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Daily Fantasy NBA Lineup Picks for FanDuel (12/28/16) - DFS Basketball Advice

Gather-round, Rotoballers, for another edition of NBA Wednesday daily fantasy action. Tonight we're back to the standard 10 game slate, and it sure looks like an enticing one. In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for FanDuel on 12/28/16. The DFS lineup picks will range from some of the elite players to mid-priced options and value plays on FanDuel.

Before I get into player selection and analysis, let's take a look at a few Vegas lines that could be of interest - especially for those of you that like to deploy a stacking strategy. As of this writing, not every line has been released, but a few games with high projected point totals that look appetizing are the Pacers at Wizards (213), Nets at Bulls (214), Suns at Spurs (213), Timberwolves at Nuggets (213), and Raptors at Warriors (225.5). Personally, I like the Pacers at Wizards and Timberwolves at Nuggets the most as they feature spreads of less than five points.

 Editor's Note: New users that sign up on FantasyAces, make a $20 deposit, and enter any game will receive BOTH our full season NBA and NFL Premium Passes for free, a $119.99 value. Just email [email protected] with your new FantasyAces username - and boom, that's it! We will email you with your Premium Passes.

 

FanDuel DFS Guards

Ricky Rubio - PG, at DEN - ($5,800)

Rubio has really turned it on of late, exceeding his price implied total in eight of his last 10 games - and all by a wide margin (an average of nearly 5 fantasy points per night). Tonight, he has a terrific matchup against the Nuggets in what Vegas predicts to be a high scoring affair. The Nuggets move at break-neck pace, which should lead to more opportunities for Rubio, and they also allow more fantasy points to opposing point guards than any other team playing tonight. His 32 minutes per game average and consistent production make him a solid cash game and bargain play this evening.

C.J. McCollum - SG, vs SAC - ($7,400)

The case for McCollum tonight is a fairly simple one - he's the best bargain of the group and he has a good (but not great) matchup, too. As the focal point of the Portland offense, McCollum is a high volume shooter. Because of that, he has the chance to hit - and cruise past - his price implied value on any given night. His shooting has been a bit streaky in the past few weeks, but when he's hitting the number of shots he's most certainly capable of, he crushes his value - especially at a low price like the one he's listed at tonight. For the season, CJ has a 25.7 Usage rate and is scoring nearly a point per minute on the floor.

Also Consider: Zach LaVine - SG, at DEN ($6,500)

 

FanDuel DFS Forwards

Jimmy Butler - SF, vs BKN ($8,500)

There are a handful of directions you could go in tonight with your small forward selections, but I think Butler has the highest floor, and is therefore the smart play in cash games and 50/50's. He does also have a matchup against the lowly Nets, which helps raise his ceiling as well. The Nets struggle tremendously on defense and Vegas is projecting the Bulls to put up a ton of points. I'm expecting the bulk of the opportunity to fall into Butler's lap, and he should excel against a team that has no one on their roster that matches up well against Butler's size and versatility. For the season, Butler has been incredibly efficient in his time on the court, posting a 25.09 PER to date.

Thaddeus Young - PF, at WAS ($5,200)

Power forward is the ultimate value position tonight, and I think Young is the player I can not only squeeze the most value out of, but he's also the one that can produce tournament like numbers on occasion. Tonight is a good opportunity to be one of those occasions, as he's priced incredibly low for a guy that plays 35+ minutes per night and is more than capable of pulling down double digit rebounds each night. On top of all that, he faces a Washington team that allows more points to opposing power forwards than the average NBA team, which helps to raise his floor.

Also Consider:  Paul George - SF, at WAS ($7,600)

 

FanDuel DFS Centers

DeMarcus Cousins - C, at POR ($11,000)

Yes, he's pricey, but Cousins has the highest ceiling of any player taking the floor tonight and you'll need him on your team if you're going to take down a tournament. Cousins has produced 50 FanDuel points or more in three of his last four games and tonight he has an excellent matchup which should allow him to cruise past 50 points, once again. Not only does Portland push the ball, which equates to more possessions and opportunities for both teams, but they also allow the most points to opposing centers of any team in action Wednesday night. For the season, Cousins has an excellent Usage rate of 35.4 and he's producing 1.42 fantasy points per minute.

Also Consider: Karl-Anthony Towns - C, at DEN ($9,100)

 

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REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Corey Seager

Expected to Return This Weekend
Bo Nix

Expected to Have More of a Role in Minicamp
Jaylen Waddle

Sean Payton has "Crystal Clear" Vision for Versatile Jaylen Waddle
Alvin Kamara

Hasn't Talked Pay Cut, "No Beef" With Saints
George Pickens

Brian Schottenheimer Expects George Pickens to Return for Mandatory Minicamp
Kendrick Law

Rookie Receiver Kendrick Law Suffers Torn ACL
Jahmyr Gibbs

Dan Campbell Expects Jahmyr Gibbs to be "Bellcow" in 2026
Ben Sinnott

Can Dynasty Managers Comfortably Drop Ben Sinnott?
Sam Darnold

Superstar Receiver Boosts Sam Darnold's Dynasty Value
Justin Fields

Has Short-Term Upside in Dynasty Fantasy Football
Dallas Goedert

New Opportunity to Buy Low on Dallas Goedert in Dynasty Leagues
Christian Watson

Packers Sign Christian Watson to a Four-Year Extension
Lucas Erceg

Royals to Mix and Match in Ninth With Lucas Erceg Struggling
Theo Johnson

Has Theo Johnson Become a Dynasty Steal After Market Overcorrection?
Kyle Monangai

Can Kyle Monangai Live Up to the Growing Dynasty Hype?
Amon-Ra St. Brown

Can Amon-Ra St. Brown Reach an Even Higher Ceiling?
Jerry Jeudy

Can Jerry Jeudy Provide Low-Cost Dynasty Depth?
Jonathan Toews

Expected to Retire
Skyler Bell

Is Skyler Bell One of the Safest Picks in the Later Rounds of Dynasty Rookie Drafts?
Anders Lee

Set to Hit Open Market
TB

Jon Cooper Wins First Jack Adams Trophy
De'Aaron Fox

Struggles Again Wednesday Night
Dylan Harper

Turns Heads in Finals Opener
Stephon Castle

Close to Double-Double in Game 1 Loss to Knicks
Victor Wembanyama

Notches 26 Points in Finals Debut
Josh Hart

Grabs 15 Rebounds in Game 1 Win Over Spurs
Karl-Anthony Towns

Opens Finals With Double-Double
Jalen Brunson

Scores Game-High 30 Points in Finals Opener
Josh Sweat

Cardinals Won't Trade Josh Sweat
Mac Jones

Not Throwing Due to "Soreness"
Aaron Judge

to Undergo Additional Imaging
Adonai Mitchell

Chemistry With New Jets QB is Growing
Darnell Washington

Steelers, Darnell Washington Agree to Four-Year Extension
Micah Parsons

Eyeing a Mid-October Return After Having Another Knee Surgery
Ketel Marte

Out on Wednesday With Back, Hamstring Injuries
Mitchell Robinson

is Available for Game 1 on Wednesday
Kawhi Leonard

Unlikely to be Traded
Chicago Bulls

Bulls Host Potential Lottery Picks for Workout
Washington Wizards

Wizards Considering Trading Down in Draft
Corbin Burnes

has Teres Major Strain, Unlikely to Return Until September
Rickie Fowler

Looks To Continue Resurgent Season At Memorial
CFB

Can Eric Singleton Jr. Fully Break Out at Third School?
CFB

Katin Houser Steps into QB1 Role for Illinois
CFB

Savion Hiter an Immediate Impact Freshman for Michigan
CFB

Isaiah Horton Set to Take Over KC Concepcion's Role
CFB

UCLA Transfer Karson Gordon Signs with Austin Peay
CFB

Will Muschamp Bringing New Intensity to Texas Practices
Gary Woodland

Brings Boom-or-Bust Potential to Memorial
Jordan Spieth

Still Searching for a Breakthrough
Alex Smalley

Brings Elite Form to Memorial Tournament
Justin Rose

Looks to Recapture Memorial Tournament Success
Cameron Young

Looks to Get Back to His Contending Ways at Murifield Village
Chris Gotterup

Needs to Find Fairways at Muirfield Village
Si Woo Kim

Looks to Stay Hot at Memorial Tournament
Matt Fitzpatrick

Positioned for Success at Muirfield Village
Jalen Chatfield

Records Two Assists in Tuesday's Loss
Keegan Bradley

Looking for Another Strong Finish at Muirfield
Nikolaj Ehlers

Nets Two Goals in Game 1 Loss to Golden Knights
Shea Theodore

Notches Three Points in Game 1 Win
Brayden McNabb

Sets Up Three Goals in Game 1 Win Over Hurricanes
Justin Thomas

is an Exciting Play This Week in Ohio
Brett Howden

Starts Finals With Multi-Point Effort
Scottie Scheffler

Looks to Win Memorial Tournament for Third Consecutive Year
Tomas Hertl

Scores Game-Winner in Finals Opener
Rory McIlroy

Looking for Better Performance at Muirfield Village
Drake Baldwin

Could Return During Braves Next Homestand
Garrett Crochet

Diagnosed With Low-Grade Lat Strain
Russell Henley

Coming to Ohio on the Heels of Latest Victory
Tommy Fleetwood

Looking for Better Iron Play at Memorial Tournament
Patrick Cantlay

Looks to Continue Dominance at Muirfield Village
Ludvig Aberg

a Great Fit for Muirfield Village
Isaiah Hartenstein

Hopeful to Stay with Oklahoma City
Luguentz Dort

Wants to Remain with Thunder
Mitchell Robinson

is Questionable for Game 1
Moussa Diabaté

Moussa Diabate Has Contract Guaranteed for 2026-2027 Season
Oso Ighodaro

Gets Guaranteed Contract for Next Season
NAS

Chris MacFarland Joins Predators as President and General Manager
VAN

Canucks Name Manny Malhotra as New Head Coach
Brendan Gallagher

to Leave Canadiens This Offseason
Patrik Laine

Looking Forward to Free Agency
Jeremy Lauzon

Returns to Action Tuesday
Zach Werenski

Wins 2025-26 Norris Trophy
Aaron Judge

Out on Tuesday With Rib/Shoulder Injury
Josh Hader

Set to Return from Injured List on Tuesday
CFB

SEC Coach Calls Buster Faulkner a "Home-Run Hire"
CFB

Auburn a Sleeper in the SEC Under Alex Golesh?
CFB

Noah Fifita Primed for Strong 2026 Campaign
CFB

Oregon Assistant Coach Charged with DUII, Reckless Driving
CFB

Tight End Nick Pollack Commits to Clemson
Akshay Bhatia

Needs the Driver to be True in Ohio
Aaron Rai

Primed to take on the Memorial Tournament
J.J. Spaun

Rebounded at Charles Schwab Challenge
Xander Schauffele

One to Watch This Week in Ohio
Elly De La Cruz

to Miss 2-4 Weeks of Action
Chase Burns

is Scratched Due to Illness
Deiveson Figueiredo

Suffers Second-Round Submission Loss
Song Yadong

Gets Second-Round Submission Win
Zhang Mingyang

Suffers Back-To-Back Losses
Alonzo Menifield

Gets Back In The Win Column
Tallison Teixeira

Suffers First-Round Knockout Loss
Sergei Pavlovich

Scores First-Round Knockout Win
Cameron Smotherman

Suffers Third Loss In A Row
Edwin Arroyo

Reds Promote Top Infield Prospect Edwin Arroyo, Viewed as Priority Pick Up Ahead of MLB Debut
Kai Asakura

Earns His First UFC Win
Elly De La Cruz

Placed on IL with Right Hamstring Tightness
Denny Hamlin

Earns the first Nashville Cup Series Victory of his Career on Sunday
Christopher Bell

Finishes as the Runner-Up at Nashville
Chase Briscoe

Earns First Career Podium Finish at Nashville
Ryan Blaney

Scores A Solid Top-10 Finish at Nashville
Kyle Larson

Top-10 Streak at Nashville Ends after Late Flat Tire Spin
Elly De La Cruz

Exits with Hamstring Tightness
Tyler Reddick

Is One of the Top Favorites to Win at Nashville
Kyle Larson

May Continue his Top-10 Consistency at Nashville this week
Christopher Bell

Is One of the Top Competitors for the Win at Nashville
Chase Briscoe

Is A Must Start for Nashville DFS Lineups
Chase Elliott

has Plenty of Upside for Nashville DFS Lineups
William Byron

Is William Byron A Playable DFS Option for Nashville Lineups?
Carson Hocevar

Is Likely to have Another Solid Result at Nashville
NASCAR

Should Fantasy Players Roster Bubba Wallace at Nashville?
Chris Buescher

Is A Decent All-Around DFS Option for Nashville Lineups
Daniel Suarez

is Likely to Drop Positions during the Cracker Barrel 400
Garrett Crochet

Suffers Setback, Likely to Undergo MRI for Lat Tightness
Denny Hamlin

Could Denny Hamlin Dominate at Nashville?
Ryan Blaney

Is a DFS Tournament Option at Nashville
Ty Gibbs

Don't Overlook Ty Gibbs at Nashville
Joey Logano

Could Show Life at Nashville
Ross Chastain

Needs a Good Run at Nashville
Chet Holmgren

Fails to Step Up in the Season Finale
Cason Wallace

Ends Postseason with Strong Showing
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Caps MVP Season with Game 7 Exit
Stephon Castle

Continues Postseason Run with 16 Points
Julian Champagnie

Shines in Series-Clinching Win
Lane Hutson

Posts a Power-Play Assist in Game 5 Loss
Cole Caufield

Nets a Power-Play Goal in Season-Ending Loss
Seth Jarvis

Closes Out East Finals With Multi-Point Game
Logan Stankoven

Notches Three Points in Big Game 5 Win
Taylor Hall

Racks Up Three Points in Series-Clinching Win
Frederik Andersen

Remains Stellar as Hurricanes Clinch Finals Berth
Jacob Gonzalez

is Heading to the Big Leagues
Munetaka Murakami

Exits with Hamstring Tightness
Eury Pérez

Eury Perez is Placed on 15-Day Injured List
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF