FanDuel NBA GPP Breakdown: NBA DFS GPP Plays

WASHINGTON, DC – NOVEMBER 18: Damian Lillard #0 and Al-Farouq Aminu #8 of the Portland Trail Blazers and Markieff Morris #5 of the Washington Wizards go up for a rebound during the first half at Capital One Arena on November 18, 2018 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Will Newton/Getty Images) FanDuel NBA /

FanDuel NBA GPP Breakdown

Happy Monday, NBA DFS players, and welcome back to the FanDuel NBA GPP Breakdown! I’m “Thunder Dan” and I love writing about FanDuel NBA DFS more than five-year-old daughter loves ice cream (I’m not sure she would agree with this).

All jokes aside, thanks for joining me for the Breakdown again today. I broke my own personal record for views of my articles last month and I can’t thank you, my loyal readers, enough. Knowing that people are reading every day is what keeps me writing these pieces day in and day out.

As always in this article, my goal every day is to give you my top targets every night for GPP contests for FanDuel NBA. When making these picks I always take into account salary, ownership, and match-up and I always do my best to give you a clear rationale for why I believe each player makes an elite GPP target.

Tonight we have a really nice “medium-sized” seven-game slate, which is the perfect amount of games for GPPs in my opinion. I prefer 6-8 games on an NBA slate, as there’s plenty of options for us to consider at each position without feeling overwhelmed. I’ll be going position by position today instead of game-by-game since we have such a big slate. I’m also debuting a new section on value plays under 5k that we can use to help fit in our favorite studs. And of course, I always include my “Game Stack of Night” which is my favorite game to target with multiple players from both teams.

"For tournaments, we’re not satisfied with just 5x return on a player’s salary, we’re looking for players who can hit 6-7x value or greater."

Remember, this is a first look article that is intended to get you pointed in the right direction with your research. There will be information that comes out during the day that will likely push us onto certain plays or off others. As the season goes along, we run into more and more injury and rest situations that can entirely change the slate so my best advice is to never settle on a lineup at 6 AM (a friendly reminder that the sample lineup is often constructed about 6 AM) and be flexible enough in your roster construction to change your lineups close to lineup lock if necessary. Let’s take a look at what this slate has in store for us tonight!

FanDuel NBA GPP Breakdown: Seven Game Slate

Let’s take a quick look at some of the injury news we’re dealing with and how it could affect our roster construction tonight.

***Trey Burke has been ruled out tonight for the Knicks. This is going to open up minutes for the Knicks backcourt that is in a great spot against the Wizards.

***Kyle Lowry is questionable for the Raptors tonight as they host Denver in what should be a really good game. If he plays, he’s a little underpriced at 8.1k and if he misses then we have to consider point-Kawhi as a potentially elite option.

***Jeremy Lin is probable to return for Atlanta tonight against the Warriors. He’s a potential value at 4.7k if he returns to his 20-25 minute bench role, and his return would steal minutes away from other Atlanta guards in a rotation that is nearly unplayable with how spread out the minutes are already.

***David Nwaba is out. Fewer Cavs players in the rotation is a good thing for the Cavs players who played only 7 players on Saturday other than Channing Frye‘s three minutes.

***Etwaun Moore missed the Pelicans’ game yesterday with a calf injury. If he misses again tonight his minutes are likely to be soaked up by Solomon Hill and Darius Miller.

***Draymond Green remains out for the Warriors tonight and Damian Jones is also out, likely for an extended period of time as he tore a pectoral muscle on Saturday. We should see Jordan Bell, Kevon Looney, and Jonas Jerebko play most of the minutes at PF and C tonight for the Dubs.

***I saved the most important injury for last – Joe Harris is questionable for the Brooklyn Nets tonight. You can stop laughing now, I’m serious. Harris has missed the last two games and his absence has entirely changed the Brooklyn rotation and opened up some minutes and usage for other bench players. More on this situation later.

We don’t have any Vegas information for the Toronto-Denver game, likely due to Kyle Lowry‘s status. But of the other six games on the slate, only one has a double-digit spread (GSW-Atlanta) and four of these games have spreads of 2.5 points or less.

We’re always looking for close, competitive games in DFS that allow us to get as many minutes out of the players we roster as we possibly can. You can make a case to stack four or five of these games tonight, and I have interest in players in every game other than the GSW-Atlanta game, which I might just cross off other than some value plays.

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – OCTOBER 21:Russell Westbrook #0 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during the first half of a NBA game at the Chesapeake Energy Arena on October 21, 2018 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by J Pat Carter/Getty Images) /

FanDuel NBA GPP Breakdown: Point Guards

Russell Westbrook (11400)

The Thunder travel to the Motor City for a matchup with Detroit and are only one point favorites. We saw Detroit play really well on Saturday, pulling off the upset of Golden State and ruining Steph Curry’s return. Russ and the Thunder will have their hands full with Detroit and I think it’s going to take 40-minute epic “Beastbrook” performance for OKC to get the win. When Russ is playing hero-ball, we want to roster him and I never play narratives, but I know he loves trying to show up former teammate (and noted poor defender) Reggie Jackson.

John Wall (9500)

You know the spot must be good if I am writing up John Wall because I never want to play John Wall. But targeting the Knicks with point guards is usually a profitable endeavor, and Wall has been awfully good against the Knicks over the last couple years, averaging 24-3-10 with steals a game in his last 9 games against them. This game looks tasty and Wall won’t be the only piece from it that I want!

ATLANTA, GA – NOVEMBER 19: Lou Williams #23 of the LA Clippers reacts after a dunk by Alex Len #25 of the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena on November 19, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

FanDuel NBA GPP Breakdown: Shooting Guards

Tim Hardaway Jr. (7300)

This feels like a THJ day (every day feels like this to FantasyCPR’s own Brian Tulloch). Hardaway never met a shot he didn’t like and he should have ample opportunity to get good looks tonight against Washington. He let us down against the Wizards earlier this season and he’s prone to cole shooting nights, but I’ll have a lot of THJ tonight in case he gets hot with that jump shot. You just don’t get a chance to roster players with 29% usage that play 33 minutes a game for this price that often.

Lou Williams (5700)

Sweet-Lou is always a GPP option for me when he’s under 6k and he showed again last night how productive he can be in his sixth-man role as he went for 33 FD points in only 26 minutes against Dallas. He’s a nice cheap piece of a game that I want exposure to as that Clippers-Pelicans matchup has a massive 237 total and 2.5 point spread. The Clippers are going to need Lou’s scoring to keep up the Pelicans and I think Williams will thrive in this fast-paced game.

WASHINGTON, DC – DECEMBER 01: Otto Porter Jr. #22 of the Washington Wizards shoots against the Brooklyn Nets during the first half at Capital One Arena on December 01, 2018 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /

FanDuel NBA GPP Breakdown: Small Forwards

Paul George (8600)

I’m licking my chops at this price on George, as it’s the cheapest he’s been since early in the season. His minutes are down the last two games but don’t be fooled as they were both blowouts in which he didn’t need to play in the fourth quarter. Targeting Detroit with wing players is one of my favorite things to do in NBA DFS and George’s 3-point shooting ability and ability to rack up peripheral stats make him an elite GPP play that is likely to get overlooked tonight.

Otto Porter (7000)

Porter played 37 minutes on Saturday against Brooklyn after missing Friday’s game for personal reasons. After struggling earlier in the year and having his minutes yanked around, he’s enjoyed a string of solid production over the last several weeks. He missed the game against the Knicks earlier in the year so we have no baseline for his production against them, but I love his upside here even at a higher price than we are used to paying for him. His rebounding and defensive stats give him a solid floor and if he’s knocking down shots then he’s got a clear path to 40+ FD points.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 20: Noah Vonleh #32 of the New York Knicks reacts during the third quarter of the game against Portland Trail Blazers at Madison Square Garden on November 20, 2018 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) /

FanDuel NBA GPP Breakdown: Power Forwards

Anthony Davis (12700)

Davis reminded us all of his DFS dominance yesterday with a massive 78.8 FD point performance against Charlotte and you could argue that he’s in an even better spot here tonight against the Clippers who have struggled to stop big men all season long. Davis is the best DFS player on the planet (yes, that includes Pat Mahomes, too, you NFL junkies) and he’s in the fastest projected game with the highest total on the slate. Dont…fade….him.

Markieff Morris (6600)

After a little hiccup against the Sixers on Friday, Markieff bounced back in a big way against Brooklyn with 44 FD points in only 28 minutes. He’s absolutely thriving in his 6th man role off the bench and I think he continues that solid output tonight against the Knicks. He had 38 FD points against them earlier this season in 31 minutes and I think he should be able to match or exceed that output tonight.

Noah Vonleh (5500)

Couldn’t help but writing up a third power forward today. Vonleh is back at a price where we can feel good about using him. He was up around 7k there for a while but a few foul-plagued duds against Detroit and Philly brought his price back down. The Knicks seem like they want to play him 35 minutes and develop him this season and he’s responded with some big games when given those minutes. I like him in this spot tonight, as Washington really doesn’t have anyone who will able to match up with him inside.

CLEVELAND, OH – APRIL 11: Tristan Thompson #13 of the Cleveland Cavaliers talks with a teammate during the second half at Quicken Loans Arena on April 11, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Knicks defeated the Cavaliers 110-98. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /

FanDuel NBA GPP Breakdown: Centers

Steven Adams (7300)

Adams is usually a solid cash play, but not usually a guy you consider for GPPs. I am looking to pay down into the mid-tier at center tonight and he stands out at this price as a guy who could exceed 6x in a matchup with Detroit’s Andre Drummond. We’ve seen opposing centers put up big lines against Drummond often and I think we see Adams get a few extra minutes tonight to help guard the big man. Adams is a nifty scorer inside and I think he should get a bunch of easy buckets off Westbrook drives when Drummond comes to help and Westy finds him open at the rim.

Tristan Thompson (6700)

We play centers against the Nets. It’s a tried and true formula and I’ll be following that DFS rule of thumb tonight and using a guy I rarely ever use in Tristan Thompson. This is an excellent spot for TT, who is coming off a massive 18-19 game in 39 minutes against the Raptors. He’s getting a ton of minutes right now for the Cavs and he’s got double-doubles in six of his last seven games. Don’t hesitate to use him tonight, I think he’s got a 20-20 game up his sleeve!

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – DECEMBER 01: Emmanuel Mudiay #1 of the New York Knicks dribbles around Eric Bledsoe #6 of the Milwaukee Bucks during the second quarter of the game at Madison Square Garden on December 01, 2018 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) /

FanDuel NBA GPP Breakdown: Value Plays

I wanted to add this section to the breakdown so I could elaborate on some of my favorite values for each slate. For our purposes, I am going to consider a player a “value play” if they are 5000 or less. There are some really interesting guys down here in this range tonight.

Emmanuel Mudiay (5000)

Mudiaye played 35 minutes against Milwaukee on Saturday and had one of his best game of the season, scoring 42 FD points. He’s in line for more minutes again tonight with Trey Burke out and is in a great spot against the porous Washington defense.

Shabazz Napier (4100) and Demarre Carroll (4400)

Remember when I said Joe Harris injury is crucial to tonight’s slate? Well, in the two games that he’s missed we’ve seen Napier and Carroll be the primary beneficiaries. Napier has moved into Spencer Dinwiddie‘s role with the second unit and Caroll has absorbed a lot of Harris’s minutes and shot attempts.

Alec Burks (4000)

The Cavs didn’t hesitate to get Burks in the rotation. He’s played 26 and 23 minutes in the two games since coming over in the Kyle Korver trade and averaged 14-6-2, adding some much-needed scoring to their second unit. No Nwaba means Burks is likely to get another 24 minutes tonight which should be enough to pay off this cheap price tag.

Jordan Bell (3500) and Kevon Looney (3800)

Damian Jones was only playing 15-20 minutes a game, but if we give say 7-8 minutes more to both Looney and Bell then we can project both of them for 20-25 minutes, which is more than enough time for these guys to make value against Atlanta’s terrible defense as both of them are solid per-minute fantasy producers.

NBA DFS /

FanDuel NBA GPP Breakdown: Game Stack of the Night

Washington Wizards (-1) @ New York Knicks (228 total)

This game is only the third highest total on the slate, but it’s my favorite game to stack tonight. The Clippers-Pelicans game has a much higher total but is hard to stack because of the prices. The Atlanta-Golden State game has a higher total but looks like a potential blowout. I love this game because we can fit all the pieces we want relatively easily within the salary cap restraints.

For the Wizards, I think we have their big four (Wall, Beal, Porter, and Morris) all in play here. I don’t think it’s likely optimal to use all four of them in the same lineup, but I think 2-3 Wizards in your game stacks makes a lot of sense, With Wall and Morris being my favorites.

For the Knicks, it’s all about Mudiay, Hardaway Jr, and Vonleh for me. Alonzo Trier is worth a shot at 3900 if you think he gets enough minutes as he should be the primary scorer off the bench with Trey Burke out. Enes Kanter makes some sense from a matchup perspective, but we really have no idea what to expect with his minutes as he’s only played 26 in each of the last two games.

NEW ORLEANS, LA – OCTOBER 28: Anthony Davis #23 of the New Orleans Pelicans dunks the ball during the second half of a game against the Golden State Warriors at Smoothie King Center on October 28, 2016 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /

FanDuel NBA GPP Breakdown: Sample Lineup and Slate Overview

I try to include as many of the players that I write-up in my lineups, but once in a while I can’t always make it work with the salary cap. I hope the new “value plays” section helps you fill in those rosters when you need to pay down and I’m looking to use 2-3 of those guys in lineups tonight if the injury news pans out like I think it might.

More from FanSided

Anthony Davis is my top spend-up tonight over James Harden unless we get some random Chris Paul rest night. Kawhi Leonard would also be in play for me if Kyle Lowry were to miss, but as of right now I’m looking at making a lot of lineups with Davis and a lot of mid-tier and value plays mixed in.

Keep in mind these sample lineups are for illustrative purposes are not intended to be plug-and-play lineups. There’s still a lot that could happen that could change roster construction during the course of the day. Here’s what I am looking at this morning.

PG: Emmanuel Mudiay (5000)

PG: Shabazz Napier (4100)

SG: Tim Hardaway Jr. (7300)

SG: Alec Burks (4000)

SF: Gary Harris (6400)

SF: Otto Porter (7000)

PF: Markieff Morris (6600)

PF: Anthony Davis (12700)

C: Tristan Thompson (6700)

dark. Next. NBA DFS Picks and Pivots - Monday, December 3

That’s all I got today, peeps! I hope you enjoyed my slate breakdown and I appreciate you taking the time to read my article. Be sure to share it with friends and fellow DFS players, leave comments or hit me with other feedback or questions on Twitter. Keep coming back to FantasyCPR for the best free content in the industry! Good luck in your contests!

FanDuel NBA GPP Breakdown: Monday, 12/3 – Don’t Fade Davis!

By Dan Palyo | Dec 3, 2018