RADIO
I know last night was offically the start of basketball season, but let's be real, this is the first real DFS slate. We were working with 40%+ ownership on some guys yesterday, which makes it hard to gain an edge. We have a full slate of games on the board tonight and a ton of different ways to go in tournaments. Let's dive in and uncover the top plays on the slate.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for FanDuel on 10/23/19. 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.
Give me a follow on Twitter @DFSVarney and say hello. Good luck RotoBallers!
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FanDuel DFS Guards
Zach LaVine - SG, @CHA ($8,000)
I’m expecting this Charlotte Hornets team to be one of the fastest teams in basketball this season, which would be a huge pace-up game for the Bulls. LaVine may not be listed as the point guard, but he has the ball in his hands more than anyone and rightfully so. He’s a great scorer and shooter, but also fills up the stat sheet as well as anyone. If you're wondering why I'm so confident in the Hornets playing so fast after they were slow a year ago, check out the Dwayne Bacon interview I RT'd on Twitter. He basically said no matter what the other team is doing, they're going to run and get into transition. They don't have a great defense and the rim protection is obsolete. LaVine is going to carve up this defense and he's fairly priced.
Ricky Rubio - PG, vs. SAC ($6,900)
This game is the only one on the slate with a 230+ over/under, so I want plenty of exposure. Ricky Rubio is in a great spot this year in a Suns offense that’s going to play extremely fast. Devin Booker will get his shots, but Rubio will also run a ton of pick and rolls with Deandre Ayton and it’s going to be a thing of beauty. De’Aaron Fox isn’t a great defender and neither are the rim protectors on the Kings. Rubio is going to be a double-double machine this year and I love the price on him here.
Ish Smith - PG, @ DAL ($5,800)
With Isaiah Thomas out for this game, Ish Smith is going to see 30 minutes at point guard. He’s going to defer to Bradley Beal plenty, but will still get his time with the ball in his hands and he’s always productive when on the floor. This is projected to be one of the faster games on the slate, and that’s when Smith excels. He may be the fastest player in basketball and is electric in the open floor. The Mavs will have their hands full with Beal and Smith should escape with a fantasy point per minute.
FanDuel DFS Forwards
Kristaps Porzingis - PF, vs. WAS ($7,700)
Porzingis played three times in the preseason and looked better and better each time. He has obviously recovered from the ACL injury if you’ve watched these games. He has his step back and seems to always be in the right rebounding position. The Wizards are a pace-up game for the Mavericks and Porzingis is going to see more possessions than on a typical night. He put up 10+ rebounds in just 20 minutes in the preseason, so it’s safe to lock in a double-double with the Wizards having a pretty weak interior. Porzingis is going to be in the $9k-$10k range very soon and we should be taking advantage while he’s still affordable.
Justise Winslow - SF, vs. MEM ($6,000)
Justise Winslow is a guy who’s been playing a ton of point guard this preseason and has looked phenomenal. He’s likely to start at point guard and should play 34+ minutes at the one and two. Again, this Grizzlies team is going to play a lot faster and looser than we’re used to. Most folks won’t realize that and think of the Grizzlies as the same slow it down, hard-nosed team of years past. It’s not the case and this game will get into the 210’s. Winslow is a solid mid-range play at SF if he gets the start at point guard.
Markieff Morris - PF, @ IND ($4,300)
With Blake Griffin out for a week, Markieff Morris is going to be asked to step up and do big things. We know he loves to shoot, so I don’t think the temporary scoring role will be tough to buy into. Morris is questionable with a bad back, so make sure he’s fully in before playing him. The Pacers have Domantas Sabonis at power forward, who’s not a great defender and more focused on rebounding and scoring. Morris is cheap on both sites and will play 34-38 minutes if active. The Pistons need his scoring punch with Griffin out and have him as the backup as they think he can fill a similar role to a much smaller extent when Griffin is off the floor.
FanDuel DFS Centers
Andre Drummond - C, @ IND ($10,100)
First things first, Embiid, Towns, and Jokic are all very much in play. I just don't think you need me to tell you that and I don't see one as far better than the other two. I don’t think Drummond will be very popular with the big dogs at center, but he has 60-point upside himself. He’s just now coming around as a guy who can create his own shot, and is still the monster that can grab 25 rebounds with ease. With Blake Griffin out for st least a week, the Pistons are going to look towards Drummond for a ton of production. It’s safe to expect 35 minutes and 45+ fantasy points. If there’s a risk with Drummond, it’s his ability to get into foul trouble. The Pacers don’t have much to worry about in terms of guys cutting to the basket and drawing fouls with Oladipo out. Drummond is going to come in pretty low-owned and he has a ton of upside.
