X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

DraftKings Daily Fantasy Basketball Picks (1/17/19): NBA DFS Lineups

The top daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on January 17, 2019. Leonard Francis II provides NBA DFS analysis and sleeper picks for building optimal DFS rosters.

What is this?! A five-game slate on a Thursday? Technically six, but the Knicks and Wizards are in London for a game which tips off at 3:00 PM EST and isn't on the slate. But, still... Five games?! My excitement over finally having options is likely to result in failure, but do pardon me for basking in the glory.

Unsurprisingly, the matchup between the Hornets and Kings -- neither of whom are among the most stifling defensively -- produced the highest opening point total of the evening at 230. The 76ers head to Indianapolis to take on the Pacers in what should be an entertaining game. And, there's plenty of star power elsewhere with Russell Westbrook, Nikola Jokic, Kawhi Leonard, and Devin Booker all in play.

This is not about these upper-tier cats, however, as I find no value in detailing the ways in which Ben Simmons is good at playing basketball. This is an effort to produce as many guys that are good at playing basketball in your lineup, as the mid-to-lower priced options provide us the essential lineup fillers required for optimal DraftKings lineups... Damned salary cap.

Featured Promo: Get any DFS Premium Bundle for for 50% off using code SUMMER! Win more with expert advice from proven winners and exclusive DFS tools. Get instant access to RotoBaller's Lineup Optimizers, Research Stations, daily picks and VIP chat rooms across 10 sports! Go Premium, Win More!

 

DraftKings DFS Guards

Jeremy Lamb - SG/SF, vs. SAC ($5,700)

There's this riddle we've likely all heard. The riddle goes like this, if a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? I'll do you one better, if Jeremy Lamb puts up career numbers and no one is talking about it, is it really happening?

Yes. Yes, it is.

In fact, he's seen his numbers increase in each of his four years in Charlotte, is second to Kemba Walker at 15 points per game, third in rebounds at six per game, and second in steals averaging a swipe per contest. After missing three games to start the new year with a hamstring injury, Lamb has picked up right where he left off over the Hornets last four. And while his one "down" game of these four came just five days ago against these same Kings, nothing about this matchup suggests he won't bounce back with a solid performance this time around. Like most young teams, the Kings defensive numbers are noticeably worse on the road.

Darren Collison - PG, vs. PHI ($5,400)

Collison's inconsistent scoring numbers present cause for concern; especially with Indiana now at full strength. However, more scoring options available mean more opportunity for him to pick up assists, and he's among the league leaders in that regard. So, seeing how assists hold more value than points in DraftKings scoring, his baseline projection is relatively high - regardless of whether or not he gets buckets.

 

DraftKings DFS Forwards

Marvin Bagley III - PF/C, at CHA ($5,200)

Any rust stemming from his 11-game absence appears to have dissipated rather quickly as Bagley has averaged 11 points with nine rebounds over his last three games. Charlotte's frontcourt isn't exactly their strength, Marvin Williams won't be able to keep him off the glass, and Willy Hernangomez and Frank Kaminsky lack the foot speed to keep him from having his way scoring-wise. He'll likely see Bismack Biyombo as well, Charlotte's best interior defender, but that's about as scary as an overly amped up chihuahua. For the DVP advocates, there isn't a much better matchup to be had for power forwards than the Hornets who've allowed 50.6 DraftKings fantasy points per game to the position, and Bagley is actually averaging slightly better numbers on the road during this rookie campaign. Not to mention, all of this comes to us before we even factor him seeing more minutes than starter Nemanja Bjelica since returning to the lineup.

Jabari Parker - SF/PF, at DEN ($3,600)

The weird, new head coach Jim Boylen, Parker benching situation appears to have run its course. Thankfully. And while he hasn't seen a gang of court time over the Bulls last two contests, 18 > 0. Also, Wendell Carter Jr. (thumb) is out tonight, so it seems likely Parker will see 15-plus minutes for a third-straight game by default and he's proven that he still knows how to play basketball by averaging 15 points, five rebounds, and two assists over his last two appearances. I'm not expecting a monster number, but at $3,600, you could do far worse.

 

DraftKings DFS Centers

Bobby Portis - PF/C, at DEN ($4,600)

Portis won't be priced this low for much longer, so I'm going to enjoy the ride while it lasts. Yes, he went 1-for-11 Tuesday night against the Lakers. And yes, he's seen just 18 minutes of court time since returning to the lineup. However, he's one of the rare guys who doesn't need much run to produce with his 1.1 DraftKings fantasy points per minute trailing only Paul George (1.37) and Kawhi Leonard (1.36) among forwards on tonight's slate. Let's also not glance over the fact that he's pulled down an average of six boards while putting up nearly 10 shots in those 18 minutes, or that other semi-important factor, he's not likely to shoot nine-percent from the field again tonight.

More Fantasy Basketball Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Brice Matthews

Joining Astros
MLB

White Sox-Guardians Postponed on Thursday
Brandon Aiyuk

Likely to Begin Season on PUP List, but Not Ruled Out for Week 1
Jameson Williams

Not in the Team's Long-Term Plans?
Tallison Teixeira

Set For His First UFC Main Event
Micah Parsons

Plans to be Present for Start of Training Camp
Derrick Lewis

Set To Headline UFC Nashville
Ikem Ekwonu

Next Up for Extension in Carolina?
Jalen Thompson

Heading into Last Year With Cardinals?
Gabriel Bonfim

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Najee Harris

Suffers Eye Injury in Fireworks Mishap
Stephen Thompson

Returns At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Calvin Kattar

In Dire Need Of Victory
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere A Favorite At UFC Nashville
Nate Landwehr

Aims To Bounce Back
MMA

Austen Lane Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Vitor Petrino

Set For His Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Set To Open Up UFC Nashville Main Card
Junior Tafa

Set For Light-Heavyweight Bout
Alex Bregman

Will Return to Red Sox This Weekend
Chris Sale

Braves Won't Consider Trading Chris Sale
Clarke Schmidt

to Undergo Season-Ending Elbow Surgery on Friday
Nick Nash

Unlikely to Make Falcons Active Roster
Lane Johnson

in No Rush To Retire
Jalen Williams

Signs Contract Extension With Thunder
Blake Corum

has "Gotten His Speed Back"
Jarquez Hunter

Picking Up Rams Offense Quickly
Alijah Martin

Agrees to Two-Way Deal With Raptors
Tristan Vukcevic

Set to Return to Washington
Kirk Cousins

Feels Misled by Falcons
Bijan Robinson

Says Falcons Have "Outlandish Goals" for the Running Game
Luther Burden III

Bears Expect Luther Burden III to be Ready for Training Camp
Cole Kmet

an Unlikely Trade Piece
Tony Pollard

Titans Hope to Balance Rushing Attack With Tony Pollard, Tyjae Spears
Byron Buxton

Sitting Thursday
Quentin Johnston

Not Assured of Starting Role
Cordarrelle Patterson

on the Roster Bubble in Pittsburgh?
Shedeur Sanders

Not Assured of Roster Spot in Cleveland?
Wan'Dale Robinson

Hoping For More Downfield Opportunities
Anfernee Simons

Celtics Are "Actively Trying to Trade" Anfernee Simons
NBA

Alex Ducas Heading to Australia
Dominick Barlow

Inks Two-Way Deal With 76ers
Jordan McLaughlin

Spurs Re-Sign Jordan McLaughlin to One-Year Deal
Dylan Harper

Out Thursday, Expected to Play Saturday
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Homers Twice on Wednesday
Mike Trout

Homers Twice in Win Over Rangers
Jazz Chisholm Jr.

Leads Yankees to Victory
Salvador Perez

Crushes Two Homers in Win
Cleveland Browns

Greg Newsome on the Trade Block?
VJ Edgecombe

Diagnosed with a Sprained Thumb
Zach Tom

An Extension Candidate in Green Bay
Devin Booker

Agrees to Extension with Phoenix
Trevor Williams

to Undergo Season-Ending Elbow Surgery
Byron Buxton

Exits After Hit-by-Pitch, X-Rays Negative
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Playing on Wednesday
Alex Bregman

has "Really Good Chance" to Return Before All-Star Break
Teoscar Hernández

Teoscar Hernandez Expected to Return on Friday
Walter Clayton Jr.

Leads Jazz to Summer League Win
Carter Bryant

Struggles in Summer League Loss
Kyle Filipowski

Drops a Double-Double in Summer League Action on Tuesday
Oklahoma City Thunder

Malevy Leons Logs Impressive Summer League Outing on Tuesday
Dalton Knecht

Collects 25 Points in Lakers Summer League Win
Los Angeles Lakers

Darius Bazley Drops 27 Points in Summer League on Tuesday
Gary Woodland

Looking to Find Rhythm at Scottish Open
Aaron Rai

Brings Consistent Play to Scottish Open
Maverick McNealy

a Solid Value Play at Scottish Open
Aldrich Potgieter

Making Scottish Open Debut
Tom Kim

Looks to Rebound at Scottish Open
Brian Harman

a Safe Option at Scottish Open
Luke Clanton

a Sneaky Value Play at Scottish Open
Sam Burns

Looking to Stay Hot at Scottish Open
Chet Holmgren

Agrees to Rookie Max Extension
Alex Bregman

Not Returning Wednesday
Jhoan Duran

Unavailable Due to Illness
Shane McClanahan

Tosses Clean Frame in First Rehab Appearance
Jacob Wilson

Day-to-Day After HBP
Nicolai Hojgaard

May Feel More at Home in Europe
Harry Hall

Showing Fine Form Heading to Scotland
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. to be Reassessed Wednesday
Ryan Fox

Playing Well Since Early Spring Struggles
Malaki Branham

Traded to Washington
Max Greyserman

has Solid History at the Genesis Scottish Open
Blake Wesley

Moves to Washington
Harris English

Aims High for Scotland Next
Corey Conners

Primed for the Genesis Scottish Open
Kelly Olynyk

on the Move Again
Daniel Brown

Attempts the Scottish Swing Again
Anthony Davis

Recovering From Eye Surgery
Jacob Bridgeman

Needs Putter to Work at Genesis Scottish Open
Cal Raleigh

Continues Historic Homer Pace Tuesday
Scottie Scheffler

Headlines Field at Genesis Scottish Open
Rory McIlroy

a Smart Play for Scottish Open
Adam Scott

Looking to Build on History at The Renaissance Club
NASCAR

Sepp Straka Not Likely to Find Momentum at Scottish Open
Justin Rose

Hopes Month Hiatus Helps Him Bounce Back at Scottish Open
NHL

Tyler Johnson Retires After 13 NHL Seasons
Jack McBain

Inks New Five-Year Deal with Mammoth
Cam York

Re-Signs with Flyers for Five Years
Jake Knapp

Fits the Mold for Success at The Renaissance Club
Ty Gibbs

Finishes Second at Chicago and Advances in In-Season Challenge
Alex Bowman

Defeats Bubba Wallace in In-Season Challenge, but Not Without Controversy
Alex Bowman

Bubba Wallace Wrecked by Alex Bowman Again, Putting Playoffs in Doubt
Michael McDowell

Throttle Failure Ends Michael McDowell's Chances to Win at Chicago
Austin Hill

Earns First NASCAR Cup Series Top Ten at Chicago
Tyler Reddick

Scores a Strong Third-Place Run at Chicago
Kyle Busch

Matches his Best Career Finish At Chicago on Sunday
Denny Hamlin

Fights his Way to a Top-5 Finish at Chicago
William Byron

has his Worst Weekend of the Season at Chicago
Sonny Milano

on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp
Jakub Dobes

Signs Two-Year Deal with Canadiens
NHL

Hendrix Lapierre Signs One-Year Deal with Capitals
Carson Hocevar

Should DFS Players Consider Carson Hocevar for Chicago Lineups?
Tye Kartye

Kraken Re-Sign Tye Kartye for Two Years
Ross Chastain

May be A Decent DFS Option for Chicago Lineups
Dmitri Voronkov

Signs Two-Year, $8.35 Million Extension with Blue Jackets
Ryan Preece

Should DFS Players Roster Ryan Preece at Chicago?
Austin Dillon

Is Too Great of A Risk to Add to Chicago Lineups
Zane Smith

Is A Value Play Worth Rostering At Chicago
Austin Hill

is A Favorable Value Option for Chicago DFS Lineups
Ty Dillon

Is Ty Dillon A Decent Driver to Add For NASCAR DFS At Chicago?
William Byron

Qualifying Crash Makes William Byron a Likely DFS Must-Have
Alex Bowman

Should Finish Well, but Probably Costs Too Much for Serious DFS Consideration
Joey Logano

Has Been Relatively Mediocre on Road Courses Lately
Ryan Blaney

Doesn't Really Fit Neatly into Optimal DFS Lineups
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF