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The NBA is back and we started off last night with two great matchups on paper but ended up with only one really competitive game. The Bucks look scary once again this year, and it looks like Giannis will be a $12.5K+ player for the majority of this season.
Tonight we have our first big slate of the year, with 11 games on tap. With FanDuel adding multi-position eligibility players, we'll have to attack slates a bit differently to make our lineups as optimal as possible. That's where I come in!
Here are my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for FanDuel on 10/20/21. You can also check out today's DraftKings NBA DFS lineup picks. Keep an eye on RotoBaller’s injury news to stay up to date before lineups are locked.
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FanDuel Guards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Tyrese Maxey, PG/SG - vs NO ($4,600)
We get a little bit of value to start the year off as the Ben Simmons-Philadelphia Sixers saga continues -- sigh. As a Sixers fan myself, it's frustrating to see all this. We'll use it to our advantage though, rostering Maxey on tonight's slate. Maxey looked like a budding star last year across games in the regular season and playoffs and averaged 1.07 FD points per minute in 14 games without Ben Simmons last year. He'll likely get closer to the 30-minute mark tonight and should see no problem hitting 5x or maybe even 6x value.
De'Aaron Fox, PG - vs POR ($8,500)
De'Aaron Fox is completely underpriced tonight, sitting at just $8,500. I have him projected as one of the top players on the slate, and he gets a positive matchup against Damian Lillard and the Portland Trailblazers. Fox had a great close to the preseason, finishing with 23-4-4 against the Clippers last Wednesday. I expect there to be fireworks in Portland tonight, and I love Fox as a cheap(er) option than Dame.
Jalen Green, SG - vs MIN ($5,500)
Early on in the season, we have to take advantage of these rookies' pricing. I'll look to do this tonight with Jalen Green. I prefer him in GPPs rather than cash, as the number two overall pick has been on and off in the preseason. I'll take the upside though as he should see 30+ minutes while splitting usage with Christian Wood and Kevin Porter. I think he has a 6-7x ceiling, but I think he falls somewhere between 5-6x value.
Also consider: Damian Lillard ($10,000), Seth Curry ($5,200), Killian Hayes ($5,200)
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FanDuel Forwards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Tobias Harris, PF/SF - vs NO ($7,200)
You'll see a trend here, as with Ben Simmons out for Philly it'll be important to piece together and have shares of other starters in your lineups. Simmons takes up quite a bit of the usage, discounting the playoffs last season. Harris will be the secondary scorer and playmaker on this team, which has a great matchup tonight with a high-paced team like New Orleans.
Jaren Jackson Jr., PF/C - vs CLE ($7,000)
Injuries have somewhat hindered Jaren Jackson's career thus far, but the Grizzlies continue to have faith in JJJ, signing him to a four-year, $105 million contract extension. I have him projected as one of the top 10 forwards on tonight's slate, and at a solid price in a good matchup, I'm a fan of Jackson tonight.
Evan Mobley, PF/C - vs MEM ($4,800)
Just like with Jalen Green, we want to jump on these high-upside rookies early before their prices rise. The number three overall pick closed out his preseason last Wednesday playing 33 minutes and finishing with eight points, 12 rebounds, two assists, and two blocks. He went 0-3 from beyond the arc in that contest, but he should be able to knock those down and has the peripheral upside of guys like Mitchell Robinson. Take advantage of his price early.
Also consider: Jayson Tatum ($10,200), Jaxson Hayes ($5,100)
FanDuel Centers - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Joel Embiid, C - at NO ($11,000)
Our last Sixer of the slate, and of course it's Joel Embiid. The second-highest-priced player on the slate, aside from last year's MVP Nikola Jokic, looks to have a great matchup against a Zion Williamson-less New Orleans. In 22 games without Simmons last season, Embiid averaged about 1.6 FD points per game. He should be expected to play 30-35 minutes tonight and in a high-paced matchup should be considered the top option on the slate.
Jonas Valanciunas, C - vs PHI ($6,500)
On the other side of this matchup, we have Jonas Valanciunas. If it wasn't noticeable, I'm a huge fan of the fantasy potential in this one. In seven games against Joel Embiid, JoVal averaged over 1.25 FD points per minute. It should be expected for JoVal to play around 30 minutes in this one, leaving him very capable of nearing 6x value tonight as a pivot off of Embiid.
Also consider: Daniel Gafford ($5,500), Mo Bamba ($5,300)
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