NBA DFS Expert Survey: Thursday, October 31st
Our panel of experts is here to give you their NBA DFS advice for the upcoming slate by answering a handful of questions to help you make crucial lineup-building decisions. Want to know headChopper’s favorite tournament play? Or Noto’s favorite salary saver? Find out below!
NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings & FanDuel Expert Survey for Thursday, October 31
Who is your favorite player to spend up for in cash games?
Notorious: James Harden (DK) / Jeremy Sochan (FD)
headChopper: James Harden
Dean78904: Giannis Antetokounmpo
tcsmith031: James Harden
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 love small-field and single-entry tournaments. This early in the season, I like to look for players who have strong minutes and high usage but have underperformed relative to expectations. Players like Fred VanVleet and Brook Lopez come to mind. The game log watchers will be hesitant to target these players, even though we can expect them to regress toward their career averages in terms of shooting.
headChopper: With a small slate and lots of activity due to Halloween, I’ll play just one lineup in some single-entry contests and enter it in a couple of large-field GPPs as well. It’s tough to say exactly what that lineup will look like right now, but there’s a good chance it includes three Clippers players. Almost certainly Ivica Zubac, and I also like James Harden a lot. There are a few value pieces from the Clippers as well. Hopefully, that’s enough to differentiate my build from others.
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Dean78904: I don’t create many lineups, as my preferred contests are typically single entry. That said, I’m tempted to jump into the MME streets, as this is shaping up to be an awesome slate to do so. It’s small, and I’d really want to lean into the wonky, high-variance unknown that is the Utah Jazz. The Jazz may have learned from previous years when they decided to tank too late. I’m speculating here, but I expect Lauri Markkanen (currently questionable) to sit. That should open the door for Kyle Filipowski to be a factor. Then I’d just want to lean into the unpredictability of figuring out who among Keyonte George, Jordan Clarkson, and Collin Sexton will be most useful. I expect one of them to smash, but I’d just be guessing as to who that is. I’d add that Memphis is also a high-variance unknown, but to a lesser degree, as they play the first game of the night, so we’ll at least have their starting lineup.
tcsmith031: I tend to favor single-entry contests on smaller slates with more condensed ownership. This is another slate with a couple of pay-up options likely to garner significant ownership in Giannis Antetokounmpo and James Harden. One way to potentially differentiate is to opt for a more balanced build, given all of the solid midrange value available. Kyrie Irving, Damian Lillard, and Kevin Durant are a few upper-midrange stars with ceilings worth chasing, so I don’t think paying up for a 5-figure stud is a must in tournaments.
Who is your favorite play (when considering price, matchup, roster construction, etc.) on the board and why?
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