NBA DFS Expert Survey: Thursday, January 1st

by Justin Bailey (Jbails26) Last Updated 2026-01-01 22:06:30 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 1/1 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 Thursday, January 1

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

Notorious: Kawhi Leonard (DK) / Joel Embiid (FD)
headChopper: Kawhi Leonard (DK) / Cade Cunningham (FD)
Dean78904: Kawhi Leonard (DK) / Cade Cunningham (FD)

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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?

Notorious: I prefer small-field and single-entry tournaments. Even though the UTA/LAC game has the highest spread on the slate, it’s the one that I will have the most exposure to on DraftKings. The Jazz already project fairly well, and their roster will naturally see a boost if Keyonte George and/or Lauri Markkanen end up being out. I selfishly hope we don’t get the news on them until after lock. Then for the Clippers, they have the best matchup on the board and are missing some key players in Bradley Beal, Ivica Zubac, and Bogdan Bogdanovic. On FanDuel, I’m locking in Joel Embiid.

headChopper: I like small-field GPPs with limited entries for this slate. Each site having a different slate should create a lot of uniqueness in my lineups since the value is simply different on each platform. The common trend for me is the Detroit Pistons, especially Cade Cunningham and Ausar Thompson. With smaller NBA slates, it’s tough to avoid chalk altogether. My main goal is to build a lineup that I don’t think will be duplicated, and that could mean leaning into an extra Detroit piece and going with a full Pistons stack.

Dean78904: I only make a few main lineups and mostly focus on single-entry and smaller-field-type contests. I don’t especially love one particular game on this slate, so while I will be conscious of lineup correlation, I don’t expect to be too committed to 1 game balling out in my main lineup. I’d be more likely to roster one player from my favorite teams—Pistons, Celtics, and Clippers—and hope to land on the right combination. On DK, I will very likely play (at least) one of Kawhi Leonard or James Harden in every lineup I make.

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