NBA Underdog Player Predictions for Friday (1/16)

Friday, January 16, 2026: Below are three of the best picks for today’s NBA slate on Underdog according to our projections team. Using factors like advanced analytics, minutes, matchups, and pace, every single pick is going to be based on what our projections say is a meaningful edge. Get access to all of these picks, including much more, by subscribing to the RotoGrinders Props & Pick’em package.
Keep in mind that the NBA news cycle can get crazy, so what is listed below may become a better/worse play depending on how news breaks. Be sure to keep close tabs on our NBA starting lineups page and NBA injury report to get a current snapshot of who is in/out and what a team’s rotation and depth chart looks like.
Below, I’ll detail how I’m approaching things on Underdog for this Friday slate.
First… Sign Up to Make NBA Underdog Picks
If you want to play along but haven’t signed up yet, grab a special offer with our Underdog promo code “GRINDERS” to unlock a generous bonus. Underdog – one of the most popular DFS pick’em sites – provides player projections for NBA matchups each day. It is then up to the user to decide whether a player will ultimately exceed or fall short of those projections in the games. With a huge roster of players available from which to choose, we just need to make a minimum of two picks to build an entry.
When making your NBA Underdog picks today, let RotoGrinders do the heavy lifting for you!
Underdog Top NBA Picks for January 16, 2026
Now that you’re signed up, here are some of our top NBA DFS picks on Underdog for Friday:
- Reed Sheppard lower than 16.5 Points, Rebounds, & Assists
- Jarrett Allen higher than 13.5 Points
- Jarace Walker lower than 16.5 Points, Rebounds, & Assists
Timberwolves vs. Rockets NBA Underdog Predictions
Reed Sheppard lower than 16.5 Points, Rebounds, & Assists
The points, rebounds, & assists projection for Reed Sheppard looks like a strong pick based on the current data. The Underdog projection of 16.5 compares favorably based on our NBA simulations. This pick projects to hit 67.8% of the time based on the assumptions, and that represents a 6.3% edge.
Cavaliers vs. 76ers NBA Underdog Predictions
Jarrett Allen higher than 13.5 Points
The points projection for Jarrett Allen looks like a strong pick based on the current data. The Underdog projection of 13.5 compares favorably based on our NBA simulations. This pick projects to hit 63.1% of the time based on the assumptions, and that represents a 5.3% edge.
Pelicans vs. Pacers NBA Underdog Predictions
Jarace Walker lower than 16.5 Points, Rebounds, & Assists
The points, rebounds, & assists projection for Jarace Walker looks like a strong pick based on the current data. The Underdog projection of 16.5 compares favorably based on our NBA simulations. This pick projects to hit 62.6% of the time based on the assumptions, and that represents a 4.8% edge.
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Image Credit: Imagn

