NBA DFS Expert Survey: Monday, January 5th

by Justin Bailey (Jbails26) Last Updated 2026-01-05 19:09:14 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 1/5 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 Monday, January 5

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

Notorious: Deni Avdija (FD) / Cade Cunningham (DK)
headChopper: Deni Avdija (FD) / Jalen Johnson (DK)
TJ Zwarych: Deni Avdija (FD) / Jalen Johnson (DK)

Editor’s Note: Looking for more places to play? Check out our Underdog promo code and PrizePicks promo code, two of the best DFS apps available today.

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?

Notorious: I prefer small-field and single-entry tournaments. I’m not getting cute tonight. I’m going to play all of the cheap chalk (Jalen Pickett, Julian Strawther, and Paul Reed) and let the field make mistakes. To be a little different, I’ll mix in some lower-owned superstars like Kevin Durant and Keyonte George (FD).

headChopper: I prefer running a single lineup on both sites, and it’ll primarily be entered into smaller-field GPPs with limited entries. The slate flipped once Denver ruled out a bunch of players, so I don’t mind getting to 4 or more Denver Nuggets, even in GPPs. With so much value opening up, I may even consider playing three expensive spend-ups and filling out the rest of the lineup with value plays.

TJ Zwarych: I’ll be playing 150 lineups in large-field contests, and while I won’t avoid the ridiculously strong Denver chalk pieces, I will differentiate and get overweight on the bench players. I’ll load up on the likes of Julian Strawther, Zeke Nnaji, Curtis Jones, and Hunter Tyson. I’ll likely have at least 2 Nuggets in every single lineup, with a maximum of 4.

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

Want to read more? Sign up for NBA Premium!

-

-

-