Tonight, there are eight games on the slate. This is an uptick of recent, as the holidays impacted the NBA schedule. Fantasy owners are likely welcoming this mid-sized slate after a few small slates over the last couple of days now.

In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for FanDuel on 1/3/17. The DFS lineup picks will range from some of the elite players to mid-priced options and value plays on FanDuel. Let's get rolling.

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FanDuel DFS Guards

Kyle Lowry - PG, at SAS ($8,000) 

Kyle Lowry has been playing even better of recent than he has on the season, which is a difficult task to accomplish. The Toronto Raptor guards are the best in the league, as far as 50/50 contests are concerned. Both Lowry and DeMar DeRozan are very consistent options, and rostering them together is a great move. Lowry, however, can also be used in tournaments. In two of his last three starts, he has over 50 fantasy points. Recently, he torched the Los Angeles Lakers in 39 minutes, posting over 55 fantasy points and almost triple-doubling. It goes without saying that Lowry can be used in all formats tonight, even against the tough San Antonio Spurs.

Gary Harris - SG, vs SAC ($4,700) 

Gary Harris is a solid salary relief option in both 50/50 contests and tournaments. The Denver Nuggets are going to push the tempo of the game, and the Sacramento Kings are not going to back down. Harris has over 20 fantasy points in three of his last four contests, which is quite a bit for his price tag. He is at least hitting value, and without too many great value guard options available tonight, Harris will have to do. He is playing over 30 minutes per game right now, and his upside is great.

Also Consider:  Rodney Hood - SG, at BOS ($4,600) 

FanDuel DFS Forwards

Nikola Jokic - PF, vs SAC ($7,200)

Nikola Jokic is one of the highest upside forwards on the board tonight. In two of his last three games, he has over 40 fantasy points, and he has been great for the Denver Nuggets of recent. Due to foul trouble, he is a little bit inconsistent, so roster him in tournaments only, even against the Sacramento Kings tonight. Against the Philadelphia 76ers, he posted just under 40 fantasy points in an outstanding 22 minutes. f he would have played over 30 minutes, 60 plus fantasy points could have happened. For his price tag, that is great production.

Luol Deng - SF, vs MEM ($4,500) 

Luol Deng is a rather safe salary relief option tonight against the Memphis Grizzlies. Ignore his last two games. He posted under 10 fantasy points in both of them, but he is very likely going to return to his 25 plus fantasy point performances. He is still playing over 30 minutes per game, and at his price tag, it is difficult to avoid that kind of court time. Deng is a very consistent player, so his last two games were a big surprise. Most fantasy owners are going to stray away from him, but that is the wrong move. Do not chase fantasy points. Finding players that are very likely to rebound is a much more effective strategy.

Also Consider:   DeMarre Carroll - SF, at SAS ($3,500) 

FanDuel DFS Centers

Joel Embiid - C, vs MIN ($7,200) 

Joel Embiid is still too cheap on FanDuel. His price tag is reasonable on DraftKings, but for the time being, continue to roster him in all leagues on FanDuel. With over 35 fantasy points in three straight games now, he is likely going to hit value. His upside is also through the roof. Against the Brooklyn Nets, he posted over 50 fantasy points in 27 minutes. He is getting closer and closer to playing 30 minutes per game. The Philadelphia 76ers are likely not going to unleash him this season, but it sure would be fun if they would. Embiid is a great option in all formats.

Also Consider: Marcin Gortat - C, at DAL ($6,100)

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