,900 DraftKings, $3,900 FanDuel
The Hawks don’t have any big men outside of Clint Capela and John Collins. That means Dieng should start for JC here and could play 30 minutes. If that’s the case, we love Dieng behind his 1.2 DK points per game. It’s certainly risky, but you won’t find many sub-$4K players with a more significant upside.
Value Plays
Nathan Knight (C – MIN): $3,300 DraftKings, $3,800 FanDuel
Naz Reid was my favorite value on this slate until he found his way into protocols on Sunday night. That has left Knight as the only center remaining, leaving him in line for a ton of minutes. We haven’t seen Knight a whole lot but he averaged 32 DraftKings points per game in the three outings he played at least 20 minutes last season. It seems like he has to play at least 20 minutes here, making him one of the best values on the board.
Coby White (PG/SG – CHI): $4,100 DraftKings, $5,700 FanDuel
White has been playing much better recently and it looks like he might get a boost in playing time with Lonzo Ball landing in the dreaded COVID protocols. Alex Caruso‘s absence has done White wonders too, with Coby playing at least 32 minutes in back-to-back games. One of those was a dud while the other was a gem but we’re willing to take that risk in this price range. Not to mention, Atlanta ranks 23rd in total defense this season.
Patrick Beverley (PG/SG – MIN): $5,300 DraftKings, $5,800 FanDuel
Who the heck is going to suit up for Minnesota? We just mentioned all the players they’re missing and it’s going to leave this rotation with seven or eight guys. That means Beverley should be in line for 40 minutes and a ton of ball-handling duties. That’s big news for a guy who was already rolling, scoring at least 28 DK points in four straight outings before landing in the protocols himself. He did that damage with a full roster and it’s not out of the realm of possibility for Pat to provide 40-50 fantasy points in this expanded role.
Advantageous Pricing
- Coby White (PG/SG – CHI): $4,100 DraftKings, $5,700 FanDuel
- Damian Lillard (PG – POR): $10,100 DraftKings, $9,000 FanDuel
- Jaylen Brown (SG/SF – BOS): $9,300 DraftKings, $8,000 FanDuel
- Gordon Hayward (SG/SF – CHA): $6,400 DraftKings, $7,300 FanDuel
- Nicolas Claxton (C – BKN): $4,900 DraftKings, $6,200 FanDuel
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Joel Bartilotta is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Joel, check out his archive and follow him @Bartilottajoel.
