DraftKings, FanDuel Daily Fantasy Basketball Picks (4/5/22): Today's Top NBA DFS Lineups

April 5, 2022

The top daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on April 5, 2022. Euan Leith provides NBA DFS analysis and sleeper picks for building optimal DFS rosters.

Happy Tuesday, Rotoballers! After an NBA-less Monday (how about that Kansas comeback?!), we return to the pros with 12 games. Fortunately, almost every contest has something to play for, whether it be playoff qualification, seeding, or downright tanking. As DFS managers, it helps us guesstimate a more reliable starting five and what kind of rotations we can expect to see from these teams.

Immediately, a few games jump off the page as DFS targets. Houston-Brooklyn has an over/under sitting at 243.5 points at the time of writing and the fourth-fastest projected pace among the 12 games. We've also got Washington-Minnesota, San Antonio-Denver, and Lakers-Suns as the other games to heavily invest in for this action-packed Tuesday.

This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 4/5/22, with the slate locking at 7:00 pm E.T. Remember to monitor NBA injury news and our live-updating NBA injury updates tool as the slate can completely change before lineups lock.

DraftKings and FanDuel Guards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks

Anthony Edwards - SG/SF, MIN vs. WAS ($7,500 DraftKings; $7,000 FanDuel)

Edwards burst into the 2021-22 season with such ferocity that it had NBA fans wondering if he was making the leap. However, as the Timberwolves got healthier, the second-year guard came down to Earth slightly. Still, the team is winning and heading towards the playoffs for only the second time since 2004, and that's a massive success. However, the 2020 No. 1 overall pick can still show flashes of his early-season form, and he's done that over the last five games.

Since Mar. 25, Edwards averages 22.2 points on 51.2 percent shooting, with 6.2 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 3.2 three-pointers for 41.2 DK points, including a 52.5-point outing versus the Rockets in his last game. Tonight's matchup versus the Wizards is the second-fastest projected pace game on my sheet. Adding Washington's inability to stop shooting guards (50.66 DK points allowed over their last seven) means Edwards will be in for a great evening.

Jalen Green - PG/SG, HOU at BKN ($7,400 DK; $6,700 FD)

This year's rookie class has been incredible. Many top-10 guys had phenomenal starts to their NBA careers, so you'll be forgiven if Jalen Green's monster March slipped through your watchful DFS gaze. However, now is the time to jump on the No. 2 overall pick and allow him to guide you toward the green line in your NBA contests. In March and April, The 20-year old guard averages 22 points, 3.7 boards, 3.3 dimes, and 3.2 triples. More recently, he's been on an unconscious tear from three-point land and joined some legendary company within the franchise.

Jalen Green last 5 games:

33 PTS | 6 3PT
32 PTS | 6 3PT
30 PTS | 6 3PT
25 PTS | 6 3PT
23 PTS | 5 3PT

He joins James Harden as the only players in Rockets history to have 5 straight games with 20+ points and 5+ threes. pic.twitter.com/gFnybq2Klg

— StatMuse (@statmuse) April 2, 2022

Tonight, he meets a Brooklyn defense allowing the fourth-most D.K. points per game to point guards in a contest with a 243.5-point over/under. Sign. Me. Up.

Tre Jones - PG, SAS at DEN ($4,000 DK; $3,700 FD)

Dejounte Murray (illness) will miss his third consecutive game on Tuesday, and it keeps the door wide open for Tre Jones to be a DFS darling. The second-year guard started the previous two games (both versus Portland) in Murray's absence and balled out to the tune of 13.5 points, 8.0 assists, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game for 36.5 DraftKings points. Considering his price tag is $4,000, and he's facing a porous Denver defense (worst team vs. P.G.s over their last seven games), it's a recipe for DFS delight. If you need salary relief, there isn't a better option among the 12 games than Tre Jones.

Others to consider: James Harden ($10,400; $9,800), CJ McCollum ($8,700; $8,100), De'Anthony Melton ($5,700; $5,700)

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DraftKings and FanDuel Forwards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks

Kevin Durant - SF/PF, BKN vs. HOU ($11,600 DK; $11,200 FD)

Slotting Kevin Durant into your DFS lineup shouldn't need much explanation. In his previous five games, K.D. puts up 58.4 DK points a night thanks to 34.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 3.6 threes, and 2.6 stocks (steals+blocks). The man is on absolute fire at the moment, and the only thing stopping him seems to be how many shots he decides to take each night. It's a fair question to consider, given the Nets being heavily favored against the Rockets tonight, but with Brooklyn needing every win they can get, I would expect a 100 percent effort from K.D. Whether that involves three or four quarters is still to be seen, but if it's the full four, he will have a spectacular evening for our DFS rosters.

Scottie Barnes - SF/PF, TOR vs. ATL ($7,200 DK; $6,400 FD)

Toronto is a DFS goldmine. The way Head Coach Nick Nurse deploys his players gives them so many chances to contribute, and it's very tempting each night the Raptors fall on a slate. Just take Scottie Barnes, for example. He's a rookie, yet he's gained the coaching staff's trust and consistently plays 35 minutes a night for a playoff team. It's allowed him to grow in his first pro season, and now it's helping the Raptors and DFS managers down the regular season's final stretch. With OG Anunonby (thigh) questionable for Tuesday's contest, Barnes will have many chances to do DFS damage. In his last two games, the former Florida State standout produces 19.0 points, 7.5 boards, 4.5 assists, 2.0 three-pointers, and 1.0 swipes. If his teammate, Anunoby, remains out, Scottie will blow the barn doors off against Hawks and their second-worst defense versus small forwards.

Isaiah Roby - PF/C, OKC vs. POR ($6,800 DK; $7,000 FD)

These days, Roby is one of the last men standing in the Thunder locker room, and it means he gets his fair share of DFS point-scoring opportunities. The third-year forward is impressing down the stretch for Oklahoma City as he averages 17.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 2.3 stocks over his last six contests. In addition, he dominated Portland the last time he saw them. On Mar. 28, Roby piled up 30 points, eight rebounds, four assists, two steals, two blocks, and four triples in 38 minutes against the Trail Blazers. All those stats added up to a smooth 55 D.K. points. If he comes within shouting distance of that tonight, he will be a massive steal at $6,800.

Others to consider: Brandon Ingram ($8,000; $8,600), Tobias Harris ($6,800; $6,700), Devin Vassell ($5,500; $5,300)

DraftKings and FanDuel Centers - NBA DFS Lineup Pics

Deandre Ayton - C, PHX vs. LAL ($7,100 DK; $6,500 FD)

Ayton is one of the centers I always look forward to rostering when Phoenix is on the slate because he's always underpriced. Even tonight against the down-and-(almost)out Lakers, he remains at $7,100. The duo of Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid will, rightfully, dominate the manager's lineups tonight. Still, I like Ayton as a discounted pivot if you're not averse to some risk in your lineups. The Bahamas native has had great success against Los Angeles this season, and it will continue tonight even if Anthony Davis and LeBron James suit up. In three games between the divisional foes, Ayton supplies 16.7 points, 14.0 rebounds, 1.7 steals, and 41.8 DK points. His $7,100 price tag means he averages a six times return on investment when he plays L.A. With almost $5,000 in savings versus Jokic and Embiid, I don't mind taking a flyer on Ayton at all.

Andre Drummond - C, BKN vs. HOU ($6,800 DK; $6,700 FD)

Drummond makes the third recommendation out of eight players in today's article to be a part of this Brooklyn-Houston shootout. So I suppose you could say I'm a big fan of this matchup. Tonight, Brooklyn is a 17-point favorite against the team with all their draft picks for the foreseeable future. Over his last five games, Drummond is averaging 11.8 points, 12.6 rebounds, 2.0 steals, and 1.0 blocks a night for 36.2 DK points. Meanwhile, Houston is the fifth-worst defense versus centers over their last seven games.

Others to consider: Nikola Jokic ($12,500; $12,000), Joel Embiid ($12,000; $11,600), Damian Jones ($6,600; $5,500)

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