NBA DFS Expert Survey: Thursday, November 12th

by Justin Bailey (Jbails26)

Created Nov 12, 2026

Last Updated 2026-11-12 19:31:05 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 11/12 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 who our experts have as their favorite tournament play? Or perhaps you’re wondering about their favorite salary saver? Read their thoughts below!

NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings & FanDuel Expert Survey for Thursday, November 12

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

Notorious: Joel Embiid (if active) / Tyrese Maxey (if Embiid is out)
headChopper: Cade Cunningham
TastefulTides: Cade Cunningham

How do you plan to beat the field of opponents in the tournaments you will be playing? What tactic or strategy will set you apart?

Notorious: My way of being different in small-field tournaments is to fade some of the chalk plays. The two popular plays in particular that I’m fine fading are Rudy Gobert and John Collins. Gobert is affordable, but he doesn’t offer much upside. Even if he tops 30 fantasy points, I’m not sure there’s much ceiling above that. Collins is in the same boat. He’s cheap and coming off a strong game, but he’s been held under 21 fantasy points in 6 of the last 7 games.

headChopper: On a 4-game slate, ownership is likely going to condense around the Pistons and Sixers. The Pistons are 10.5-point favorites against Washington, and LeBron James has been ruled out, which should funnel extra usage to Tyrese Maxey and Jaylen Brown. I’m fine being with the field on some of the Pistons value, but the Sixers are projected to be the most-owned team on both sites, and I’m happy to be underweight there. Where I want to separate is the DAL/MIN game, which has the highest total on the slate (225.5), yet the Mavericks are projected to be one of the lower-owned teams on both sites. On the Toronto side, Scottie Barnes is out, which should open up more touches for RJ Barrett and Jakob Poeltl, two players the field doesn’t appear to be paying much attention to.

TastefulTides: I really like building out my rosters with the more balanced approach. When running lineups in LineupHQ, there are several different lineups that don’t have a player above $9,000 on either site. There is some obvious Pistons chalk that is great, but I also want to find a way to attack the Suns, who rank 28th in defensive rating. While the Hornets are dead last in offensive rating, I think there are good spots for fantasy that we can utilize.

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

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