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DraftKings Daily Fantasy Basketball Picks (1/16/18): NBA DFS Lineups

That was a crazy weekend of football followed by a massive day of basketball which ended in one team trying to break into the locker room of another. This smaller four-game slate should alllow you time to catch your breath. There are some high totals to work with, however, so you may want to have some fun on Tuesday.

Below you will find my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 1/16/18. I'll provide my value plays based on price for each position. I'll aslo highlight a few high-upside tournament plays for each position.

You can also read more DFS advice and lineup picks for sites like FanDuel, and other sports too. If you have any questions or just want to banter about NBA DFS, hit me up on Twitter @BellRoto. Let's get to it!

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DraftKings DFS Guards

Jeff Teague - PG, @ ORL ($6,400)

It hasn't taken long for Jeff Teague to become comfortable in his role in the Minnesota offense again after sitting for a few weeks with an injury. His last two games he has put up 26 shots, 12 free throws, and 16 assists. It's also nice to see him excel defensively, collecting eight steals in his three games since returning. This is a prime matchup against a fast-paced Orlando team who is one of the worst defensively against point guards. At this price point Teague needs just over 30 DK points to satisfy you in cash games, and anything near 40 puts you in good GPP standing. I like him in all formats considering he should be back over 30 minutes if the Magic can keep this one close enough.

Dennis Smith Jr. - PG/SG, vs. DEN ($6,300)

This rookie point guard's usage hasn't dipped below 25% since Christmas. It's safe to say Dallas is handing Dennis Smith Jr. the reins to the offense. There isn't a shot on the court that DSJ won't take, and that's evidenced by his 19 shot attempts in two of the last three games. The Nuggets are tpically a good matchup for point guards as long as Gary Harris doesn't slide over to cover them, and I don't think he does that all that often. Like Teague, DSJ just needs to crack 30 DK points to be considered "safe", and we know he has all the upside in the world.

Other Guards to Consider: Damian Lillard, Devin Booker, Elfrid Payton

 

DraftKings DFS Forwards

DeMarcus Cousins - PF/C, @ BOS ($10,500)

DeMarcus Cousins is my favorite stud on Tuesday's slate despite another big man closing in on him solely due to price comparison. Even on his bad games, Boogie seems to somehow get his way to 50 DK points. On his good games? Watch out. Last game was teammate Anthony Davis' blow-up game, so I'm hoping Cousins explodes in this one. He can contribute in literally every category, and Aron Baynes doesn't have what it takes to stop him.

Al-Farouq Aminu - SF/PF, vs. PHO ($4,700)

This is the perfect game environment for Al-Farouq Aminu. Prior to last game against Minnesota in which Portland needed to play big, Aminu was consistently getting 30+ minutes. I wish I could say that made him a lock for 25 DK points, but unfortunately his lower usage and shooting consistency leaves him a little risky. Even still, I think he comes up with a bunch of rebounds, a few steals/blocks, and a good amount of open three-pointers in transition. The floor and upside seem great for this salary saver on Tuesday.

Other Forward to Consider: Anthony Davis, T.J. Warren,

 

DraftKings DFS Centers

Nikola Jokic - C, @ DAL ($8,700)

Cousins is the only reason why Nikola Jokic fails to receive the "favorite play on the slate" title. This price is still making me consider a change of heart, though. A safe point of 43 DK points or so seems like a lock for Jokic against a team that struggles to rebound and defend the rim. He can shoot from the outside if defenders choose to play the drive, and he has the post scoring and passing skills to kill teams in the paint too. Jokic is a great play for his cash game safety as well as his massive triple-double upside.

Aron Baynes - C, vs. NO ($3,800)

Baynes gets another mention just because Boston will need his size more than ever againt the Pelicans. Like we saw against Minnesota, Baynes is a great play at this price when we can project him for more than 20 minutes. He's not afraid to shoot, and he'll fall into a handful of rebounds just by guarding Boogie and Davis all night. If he can stay out of foul trouble, Baynes could get to 30 DK points pretty easily. I will say I feel better about him in tournaments than cash games, but you can certainly make an argument for both.

Other Centers to Consider: Bismack Biyombo, Alex Len

 

NBA DFS News and Injury Alerts





REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

CFB

North Carolina and South Carolina Cancel Home-And-Home Series
CFB

Confidence High in Mississippi State's Kamario Taylor
MLB

Reds-Cardinals Game Postponed on Friday
New York Giants

Giants, GM Joe Schoen Agree on a Multi-Year Extension
Andrew Thomas

Giants Managing Multiple Injuries for Andrew Thomas
Cam Ward

Loses 10 Pounds in the Offseason
Trevor Story

has Hernia Surgery, Expected to Miss 6-10 Weeks
Roman Anthony

Dealing With Sprained Ligament in his Finger
Tucker Kraft

a Top Trade Target in Dynasty Leagues?
Cedric Tillman

Falling Out of Favor in Cleveland
Emmett Johnson

the Handcuff to Roster in Kansas City?
Devaughn Vele

Could Dynasty Managers Sell High on Devaughn Vele Early in the Season?
Brenen Thompson

a Perfect Fit for Chargers, Rising in Dynasty Leagues?
Jonathan Taylor

Is Jonathan Taylor Still a High-End Dynasty Option?
Malik Nabers

' Recovery Timeline Still Unclear
Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Comfortably Into His Dynasty Prime
Saquon Barkley

Still a Capable League-Winner at a Sunken Dynasty Cost
Jack Campbell

Signs Four-Year Extension with Lions
Matthew Stafford

Signs One-Year Extension with Rams
Evan Mobley

Fills the Box Score in Game 2 Loss
James Harden

Held to Two Assists Thursday
Donovan Mitchell

Leads Cavaliers in Scoring in Game 2 Defeat
Karl-Anthony Towns

Records Double-Double in Game 2 Win
Sebastian Aho

Picks Up an Assist in Series-Opening Loss
Mikal Bridges

Adds 19 Points as Knicks Grab 2-0 Lead
Jalen Brunson

Hands Out 14 Assists in Game 2 Win
Seth Jarvis

Needs 33 Seconds to Score in Game 1 Loss
Josh Hart

Erupts for Playoff Career-High 26 Points in Game 2
Jaccob Slavin

Struggles in Game 1 Against Canadiens
Jakub Dobes

Sharp in Game 1 Victory
Cole Caufield

Bags Two Points in Impressive Road Win
Juraj Slafkovsky

Opens Conference Finals With Three-Point Performance
Nick Suzuki

Notches Three Assists in Game 1 Win Over Hurricanes
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Exits Early, X-Rays Come Back Negative
Jrue Holiday

Wants to Stay in Portland
Ayo Dosunmu

Timberwolves Hope to Bring Back Ayo Dosunmu
Dylan Harper

Considered Questionable for Friday Night
De'Aaron Fox

Listed as Questionable for Game 3
Jalen Williams

Questionable for Game 3 Against Spurs
Alex Tuch

Hopes to Remain in Buffalo
Sidney Crosby

Wants to Play for "as Many Years as Possible"
Troy Terry

Could Miss Start of Next Season Due to Hip Surgery
Arber Xhekaj

Scratched for Game 1 of Eastern Conference Finals
Jakub Dobes

Seeks More Success Against Hurricanes
Frederik Andersen

Looks to Stay Undefeated Thursday
Calvin Ridley

Not Taking Part in OTAs as Value Continues to Plummet
Carnell Tate

Receiving Early Buzz at OTAs
Ashton Jeanty

Bigger Role Could be Coming for Ashton Jeanty in Year 2
Robby Snelling

Will Undergo Tommy John Surgery
Malik Nabers

' Goal is to be Ready for Start of the Season
De'Von Achane

Dealing With Injury at OTAs?
Dalton Kincaid

Says he Feels "Really Good"
Keenan Allen

Door isn't Closed for Keenan Allen in Los Angeles
Devin Vassell

Contributes 22 Points in Wednesday's Loss
Stephon Castle

Tallies Team-High 25 Points in Game 2 Loss
Victor Wembanyama

Records Eighth Postseason Double-Double
Isaiah Hartenstein

Bounces Back With Double-Double
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Leads Thunder to Game 2 Victory WIth 30 Points
Dylan Harper

Exits Game 2 Early Due to Right-Leg Injury
Jalen Williams

Suffers Another Hamstring Injury
Valeri Nichushkin

Ends Scoring Slump in Game 1 Loss
Nathan MacKinnon

Extends Point Streak With an Assist
Brett Howden

Pots Another Goal in Game 1 Win Against Avalanche
Tomas Hertl

Extends Point Streak to Four Games
Pavel Dorofeyev

Scores in Fourth Straight Outing
Carter Hart

Records Third Consecutive Win
Timothy Liljegren

Capitals Re-Sign Timothy Liljegren to Two-Year Extension
Jackson Merrill

Tweaks his Back on Wednesday, Pulled Early
Chicago Bulls

Jerry Stackhouse Emerges as Bulls Head-Coach Candidate
Cooper Flagg

Kon Knueppel Headline All-Rookie Team
Jiri Kulich

Aims to Return Next Season
CFB

Lincoln Riley Believes USC is Ready for Playoff Run
CFB

Notre Dame-Stanford Rivalry Renewed Through 2028
CFB

Ahmad Hardy Says He's "Back to the Road to Success"
CFB

Texas Tech Graduate Judge Recuses Himself from Brendan Sorsby Case
CFB

UCLA Tackle Jordan Davis Officially Eligible for 2026 Season
CFB

Bret Bielema Supports Significant College Football Playoff Expansion
Michael Thorbjornsen

Brings High Upside to CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Luke List

Carrying Poor Form Into CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Tom Kim

Hoping to Build on Strong Myrtle Beach Finish
PGA

Sungjae Im Brings Upside to TPC Craig Ranch
Billy Horschel

Looking for Turnaround at CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Adam Hadwin

Difficult to Trust at TPC Craig Ranch
Tony Finau

Looking for Consistency at TPC Craig Ranch
Luke Clanton

Searching for Form at CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Aaron Rai

Withdraws From CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Wyndham Clark

Can Wyndham Clark Find Form at CJ Cup?
Si Woo Kim

Looks To Stay Hot at CJ Cup
Scottie Scheffler

to Defend CJ Cup Byron Nelson Title This Week
Jordan Spieth

Looking For Victory at TPC Craig Ranch
PGA

Matti Schmid Looks to Keep Recent Momentum Going at TPC Craig Ranch
Brooks Koepka

a High-Upside Play at CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Yandy Díaz

Yandy Diaz Exits Early on Tuesday After Being Hit By Pitch
Chris Kirk

Continues Search For Putting Form at TPC Craig Ranch
Rasmus Hojgaard

Looking to Shake Off Poor Major Showing at TPC Craig Ranch
Joel Dahmen

is of No DFS Consideration This Week in Dallas
Pierceson Coody

is Not The Fun DFS Play He Used to Be
Gerrit Cole

to Make Season Debut on Friday Against Rays
Drake Baldwin

Braves Place Drake Baldwin on Injured List With Oblique Strain
CFB

Ezavier Crowell has Immediate Opportunity at Alabama
CFB

Mark Bowman a Day 1 Impact Player for USC?
CFB

Bill Belichick Says Relationship with First North Carolina Team "Wasn't Great"
CFB

Kemario Taylor a Breakout Candidate at Quarterback
CFB

Trinidad Chambliss the Undisputed Top SEC Quarterback Entering 2026?
CFB

Rocco Becht The "Unifier" of Penn State's Roster
Jackson Holliday

Orioles Reinstate Jackson Holliday From Injured List on Monday
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Braves Reinstate Ronald Acuna Jr. From Injured List on Monday
Jose Altuve

Astros Put Jose Altuve on Injured List With Oblique Strain
Corey Seager

Going on Injured List With Back Injury
Jeremy Peña

Jeremy Pena Reinstated and Starting on Monday Against Twins
Melquizael Costa

Drops Decision At UFC Vegas 117
Arnold Allen

Bounces Back
Daniel Santos

Suffers Second-Round TKO Loss
MMA

Dohoo Choi Wins His Third Consecutive Fight
Malcolm Wellmaker

Suffers His Second Loss In A Row
Juan Diaz

Scores Second-Round Submission
Christian Edwards

Defeated At UFC Vegas 117
CFB

Transfer Running Back Arnold Barnes Visiting Iowa State on Monday
Modestas Bukauskas

Gets Split-Decision Win
Jhostynxon Garcia

Expected to Join the Pirates on Tuesday
Colt Emerson

Mariners Promoting Top Prospect Colt Emerson to Major Leagues
Munetaka Murakami

Fantastic First Season Continues With Two More Homers
Cristopher Sánchez

Cristopher Sanchez Dazzles With 13-Strikeout Complete Game on Saturday
Blake Snell

to Undergo Elbow Surgery on Tuesday
Clay Holmes

Could Miss Around Three Months
Jose Altuve

Exits After Swing
RANKINGS
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