NBA DFS Expert Survey: Monday, January 8th
Our panel of experts is here to give you their NBA DFS picks for the upcoming slate by answering a handful of questions to help you make crucial lineup-building decisions. Want to know squirrelpatrol’s favorite tournament play? Or Noto’s favorite salary saver? Find out below!
NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings & FanDuel Expert Survey for Monday, January 8
Who is your top contrarian play (when considering price, matchup, projected ownership, etc.) on the board and why?
Notorious: Lauri Markkanen – He hasn’t been as consistent this season, but he still offers a very high floor. In a tough matchup against the Sixers on Saturday night, he put up 56 fantasy points in 34 minutes of action. If the Jazz are going to keep this game close, they will need a nice performance from their All-Star. He’s 2nd on the team in usage and could get plenty of open looks in what projects to be one of the fastest-paced games on the slate. At sub-15% projected ownership, he’s a strong tournament play and a nice bring-back for your Bucks stacks.
squirrelpatrol: Chet Holmgren – There’s some strategic value in going away from the Milwaukee players tonight, as they should dominate projections, but OKC arguably gets a better matchup against a Wizards team allowing the most points per game in the NBA. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will deservedly get some attention, but where the Wizards have really given up points is to big men, allowing by far the most rebounds per game and the 2nd-most points in the paint per game in the NBA.
eys819: Jaylen Brown – He is currently projected for less than 20% pOWN% on a six-game slate with Jayson Tatum already ruled out and one of the best matchups in the league. Brown has a 31.7% usage rate and 26.4% assist rate with Tatum off the floor this season. The Pacers play at the fastest pace in the league and rank 26th in defensive rating.
TastefulTides: Tyrese Haliburton – This game wasn’t close in Boston a couple of days ago, with the Celtics blowing out the Pacers by 17. Jayson Tatum dominated that game, putting up 38 points and 68.75 DK points. Tatum is out for this game, and the spread is down to Celtics -3 in Indiana. This game shouldn’t be a blowout, and Haliburton is far too cheap on DK. He makes for a great pivot away from the more popular Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Giannis Antetokounmpo. While those two players are more likely to score more fantasy points, ownership makes a difference. If Giannis and SGA are going to get steamed like I think they will, getting exposure to Haliburton is a great way to differentiate on a small slate.
Who is your top overall play (when considering price, matchup, roster construction, etc.) on the board and why?
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