NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer: Friday (1/19)

It’s been a fun week of basketball. I feel like my recommendations have been on point all week, but I haven’t been doing well in DFS for whatever reason. I can’t seem to get it going this week, but that’ll happen in a six-month season. The good news is that the process is still correct, and the results will eventually turn around. With that said, let’s dive into this Friday card!

View the best player prop bets for tonight’s slate with our NBA Prop Bet Cheat Sheet

NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer:

Schedule and Odds

• PHI at ORL (PHI -4.5) O/U: 222
• SAS at CHA (CHA -4.5) O/U: 237
• DEN at BOS (BOS -5.5) O/U: 234
• PHX at NOP (NOP -2) O/U: 237
• ATL at MIA (MIA -6) O/U: 228
• IND at POR (IND -4.5) O/U: 237
• BKN at LAL (LAL -6.5) O/U: 229

Check out our consensus game odds and the odds from each sportsbook at BettingPros.

Injury Report

• Tyrese Haliburton (hamstring) Questionable
• Victor Wembanyama (rest) OUT
• Trae Young (illness) Questionable
• Pascal Siakam (trade) Questionable
• Franz Wagner (ankle) OUT
• Ben Simmons (back) OUT
• Gordon Hayward (calf) OUT
• De’Anthony Melton (back) OUT
• Jaime Jaquez (groin) Doubtful
• Mark Williams (shoulder) OUT
• Andrew Nembhard (back) Questionable
• Shaedon Sharpe (abs) OUT
• Zach Collins (ankle) OUT
• Brandon Miller (back) Questionable

Core Plays

Anthony Davis (PF/C – LAL): $10,200 DraftKings, $11,500 FanDuel
Most people only talk about Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic in the MVP race, but AD has been playing at their level. The big man has scored at least 60 DraftKings points in seven of his last 12 games, generating a 59-point average across his previous 23 fixtures. That’s what you’re looking for from a core play, and we certainly don’t mind that AD dropped a 37-point, 18-rebound gem in his last matchup with the Nets.

Jimmy Butler (SF/PF – MIA): $7,600 DraftKings, $8,700 FanDuel
Butler has been on the sidelines more than he’s been on the court this season, but he’s always a stud when he suits up. Jimmy Buckets had 47 DraftKings points in his return to action and is averaging 40 DK points per game since his return. That’s not far off his season average, and he should annihilate Atlanta. The Hawks rank 26th in points allowed and 28th in defensive efficiency while posting a 27t OPRK against opposing forwards. That was crystal clear when he scored at least 44 fantasy points in all three of their matchups last year.

Terry Rozier (PG/SG – CHA): $7,200 DraftKings, $8,600 FanDuel
This $7,200 price tag on DraftKings is laughable. We know that Rozier isn’t the same player when LaMelo Ball is on the floor, but he’s still got 41 and 44 DK points in his two most recent outings. He has a similar average over the last month, and it’s criminal that Rozier is priced so affordably behind production like that. Scary Terry should slice through San Antonio, too, sitting 24th in defensive efficiency and 26th in points allowed.

Cash Game Considerations

Joel Embiid (C – PHI): $11,500 DraftKings, $12,400 FanDuel
Embiid is on another plenty right now. The MVP has at least 30 points and 10 rebounds in 17 straight games. He’s also established a 50-point floor in that span while averaging close to 70 DK points per game. There’s no safer option in fantasy right now, especially since Embiid had at least 28 points and 11 rebounds in his two matchups with Orlando last year.

Nikola Jokic (C – DEN): $11,300 DraftKings, $11,800 FanDuel
The Joker has been the most reliable option in DFS for five years, and he’s battling Embiid for another MVP. Like Embiid, Jokic has established a 50-point floor while averaging 63 DraftKings points per game. These two are playing a different game than everyone else right now, and you know Joker will leave it all on the floor in a premier matchup with Boston. In his last matchup with the Celtics, Jokic collected 30 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists on 10-of-13 shooting!

LaMelo Ball (PG/SG – CHA): $8,800 DraftKings, $9,900 FanDuel
Ball continues to deal with ankle issues, but he’s one of the best players in fantasy when he’s healthy. That’s what we have now, with Ball scoring at least 47 DraftKings points in 12 of his last 13 games. He’s also showcased a 70-point upside in that span and should go off in this sensational matchup with San Antonio. The Spurs are surrendering the most fantasy points to opposing point guards, with Ball posting a 58-point average against them since the start of last year.

GPP Targets

Devin Vassell (SG/SF – SAS): $6,700 DraftKings, $6,900 FanDuel
With Wembanyama already ruled out for this game and Keldon Johnson being relegated to the bench, Vassell should be the focal point of the Spurs offense. With the rookie superstar off the floor, DV leads the team with a 26 percent usage rate, averaging 1.1 DK points per minute. He’s also got at least 27 fantasy points in 23 of 35 games this year, which is superb since he faces a Charlotte team posting the worst defensive rating in the NBA.

Malcolm Brogdon (PG/SG – POR): $5,400 DraftKings, $6,300 FanDuel
This Portland backcourt is frustrating to figure out, but we love Brogdon whenever he’s starting. That’ll surely happen with how he played in the most recent game, dropping 34 DK points across 30 minutes of play. If you look at the 15 starts that Brogdon hasn’t gotten injured, he’s averaging nearly 40 DraftKings points per game! Another one of those gems is more likely against Indiana, playing at the fastest pace while sitting 27th in defensive efficiency. We saw Brogdon score 37 DK points against them in one of those starts earlier in the year!

Markelle Fultz (PG/SG – ORL): $4,900 DraftKings, $5,500 FanDuel
This one is risky, but we’re finally creeping to a full workload. We saw Fultz play at a $7K level when he was the starting point guard last season, and we’re really encouraged that he played 30 minutes in his most recent outing. If this stat-stuffer will play 30 minutes, Fultz needs to be at least $1,000 more on both sites as long as Franz Wagner remains out. We didn’t even mention that he gets a revenge game against Philly!

Value Plays

TJ McConnell (PG – IND): $5,900 DraftKings, $6,600 FanDuel
Tyrese Haliburton is close to returning, but we don’t expect it to happen yet. That’s huge with Andrew Nembhard injured as well, forcing McConnell into the starting lineup on Thursday. Even in a reserve role, TJ has scored at least 32 DraftKings points in six of his last 10 games. We know this guy can stuff the stat sheet with anyone, and he will thrive as the primary ball-handler for the fastest-paced team in the NBA. Facing the Trail Blazers is terrific too, ranked 23rd in defensive efficiency.

Tre Jones (PG – SAS): $5,800 DraftKings, $6,700 FanDuel
Tre has always been a great starter when given the chance, and we can’t wait to see how he plays with Wembanyama sitting here. This guard has been averaging 32 DK points per game since his reinsertion into the starting lineup, but his usage could skyrocket with the superstar rookie sidelined. The best part is this matchup with Charlotte, though, posting the worst defensive rating in the NBA.

Dominick Barlow (C – SAS): $4,300 DraftKings, $5,300 FanDuel
We’re not sure who will start at center with Wembanyama and Zach Collins injured, but those absences should guarantee Barlow at least 20 minutes of action. In the three games he’s played at least 22 minutes, DB is averaging 26 DK points per game. We also saw him start for Wemby in the last game he missed, and that type of opportunity against the worst defense is hard to overlook with how cheap Barlow is on both sites.

Advantageous Pricing

• Anthony Davis (PF/C – LAL): $10,200 DraftKings, $11,500 FanDuel
• Jimmy Butler (SF/PF – MIA): $7,600 DraftKings, $8,700 FanDuel
• Terry Rozier (PG/SG – CHA): $7,200 DraftKings, $8,600 FanDuel
• LaMelo Ball (PG/SG – CHA): $8,800 DraftKings, $9,900 FanDuel
• Dominick Barlow (C – SAS): $4,300 DraftKings, $5,300 FanDuel
• Jeramy Sochan (PG/SF – SAS): $5,200 DraftKings, $6,600 FanDuel
• Tobias Harris (SF/SF – PHI): $6,900 DraftKings, $8,000 FanDuel
• Derrick White (PG/SG – BOS): $6,100 DraftKings, $7,200 FanDuel
• Clint Capela (C – ATL): $5,800 DraftKings, $6,800 FanDuel

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