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Daily Fantasy NBA Lineup Picks for FanDuel (1/4/17) - DFS Basketball Advice

Good morning ladies and gentleman. Happy belated New Year to all of you - I hope you rang in 2017 with health and happiness - and today, we add a wealth component as we take down a tournament or two. Tonight's slate is a little lighter than a regular NBA Wednesday (just seven games), but what it lacks in quantity it makes up for in quality. There are a strong number of games with teams projected for more than 100 points and point spreads of just five points or less. Good basketball to watch, and good basketball to build a dozen lineups with.

In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for FanDuel on 1/4/17. The DFS lineup picks will range from some of the elite players to mid-priced options and value plays on FanDuel. Let's get to it, shall we?

 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.

 

Projected Game Totals

Before I get into the player selection and analysis, let's take a look at the games with the highest projected point totals (over/unders). The monster of the night is the Blazers at Warriors (224), but it also comes with a monstrous spread of 15-16 points, depending on your source. The most attractive games, in my opinion, are the Bucks at Knicks (212), Thunder at Hornets (209) and Bulls at Cavaliers (212) because they all feature what I consider to be "above average" overs and spreads of less than 4.5 points.

 

FanDuel DFS Guards

Elfrid Payton - PG, vs ATL ($6,000)

Payton carries a bit of risk tonight and is probably best suited for tournament play, but with that said, there aren't many enticing point guard options tonight and he is a great enough value on this smaller-than-usual slate that he could warrant cash game consideration as well. Why? Well, for one, his matchup is an excellent one. Of all the teams taking the floor tonight, only one allows more points to opposing point guards than the Hawks do and Payton has been soaring past his price implied value on any and every night where he shoots a half-decent percentage from the floor. He also carries tournament upside as he's passed 41 FanDuel points in a handful of games over the past month. Point guards at this price with that ceiling are tough to come by, especially tonight.

Victor Oladipo - SG, at CHA ($5,400)

I feel similarly about the shooting guard position as I do the point tonight - nothing outstanding, so I'm hunting for the combination of value and tournament upside. In that hunt, I landed at the feet of Victor Oladipo, who recently returned from injury and put up relatively big numbers on Monday night. His Usage rate, which sits at 20 for the season, is high for someone in this price range and he should get a number of offensive opportunities if he's relegated to the second unit.

Also Consider: Russell Westbrook - PG, at CHA ($11,800)

 

FanDuel DFS Forwards

Carmelo Anthony - SF, vs MIL ($7,500)

It's not often this is the case, but I feel that Anthony  offers a similar ceiling to the one LeBron James does tonight, but at $2,500 less. Aside from the ejection game and the extremely rare benching, Anthony usually sees the floor for the 35+ minutes, which helps create a really high floor, and when he's on the court he's never shy about looking for his shot, which spells opportunity for you and me. On top of the fact that he's the owner of a 27.7 Usage rate, Anthony also has an excellent matchup tonight, as no other team taking the court has allowed more points to opposing small forwards than Milwaukee has.

Enes Kanter - PF, at CHA ($5,300)

Save for his most recent performance where he was an ugly 1-for-6 from the floor, Kanter has been crushing value lately. In the Thunder's last seven games, he's surpassed value in six of them and in five of those contests it was by a very large margin. He's priced as a bargain this evening, and he has a solid matchup as Charlotte is pretty banged up down low right now due to Cody Zeller's concussion. His usage rate is high at 24.4, especially for someone in this price tier, and it also helps make up for the fact that he plays roughly 25 minutes a game. When he's on the floor, however, he certainly makes the most of it, as he's posted a 23.64 PER this season.

Also Consider:  Kevin Love - PF, vs CHI ($8,500)

 

FanDuel DFS Centers

Greg Monroe - C, at NYK ($5,200) 

A few weeks ago I would never have imagined writing up a suggestion to roster Greg Monroe, but here we are. He has - almost sneakily - be an excellent value play for the past month or so. In the Bucks' last 10 games, he's managed to exceed value in six of them and by an impressive margin of nearly six FanDuel points per night. His salary tonight gives you a lot of flexibility to juice the rest of your roster with players with higher ceilings, and the matchup is a strong one as the Knicks have had tons of issues slowing down opposing centers this season. For the salary, it's also hard to find someone with a higher usage rate than the one Monroe owns this season at 22. In his last three games he's also seen an uptick in minutes, which helps to increase his floor, and he's been efficient in his time on the court, posting 1.15 fantasy points per minute.

Also Consider: DeMarcus Cousins - C, vs MIA ($11,200)

 

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REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

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a Huge Question Mark for Dynasty Managers
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Now Only a Gadget Player/Kick Returner?
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Offseason Additions Hurt Elic Ayomanor's Dynasty Outlook
Tyler Warren

a Clear Top-Five Dynasty Tight End
Jonathon Brooks

a Dynasty RB to Target Despite Injury History?
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Likely to Need Elbow Surgery
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Currently in a Dynasty Buy Window Amid Rollercoaster Offseason
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Timing Becoming Key to Acquiring A.J. Brown in Dynasty
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Contributes 21 Points in Game 6 Win
Jalen Duren

Bounces Back With Double-Double
Anthony Edwards

Finishes Season-Ending Loss With 24 Points
Victor Wembanyama

Tallies 19 Points in Friday's Win
De'Aaron Fox

Highly Effective in Blowout Win
Stephon Castle

Shines in Series-Clincher
Kyle Schwarber

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Suffers Fractured Fibula on Friday Night
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Heads to 15-Day Injured List
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Could Command $40M Per Year With New Contract
Jalen Duren

Available to Finish Game 6
Yanic Konan Niederhauser

Not Expected to Be Ready for Start of Next Season
Jalen Williams

Declares Himself Healthy for Conference Finals
Terrence Shannon Jr.

Will Play Friday Night
Kevin Huerter

is Available for Game 6
Duncan Robinson

is Returning for Game 6
Caris LeVert

is Cleared for Game 6 on Friday
OG Anunoby

Practices in Full on Friday
Terrence Shannon Jr.

is Tagged as Questionable for Friday
Blake Snell

Scratched From Start on Friday for Undisclosed Reasons
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Heading to Injured List With Elbow Bone Bruise
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' Dynasty Value Fading Ahead of First Season in Las Vegas
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Julian Sayin Looking To Build Off Of Strong Debut Season
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College GameDay Set for First Three Weeks
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Jeremiah Smith Aiming For Ohio State Receiving Records
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Keshaun Singleton Projects as Auburn's WR1
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Alberto Mendoza Very Likely to Start for Georgia Tech
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Charles Woodson Jr. Commits to Michigan
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Dynasty Outlook Remains Cloudy
Jordan Westburg

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Quickly Fading From Fantasy Relevance
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Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
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Scores Special Goal in Series-Clincher
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Won't Play Thursday
Radko Gudas

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Jeremy Lauzon

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Mark Stone

Misses Third Consecutive Game
EDM

Kris Knoblauch Fired as Oilers Head Coach
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Virginia Tech Lands Commitment from Four-Star QB Peter Bourque
Byron Buxton

Scratched on Thursday With Hip Soreness
Cal Raleigh

Heading to Injured List With Oblique Strain
Francisco Alvarez

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Quinn Hughes

Finishes Postseason With 15 Points
Matt Boldy

Posts Two Assists in Season-Ending Loss
Scott Wedgewood

Perfect in Relief Effort
Martin Necas

Records Another Multi-Point Game
Brett Kulak

Sends Avalanche Into Conference Finals
Brayden McNabb

Suspended for One Game
Cal Raleigh

Exits With Apparent Side Injury on Wednesday Night
Juan Soto

X-Rays Come Back Negative on Juan Soto's Ankle
Jacob Misiorowski

Pulled Early With Possible Leg Injury
Juan Soto

Exits Wednesday's Game Early with Ankle Injury
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Returns From Injured List
Christian Yelich

Out With Back Tightness on Wednesday Night
Nathan MacKinnon

Chasing History Wednesday
Ryan Poehling

Won't Be an Option for Game 6
Robby Snelling

Placed on 15-Day Injured List with Elbow Sprain
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Max Fried

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NFL Veteran Tom Moore Joins Iowa Coaching Staff
CFB

Can Cam Cook Dominate in Return to Big 12?
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ACC, Big 12 Support 24-Team College Football Playoff
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Anthony Colandrea Looking to Elevate Nebraska Back to National Contention
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Kwazi Gilmer Set for Big Impact at Nebraska
Justin Thomas

Trending Well Ahead of PGA Championship Despite Concerning Form
J.J. Spaun

Trending Up Ahead of PGA Championship
Adam Scott

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Patrick Reed

Looking to Make Another Run at PGA Championship
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Sungjae Im Looks to Build on Strong Finish at Truist Championship
Sam Burns

Must Keep Ball in Play at PGA Championship
Jordan Spieth

Looks to Complete Career Grand Slam at Aronimink
Brandt Snedeker

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Rasmus Hojgaard

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Maverick McNealy

Seeking Better Start in Philadelphia
Harry Hall

a Boom-or-Bust Option at Aronimink
Hideki Matsuyama

Attempts to Improve Over 2025 PGA Championship
Scottie Scheffler

Looks to Defend PGA Championship at Aronimink
Nicolai Hojgaard

Wants to Keep Momentum Rolling in Philadelphia
Ben Griffin

Attempting to Bounce Back After Truist Championship
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Transfer Defensive Lineman Devarrick Woods Commits to Clemson
Harris English

Will Need His Putter to Thrive at Aronimink
Akshay Bhatia

Creative Flair Could Show Itself in Philadelphia
Keegan Bradley

Knows the Aronimink Golf Club Well
Si Woo Kim

Struggles at Truist Championship
Gary Woodland

Can Continue Incredible 2026 Season at PGA Championship
Xander Schauffele

In Excellent Form Heading to PGA Championship
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Isaac Brown Has All-American Upside in 2026
CFB

Nyck Harbor Heading into Breakout Year?
CFB

Notre Dame, USC in Discussions to Resume Rivalry Series
CFB

Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele Has Eyes on ACC Title
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Ahmad Hardy's Gunshot Wound Not Viewed as Career-Threatening
Khamzat Chimaev

Suffers his First Loss
Sean Strickland

Recaptures Middleweight Title
Tatsuro Taira

Suffers Fifth-Round TKO Loss
Joshua Van

Defends Flyweight Title
MMA

Waldo Cortes-Acosta Drops Decision
Alexander Volkov

Wins Back-To-Back Fights
Shane Van Gisbergen

Dominates Watkins Glen for First Win of 2026
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Finishes Second for Best Run of the Year At Watkins Glen
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Scores New Career-Best Finish of Third at Watkins Glen
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Continues His Strong Season With Fifth-Place Run at Watkins Glen
Austin Dillon

Earns his First Top-10 Finish of 2026 at Watkins Glen
CFB

Ahmad Hardy Sustains Gunshot Wound, in Stable Condition
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF