RADIO
Jake Finnen highlights the top FanDuel NBA DFS lineup picks for 1/11/18, and a couple of sleepers to consider while building daily rosters.
After Wednesday's massive slew of games, it's followed up by a wimpy 4-game slate on Thursday. Although we will be enjoying a mid-day game being played in London between the Celtics and 76ers, that game is unavailable for the main slate. There are not many options tonight, so you need to be accurate and generally sneaky with your picks. Yes, you want to make sure you get the right player that is going off tonight, but you also need to make sure you aren't picking a player with 85% ownership.
The Raptors-Cavaliers games has a ton of potential for points, along with the Sacramento-Clippers game. The Clippers, mainly Lou Williams, is coming off a 50-point game. While this is normal for Williams, I do not expect him to follow up with another whopping performance. He may exceed value with a 30-point game, but as far as him exploding, it is unlikely simply from a probability standpoint. The Laker-Spurs game is going to be a toss-up as far as benefitting from the DFS aspect. I have no problem rolling with the Lakers, but playing against the Spurs is an easy deterrent. The discipline of this team directly coincides with the youth of the Lakers, and I think it creates a recipe for disaster for Los Angeles. I have little confidence playing any Laker tonight.... and Spur for that matter.
Below you will find our daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for FanDuel on 1/11/18. These DFS lineup picks can vary from higher-priced players and elite options, to lower-priced players and value picks on FanDuel. You can also read more DFS lineup picks for DraftKings and other sports too.
FanDuel DFS Guards
Fred VanVleet - PG vs. CLE ($3,600)
Everyone has been on the Delon Wright train, and while I won't dispute hopping on, may I suggest a potential third party locomotive company, Fred VanVleet Incorporated. A new and upcoming company with a knack for consistent offense and being in the right place at the right time. The injury to Kyle Lowry has really opened up doors for VanVLeet and he will continue to produce each and every game he plays in. His style of play and ability to use his body make him a challenge to guard, and the Cavaliers are near dead-last in a few defensive categories. The Wright train might be leaving the station but I am conducting the VanVleet break out parade and guess what, I'm bringing a bandwagon.
Isaiah Thomas - PG @TOR ($5,400)
Yeah, so remember when I talked about the Cavaliers league-worst defense a while back? Well, I hate to say integrating Isaiah Thomas won't necessarily help those rankings. That being said, Thomas is still an extremely versatile guard who will continue to increase his role and production as he continues to play with LeBron James. This game will be a complete LeBron-athon, but I do expect Thomas to find his groove against one of the Cavaliers top Easters opponents.
C.J. Williams - SG @SAC ($4,600)
Lou William dropped FIFTY last night and I'm assuming that just won't happen again. Not saying he won't post his usual 30 against the Kings, but he will need help and Williams has been one of the next best scorers on the Clippers. After only scoring 12 points in 19 minutes against the Warriors last night, there is no reason he shouldn't get more touches and minutes against the Kings. If the rest of Clippers, mainly Lou Williams, need some extra time off, C.J. Williams is in for another high-usage night. Most players are going to ignore playing the Clippers because they are on the second night of a back-to-back, but it won't change the fact that the Clippers will need scoring and you should confidently bet on the William's.
Bogdan Bogdanovic - SG vs. LAC ($5,500)
After tying his season and career high two nights ago, Bogdanovic and De'Aaron Fox have just about stolen the backcourt spotlight in Sacramento. The best thing about Bogdanovic is his passiveness towards scoring. He takes smart shots and looks to find the open shot first. It can be a problem when you are watching him pass up open shots, but its hard not to take him going up against an equally inexperienced backcourt. The Clippers may have chemistry under their belt, but Bogdanovic is a durable guard who does not get shutdown easily. I do not think Bogdanovic will reach his season-high, but I do think he contributes across the board to exceed his projected.
FanDuel DFS Forwards
Kyle Anderson - SF @LAL ($5,600)
This is the counter-affective play that I am contemplating making a must-play. The Lakers pace and run-n-gun style would make Kyle Anderson irrelevant this game, but with Kawhi Leonard and Rudy Gay out, the Spurs have little choice but to play Anderson. He does contribute in every category, but he also is the opposite of pace so the chances of him throwing up a dud are possible. Even then, the Lakers defense tends to fall apart against certain matchups and few teams have been able to stop the Kawhi-less Spurs as it is.
Sam Dekker - PF @SAC ($3,600)
Another Clipper? You bet. With Lou Williams having a massive game, the Clippers absolutely need offense from wherever they can get it. The Kings wing players (you're lucky I didn't say the Kings wings) are not the best when it comes to defending athletic players, but Sam Dekker fits into the category of problem players for the Kings. He may not be the best shooter, but he has shown the ability to knock down shots in bunches. The Clippers are constantly looking to feed Dekker because he is constantly cutting and trying to create opportunities for himself and the team. This game has the potential to be a breakout game for a few Clippers, so expect the theme of Thursday's game to be ball movement.
Also Consider: Zach Randolph - PF vs. LAC ($4,900)
FanDuel DFS Centers
Kevin Love - C @TOR ($6,700)
The Raptors frontcourt continues to be a problem when playing DFS players, but Kevin Love's production is more dependent on how the Cavaliers are playing than how their opponents defense stacks up. Love will get his shots and while he might have his hands full in the post, both teams will be chucking up shots and their will be an excess of rebounds looking to be grabbed. Love may be a low-owned option tonight, so pick him while his price is incredibly low.
