FantasyPros thinks about which NBA DFS players have the best value on DraftKings and FanDuel.
Because the NBA always plays games on Martin Luther King Day, Monday's schedule is one of the most interesting of the season. Games are spread out all day. So, let's take a look at this interesting card.
Injury Report
- Zion Williamson is out with a hamstring injury, and Brandon Ingram is out with a toe injury (hamstring) Questionable
- Kyle Lowry IS OUT (knee)
- Clint Capela (calf) Questionable
- Kelly Olynyk (ankle) OUT Lauri Markkanen (hip) Questionable
- Rudy Gobert IN Karl-Anthony Towns (calf) (groin) Questionable
- Anthony Davis is out (foot), Austin Reaves is out (hamstring), Lonnie Walker is out (knee), Devin Booker is out (groyne), and Chris Paul is out (groyne) (hip) OUT The Main Plays.
Julius Randle (PF/C – NYK): $10,300 DraftKings, $9,800 FanDuel
It's hard to see why Randle is still worth around $10,000. The big man is having the best basketball season of his career right now. In 11 of his last 13 games, he has scored at least 51 DraftKings points. In that time, he's also come close to averaging 60 points, and in his most recent game, he lost 72 fantasy points. Usually, it's hard to beat Toronto, but Randle has averaged 53 points in their two games this season.
LeBron James (SF/PF – LAL): $11,400 DraftKings, $11,000 FanDuel LeBron is currently on a different planet. In Anthony Davis's absence, the 20-year-old veteran has taken over the Lakers' offence, averaging over 52 DraftKings points per game this season. Since AD got hurt, he has been playing even worse. Since then, he has been averaging over 55 DK points per game. Against the Rockets, who are ranked 28th in defensive efficiency ratings, that should be able to happen.
Stephen Curry (PG/SG – GSW): $10,400 DraftKings, $9,200 FanDuel
Curry's comeback from his shoulder injury has been hard, but this is a great chance for the best shooter of all time to get back on track. Klay Thompson and Draymond Green are likely to sit out this B2B, leaving Curry to do everything. Before getting hurt, he was averaging more than 51 DK points per game, and the Washington defence is ranked 19th. In the one game they played against each other last season, Curry scored 68 DK points, which is typical for him.
Thoughts on the Cash Game
Jimmy Butler (SF/PF – MIA): $9,000 DraftKings, $9,100 FanDuel
Jimmy has been on and off the team all year, but when he's healthy, he can't be stopped. This season, the feisty forwards has scored at least 32 DK points in all but three games, giving him a season average of 42 points. That makes him a good play in this $9K price range, especially since Kyle Lowry is out and he will be asked to handle the ball more. Facing Atlanta is also great, with a 25th OPRK this year against opposing forwards.
Jordan Clarkson (PG – UTA): $7,200 DraftKings, $7,700 FanDuel
It seems strange to say that Clarkson is a cash game player, but this man has been in charge of Utah's offence. He's always been a great fantasy player in other roles, but as the Jazz's main ball-handler, it's hard to get rid of him. Clarkson has had three straight games with at least 40 DK points, averaging 48 fantasy points per game in that time. The Timberwolves give up the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing guards, so a game against them should keep that going.
Jonas Valanciunas (C – NOP): $6,800 DraftKings, $7,400 FanDuel FanDuel
Facing Cleveland is scary, but please hear me out. The Cavaliers have one of the NBA's biggest front lines, so Valanciunas has to play at least 30 minutes to beat them. Even before Zion and Ingram got hurt, he was already doing that. In three of his last four games, he scored at least 43 fantasy points. Valanciunas has played at least 27 minutes in 17 games, and he has averaged 39 DK points per game. That would be a lot for a $7K player to do.
GPP Targets
Alperen Sengun (PF/C – HOU): $7,100 DraftKings, $6,600 FanDuel
Houston's offence needs to start going through this big man. Kevin Porter's absence has made Sengun play more, and he has scored at least 31 DK points in seven straight games. In that time, the Turkish centre has also averaged 36 DK points per game, which he does in less than 30 minutes per night. Los Angeles is ranked 21st in terms of how well they defend and 27th in terms of how many points they let in.
Fred VanVleet (PG – TOR): $7,600 DraftKings, $8,200 Fan Duel VanVleet has had a rough week, but this guy is too good to be this cheap. He usually sits around $9,000 on both sites, and it won't be long before he gets back there. All the guard needs to do to get back on track is keep playing 35–40 minutes a game and take 15–20 shots. VanVleet has averaged 50 DraftKings points per game in the two games he has played against NY this season. This game could be the spark that gets things going.
Naz Reid (PF/C – MIN): $4,900 DraftKings, $5,200 FanDuel
If Rudy Gobert is out there, Reid needs to be in every lineup. When Karl-Anthony Towns was out, Naz was already stepping up, but he has become a $8K player when both of the big men are out. In fact, Reid has scored at least 40 fantasy points in four of the five games he's played at least 29 minutes, and he's scored 50 or more in two of those games. That's crazy coming from a $5K player, and we don't mind at all that Utah's centres get the second-most fantasy points of any team.
Value Plays
Mitchell Robinson (C – NYK): $5,300 DraftKings, $6,300 FanDuel Robinson's price has been around $5,000 all year, and it doesn't make sense why. At this point, he plays 35 minutes every night on average, and over the last month, he has averaged more than 30 DK points per game. When you look at how good he is per minute, this guy can be a $8K player in a 35-minute role. It looks even better when you consider that he has averaged 30 points in two games against Toronto this season.
Max Strus (SG/SF – MIA): $5,500 DraftKings, $5,800 FanDuel
Strus is hard to get rid of in his current role. The winger with a good shot has played at least 41 minutes in three straight games and taken at least 15 shots in each. He has been having trouble with his shot, but anyone who can play for 40 minutes and take 15 to 20 shots should be paid at least $1,000 more. If Strus gets that role against an Atlanta defence that is ranked 24th, he will be one of the best deals available.
Damion Lee (SG/SF – PHX): $4,900 DraftKings, $4,900 FanDuel
What happened to the Suns is sad, but it has helped Lee get a job. Devin Booker, Chris Paul, Cameron Johnson, and Cameron Payne are all out for Phoenix with injuries, so Lee has to handle the ball a lot. Damion scored 37 and 43 DraftKings points in two of the last three games without those guys. He played 31 minutes in each of those games. That's all you can expect from a $5K player, and the Suns are so short-handed right now that they can't take him off the floor.
Prices that are good
Stephen Curry (PG/SG – GSW): $10,400 DraftKings, $9,200 FanDuel Mitchell Robinson (C – NYK): $5,300 DraftKings, $6,300 FanDuel Steven Adams (C – MEM): $6,400 DraftKings, $7,400 FanDuel Jarrett Allen (C – CLE): $5,900 DraftKings, $7,400 FanDuel Gary Trent (SG/SF – TOR): $5,500 DraftKings, $6,900 FanDuel Onyeka Okongwu (C – ATL): $5,600 DraftKings, $6,700 FanDuel Lauri Markkanen (PF – UTA): $9,400 DraftKings, $8,300 FanDuel Kyle Anderson (SF/PF – MIN): $5,200 DraftKings, $6,200 FanDuel Jaden McDaniels (SF/PF – MIN): $4,600 DraftKings, $5,800 FanDuel.
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