Here are the FanDuel NBA picks for January 19th!
It is a light night in the NBA with only four evening games going on. There are still plenty of high priced options to build a winning team. Who are the best options? Let’s take a look at how injuries and price can affect your lineups!
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To finish in the money, you need to choose the best high priced players, and the best cheap options to let you afford some high priced players. I will give you some of each option at each position and let you choose from there.
Here are my FanDuel NBA Picks for January 19th:
Next: There Are Bargains At PG
Point Guards:
Best Bets:
Russell Westbrook, Thunder ($10,500): It’s hard to part with that kind of money on a player, especially when your cap is only $60,000, but Westbrook consistently gets 4.5x value even at this price. This is a favorable matchup against Denver, and while Westbrook may not play much once this game gets out of hand, he will have a large part in making it that way. He should still get his points.
Ricky Rubio, Timberwolves ($6,900): His poor shooting caps his fantasy value, but Rubio does everything else. Still, when his shot is not falling, he often plays less minutes. If he goes cold, he becomes a risk. That said, New Orleans is not a great defensive team on the perimeter to begin with, and they could be without Tyreke Evans again. Rubio is a great bargain when he stays on the court.
Honorable Mention:
Brandon Knight, Suns ($6,500): With the injury to Eric Bledsoe, the Suns have been forced to play Knight. A lot. His nightly workload has only been under 37 minutes once since 2016 began. You can argue that it limits his effectiveness some, but he usually racks up a lot of counting stats when he is on the floor that much.
Jrue Holliday, Pelicans ($6,300): His minutes cap is off. Since the cap game off back at the beginning of January, the former All Star is showing signs of returning to form. In eight January games, he has averaged 33 FanDuel points per tilt. That is just a shade above 5x value.
If You’re Cheap:
Tyler Johnson, Heat ($4,500): Goran Dragic is still out, which is good news for us looking to go cheap. Johnson has averaged 24 FanDuel points in four games since Dragic went down. Not only that, but he has been remarkably consistent. He has not been under 21 or over 27. That means you are getting 5x value, no questions asked. You really can’t beat that at this price.
Norris Cole, Pelicans ($4,100): If Evans sits again, Cole could see 30 minutes again. It didn’t do a lot of good yesterday, but Cole is averaging 19 FanDuel points per game over his last four. That is close to 5x value if you need to go cheap at both PG slots.
My picks: Holliday and Johnson
Next: Is There A Cheap Option At SG?
Shooting Guards:
Best Bet:
Giannis Antetokuonmpo, Bucks ($7,800): The Freak is on fire lately. Giannis has averaged 45 FanDuel points over his last four outings. He has been a double-double machine lately. Keep riding him until he cools off!
Honorable Mention:
Dwyane Wade, Heat ($7,100): Wade has two ailing shoulders right now. That knocks him out of the upper tier, but he still does enough on the floor to make him productive. Just be aware that his ceiling is lower, and this money could likely be put to better use elsewhere. That said, Wade is one of the toughest players in the league, and a sure bet to get 4x value even on an off night.
Monta Ellis, Pacers ($6,300): Ellis has picked up his scoring lately, and that has brought his FanDuel average up as well. Ellis is hitting an average of 27 FanDuel points per game in January, which puts him at a solid 4.5x value. It could creep even higher tonight against the fast-paced Suns.
If You’re Cheap:
Gary Harris, Nuggets ($4,400): The emergence of Harris is directly responsible for me not recommending Will Barton. Harris has matched or outdone Barton in each of the last five games, and is doing if for $2,300 less. Harris is a really good play right now, and Barton is a huge risk unless injuries strike the Nuggets’ backcourt again.
Devin Booker, Suns ($4,200): Booker has been getting between 25 and 40 minutes per game since Bledsoe went down, but he is mostly dependent on his shooting to be successful. Booker doesn’t offer much else, so if he goes cold, he won’t get you anywhere near what you need from him. Then again, he has topped 30 FanDuel points a couple of times, which makes him a really nice lottery ticket.
My picks: Antetokuonmpo and Harris
Next: To Play KD Or Not To Play KD?
Small Forwards:
Best Bets:
Kevin Durant, Thunder ($9,900): Durant is still an elite fantasy option. He has only been under 40 FanDuel points once in January, and that was in a game in which he did not see the court. He needs 45 for 4.5x value which makes him a bit of a risk, but he has hit that mark in four of eight January game, and has been at at least 4x value in the others. Play him if you have the money.
Paul George, Pacers ($8,700): George is a touch below Durant, but not much. He has only been under 32 FanDuel points (29.4) once in his last ten games, and is averaging 39.3 over that span. That puts him squarely at 4.5x value. If you can’t afford Durant, George is a suitable substitute.
Honorable Mention:
Khris Middleton, Bucks ($7,100): Middleton has only been under 30 FanDuel points once in his last eight games, and has been over 38 three times. He is playing at an exceptionally high level for his price lately, and shouldn’t have much trouble keeping it up against the Heat.
Danilo Gallinari, Nuggets ($7,000): Aside from a clunker against the Heat on the 15th when he went ice cold from the floor, Gallinari has been unstoppable since his return on January 2nd. In the other seven games, he is averaging 37.3 FanDuel points per game. He is one of the few constants in the Denver rotation, making him the least risky Nugget to play in DFS contests.
If You’re Cheap:
P.J. Tucker, Suns ($4,500): He and T.J. Warren are splitting the minutes nearly right down the middle, but Tucker has done more with them lately. He has topped 2o FanDuel points in eight of his last nine outings. If you feel the need to go cheap at SF, Tucker is your safest option.
My Picks: George and Middleton
Next: Do You Need To Spend On Anthony Davis?
Power Forward:
Best Bets:
Anthony Davis, Pelicans ($10,300): Davis is “only” averaging 39.3 FanDuel points per game in his three games back since missing time with a sore back. That is not enough for what you have to pay for him. There is a chance he will reach that against a Timberwolves team that isn’t particularly tough in the paint, and considering the lack of other reliable options at PF, he just might be worth it.
Chris Bosh, Heat ($7,800): Bosh’s worst game this year was his 26.8 point output against the Thunder on Sunday. That’s how good Boshasuarus has been lately. He has averaged 34.5 FanDuel points per game in January. That puts him comfortably at 4x value.
Honorable Mention:
Serge Ibaka, Thunder ($6,200): His blocks are at the lowest point of his career, but he has still managed to keep his rebounding and scoring up. Most of the time, anyway. But his lack of blocks hurts his daily value since he is the third offensive option on a high powered team. He has only topped 40 FanDuel points once in 2016, and that was when Kevin Durant sat. He has also been in the single digits three times, which is cause for concern. That said, he is averaging 29.3 FanDuel points over his last four games, which keeps him near 5x value.
Jabari Parker, Bucks ($5,200): It took Parker a bit to get his legs under him, but he has been above 25 FanDuel points in each of his last five games. He has yet to top 30, but a consistent scorer is the kind of play that can make you money in daily leagues.
If You’re Cheap:
Darrell Arthur, Nuggets ($4,300): The rotations of the Nuggets can be maddening, which is why I have shied away from Kenneth Faried. The beneficiary seems to be Arthur, who has played more than 20 minutes in every game since January 3rd, and is averaging 21.1 FanDuel points in that time. That is 5x value at a cheap price, but the Denver rotation makes it a bit of a risk.
My picks: Bosh and Parker
Next: Who Is The Best At C?
Center:
Best Bets:
Hassan Whiteside, Heat ($7,800): Whiteside can still be an elite option, as shown by his triple double with 11 blocks on Friday. His knee is healthy, as evident by his 71 minutes of playing time over the last two games. He is not the most consistent guy on the board, but he has the most potential to take you from winning double your money to placing in the top 50 of a big tournament.
Greg Monroe, Bucks ($7,800): Monroe is the bust-proof option at the same price. He doesn’t have the upside of Whiteside, but he carries much less risk. Monroe has only been under 20 FanDuel points once in 2016.
Honorable Mention:
Karl-Anthony Towns, Timberwolves ($7,200): Towns still has the occasional down night here and there, but he is more consistently in the 30’s now, and should be in that range against the Pelicans tonight, who don’t have much of a presence aside from Anthony Davis.
If You’re Cheap:
Nikola Jokic, Nuggets ($4,900): The revolving door in the middle for the Nuggets has stopped on Jokic lately. He has picked up 106 FanDuel points over his last four games, putting him right at 5x value. If you want studs, you have to go cheap somewhere. This could be the place.
My Pick: Whiteside
Next: Is Ish Smith The Real Deal?
Good luck out there!