RADIO
I hope everyone is having a nice extended weekend. As a result of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the league has 11 games scheduled, with the first game taking place at 2 p.m. (Eastern). On days like this, things can get tricky in regards to injuries, especially on FanDuel since the "late swap" option isn't available like it is on DraftKings. Speaking of injuries, the confirmed list of absences for Monday's slate (thus far) include Joel Embiid, C.J. McCollum, RJ Barrett, Richaun Holmes, Kent Bazemore, DeAndre Jordan, D.J. Augustin, Rui Hachimura, Trevor Ariza, Daniel Gafford, Luke Kennard, Moritz Wagner, Wilson Chandler,and Otto Porter. Anthony Davis, Jrue Holiday, Kelly Oubre Jr., Al Horford, Kemba Walker, Jamal Murray, Derrick Favors, Jaylen Brown, Jordan McRae, Nemanja Bjelica, Marvin Bagley, Lauri Markkanen, Glenn Robinson III, Gary Harris, Rajon Rondo, Alex Len, J.J. Redick, Rudy Gay, John Henson, Aron Baynes, Paul Millsap, and Austin Rivers, are all on the fence regarding their availability.
Detroit at Washington (233) is projected to be the highest-scoring game of the day, followed by Toronto at Atlanta (231), and San Antonio at Phoenix (228). Orlando at Charlotte, on the other hand, is slated to be the lowest-scoring contest, with both clubs anticipated to combine for just 207 points. Also, keep in mind the Nuggets, Spurs, Pacers, and Heat will all be playing the second of back-to-back outings.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for FanDuel on 1/20/20. These DFS lineup picks can vary from higher-priced players and elite options to lower-priced players and value picks on FanDuel. You can also check out today's DraftKings lineup picks. Feel free to give me a follow on Twitter @Den_Clausen. Good luck.
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FanDuel DFS Guards
Damian Lillard - PG, vs. GSW ($8,800)
The Blazers are banged up at the moment and will be without C.J. McCollum, who sprained his ankle on Friday against the Mavericks. Lillard was already putting up a massive amount of shots, to begin with, even with McCollum on the floor, but without him, his workload increased and will stay that way for the foreseeable future. Expect Lillard to play a healthy amount of minutes against the Warriors, while also putting up north of 20 shots. Also, anticipate Gary Trent Jr.(3,600), who produced 49.5 fantasy points against the Thunder, to be a realistic value option, albeit a popular one who will likely have high ownership.
Derrick Rose - PG, @ WAS ($7,000)
Rose was priced at $6,700 for Saturday's matchup with the Hawks, but after some efficient outings, his price continues to climb. The veteran has remained relatively healthy this season despite missing some time in November, crediting the team for working him back slowly as well as his regimen during the offseason. He has scored at least 20 points in eight-straight outings--and in nine of his last 10--and will have the luxury of going up against the worst defensive team in the association.
D'Angelo Russell - @ POR ($7,600)
Russell has been a big name that is rumored to be dealt before the trade deadline, with the most likely scenario being that he ends up in Minnesota. In the meantime, he continues to be the No. 1 option for a Warriors team that is obviously in a transition period. The 23-year-old is coming off of a strong outing against Orlando, where he produced a double-double, finishing with 26 points, 12 boards, and a couple of steals. He will be trailed by Damian Lillard on Monday night, who is allowing 0.7 fantasy points per minute--which isn't good--to opposing point guards on the year.
Jeff Teague - PG, vs. TOR ($4,600)
Teague was dealt to Atlanta and is now a Hawk for the second time in his career. Though he serves no threat in terms of dethroning Trae Young as the team's starting point guard, he is expected to contribute significantly off the bench. In his first game back, the veteran looked much different than what we saw this season in Minnesota, finishing with 15 points and seven assists against the Pistons. He is motivated to get his career back on track after claiming to have made sacrifices on the floor to get Andrew Wiggins more involved, so it is not out of the question that he has a similar performance like the one we saw against Detroit from a few nights ago.
FanDuel DFS Forwards
LeBron James - SF, @ BOS ($11,100)
There is a realistic chance that Anthony Davis is out once again, which will mark his sixth-straight absence while working his way back from an ass injury. If that is the case, expect James to get a substantial boost in both usage and in the +/- category. He dropped 31 points against Houston a few nights ago and could be up against a Celtics team that may be without both Jaylen Brown and Kemba Walker.
Tobias Harris - SF, @ BRK ($6,600)
Harris may see an increase in his workload if Al Horford isn't available against Brooklyn as he deals with a sprained hand. While Harris gets a bump without Joel Embiid, who has been out after suffering a dislocated finger, he will receive a 5.1 percent increase in usage to go along with +2.3 in plus/minus if Horford is out as well. Harris has played well against Brooklyn in his first two meetings with the Nets on the year, averaging 25.5 points, eight boards, and shooting 44.4 percent from deep.
Michael Porter Jr. - PF, @ MIN ($5,300)
If you need a cheaper alternative to help out on the financial end, check out Michael Porter. He has scored double-digit points totals in each of his last four games and hasn't logged less than 22.8 fantasy points during that span. Of course, this pick is risky, and also contingent on the health and availability of Jamal Murray, Paul Millsap, and Gary Harris.
Marcus Morris - SF, @ CLE ($5,200)
Morris is getting no love with his $5,200 price tag despite being the team's top option offensively in light of the recent injury to RJ Barrett, who could be on the shelf for another week with a sprained ankle. He scored a team-high 20 points on 17 shots against the 76ers a few days ago and should see around 35 minutes on Monday against Cleveland.
FanDuel DFS Centers
Nikola Vucevic - C, @ CHA ($8,500)
Though I hate the pace in this game, I love Vucevic's price as well as the matchup. While others will be migrating toward Hassan Whiteside, primarily with C.J. McCollum out, the 29-year-old will be up against a Charlotte team that is allowing a league-worst 59.29 fantasy points per game to opposing centers on the year. Take advantage of this Monday night bargain as the potential is there for Vucevic to exceed his value.
