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 and FanDuel Daily Fantasy Basketball Picks (12/22/21): NBA DFS Lineups

The top daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on December 22 2021. Mike Marteny provides NBA DFS analysis and sleeper picks for building optimal DFS rosters.

We have a smaller Wednesday slate with six games, and with COVID running rampant in the Association, there are better players out than actually on the court. This is where tournaments get really, really interesting.

Lock is a bit later than normal at 7:30 Eastern tonight when Boston hosts Cleveland and a beleaguered Hawks team hosts an equally exasperated Magic team. Toronto is in Chicago, the Bucks host Houston, and Denver heads to OKC at the 8:00 hour. We finish up out west with the Kings hosting the Clippers.

This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 12/22/21. Remember to monitor injury news as the slate can completely change before lineups lock.

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 and FanDuel Guards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks

Jrue Holiday - PG, MIL vs. HOU ($9,500 DK, $9,600 FD)

I'm a little less gung-ho about Jrue with Khris Middleton no longer on the injury report. Holiday put up back-to-back games over 50 fantasy points with both Giannis and Middleton out. It is worth noting that Middleton was out with a knee injury, so he may not hit the ground running. This is a great matchup against a depleted Houston team, but the impeding blowout lowers Holiday's ceiling.

Tyrese Haliburton - PG/SG, SAC vs. LAC ($8,200 DK, $8,100 FD)

Forget the matchup. Haliburton has been cooking with gas with De'Aaron Fox out of the lineup. He has 196.5 fantasy points over the last four games alone! His price has been slow to adjust since he was lower-priced when the hot streak began. Haliburton is cheap enough to take the risk, even agianst the Clippers. He should still be good for a 40-spot.

Hassani Gravett - PG/SG , ORL at ATL ($3,200 DK; $3,900 FD)

This is a worse matchup than if Trae Young were in, but beggars can't be choosers. There's a slight chance that Cole Anthony could return for the Magic, but Gravett should still see plenty of court time with Gary Harris and B.J. Johnson as his only competition behind Anthony. Gravett isn't much of a scorer, but he's stuffing the stat sheet, which makes him particularly valuable on FanDuel. He's still around 6-7x value on DraftKings too, which is the sweet spot.

FANDUEL ONLY PICK:

Jaylen Brown - SG/SF, BOS vs. CLE ($7,500)

Brown is a staggering $2,400 cheaper on FanDuel tonight, which is a little bit insane. Brown has 151.4 FanDuel points in four games since his return. That's a great return for the price. His 45 against Philly on Monday suggest that Brown is trending upward right now. The Cavs are a solid team, but the defense takes a hit with Isaac Okoro and Evan Mobley out with COVID.

Others to consider: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($9,500 DK, $8,700 FD), Lonzo Ball ($8,800 DK, $8,000 FD), Ricky Rubio ($6,200 DK, $6,800 FD), Delon Wright ($4,600 DK, $4,700 FD)

 

Want more NBA DFS tools and content? Our NBA Premium package includes our daily DFS Cheat Sheets, Research Station, Optimizer, and access to our Premium Slack Chatrooms where members can chat with our NBA analysts. Check out this big win from RotoBaller premium member Bsuperak on FanDuel using our Premium tools - join in on the winning!

 

DraftKings and FanDuel Forwards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks

Josh Giddey - SG/SF, OKC vs. DEN ($7,800 DK/ $7,000 FD)

That's three straight games over 40 fantasy points for Giddey now. One of those was against the Clippers, so he's not just taking it to inferior competition. He has established himself as a triple-double threat due to his above-average passing and rebounding skills. When he adds consistent scoring, look out! For now, he still a good upside play thanks to big peripheral numbers.

John Collins - PF/C, ATL vs. ORL ($7,300 DK, $7,400 FD)

Clint Capela is out wtih COVID, so that should mean huge production for John Collins. Add in the fact that Trae Young is in the virus protocols as well and you have a whole lot of production up for grabs against an inferior opponent. Collins' ceiling is higher than normal, but all sorts of guards can come up big for the Hawks too. Just make sure to check the lineups. Collins is my first Hawk in any lineup though.

Jordan Nwora - SF, MIL vs. HOU ($4,500 DK, $6,200 FD)

Nwora wont play 42 minutes again with Middleton back, but he's still a great bargain for a guy that is still going to play around 30 minutes. I doubt the Bucks push Middleton much in his return from a knee injury. The Bucks still have to put five players on the court even if they are up by 20 or 30, so Nwora will still see meaningful court time for at least one more game. His ceiling just isn't as high as it has been.

Others to consider: DeMar DeRozan ($10,200 DK, $8,900 FD), Jae'Sean Tate ($6,600 DK, $6,100 FD), Chuma Okeke ($5,200 DK, $5,500 FD), Cam Reddish ($3,700 DK, $4,500 FD)

 

DraftKings and FanDuel Centers - NBA DFS Lineup Picks

Nikola Jokic - C, DEN at OKC ($12,600 DK, $11,400 FD)

Yeah, this game might be a blowout, but Jokic will be a big reason why. He still put up 49.5 DraftKings points in just 26 minutes of a blowout win over the Hawks. If this game manages to stay close, Jokic could break the slate. If not, he's still good for a 50-spot.

Richaun Holmes - PF/C, SAC vs. LAC ($6,400 DK; $6,600 FD)

Holmes was presumably close to playing on Monday, so hopefully he'll be in tonight. The Kings desperately need him and this is a decent matchup. It's an easy enough pivot to Chimezie Metu if Holmes sits though. However, we definitely prefer the massive upside of Holmes.

Robin Lopez - C, ORL at ATL ($4,600 DK; $5,000 FD)

RoLo has been playing huge minutes with Wendell Carter Jr. sidelined. WCJ is questionable, so if he plays, move off of RoLo. If he's out, Lopez is the only true center that the Magic have and he has racked up a cool 71.75 fantasy points in two games with Carter out.

Others to consider: Nikola Vucevic ($10,100 DK, $8,800 FD), Alperen Sengun ($5,800 DK, $5,600 FD), Chris Boucher ($5,100 DK/FD)



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy basketball mobile app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, lineup notifications & DFS articles. All free!

NBA DFS News and Injury Alerts

More DFS Lineup Picks and 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

Pete Crow-Armstrong

Homers Twice, Drives in Three
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
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