This five-game slate is already loaded with questionable tags. The good news is that I can point you to some early values, but the uncertainty surrounding some of the higher-priced guards is going to keep us guessing until tipoff. The NBA wouldn't have it any other way, right?
With both FanDuel and DraftKings having multi-position eligibility players, we'll have to attack slates accordingly to make our lineups as optimal as possible. That's where I come in! I'll look to find my personal top plays and values for tonight's slate. Things can change during the day as well, so I'll do my best to update as news comes out!
Here are my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for FanDuel and DraftKings on 3/16/23. Keep an eye on RotoBaller’s NBA injury news and also our full NBA injury report today to stay up to date before lineups are locked.
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DraftKings and FanDuel Guards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander - at TOR (FD: $10,600, DK: $9,600)
It sure makes it hard to tank when you have a generational star like SGA on your roster, but maybe the Thunder can actually make the playoffs. They have won three in a row and six of the last seven and currently sit in ninth place in the West, which is good for the play-in tournament. Does that mean the tanking is off? At any rate, SGA is getting 48 fantasy points. He has at least that mark in five straight games.
Spencer Dinwiddie - vs. SAC (FD: $8,700, DK: $7,900)
Dinwiddie is performing just like he did before he was jettisoned out of Jersey just when it looked like the Nets were becoming an interesting young team. The KD/Kyrie/Harden disaster has set the Nets back a bit, but Dinwiddie and Mikal Bridges are pieces this team can win with. Dinwiddie has at least 50 DraftKings points in three of the last five games, and that's with Bridges putting up big numbers as well. They are both safe plays against the Kings. Dinwiddie is just a slightly better option because he has piled up 38 assists in the last three games to go with nice point totals.
Andrew Nembhard - at MIL (FD: $5,800, DK: $6,000)
Even if Tyrese Haliburton returns, the Pacers will be without the services of Bennedict Mathuin and Chris Duarte. There's a good chance that T.J. McConnell will be out as well. That should lead to Nembhard starting no matter who else is in uniform for the Pacers. The presence of Haliburton would put a ding in his fantasy output, but not enough to keep me from using him. Someone besides Haliburton needs to score. He can't do it himself.
Also consider: De'Aaron Fox (FD: $9,700, DK $8,900); Mikal Bridges (FD: $8,500, DK $8,300); Markelle Fultz (FD: $7,000, DK: $6,400)
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DraftKings and FanDuel Forwards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Giannis Antetokounmpo - vs. IND (FD: $12,000, DK: $12,000)
So you're worried about a blowout, huh? Same here. The thing is...Giannis put up a monster 70.5 DraftKings point effort on the Pacers in the first meeting in just 33 minutes. There's little reason to think that he can't and won't do that again. I do like Jokic more for GPP usage, but Giannis is probably the safe place to go in cash games.
Jalen Williams - at TOR (FD: $7,700, DK: $7,100)
This is a tough matchup for Williams and company, but Williams has been piling up the points of late. He has scored at least 15 points in nine straight games, topping 20 in seven of those. Not only that, but he has posted double-digit assists and rebounds at different times over that span. The Thunders' stockpiling of picks is starting to turn into NBA success. Williams still feels a touch underpriced here, even against a team like Toronto.
Michael Porter Jr. - at DET (FD: $6,100, DK: 6,000)
Ugh...some consistency would be nice. It feels like I've been saying that about Porter his entire career. The pendulum has swung back again with Porter notching back-to-back games with 23 points and over 35 fantasy points. One of those was in just 23 minutes against Brooklyn. Porter is a nice bargain if he's going to keep scoring at 6x value. I probably wouldn't trust him in cash games though.
Also consider: Paulo Banchero (FD: $7,800, DK: $7,600), Scottie Barnes (FD: $8,200, DK: $7,300), Jordan Nwora (FD: $5,800, DK $4,700)
DraftKings and FanDuel Centers - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Nikola Jokic - at DET (FD: $12,200, DK: $11,600)
Detroit wouldn't have much in the middle even if they were at full strength. Jokic might get you 40, but he is also the only one on this slate that might get you 80. Jokic annihilated the Spurs and Nets over the weekend with 164.75 DraftKings points in those two games. With Detroit similarly weak up front, he could have another monster game here. Frankly, I'll be shocked if he doesn't.
James Wiseman - vs. DEN (FD: $7,000, DK: $6,900)
Wiseman isn't quite the bargain that he was a week ago, but he is still putting up big numbers with Marvin Bagley out. I don't mind Jalen Duren if he fits your budget better, but Wiseman's upside is much higher if you can afford him.
Also consider: Domantas Sabonis (FD: $10,200, DK: $10,100); Jakob Poeltl (FD: $7,500, DK $7,200)
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