FanDuel Daily Fantasy Basketball Picks and Helper: Wednesday 11/1/23

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 a lineup optimizer to help give you an edge.

Here at FanDuel Research, we'll also 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

Trae Young ($8,800) -- There's a lot of value at guard on this 13-game slate, so the high-salary guards might go a bit overlooked. As long as Trae Young -- who is questionable -- suits up, I like his upside in a date with the Washington Wizards. The Wiz are 21st in defensive rating and are allowing the 4th-most FanDuel points per night to point guards (53.1). Young hasn't had a spike game yet. It could come tonight. numberFire has him going for 44.8 FanDuel points (5.09 per $1,000).

Fred VanVleet ($7,500) -- Fred VanVleet is off to a slow start with the Houston Rockets, with his points-per-game average (15.1) and usage rate (21.8%) both a tick or two under what he did in his final years with the Toronto Raptors. Those numbers will likely climb in the long run, and he could pop for a big outing tonight against a Charlotte Hornets squad that is 20th in defensive rating while playing at the 9th-fastest in pace.

Scoot Henderson ($5,300) -- Scoot Henderson had his first big game last time out, generating 28.3 FanDuel points in 34 minutes versus the Raptors. It was just the second Portland Trail Blazers' game decided by single digits this year, which is something that could hinder Scoot's DFS outlook all season. Tonight, however, there isn't much blowout risk with the Blazers just a 4.5-point 'dog against the Detroit Pistons. numberFire projects Henderson for 28.1 FanDuel points (5.29), and he's one of my favorite plays of the night (as of early Wednesday).

Others to Consider

Malik Monk ($5,000) -- The Sacramento Kings-Golden State Warriors matchup boasts a 233.5-point total and 7.0-point spread. It's one of the go-to games for this slate. De'Aaron Fox is out for the Kings, which will likely push more of the offensive load to Monk, even if Monk stays in a bench role. With Fox off the floor a year ago, Monk averaged 1.12 FanDuel points per minute and held a team-high 29.9% usage rate, per RotoGrinders' CourtIQ. That was a usage bump of 4.0 percentage points. Monk can smash today, especially if his shot is falling.

Nah'Shon "Bones" Hyland ($4,700) -- Nah'Shon Hyland has at least one more game in the Los Angeles Clippers' starting five. Hyland started last night and logged 32 minutes. That's awfully appealing at this salary. The Clips are back in action tonight against the Los Angeles Lakers in a game with a 225.5-point total and 5.0-point spread. It should be a nice environment for DFS. With this being a back-to-back for the Clips, it's not a lock the Clippers' stars all play, but even if they do, Hyland is a quality value piece.

Wings

Top Plays

Giannis Antetokounmpo ($10,800) -- With the value we have on this slate, it shouldn't be too hard to find the salary for the studs you want. Giannis Antetokounmpo is a priority for me. Through three games playing alongside Damian Lillard, Giannis is sporting a 35.4% usage rate, so while he's yet to top 50.0 FanDuel points this year, it's only a matter of time. Giannis absolutely torched Toronto -- tonight's opposition -- a year ago, averaging 26.0 points, 16.5 rebounds, and 10.0 dimes against the Raps. His first ceiling game of 2023-23 might be on tap for Wednesday.

Desmond Bane ($8,700) -- The Memphis Grizzlies-Utah Jazz game has my attention as it carries a 3.0-point spread and 227.5-point total. The Jazz are playing at the 11th-fastest pace while checking in 23rd in defensive rating. They're permitting the most FanDuel points per game to shooting guards (45.2). Enter Desmond Bane, whose usage rate is at a career-high 28.7% early on with the Grizz short-handed.

Kevin Huerter ($4,800) -- Huerter is another low-salary way to get in on the Kings-Dubs affair. His minutes have been all over the place this year (36, 15, and 23), so the floor is scary. There's upside, though, and with Fox out, Sacramento will likely need Huerter's offensive ability. He averaged 33.7 FanDuel points per 36 minutes with Fox off the floor last year, a team-leading increase of 5.06 FanDuel points per 36.

Others to Consider

Lauri Markkanen ($8,600) -- I'm intrigued by a Bane-Lauri Markkanen stack as a way to load up on the Memphis-Utah game. Through four contests, Markkanen has two games of 50-plus FanDuel points (50.9 and 52.3) and two games of fewer than 40 FanDuel points (30.6 and 37.5). Memphis is playing at the eighth-fastest pace and is surrendering the ninth-most FanDuel points per game to power forwards (45.3). Things set up well for Lauri.

Andrew Wiggins ($5,500) -- Andrew Wiggins has stunk this year, averaging a putrid 15.1 FanDuel points. But his 22.2% usage rate is actually up from last year's clip of 21.5%, and he's amassed just three total steals/blocks through four games after averaging 2.2 combined steals/blocks per game a year ago. Brighter days are ahead, and the game environment against the Kings is a good one. Plus, Wiggins' bad start should keep the masses away.

Lonnie Walker ($4,600) -- Spencer Dinwiddie exited early last game, and Walker blew up in his absence, producing 37.0 FanDuel points. Dinwiddie is listed as doubtful for tonight, putting Walker in line for a start. That makes Walker a smashing value play. The matchup against the Miami Heat is zero fun, but Walker should get plenty of minutes.

Bigs

Top Plays

Nikola Jokic ($12,100) -- If you want to prioritize Nikola Jokic over Giannis, you won't get much pushback from me even with Jokic's salary $1,300 more than Giannis'. Jokic is facing the Minnesota Timberwolves, a team he bulldozed for 26.2 points, 12.4 boards and 9.0 assists in a five-game series in last season's playoffs. Jokic has played at least 34 minutes in three of four games. He's an elite play.

Domantas Sabonis ($10,100) -- Domantas Sabonis is another way to get exposure to Kings-Warriors. In three regular-season games against Golden State last year, Sabonis posted averages of 21.3 points, 16.7 rebounds and 6.0 assists. He produced 48.5 FanDuel points per 36 minutes without Fox a year ago. He offers a stellar floor/ceiling combination tonight.

Alperen Sengun ($8,200) -- Alperen Sengun checks a lot of boxes for me. The matchup is definitely there as Charlotte has been obliterated by centers so far this year, giving up a league-high 59.2 FanDuel points per game to the position. Sengun flashed his upside two games ago with an outburst of 55.3 FanDuel points, and meh showings in his two other games (31.6 and 35.5 FanDuel points) should help keep him from being too popular today.

Others to Consider

Jaren Jackson Jr. ($8,900) -- It feels like Jaren Jackson Jr. has projected well each time he's been on the slate this year. That's the case again today as he's set to play in one of the better game environments of the night versus Utah. It's a good spot for JJJ -- the Jazz have allowed the 6th-most FanDuel points per game to centers (55.5), including the 13th-most blocks (2.1) and 3rd-most steals (1.5).

Clint Capela ($6,300) -- Coming off a down game (23.5 FanDuel points), Clint Capela might fly under the radar tonight. He's an economical piece from the Hawks-Wizards clash and a modest-salaried way to get in on Atlanta's slate-high 123.5-point implied total. Early on, the Wiz are giving up the sixth-most blocks per night to centers (2.3).

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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.