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Welcome to another Saturday of the NBA, RotoBallers. We've got a hefty seven-game slate on tap, and it's going to be a fun one. The Spurs-Wizards showdown might be among two of the worst teams in the NBA, but it's going to be an absolute gold mine for daily fantasy purposes as it features the highest total, fastest projected pace, and little-to-no defense on either side. Cavs-Hawks and Jazz-Rockets are also appealing matchups, and while the remaining games aren't as exciting, we'll need to pick our spots throughout the rest of the slate.
As always, injuries are a key factor here and we will need to monitor for news and make adjustments as we learn more. The notable players with questionable tags are Trae Young, Victor Wembanyama, Caris LeVert, Daniel Gafford, Nick Richards, Lu Dort, Josh Hart, Andre Drummond, Ayo Dosunmu, and Patrick Williams.
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 1/20/24. Remember to monitor NBA injury news and our awesome new NBA injuries report tool, as the slate can completely change before lineups lock at 7:00 pm EST.
Featured Promo: Get any DFS Premium Bundle for for 10% off using code BALLER! 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!I start my process with a "K-Grade" model shown below, which I've been fine-tuning for about three years. This model takes real metrics like the implied total, fantasy points per game allowed, defensive ratings, offensive ratings, and projected pace, and applies them to a model with weights. It should be used as a directional guide for the slate and I've had plenty of success with it, but stick to your process and DFS best practices. For example, a player on a team with a "D" K-Grade could easily be the top value on the slate due to a significant uptick in minutes and usage rate.
Today's DraftKings, FanDuel Guards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Donovan Mitchell, CLE vs. ATL - PG/SG ($9,800 DK; $10,600 FD)
Donovan Mitchell is my preferred spend-up option on tonight's slate, though Joel Embiid is a close second. Mitchell has a favorable matchup against an eternally burnable Hawks frontcourt tonight, and his 1.45 FPTS/min average will play up in this positive game environment. He hasn't been as reliable as expected with Darius Garland and Evan Mobley off the floor, but he has exceeded 5x value in each of the last three games, including a 77 DK point explosion against the Nets. Atlanta is allowing the 13th-most fantasy points per game to PGs and the sixth-most fantasy points per game to SGs this season, and they rank 26th in defensive rating.
Collin Sexton, UTA vs. HOU - PG/SG ($6,100 DK) DraftKings only
From a current Cavs guard to a former Cavs guard; Collin Sexton is on a heater. The Jazz guard has scored at least 34.5 DK points in each of his last five games, and he has put up at least 39.5 DK points in three consecutive contests coming into tonight. He should see around 30 minutes again tonight, meaning he just needs to stay somewhat close to his recent FPTS/min rate to be a great value for us. The Rockets defend the guard positions well, but they're allowing the ninth-most fantasy points per game over their last seven games, and this game environment should be among the best on the slate.
Others to consider: Sam Merrill, John Konchar, Fred VanVleet, Jalen Brunson, Jalen Green, Gary Trent Jr., Luke Kennard, Immanuel Quickley, Coby White, Tre Jones, LaMelo Ball, Mike Conley
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Today's DraftKings, FanDuel Forwards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Jeremy Sochan, SAS vs. WSH - PF ($5,400 DK) DraftKings only
Jeremy Sochan can be a volatile and frustrating player to trust in DFS lineups, but it's important to embrace volatility to try to capture the ceiling games with these mid-range players. Wembanyama's potential return could put a dent in his chances at a big score, but I think it's still well within the range of possibilities tonight. The matchup couldn't get any better as the Wizards rank 29th in defensive rating while leading the league in pace (Spurs are third in pace). Washington is allowing the most fantasy points per game overall, the most fantasy points per game to SFs, and the eighth-most fantasy points per game to PFs this season. Sochan just put up a 46 DK point game against the Hawks on 1/15 - this is an even better matchup for him and the rest of the Spurs.
Jarrett Allen, CLE v. ATL - PF/C ($8,000 DK, $8,600 FD)
This is a superb price point for Jarrett Allen in the most favorable matchup for bigs on the slate. The Hawks allow the third-most fantasy points per game to PFs and the fifth-most fantasy points per game to Cs this season. They're allowing the most fantasy points per game to both positions over their last seven games. The game environment is the second-best on the slate, with the Atlanta side forcing Allen and the Cavs into a pace-up spot. Allen himself has continued to ascend playing without frontcourt mate Evan Mobley, popping for ceiling games of 56.25, 65.25, 59.5, 56.25, and 57 DK points over his last 10 contests.
Others to consider: DeMar DeRozan, Patrick Williams, Max Strus, Karl-Anthony Towns, Keldon Johnson, Simone Fontecchio
Today's DraftKings, FanDuel Centers - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Alperen Sengun, HOU vs. UTA - C ($8,100 DK, $9,000 FD)
There are roughly ten centers I'd like to get to tonight, but none are more appealing than Alperen Sengun. The multi-faceted big man is putting up 40-50 DK points per game with ease, averaging 43.5 DK points per game for the season. He holds a high usage rate for a center at 28.6%, and his 1.49 FPTS/min mark is extremely appealing in what projects out as the third-best game environment on the slate. This should be a high-scoring, competitive game, so we'll get to see a lot of Sengun doing his thing against Lauri Markkanen, Walker Kessler, and John Collins. Advantage: Sengun.
Others to consider: Nikola Vucevic, Julius Randle, Nick Richards, Joel Embiid, Walker Kessler, Victor Wembanyama, Marvin Bagley III
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