FanDuel Daily Fantasy Basketball Picks and Helper: Thursday 1/18/24

Since NBA DFS is easier to predict than baseball or football, it would likely get plenty of votes as the best sport to play on FanDuel. Basketball players usually stick to the same minutes and produce at roughly the same rate. Sounds easy, right? Trust me -- it's not!

As a result, NBA daily fantasy is highly reliant on a player's opportunity, so you'll need to ensure that you're up to date with key injuries. numberFire's projections update up until tip-off to reflect current news. numberFire also has player news updates, and the FanDuel Scout app will send push notifications for pressing updates regarding your players.

In addition to daily projections, numberFire also offers a matchup heat map and lineup optimizer to help give you an edge.

On top of all that, here at FanDuel Research, we'll come at you each day with this NBA DFS primer, which breaks down a few of the day's top plays at each position.

Let's dive into today's main slate on FanDuel.

NBA DFS Picks

Guards

Top Plays

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($11,000) -- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been quiet (by his standards) of late, eclipsing 50 FanDuel points (FP) just once in his last five games. Expect a bounce back effort tonight. Not only do the Oklahoma City Thunder have the slate's second-highest implied total (123.75), but their opponent -- the Utah Jazz -- are 19th in defensive rating, 10th in pace, and give up the 8th-most FP to opposing PGs, per FantasyPros. SGA put up 53.3 FP in this same matchup last month, and his 53.8-FP numberFire projection is the highest of the slate. He's a priority play.

OG Anunoby ($6,400) -- The Washington Wizards are among the most advantageous matchups you'll find, so it's not hard to see OG Anunoby having a productive night. Anunoby seems tailor-made for Tom Thibodeau -- he's averaged 36.1 minutes per game on the New York Knicks and has notched 44 and 43 minutes the last two nights. The Washington Wizards have allowed the fourth-most FP to SGs and the most to SFs, so he should have plenty of opportunities to rack up counting stats considering how much he's on the court.

Kris Dunn ($5,100) -- Kris Dunn isn't flashy, but he's been a reliable DFS option of late. Over his last eight games, Dunn has averaged 24 FP and 21.3 minutes per game. OKC's season-long defensive numbers are solid, but they're down to 19th in defensive rating this month. A tight spread (Thunder -3.5) and high over/under (244.0) support a favorable game environment for fantasy production.

Others to Consider

Jalen Brunson ($8,900) -- There are several high-salary guards to consider tonight, but don't let Jalen Brunson get lost in the shuffle. Brunson returned from a brief absence to drop 42.1 FP last night. Washington is the single best fantasy matchup for guards -- they're 29th in defensive rating, first in pace, and allow the second-most FP to PGs. There's a world where his minutes are capped given the game's 12.0-point spread and the fact that Brunson's in the second night of a back-to-back after missing two games. That would likely lead to more run for Quentin Grimes ($3,900) and Miles McBride ($5,300), but we're talking about a Tom Thibodeau coached team.

Gary Trent ($4,700) -- The Chicago Bulls aren't a great matchup for wings, but we have to consider Gary Trent Jr. after last night's performance. Trent put up 33.4 FP in 30 minutes, and he recorded more than 20 FP in both prior meetings with the Chicago Bulls. His $4,700 salary opens a lot of lineup options, too.

Wings

Top Plays

DeMar DeRozan ($7,900) -- DeMar DeRozan returns north to take on the Toronto Raptors, and the matchup is there for him to thrive. Since trading OG Anunoby, the Raptors have plummeted to 25th in defensive rating. They've given up the third-most FP to SFs over their last seven games, while DeRozan has averaged 40.4 FP against his former team dating back to 2019. His 37.5-FP projection is the highest of any player salaried under $8,000.

RJ Barrett ($6,800) --Wing is pretty lackluster tonight -- only four SG/SFs are salaried over $8,000 -- but RJ Barrett profiles as a strong mid-range option. Barrett has really hit his stride with Toronto, notching 40 FP in four of his last six games. He put up 26 points and eight rebounds in their first game without Pascal Siakam last night and figures to be one of Toronto's primary options going forward.

Jaden McDaniels ($4,900) -- Jaden McDaniels is running hot, totaling 26.8 and 28.6 FP over his last two games. We can't always rely on him for that level of production, but he consistently flirts with 30 minutes a night. With the injury-plagued Memphis Grizzlies up today, McDaniels is a quality value play.

Others to Consider

Vince Williams ($6,500) -- I don't want much of anything to do with the Memphis Grizzlies thanks to their 100.5 implied total, but Vince Williams Jr. and Luke Kennard ($4,800) have some value-based appeal. In two games since Desmond Bane's injury, Williams has notched 43.6 and 44.4 FP. Kennard has put up 20.6 and 22.9 FP. Minnesota's defense is suffocating, but there are shots to go around in this Memphis squad.

Keegan Murray ($6,600) -- Keegan Murray is prone to quiet nights, but this is a great spot for a ceiling game. The Indiana Pacers are among the worst teams at defending forwards, allowing the third-most FP to SFs and most FP per game to PFs. A slate-high 127.5-point implied total hints at plenty of offense for the Sacramento Kings, so we can look at Kevin Huerter ($5,500) and Trey Lyles ($4,300), too. As of Thursday afternoon, Lyles is numberFire's best point-per-dollar value tonight thanks to a 23.3-FP projection.

Patrick Baldwin ($3,700) -- If you're looking to really save salary, consider Patrick Baldwin. Washington recalled the former first round pick from the G-League last weekend, and he promptly dropped 19.8 and 17.1 FP in the next two games. Granted, he played just 18 and 13 minutes in those contests, but there's blowout potential in this one, and you can't beat that salary.

Bigs

Top Plays

Julius Randle ($9,000) -- New York being favored by 12.0 points shouldn't scare you off Julius Randle -- not when the matchup is this good. Randle has scored 45.4 and 55.9 FP in two prior matchups with Washington, both of which were double-digit New York victories. He's consistently seen a heavy workload, even when the Knicks are up big. In 16 double-digit wins, Randle has averaged 43.4 FP and 34 minutes per game -- numbers right in line with his 41.7-FP and 35.6-minute season-long averages. numberFire projects Randle for 48.5 FP tonight, the third-highest projection of the slate.

Isaiah Hartenstein ($7,700) -- Isaiah Hartenstein continues to produce as New York's starting center, and he benefits from having PF eligibility, too. Hartenstein has averaged 9.0 points, 14 rebounds, and 4.0 stocks (steals plus blocks) this month, culminating in 40.3 FP per game. He has the matchup to keep that production up. Washington has given up the most FP to centers this season, and they're dead-last in rebound rate. He's a strong mid-range option, and I'm more than willing to pair him with Randle.

Thaddeus Young ($4,500) -- With Siakam traded and Jakob Poeltl (ankle) injured, Thaddeus Young and Jontay Porter ($4,600) are solid value plays. Last night, Young (28 min; 20.6 FP) saw more playing time, but Porter (18 min; 19.8 FP) was in the starting lineup. Young is probably the safer option of the two (20-plus FP in four of his last five), but Porter flashed serious upside (37.2 FP) in the one game he saw 30 minutes. The Bulls are in the top 10 for most FP allowed to PF and C, so both Young and Porter are on the radar tonight.

Others to Consider

Domantas Sabonis ($10,300) -- A 248.0-point over/under means Domantas Sabonis has to be considered tonight. The former Pacer has been on fire since the turn of the calendar, averaging 22.6 points, 13.8 rebounds, and 9.8 assists in nine January games. I do lean Randle if you're stuck between the two -- the Pacers are a middle-of-the-pack D against centers, and Myles Turner is plenty capable as a defender. In two matchups against his former team last season, Sabonis went for just 33.5 and 45.2 FP. That said, a stellar 49.7-FP numberFire projection keeps him in consideration.

Jalen Smith ($5,000) -- The Pacers' injury situation is a mess, but there's value to be had against a Kings team that's given up the eighth-most FP to PFs over their last 30 games. Jalen Smith will likely start at PF, and he's averaged 21.1 FP since Christmas but is eligible at only center. Obi Toppin ($5,300) and Aaron Nesmith ($5,200) are both questionable, but if they're ruled out, I'd be interested in Jarace Walker ($5,600) and Isaiah Jackson ($5,800). Walker put up 35.8 FP in a season-high 26 minutes earlier this week, while Jackson sports an eye-popping production clip of 1.35 FP per minute on the year. Stay glued to the injury report for updates.

Interested in playing NBA daily fantasy? FanDuel has plenty of contest options to make every moment more. Be sure to check out the NBA betting options, as well.

Sign up for FanDuel Sportsbook and FanDuel Daily Fantasy today!

The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author’s advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.