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The top daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on January 17, 2020. Jake Finnen provides NBA DFS analysis and sleeper picks for building optimal DFS rosters.
With seven games on the slate, it's important to note the amount of injuries within the Bulls/76ers contest. The Bulls are missing key players and while that has made Zach LaVine a nightly target, finding the right value plays for them has a chance to push lineups to the next level. Similar to the Wizards/Raptors game, both have a a high-probability of being blowouts so be careful, but you can't be afraid to take the chance for some value, Luka Doncic is playing the Trail Blazers and you'll have to find a way to make the space.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 1/17/20. You can also check out today's FanDuel lineup picks. Remember to monitor injury news as the slate can completely change before line-up lock.
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DraftKings DFS Guards
Isaiah Thomas - PG, @ TOR ($3,800)
When the Wizards keep games close it's usually because Isaiah Thomas is having a quality game, and based on the last game between these teams, he's a steal for tonight. He hasn't been playing all that well lately, but if anyone on the Wizards has that ability to help his team rebound, it's Thomas. Even with the Raptors ranking in the top 10 against opposing point guards, their defense doesn't bother me when it comes to Thomas' skill-set. Either he's hitting or he's not, the defense tends not to matter as much.
Patty Mills - PG, vs. ATL ($3,900)
One of either Patty Mills or Bryn Forbes is going to have a good game and with identical prices, the decision has never been tougher. I'm rolling with the veteran despite Forbes showing that high-scoring ability that makes him slightly more valuable, but Mills had a great last game he should be able to carry that momentum easily against a weaker defense. It's always a toss-up with these guys, but you are going to see a Spurs point guard in the winning lineup with those prices so take your pick.
DraftKings DFS Forwards
OG Anunoby - SF/PF, vs WAS ($5,200)
When you look to roster someone like O.G. Anunoby, you have to focus on the opposing teams rebounding ability. In this case, the Raptors have been struggling with rebounding as of late and Anunoby is coming off one of his better games of the season. As always the case with him, if he is hitting his shot he will crush his projected, but I think this is a scenario where even if he can't hit his outside shots, he will be able to score at the rim and see extra minutes against a bad defense.
Danilo Gallinari - SF/PF, @ MIA ($6,300)
The options at power forward were actually really good and there are a ton of options, but there is a case to be made for Danilo Gallinari. The Miami Heat defense established themselves as a top-tier defense this season, but anyone who has been paying attention lately has noticed a decrease in their defensive efficiency. They haven't been as good over the past few games as they were earlier in the season, and seeing how hot this Thunder team is, it'll be hard for Miami to use this as a game to keep the ship upright. Chris Paul seems rejuvenated and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is coming off a career game. There are a ton of factors that lead to Gallinari having plenty of one-on-one matchups and open shots.
DraftKings DFS Centers
Trey Lyles - PF/C, vs ATL ($3,400)
The return of John Collins has made Atlanta a much more dangerous team, but the addition of Jeff Teague adds another offensive threat that will probably end up being moved fairly quickly. Even though this won't affect this game, it's nice to touch on the recent news of the team because if players are getting traded, you can bet most of them don't feel entirely safe. For the Spurs, Trey Lyles played 27 minutes against the Heat and even though he wasn't able to generate much, he contributed outside of the box score and could continue to see that boost in minutes against a weaker defensive team. We've seen Lyles work wonders with minimal minutes before, but any player that could see close to 30 minutes for that price needs to be rostered.
