Fantasy

NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer: Wednesday (11/9)

FantasyPros walks through the best player values for DraftKings and FanDuel NBA DFS.

Joel Bartilotta, FantasyPros

November 9, 2022 6:23 PM

Paul George has the Clippers on a roll, winning 4 of their last 5.

The NBA took a rare day off so Americans could vote on Tuesday, but it’s left us with two of the craziest cards all year. We had all 30 teams in action on Monday and have a similar slate here. It can be challenging to navigate so many players, but we hope this article can make things easier for you guys. With that in mind, let’s take a look at this massive schedule!

Injury Report

Cole Anthony (oblique) OUT
Kyrie Irving (Personal) OUT
Anfernee Simons (foot) Questionable
LaMelo Ball (ankle) Questionable
Gordon Hayward (shoulder) Questionable
Dennis Smith Jr.(ankle) Questionable
Trae Young (shin) Questionable
Jarred Vanderbilt (adductor) Questionable
Robert Williams (knee) OUT
Mitchell Robinson (knee) OUT
Kevin Porter (illness) Questionable
Pascal Siakam (groin) OUT
Zach LaVine (knee) Questionable
Lonzo Ball (knee) OUT
Rudy Gobert (COVID) Questionable
Cameron Johnson (knee) OUT
Jaren Jackson Jr.(foot) OUT
Steven Adams (ankle) Questionable
Khris Middleton (wrist) OUT
Kawhi Leonard (knee) OUT
LeBron James (foot) Questionable
Anthony Davis (back) Questionable
Jrue Holiday (ankle) Doubtful
Paolo Banchero (ankle) Questionable
Chris Paul (heel) Questionable

Core Plays

Ja Morant (PG – MEM): $10,100 DraftKings, $9,800 FanDuel
Ja has taken over this Memphis offense in the absence of Jaren Jackson Jr. He’s third in the NBA with a 34.4 usage rate, averaging 28.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 7.1 assists per game. That equates to nearly 50 DraftKings points, which should be easy to reach against San Antonio. The Spurs sit third in pace and 27th in defensive efficiency, with Morant averaging 59 DK points per game against them last year,

Paul George (SG/SF – LAC): $10,200 DraftKings, $9,400 FanDuel
It was a slow start for the Clips, but George has them winning four of their last five games. The former All-Star is stepping up with Kawhi Leonard sidelined, averaging 49 DraftKings points per game in that span. He will continue to run the show as long as Kawhi remains out, and you know he’ll be hungry around the crosstown rivals. The Lakers just allowed 139 points on Monday and look like one of the worst defenses in the NBA.

Darius Garland (PG – CLE): $6,900 DraftKings, $8,000 FanDuel
Why does DraftKings keep this Garland price so low? This guy is an All-Star candidate, scoring at least 39 DK points in every game since his return. He’s also averaging 47 fantasy points per game in that span, and it’s hard to understand why he remains below $7,000. The matchup makes the pricing even more laughable, with Sacramento surrendering the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing point guards.

Cash Game Considerations

Nikola Jokic (C – DEN): $11,600 DraftKings, $10,700 FanDuel
The Joker has this spot reserved for the foreseeable future. The big man has scored at least 40 DK points in all but a handful of games since 2020. That’s the best floor in fantasy, with Jokic averaging 60 DK points per game in that span. Luka Doncic is approaching that territory, but this is still the most reliable option in DFS. Facing Indiana is incredible, too, with the Pacers ranked 28th in points allowed and defensive efficiency.

Damian Lillard (PG – POR): $9,200 DraftKings, $8,500 FanDuel
Dame’s price has dropped because of a recent injury, but we want to hop on the train until it pops back up again. The All-Star scored at least 52 DraftKings points in three games before his injury averaging 38 minutes and 22 shots a game in that span. That sort of role is impossible to fade against the Hornets, with Charlotte sitting 27th in total defense last year. In their most recent meeting, Dame dropped 64 DraftKings points!

Fred VanVleet (PG/SG – TOR): $8,100 DraftKings, $8,500 FanDuel
With Pascal Siakam sidelined for two weeks, FVV should be running things in Toronto. He has a usage rate north of 30% with Siakam off the floor, averaging 1.4 DK points per minute. That led to VanVleet posting a 51-point average in the two games since that injury, and we expect him to maintain that sort of monster production. It seems even more likely in this matchup, with Houston surrendering the third-most fantasy points to opposing point guards.

GPP Targets

Russell Westbrook (PG – LAL): $7,300 DraftKings, $7,500 FanDuel
The Westbrook hate train has been chugging along this season, but the hatred has gone too far. This is still a stat-stuffing machine, and he could creep closer to $10K if LeBron and AD continue to miss games. Russ had a 31% usage rate with James off the floor last year and has been much better recently. In fact, Westbrook has at least 35 DK points in six straight outings.

Al Horford (PF/C – BOS): $5,500 DraftKings, $5,100 FanDuel
It’s been a rough start for Big Al, but this dude will be above $6K before you know it. He was playing at an $8K level with Robert Williams out last year and has shown glimpses of that recently. Horford has at least 26 DK points in three straight outings, scoring at least 34 fantasy points in two of those. He’s even more enticing against this disastrous Detroit defense, with the Pistons ranked 29th in defensive efficiency ratings.

Jalen McDaniels (PF – CHA): $4,900 DraftKings, $5,100 FanDuel
This Charlotte team cannot stay healthy, but it’s forced McDaniels into the most prominent role of his career. The Hayward absence has opened things up for McDaniels, playing at least 27 minutes in five of his last six games. He’s also flirting with a 30-point average in those five fixtures, and that’s really all you can ask for from a $5K player. Portland has been much better this season, but they still sat 26th in total defense last year.

Value Plays

Michael Porter Jr.(SF/PF – DEN): $6,500 DraftKings, $6,700 FanDuel
It’s been a slow start for Jamal Murray and MPJ, but both of these guys are starting to return to their bubble form. Every basketball fan knows just how special MPJ can be, averaging over 32 fantasy points per game this season. He was closer to a 40-point average when he was healthy two years ago, and he’d have to be an $8K player with that sort of production. We expect him to reach that total here, with the Pacers posting some of the worst defensive numbers in the NBA.

Myles Turner (PF/C – IND): $5,700 DraftKings, $6,600 FanDuel
This $5,700 price tag is laughable. Turner has been handed the keys to this offense since the Domantas Sabonis trade, and we genuinely believe he’ll be an $8K player this time next season. He showed that on Monday, amassing 62.5 DK points in one of the best performances of his career. That has his season average just below 40 fantasy points, which is ridiculous for a sub-$6K player. He’s destroyed Denver over recent years, posting a 37-point average against them in their last three meetings.

Chris Boucher (PF/C – TOR): $5,300 DraftKings, $5,800 FanDuel
Boucher can be tough to trust, but he instantly gets better whenever a Toronto starter goes down. The reason for that is that those guys swallow up so many minutes, but Boucher’s value has skyrocketed with Siakam out for the foreseeable future. That has led to CB scoring at least 21 DK points in five of his last six games. He also scored 37 fantasy points twice last week and has shown a 50-point upside in the past. One of those upside games could happen against the Rockets, who ranked dead-last in points allowed and defensive efficiency last year.