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FanDuel NBA DFS Lineup Picks (1/5/18): Daily Fantasy Basketball Advice

You know what we deserve after a two game slate? Double digit games and good matchups. Tonight, we're getting both as there are 10 games across the Association. As usual, tip (and thus, FanDuel lock) is at 7pm EST. Two-thirds of the games are taking place in the Eastern or Central time zones, meaning we should have an ample amount of injury/start/sit news before our lineups lock. There are a quad of games tipping at 9pm or later - fingers crossed we know the status of the players on those eight teams.

Thanks to this being a monster slate, we've got quite a lot of injury news to monitor throughout the day. Vegas is monitoring said news closely, and because there is a lot of uncertainty as of this morning, we still have a few games without spreads or over/unders listed. I'll update the section when we have more information, but as of now, there are three games which I consider to have relatively elite point total projections. In no particular order, those games are the Raptors at Bucks (216.5), the Hornets at Lakers (216.5) and Bulls at Mavericks (213).

Below you will find our daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for FanDuel on 1/5/18. These DFS lineup picks can vary from higher-priced players and elite options, to lower-priced players and value picks on FanDuel. You can also read more DFS lineup picks for DraftKings and other sports too.

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FanDuel DFS Guards

Goran Dragic - PG, vs NYK ($6,800)

It seems like it has been a while since I've been able to comfortably suggest Dragic as a cash game play. Which is odd, seeing as he has generally been one of the most consistent point guards over the last few seasons. It appears that whatever was ailing Goran and the rest of this Heat squad (injuries) has gone away, and Dragic has looked really impressive over the last pair of games, dropping more than 46 FanDuel points in each. In that stretch, the price has risen by just $100, and with a fantastic matchup against the soft defense on the Knicks, I can see him continuing his streak of crushing value. This is a slight pace up game for Dragic, being played at home, against a team that ranks 26th in DVP versus point guards and 27th in defensive efficiency against the position. So long as the game stays close, Dragic should see minutes in the 33-36 range with a Usage rate hovering around his season average of 25%.

Also Consider: Ish Smith - PG, at PHI ($6,100); Tony Parker - PG, vs PHX ($3,900); Kris Dunn - PG, at DAL ($7,900)

 

Tyreke Evans - SG, vs WAS 

Extreme pace-up alert! The Memphis Grizzlies are going to be fantasy blessed today with a monstrous pace-up game, and the biggest beneficiaires (as the data has shown us before) in pace up games are the back court mates. Tyreke, who has essentially re-invented his offense, is posting totals in field goal percentage, field goal percentage from three, true shooting percentage, free throw percentage and PER. There's more, but you get the point. His price tonight is fairly steep, but he's been able to hit and/or exceed value in three of those four games, and none was as good a matchup as the one in front of him this evening. Yes, the Wizards ranks 8th in defensive efficiency against shooting guards, but I think the sheer volume of possessions and Evans' massive 30 Usage rate will help him to exceed value tonight.

Also Consider: Malcolm Brogdon - SG, vs TOR ($4,900); Khris Middleton - SG, vs TOR ($7,200); Kentavious Caldwell-Pope - SG, vs CHA ($5,500)

 

FanDuel DFS Forwards

Denzel Valentine - SF, at DAL ($4,500)

No disrespect to Mr. Valentine or any of the other small forwards mentioned below, but this position is essentially a wasteland as it stands right now. This is a bit shocking and annoying seeing as we have a big, 10-game slate, but I'm just calling it as I see it. We've got studs in tough matchups or easy fade situations and the value plays, well, just aren't dripping with the value you'd hope for. Thanks to there being so many guards worth paying up for and this position being weak, it's best to spend down here and save your cash for positions with more elite options. Relatively speaking, I think Valentine finds himself in a good position to cash tonight. He's got a cheap price tag - one he's paid off several times and in two of his last three games - and a matchup that should feature a lot of offense and little defense. The thing I like most about Valentine tonight is that he should see in the range of 28-30 minutes as a player who averages 3/4 point per minute on the floor.

Also Consider: Evan Turner - SF, vs ATL ($4,800); Kyle Anderson - SF, vs PHX ($5,000); Robert Covington - SF, vs DET ($6,000)

 

Kyle Kuzma - PF, vs CHA ($6,000)

I really love Kuzma tonight in what should be an offensive slug-fest in Los Angeles. This is a slight pace down game for the Lakers, but Vegas and several other projections have this as one of the highest scoring games of the night. Why? Soft defenses on either side. Specific to the power forward, Kuzma has an excellent matchup, as the Hornets rank 25th in DVP and 27th in defensive efficiency. Thus far this season, Kuzma owns a really strong .322 points per touch and is no stranger to knocking down shots with consistency, posting a 57% True Shooting percentage.

Also Consider: Derrick Favors - PF, at DEN ($6,400); Taj Gibson - PF, at BOS ($5,800)

 

FanDuel DFS Centers

Joel Embiid - C, vs DET ($10,500)

A well rested Joel Embiid has a matchup I am really digging today. Whether or not Andre Drummond plays (currently Questionable - my guess is he sits), I think this is a game where we can witness Embiid's ceiling. Detroit slows it down a bit, and that actually suits Embiid's half-court game quite well. So far this season, he's posting an elite point-per-minute rate of 1.46 and a Usage rate at 31%. Both of those figures are extremely attractive, and I see Embiid as an elite play tonight, particularly for tournaments.

Also Consider: Dwight Howard - C, at LAL ($8,600); Enes Kanter - C, at MIA ($4,900); Miles Plumlee - C, at POR ($3,700)



NBA DFS News and Injury Alerts





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REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Shane Pinto

Lands Four-Year Extension
Thomas Chabot

to Sit Out Two Weeks
William Karlsson

Out Week-to-Week
Alex Newhook

Injured in Big Loss
Jeff Skinner

Hurt Early on Thursday
John Gibson

Exits With Upper-Body Injury Thursday
Kaapo Kakko

Sustains Lower-Body Injury Thursday
Stefon Diggs

Delivers Triple-Digit Yardage in Win
TreVeyon Henderson

Scores Hat Trick in Career-Best Outing
Brenton Strange

Limited Again on Thursday
Edwin Díaz

Edwin Diaz Says There's a "50-50" Chance he Returns to Mets
Shohei Ohtani

Wins his Fourth MVP Award
KJ Simpson

Probable to Play Friday
Tory Horton

Downgraded to Non-Participant on Thursday
Aaron Judge

Wins AL MVP Award Again
Ausar Thompson

Unavailable Friday
Isaiah Stewart

in Danger of Missing Fourth Straight Game
Ryan Kalkbrenner

Won't Play Friday
P.J. Washington

Questionable Friday Against Clippers
Calvin Ridley

Limited in Practice on Thursday
Zion Williamson

to Remain Sidelined Friday
Malik Monk

Could Miss Another Game Friday
Dereck Lively II

Questionable Friday Versus Clippers
Brian Thomas Jr.

Limited Again on Thursday
Zach LaVine

Available for NBA Cup Action Friday
Jonathan Kuminga

Listed as Questionable for Friday
Domantas Sabonis

Considered Questionable for Friday
LaMelo Ball

Tagged as Probable for Friday
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Expected to Return Friday
Jalen Duren

Listed Questionable For Friday Night, May Miss Second Straight Game
Bam Adebayo

to Remain Out Friday
Cade Cunningham

Listed As Questionable For Friday Night Against Philadelphia
Justin Fields

Playing for his Job on Thursday Night?
Anthony Davis

Listed as Questionable for Friday
LeBron James

Practices Thursday Without Lingering Pain
Joel Embiid

Won't Play on Friday
VJ Edgecombe

Questionable For Friday Night With Back Spasms
Day'Ron Sharpe

Listed as Probable for Friday Against Magic
Dylan Samberg

Makes Season Debut Thursday
Justin Fields

Expected to Start on Thursday Night Against Patriots
Samuel Girard

Available Thursday
Valeri Nichushkin

Considered Week-to-Week
Boone Jenner

Out Long-Term With Upper-Body Injury
Ricky Pearsall

Will Play in Week 11
Mikael Granlund

Returns to Action Thursday
Geno Smith

Not on the Week 11 Injury Report
Anthony Stolarz

Out Day-to-Day
Auston Matthews

Likely to Miss One Week
Brock Purdy

to Start in Week 11 Against Cardinals
Raisel Iglesias

Dodgers Interested in Signing Raisel Iglesias
Pete Alonso

Orioles Could be in the Mix to Sign Pete Alonso
J.K. Dobbins

Misses Second Straight Practice on Thursday
Xavier Worthy

Added to Thursday's Injury Report With Ankle Injury
Garrett Wilson

Jets Place Garrett Wilson on Injured Reserve Due to Knee Injury
C.J. Stroud

Officially Ruled Out for Sunday
Isiah Pacheco

Absent From Practice, Questionable for Sunday
Dalton Kincaid

Yet to Practice Ahead of Week 11 Matchup
Sam LaPorta

Misses Thursday Practice, Questionable for Week 11?
Lamar Jackson

Returns to Practice Thursday
Khalil Shakir

Dealing With Multiple Injuries
C.J. Stroud

Missing From Practice Again on Thursday
Matt Savoie

Collects Two Assists Wednesday
Artemi Panarin

Delivers Four Assists in Wednesday's Victory
Simon Nemec

Becomes Hat-Trick Hero Wednesday
Zack MacEwen

Exits Early Wednesday
Cody Glass

Exits With Injury Wednesday
Brandon Hagel

Injured in Wednesday's Loss
Félix Bautista

Felix Bautista Could Return in Second Half in 2026
Kodai Senga

Attracting Trade Interest, Will the Mets Move him?
Yordan Alvarez

Expected to be Ready for Spring Training
Byron Buxton

Could Waive his No-Trade Clause
Paul Skenes

the Unanimous NL Cy Young Winner
Tarik Skubal

Wins AL Cy Young for Second Straight Year
Zach Hyman

Nearing Season Debut
CFB

Still No Update on Jermod McCoy's Return Timeline
Sami Valimaki

Riding Momentum Into Bermuda
Matthieu Pavon

Struggling Through a Rough Season
Taylor Montgomery

Hopes to Get Back on Track at Port Royal
Ben Martin

a Risky Play at Bermuda Championship
Mark Hubbard

Primed for a Bounce-Back Week in Bermuda
Lee Hodges

Searching for a Spark in Bermuda
Stephen Vogt

Wins Back-to-Back AL Manager of the Year Honors
Milwaukee Brewers

Pat Murphy Named NL Manager of the Year Again
Patrick Fishburn

Looking to Bounce Back in Bermuda
Eric Cole

Carrying Momentum into Bermuda
Tommy Edman

to Have Ankle Surgery Next Week
Ketel Marte

Diamondbacks Unlikely to Trade Ketel Marte
Roman Anthony

to Have a Normal Offseason
Jarren Duran

Red Sox Think Jarren Duran Needs a Fresh Start
MacKenzie Gore

Nationals Expected to Trade MacKenzie Gore?
Sahith Theegala

Finishes Tied for 27th at Bank of Utah Championship
Sam Stevens

Finishes Tied for 36th at Baycurrent Classic
Patrick Rodgers

Finishes Tied For Sixth at World Wide Technology Championship
Luke List

Finishes 75th at World Wide Technology Championship
Ben Kohles

Finishes Tied for 63rd at World Wide Technology Championship
PGA

Nico Echavarria Finishes Tied for 14th at World Wide Technology Championship
Luke Clanton

Finishes Tied for 46th at World Wide Technology Championship
Blades Brown

Finishes Tied for 18th at Korn Ferry Tour Championship
Tarik Skubal

Tigers Unlikely to Trade Tarik Skubal
Framber Valdez

Cubs Could Land Framber Valdez in Free Agency
Sandy Alcantara

Marlins Ready to Trade Sandy Alcantara
CFB

Nic Anderson Could Return for LSU this Season
Randy Brown

Suffers Second-Round TKO Loss
Gabriel Bonfim

Extends His Win Streak
Joseph Morales

Gets First-Round Submission Win
Matt Schnell

Suffers First-Round Submission Loss
Muslim Salikhov

Suffers First-Round TKO Loss
Uros Medic

Wins Back-To-Back Fights
Ismael Bonfim

Loses Back-to-Back Fights
Chris Padilla

Remains Unbeaten In The UFC
Marco Tulio

Suffers His First UFC Loss
Christian Leroy Duncan

Scores Second-Round Knockout Victory

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP