FanDuel NBA DFS Lineup Picks (11/12/21): Daily Fantasy Basketball Advice

Happy Friday, RotoBallers! I hope this week of NBA DFS has treated you well. I'm continuing to work on my NBA model, trying to gather more information to make sure all of you are as armed as possible going into each slate. Even with the small adjustments I've made so far, it seems to be working. I'm trying to implement different factors to separate cash options against GPP options. I'll continue to keep you all updated with the adjustments I make, and with all of that said, let's get to tonight!

Tonight we have a big slate, with 11 games on tap. With FanDuel adding multi-position eligibility players, we'll have to attack slates a bit differently 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 on 11/12/21. You can also check out today's DraftKings NBA DFS lineup picks. Keep an eye on RotoBaller’s injury news to stay up to date before lineups are locked.

FanDuel Guards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks

De'Anthony Melton, PG/SG - vs PHO ($5,000)

Melton has been a nice surprise in the absence of Dillon Brooks, averaging 11.9/4.7/2.5 with 1.6 steals and a block per game. He's stepped up in the last two games, with 32.1 and 33.1 FD points respectively. The matchup tonight against Phoenix isn't great, but assuming Melton logs 30+ minutes he should be able to hit 5x value. He's averaging 0.96 fantasy points per minute and is relatively unaffected if Steven Adams, who is a game-time decision, doesn't play. 

Ricky Rubio, PG/SG - vs DET ($5,900)

I missed writing up Ricky Rubio on Wednesday, however, I did end up playing him in my cash lineup come Wednesday night. I won't make that same mistake twice, as Rubio's price continues to be too low. With Collin Sexton out, Rubio averages 1.2 fantasy points per minute. He logged 36.5 fantasy points on Wednesday night in 27 minutes, and he should be in shape for a similar performance tonight against the Pistons, who are below average at defending the guard positions. 

LaMelo Ball, PG - vs NYK ($8,800)

I wrote up LaMelo on Wednesday against the Grizzlies, and unfortunately, he had a cold night shooting 5-13 and just 2-7 from three. I like him to bounce back tonight, as my projections have him scoring roughly 45 FD points. He gets a decent matchup against the Knicks, who are just about league average against point guards. The Hornets average the most points in the league this year, and the Knicks are bottom ten in points allowed. This could be a smash spot for Ball. 

Also consider: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($7,900), Dennis Schroder ($6,000)

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FanDuel Forwards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks

Giannis Antetokounmpo, SF/PF - at BOS ($11,600)

My early projections have Giannis as the highest-projected player tonight against the Celtics. He has eight games of 30+ points against the Celtics in his career and could be shaped up to get another. Boston is below average in opponent points allowed and defending the forward position, so Giannis could take this game over as Milwaukee is still without Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez. With those two off the floor, Giannis averages 1.64 fantasy points per minute, which is too hard to pass up. He's my favorite "stud" tonight.  

Anthony Edwards, SF/SG - at LAL ($8,100)

Anthony Edwards has taken over as "the guy" in Minnesota. He had an incredible game on Wednesday against the Warriors, logging 48 points, six rebounds, and five assists. While the positional matchup against the Lakers isn't fantastic, I anticipate the game to be high-paced and high-scoring, and with Edwards averaging 47.01 points in his last four games, he's too cheap to pass up tonight. 

Isaiah Stewart, PF - at CLE ($4,800)

The Pistons will be without Kelly Olynyk tonight, which opens up the value door for Isaiah Stewart. Stewart averages 0.95 fantasy points per minute without Olynyk on the floor, and early on I have him playing roughly 28 minutes tonight. Stewart has a solid 4x floor, but I do think he has 6x ceiling potential against the Cavs who have a rebound rate of just 50% on the season. 

Also consider: Jerami Grant ($7,200), Evan Mobley ($6,800)

FanDuel Centers - NBA DFS Lineup Picks

JaVale McGee, C - at MEM ($4,400)

I'll lead off by saying that I hardly ever suggest playing JaVale in cash unless you're absolutely sure he's going to get his minutes. This will be one to watch throughout the day, but as of now, all reports are saying that Deandre Ayton won't play tonight against the Grizzlies. If Ayton is out, I believe that McGee should play roughly 25 minutes. He only played 16 minutes against Portland on Wednesday, logging 24.1 FD points. He averages 1.15 fantasy points per minute with Ayton off the floor, but again, his minutes are the huge variable here. 

Jonas Valanciunas, C - vs BKN ($8,600)

From a high-ceiling guy to a high-floor guy, Jonas Valanciunas has been a favorite to most in cash games this season. Averaging 43.63 FD points per game, he's come alive in the absence of Zion Williamson. He will get a very slight boost if Brandon Ingram ends up not playing, as he averages 0.02 more fantasy points per minute without Ingram on the floor. Brooklyn has actually been average defending the center position, but JoVal's solid floor and high-ceiling potential always make him a solid option in cash games. 

Also consider: Anthony Davis ($8,600), John Collins ($6,600)

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