FanDuel NBA DFS Lineup Picks (1/6/21): Daily Fantasy Basketball Advice

January 6, 2021

Shane McNichol finds his top FanDuel NBA DFS lineup picks for 1/6/21, ranging from MVP candidates to deep sleepers.

Wednesday offers one of the NBA’s most jam-packed slates so far this season. There are eleven games, with big-name matchups dotting the schedule.

With 22 teams in action, there are plenty of options for the DFS players hunting for an under-the-radar option at every position. Whether it’s an All-Star ready for a monster night or a back-up about to break out, the right pick on a night like this can make or break your lineup.

This post will be recommending daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for FanDuel on 1/6/20. You can also check out today's DraftKings lineup picks. Keep an eye on Rotoballer’s injury news to stay up to date before lineups are locked.

FanDuel DFS Guards

Elfrid Payton, PG vs UTA ($5,300)

The Knicks have been one of the surprises of the season so far. Payton’s competent play as Tom Thibodeau’s floor general has been a large part of that success. He’s struggled to be efficient at times, scoring 13.6 points per game on 13 field goal attempts per game. Yet that hasn’t hurt his counting stats.

As the primary ball-handler for the Knicks, Payton has plenty of opportunities to produce. He’s posting 4.6 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game. He’s coming off of a troublesome 6 for 18 shooting night, all 2-point attempts, with a real chance to bounce back in the scoring column.

Andrew Wiggins, SG vs. LAC ($6,500)

Warriors fans and NBA Twitter will continue to gripe with Wiggins all year long, simply because he’s not capable of ably filling Klay Thompson’s shoes. For fantasy purposes, he is still putting up strong numbers as a Warriors starter. He’s playing the second-most minutes per game on the team and shooting the best 3-point percentage of his career.

It also helps that the Warriors are playing at the fastest pace in the NBA and he’ll be facing the Clippers just one night after LA grapples with the Spurs.

Fred Vanvleet, SG @ PHO ($8,000)

No team in the NBA is taking a higher percentage of its field goals from beyond the arc than the Raptors. Fred VanVleet is a big part of that, hoisting 9.8 threes per game, making 39 percent of his attempts. With 5.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists on top of his scoring, VanVleet has become one of the most productive DFS guard plays in the NBA.

Against the slow playing Suns, VanVleet and Kyle Lowry will look to push the pace and create transition opportunities.

FanDuel DFS Forwards

Doug McDermott- PF vs HOU ($3,900)

For those looking to round out a roster with a low salary option, McDermott could be an intriguing choice.  A career 40 percent outside shooter, McDermott has started this season in a funk. He’s made just 13 of his first 41 attempts from long range this season. Based on his prior career, there’s every reason to believe he’ll start making shots soon.

Facing the high scoring Rockets, McDermott will be able to get a large volume of shots up.

John Collins - PF vs. CHA ($6,800)

If asked to name the player who is the second-leading scorer and rebounder on the NBA’s 2nd most efficient offense, how many of you would have correctly come up with Atlanta’s John Collins? The fourth-year forward is making the most of things in the final year of his contract, averaging 17.1 points and 7.0 rebounds per game.

Against a Charlotte team stocked with young guards, Trae Young should be able to orchestrate plenty of open looks in the pick and roll. Expect to see Collins collect a few easy buckets Wednesday.

Harrison Barnes - SF vs. CHI ($6,100)

On a Kings team that has been up and down so far this year, Barnes has been a consistent contributor. He’s scored in double figures and grabbed at least six rebounds in every game so far this season. Facing a Chicago Bulls team with a defense ranked near the bottom of the league, playing their second game of a back-to-back, Barnes should have plenty of chances to produce on Wednesday.

FanDuel DFS Centers

Joel Embiid, C - vs. WAS ($9,900)

The Sixers big man will be a tempting start much of this season, thanks to a red hot start that has him among the very early candidates for MVP. Against some of the Eastern Conference’s lesser equipped frontlines, Embiid is a smart play. That group includes the Wizards, who continue to start the surging Thomas Bryant at center. Though Bryant has been a pleasant surprise by scoring 17.9 points per game this season, he is not an ideal match-up against Embiid. Bryant is listed at just 6-foot-10 and 245 pounds, leaving him unable to body the much larger Embiid in the post.

Add in Bryant’s paltry 6.7 rebounds per game, nearly nothing for a starting center and Embiid looks poised to feast against Washington once again. In his last four games versus the Wizards (this year’s season opener and three last season), Embiid has averaged 26.3 points, 14.8 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks.

NBA DFS News and Injury Alerts

More DFS Lineup Picks and Analysis