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, FanDuel Daily Fantasy Basketball Picks (4/17/22): Today's Top NBA DFS Lineups

Giannis Antetokounmpo - NBA DFS Picks, Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineups

The top daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on April 17th, 2022. Kyle Ringstad provides NBA DFS analysis and sleeper picks for building optimal DFS rosters.

We have four more first-round playoff games in the Association on an Easter Sunday - what more can we ask for? The Bulls-Bucks game rates out as the most appealing game to target for daily fantasy purposes, while the remaining three games all project about even with each other. This means that the slate is about as wide open as it can possibly get, as you can make a case for players from all eight teams tonight. I'll be trying to get to Bucks, Suns, Celtics, and Bulls as my core plays, while the Pelicans are a team I'm generally shying away from.

Ben Simmons and Zion Williamson will remain out, while Tyler Herro and John Collins are the two high-profile names that enter today with a questionable tag. Landry Shamet, Jordan Nwora, Dewayne Dedmon, Gabe Vincent, and P.J. Tucker are also questionable to play.

This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 4/17/22, with the slate locking at 1:00 pm ET. Remember to monitor NBA injury news and our live-updating NBA injury updates tool as the slate can completely change before lineups lock. As always, feel free to follow my Twitter (@RING_DFS) - I post about a variety of things but mainly NBA DFS with my K-Rate model. Let's get to it - good luck RotoBallers!

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

Chris Paul - PG, PHX vs. NOP ($7,600 DK, $8,600 FD) | Better on DraftKings

CP3 is back in the playoffs once again, something that has become an annual tradition in the NBA at this point. Per StatMuse, Paul averages 21 points, eight assists, five rebounds, and two steals per game over his 129-game playoff career. Those are outstanding numbers. Paul didn't quite put up stats like that this season, but he's still averaging 40.9 FPPG and pops for 45, 50, 55, or even 60+ DK points from time to time. The Pelicans did pretty well against opposing point guards this season, but they've allowed the 10th-most fantasy points per game to this position over their last seven games heading into tonight. I expect Paul to find another gear and take full advantage of a softer defense in Game 1.

Marcus Smart - PG/SG, BOS vs. BKN ($5,500 DK, $6,200 FD)

This Celtics-Nets matchup should be a fun one with Kyrie Irving squaring off against his former squad. Smart is the team's defensive catalyst, averaging 2.0 "stocks" (steals+blocks) per game this season while also contributing 12.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game in a solid overall stat line. He averages exactly 1.00 FPTS/min this season as well, and with the playoffs comes an enhanced focus on defense. This means it's very likely that Smart sees an uptick in playing time as the team's best defensive player. Our DFS Army projections have Smart playing 35 minutes, which feels about right and also brings his projection up to the point where he's an incredible value on tonight's slate. The Nets allowed the sixth-most fantasy points per game to PGs and the 12th-most fantasy points per game to SGs this season.

Max Strus - SG/SF, MIA vs. ATL ($4,200 DK, $3,800 FD)

Don't go overboard with this one, but the value is extremely hard to come by on this slate and it's either Strus or Alex Caruso when choosing between the cheap guards projecting for minutes in the upper-20s tonight. Caruso averages an eye-gouging 10.4% usage rate and 0.68 FPTS/min with Ball off the floor this season - those are sub-Tony Snell numbers that I'm not interested in heavily targeting. I'll go with Strus as I believe he possesses a higher potential ceiling in the event that everything breaks just right. He's averaging a palatable 17.5% usage rate and 0.74 FPTS/min this season, and at 28 projected minutes, that'll do just fine. Strus has finished with at least 33.75 DK points in two of his last five, so that's the type of production he could bring at a dirt-cheap salary. He could see even more run if this game goes sideways - the Heat are currently six-point favorites at home.

Others to consider (FanDuel): CJ McCollum ($8,000), Khris Middleton ($7,100), Victor Oladipo ($3,500), Jaylen Brown ($8,100), Derrick White ($4,900), Jrue Holiday ($7,800), Alex Caruso ($4,200), Kyrie Irving ($10,100)

Others to consider (DraftKings): Brandon Ingram ($7,800), CJ McCollum ($8,300), Kyle Lowry ($6,000), Devin Booker ($9,000), Jrue Holiday ($7,900)

 

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

Giannis Antetokounmpo - SF/PF/C, MIL vs. CHI ($11,000 DK, $11,500 FD)

Giannis is the best spend-up option on the slate, in my humble opinion. He's on another level in terms of per-minute production as he has posted a Jokic-esque 1.68 FPTS/min this season - the next highest mark on this slate is Jayson Tatum at 1.37 FPTS/min. He's the most productive player and clearly has the highest ceiling, and it's not out of the question for him to explode for a slate-breaking game to start off the series. The Bulls-Bucks matchup rates out as the top game environment to target for fantasy as it holds the highest implied total, fastest projected pace, and the most combined fantasy points per game allowed. The Bulls have been in freefall mode for a while now as they rank 23rd in defensive rating for the season, but 28th over their last 15 games. Giannis is going to be able to do whatever he wants here and is a clear priority on this slate.

DeMar DeRozan - SG/SF/PF, CHI vs. MIL ($8,500 DK, $8,400 FD)

Zach LaVine - SG/SF, CHI vs. MIL ($7,500 DK, $7,700 FD)

You can play either of these guys on either site as they're in a great spot to put up fantasy points, they offer a wide range of positional flexibility, and they're relatively affordable compared to the other stars on this slate. The Bucks do not trot out the most dominant defense in the world - in fact, they've allowed the fifth-most fantasy points per game over their last 15 games played. That's (alarmingly) more than the Lakers, Kings, and Magic over that same span. They rank in the bottom-11 against SGs, SFs, and PFs in terms of fantasy points per game allowed, so however you slice it, DDR and LaVine are in prime spots to produce. To no one's surprise, these two lead the team in usage and FPTS/min, with DeRozan (33%, 1.12) leading the pack over Lavine (28.2%, 1.03) in the non-Lonzo Ball split.

Others to consider (FanDuel): Jae Crowder ($4,400), Mikal Bridges ($5,400), Jimmy Butler ($8,500), Jayson Tatum ($9,500), Brandon Ingram ($8,200)

Others to consider (DraftKings): P.J. Tucker ($3,300), Mikal Bridges ($5,200), Jae Crowder ($4,200), Bruce Brown ($6,500), Jimmy Butler ($8,400), Jayson Tatum ($10,000)

 

DraftKings and FanDuel Centers - NBA DFS Lineup Pics

Nikola Vucevic - C, CHI vs. MIL ($7,700 DK, $6,900 FD) | Better on FanDuel

FanDuel is just begging us to play Vucci Mane at a ridiculous sub-$7,000 price tag. I wouldn't fight it too hard. He played very poorly to close the season out - failing to exceed 23.75 DK points in each game - but he also didn't exceed 26 minutes in that span as the Bulls had their #6 seed locked up. He put up 35.5, 43, 41.75, and 40.25 DK points in the four games prior and averaged 40.8 DK points for the season, so we know what he's about. The Bucks defend centers well as they can throw multiple versatile players at opposing bigs, but their frontcourt defense really slipped to end the year as they allowed the eighth-most fantasy points per game to opposing centers over their last 15 games played.

Others to consider (FanDuel): Daniel Theis ($4,100), Deandre Ayton ($7,400), Bam Adebayo ($8,300), Onyeka Okongwu ($5,800)

Others to consider (DraftKings): Deandre Ayton ($7,000), Bam Adebayo ($8,000), Onyeka Okongwu ($5,100)



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




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

Jon Runyan

Limited During Minicamp
Saquon Barkley

Feels Great Physically
Justin Simmons

Panthers Have Talked With Justin Simmons
Jordan Addison

Trial Date Set for July 15
New York Jets

Jets Sign Kingsley Jonathan, Marquis Hayes
Jarace Walker

Remains Sidelined for Game 5
Justin Verlander

Returning to the Rotation on Wednesday
Tony Finau

Finishes Tied For 38th at U.S. Open
Bud Cauley

Misses The Cut at U.S. Open
Cameron Young

Finishes Tied For Fourth at U.S. Open
J.J. Spaun

Wins U.S. Open
Xander Schauffele

Finishes Tied For 12th at U.S. Open
Robert MacIntyre

Finishes Second at U.S. Open
Si Woo Kim

Finishes Tied For 42nd at U.S. Open
Vershon Lee

Vikings Ink Undrafted Offensive Lineman Vershon Lee
Luke Clanton

Misses The Cut at RBC Canadian Open
San Francisco 49ers

C.J. West Signs Rookie Deal with San Fran
Jaylen Warren

Training to Handle Larger Workload
Giancarlo Stanton

to Make Season Debut on Monday
Will Campbell

Ends Minicamp as Top Left Tackle
Sam Cosmi

Making Good Progress From Torn ACL
Kamaru Usman

Gets Back In The Win Column
Adonai Mitchell

Impresses at Minicamp
Joaquin Buckley

Winning Streak Comes To An End
Miranda Maverick

Drops Decision At UFC Atlanta
Bradley Chubb

Fully Healed, Looking Disruptive
Jonnu Smith

Contract Talks "Still Fluid"
Rose Namajunas

Wins Decision At UFC Atlanta
Andre Petroski

Suffers Unanimous-Decision Loss
Edmen Shahbazyan

Wins Back-To-Back Fights
Raoni Barcelos

Wins Third Fight In A Row
Chase Elliott

Ends Mexico City with A Great Finish of Third
Christopher Bell

has A Strong Runner-Up Performance At Mexico City
Chase Briscoe

Wild Day Ends with A Top-10 Finish
Michael McDowell

Leaves Mexico City with A Top-Five Finish
Cody Garbrandt

Loses Back-To-Back Fights
Cody Brundage

Defeated After Accidental Clash Of Heads
Cody Brundage

Mansur Abdul-Malik Defeats Cody Brundage By Technical Decision
Oumar Sy

Suffers His First Loss
Alonzo Menifield

Scores Upset Win
Alex Bowman

Delivers Bravura Performance After Michigan Injury
Tyler Reddick

Inexplicably Mediocre on his Once-Best Track Type
John Hunter Nemechek

Canny Strategy Gives John Hunter Nemechek Best Career Road-Course Finish
Cole Custer

Earns Best Finish Since Cup-Series Comeback at Mexico City
Grant Holmes

Punches Out 15 in Loss
Elly De La Cruz

Goes Yard in Fourth Straight Game
Will Vest

Dealing With Finger Injury
Jackson Merrill

Placed on Seven-Day Concussion Injured List
J.J. McCarthy

Looking "a Lot Stronger"
Shohei Ohtani

Will Be Dodgers' Starting Pitcher Monday
Roki Sasaki

Shut Down From Throwing
Garrett Wilson

Receives New Contract Offer
Jordan Hicks

Headed to Boston
Kyle Harrison

Traded to Red Sox
Travis Kelce

Slims Down During the Offseason
Trey Hendrickson

Bengals Restart Contract Discussions
Brady House

Nationals Promoting Brady House to Major Leagues
Rafael Devers

Traded to San Francisco
Logan Gilbert

to Start on Monday
Jayden Higgins

Impresses During Minicamp
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

on the Move to Memphis
Cole Anthony

Dealt to the Grizzlies
Seattle Seahawks

DeMarcus Lawrence Making an Impression With his New Team
Isaiah Simmons

Being Used Exclusively as a Linebacker
Tyler Mahle

Placed on 15-Day Injured List
Travis Etienne Jr.

the Jaguars Lead Back?
Luis Robert Jr.

Scratched with Thumb Soreness
Desmond Bane

Traded to Orlando
Byron Buxton

Scratched from Sunday's Lineup
Brendan Donovan

Returns to the Lineup
Steven Adams

Rockets Agree to Three-Year Contract Extension
Royce Lewis

Hits 10-Day Injured List
Ty Dillon

Is a Respectable Cap Flexiblity-Focused DFS Option For Mexico City
Corey Perry

Produces 10th Postseason Goal
Connor McDavid

Scores First Finals Goal
John Hunter Nemechek

Is John Hunter Nemechek Worth Rostering In Mexico City DFS Lineups?
Shohei Ohtani

Blasts Two Homers in Win
Sam Bennett

Nets Another Road Goal in Game 5 Win
Eetu Luostarinen

Earns Two Points Saturday
Michael King

Not Making Progress
Brad Marchand

Pots Two Goals in Game 5 Victory
Jackson Merrill

Removed Early on Saturday
Sergei Bobrovsky

Ties NHL Record with 10th Road Win
Ross Chastain

Trackhouse Racing's Mexico Focus Makes Ross Chastain a Leading Contender for the Win
Kyle Busch

One of Two Past Mexico City Winners in the Field
Ryan Preece

Earns Surprising Front-Row Start
Austin Cindric

Not as Strong of a Road Racer as People Think
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Stronger on Infield Road Courses Than Purpose-Built Ones
Joey Logano

Seemingly Alternating Between Good and Mediocre Races
Brad Keselowski

One of the Few Drivers with Mexico City Experience
Denny Hamlin

Ryan Truex Makes First Cup Series Start Since 2014
Erik Jones

Mexico City Will Likely be a Struggle for Erik Jones
Noah Gragson

Front Row Motorsports' Speed May Make Noah Gragson a Decent DFS Option
Ricky Stenhouse Jr

Road Courses Are Ricky Stenhouse Jr.'s Worst Track Type
Evander Kane

Drops to Fourth Line Saturday
Kasperi Kapanen

Won't Play on Saturday
Calvin Pickard

Starts Game 5 for Oilers
Tyrese Haliburton

Struggles in Friday's Loss to OKC
Chet Holmgren

Dominates the Glass in Game 4
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Leads the Way in Game 4
Jalen Williams

Has a Quality Showing on Friday Night
Russell Westbrook

to Decline Player Option
Kevin Durant

Trade Could Happen in the "Next Few Days"
Joaquin Buckley

Set For Main Event
Kamaru Usman

An Underdog At UFC Atlanta
Miranda Maverick

Set For Co-Main Event
Rose Namajunas

Looks To Bounce Back
Andre Petroski

Looks To Extend His Win Streak To Four
Edmen Shahbazyan

A Favorite At UFC Atlanta
Raoni Barcelos

Set To Take On Former Champion
Cody Garbrandt

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Mansur Abdul-Malik

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Connor Hellebuyck

Wins Vezina And Hart Trophies
Aleksander Barkov

Records Two Power-Play Assists Thursday
Sam Reinhart

Collects Three Points in Thursday's Loss
Matthew Tkachuk

Notches Three Points in Losing Effort
Calvin Pickard

Joins Exclusive List with Thursday's Win
Mattias Ekholm

Logs Two Assists in Comeback Victory
Leon Draisaitl

Delivers Victory in Overtime Thursday
Myles Turner

Playing Through Illness
Reed Sheppard

Will Play in the NBA Summer League
Kevin Durant

Deal Could Come Sooner Rather Than Later
Dorian Finney-Smith

Undergoes Ankle Surgery
Anze Kopitar

Wins Third Lady Byng Trophy
Sergei Bobrovsky

Heading Out for Win No. 15
John Klingberg

Won't Play in Game 4 Against Panthers
Viktor Arvidsson

Sits Out Game 4 Against Panthers
Stuart Skinner

Remains in Oilers Crease Thursday
Jalen Williams

Leads Thunder in Scoring Wednesday
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Settles for 24 Points in Game 3 Loss
Pascal Siakam

Does Everything for Pacers Wednesday Night
Tyrese Haliburton

Gets Close to Triple-Double in Game 3 Win
Bennedict Mathurin

Leads All Scorers with 27 Points Wednesday
Brandin Podziemski

Has Second Offseason Surgery
Matt McCarty

Comes Off Season-Best Showing at RBC Canadian Open
Justin Thomas

Desperate to Continue Good 2025 Season
Jon Rahm

Seeks Revenge at U.S. Open
Tom Kim

Aiming for Improvement in U.S. Open
PGA

Sungjae Im Expects Solid Performance at Oakmont
Brian Harman

Aims to Rebound From the Memorial
Tony Finau

has Been Up and Down at U.S. Open
Patrick Cantlay

Hoping This is the Year at Oakmont
Akshay Bhatia

Improving in Time for U.S. Open
Xander Schauffele

Primed for Another Major Championship Run
Cameron Young

May Struggle at U.S. Open
Collin Morikawa

Eyeing Third Major Championship Title
Matt Fitzpatrick

Seeks to Avenge Oakmont Collapse
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF