NBA DFS Expert Survey: Friday, January 16th

by Justin Bailey (Jbails26) Last Updated 2026-01-16 19:39:53 Premium Content Part of the product NBA DFS

Our panel of experts is here to give you their insights on NBA DFS today for the 1/16 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, January 16

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

tcsmith031: Pascal Siakam
Dean78904: Pascal Siakam
ncorfield8k: Pascal Siakam

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What is your preferred tournament format (e.g. large-field, single-entry) to play on this slate? How do you plan to beat that field of opponents? What tactic or strategy will set you apart?

tcsmith031: I like this slate for single-entry GPPs. Game stacking is a viable strategy on such a small slate. It’s easy to stack the LAC/TOR game with all the value emerging thanks to injuries. The expensive pieces – James Harden, Brandon Ingram, and Scottie Barnes – are excellent plays, but I like the idea of pairing the cheap Clippers and Raptors with pay-up options from other games who could go overlooked. Tyrese Maxey, Nikola Vucevic, and Michael Porter Jr. could fly a little under the radar from an ownership standpoint.

Dean78904: I only make a few main lineups and mostly focus on single-entry and smaller-field type contests. We have 4 games, and none of them have a bigger spread than 3.5. In theory, every game will be close and come down to the wire, but this isn’t our first night watching the Association. The point is that I’ll be prioritizing game stacks more than I typically do, in the hopes that I land on a game that goes off while others are uneventful. Simply put, if I roster Evan Mobley, ideally I’ll pair him with Joel Embiid or Tyrese Maxey. If I play James Harden, I’ll run it back with Scottie Barnes, and so on.

ncorfield8k: Large-field tournaments – With just 4 games on the slate and not a large spread in start times, late swap likely won’t be a big factor. I’ll focus on stacking games. I particularly love the first game of the slate, NO/IND. Both teams have been in the top 10 in pace over the last 10 games and in the bottom half of the league in defensive rating.

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

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