NBA DFS Expert Survey: Friday, December 19th

by Justin Bailey (Jbails26) Last Updated 2025-12-19 19:43:36 Premium Content Part of the product NBA DFS

Johnson of the Hawks

Our panel of experts is here to give you their insights on NBA DFS today for the 12/19 main slate on DraftKings and FanDuel. They’re ready to answer key questions that will assist you in making those crucial lineup-building decisions. Curious to know headChopper’s favorite tournament play? Or perhaps you’re wondering about Noto’s favorite salary saver? Read their thoughts below!

NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings & FanDuel Expert Survey for Friday, December 19

Who is your favorite player to spend up for in cash games?

Notorious: Jaylen Brown
Dean78904: Jaylen Brown
ncorfield8k: Jalen Johnson

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Who is your favorite contrarian play (when considering price, matchup, projected ownership, etc.) on the board and why?

Notorious: Paul George – He might garner some ownership on DraftKings, but he’s priced up a bit on FanDuel. I like the idea of being overweight on George on both sites. He has played 33 minutes in each of the last 2 games, scoring 49 and 40 fantasy points. If that continues, he’s only going to get more expensive moving forward. The Sixers catch the Knicks at an opportune time, as New York is playing on the 2nd half of a back-to-back.

Dean78904: Kel’el Ware – I talked him up on yesterday’s Grinders Live show, and he balled out in the absence of multiple Miami players. Tyler Herro, Nikola Jovic, and Pelle Larson continue to be out, with the possibility of the Heat being even thinner with Andrew Wiggins currently questionable. They don’t play his position, but all these rotation players being out opens the door for Ware to play more minutes alongside Bam Adebayo. The Celtics are the #1 opponent for Versatile Bigs, according to our Defense vs. Archetype Matchup tool. We are currently projecting 23 minutes for the athletic big man, which could be enough to get you there, but I think there is a decent chance he exceeds that number. I should say that while he is playable on FD in GPPs, the asking price is much more appealing on DK.

ncorfield8k: De’Aaron Fox – It’s the second night of a back-to-back, but Fox played just 25 minutes in a blowout last night. He could still play big minutes in a game with a close spread and a fantastic matchup. Over the past 10 games, the Hawks have played at the fastest pace in the NBA while ranking 23rd in defensive rating. It’s the 12th-best matchup for Combo Guards in our Defense vs. Archetype tool. The individual matchup gets a lot worse with Nickeil Alexander-Walker starting for Trae Young, but the pace and overall game environment should trump that for Fox.

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