DFS NBA Full Court Press: FanDuel & DraftKings Main Slate - Jan. 8th, 2022

Main Slate Breakdown for NBA DFS 01/08:

Welcome to another year of the DFS Army NBA Full Court Press! Members had a ton of success using the Full Court Press along with various articles and tools that DFS Army provides last season, so we are glad to be back with another year of the all-inclusive article. You have to start your research somewhere, and oftentimes going game by game and breaking down every matchup and its key players is the first step in our process. My name is Mike aka @MadnessDFS on Twitter, make sure to give me a follow as I’ll occasionally make updates to the advice in the article. But, you’ll mostly find me in our VIP coaching forums where I provide detailed lineup maneuvers and answer all lineup questions. With that said, let’s get it started!

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Milwaukee Bucks @ Charlotte Hornets

Vegas Total: 235.0

Vegas Spread: Cha -1.5

We’ll kick the slate off with the biggest implied total on the slate by about 12 points, so we should be able to find a good amount of fantasy pieces in this one. Starting with Milwaukee, they’ll be without Jrue Holiday, Pat Connaughton, Donte DiVincenzo, and Grayson Allen again here. We saw Giannis Antetokounmpo get the start at point guard last night with Jordan Nwora and Wesley Matthews also in the starting lineup. Giannis had a fine game but nothing overly great for his price tag but gets an elite matchup tonight against a Hornets team that he’s already scored 69.5 DraftKings points on this season. We should expect more ball-handling for Khris Middleton again with Holiday out. He has a 31.4% usage rate and 1.19 fantasy points per minute on the season with Holiday off of the court. Bobby Portis had the big game from the Bucks last night after a stinker against the Raptors the game before. His price hasn’t moved and looks like a great option again against a weak frontcourt. Then we can round this team out with Jordan Nwora as a tournament option, he should continue to see 30+ minutes with how shorthanded the Bucks are and looks to score when he’s in there. From the Hornets, I talked about how Giannis had a big game in this matchup earlier in the season, the same can be said for LaMelo Ball who dropped 64.25 DraftKings points against the Bucks. He looks like a nice option again here as the Bucks defense loses some of its shine with Jrue Holiday out. I still love the price tag on Miles Bridges and will be a guy I get to again here. The minutes have been volatile on him but it’s been due to blowouts, I would expect this one stays relatively close. Terry Rozier is known to be a Bucks killer ever since his Boston days, I have no issue going to him in this game either. Gordon Hayward would be more of a tournament guy for me due to the volatility he can show, but in a game with this kind of implied total, I wouldn’t talk you off of him for going there in cash either. Then we can round the Hornets out with Kelly Oubre Jr. and PJ Washington as GPP options, but definitely a game you’ll want to have some exposure to.

5-star play: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bobby Portis, LaMelo Ball, Miles Bridges (DraftKings)

4-star play: Khris Middleton, Jordan Nwora, Miles Bridges (FanDuel), Terry Rozier, Gordon Hayward

Deeper Value: Wesley Matthews

GPP Sleeper: Wesley Matthews, Kelly Oubre Jr., PJ Washington, Mason Plumlee

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Orlando Magic @ Detroit Pistons

Vegas Total: 212.5

Vegas Spread: Det -2.5

Starting with the Magic, we’re going to need some news from this team before we can really break them down as Cole Anthony, Wendell Carter Jr., and Franz Wagner all come in as questionable. I’ll leave most of this breakdown to the Breaking News Feed, so be sure to check that out as we get more news on this team. From the Pistons, they’re beginning to get healthier as a lot of the guys in health and safety protocols returned last time out, but they’ll still be without Jerami Grant and Kelly Olynyk for sure. We can start with two obvious fades for me again in Hamidou Diallo and Saddiq Bey, they’re just outpriced at the moment so I don’t see myself getting to them even on a short slate. Cade Cunningham isn’t in the best form relative to his price tag but this is a great matchup and we know the upside is there for him, so I don’t mind taking some shots on him in tournaments. Trey Lyles still saw some nice minutes last time out even with Isaiah Stewart returning to the rotation, he’s a fine mid-range play for tournaments. Speaking of Isaiah Stewart, he returned last time out to play 20 minutes which I would expect to come up a bit in this one, but still probably more of a GPP guy until we see those minutes fully come back. I do worry about conditioning for some of these big men as they come back from Covid. Then the rest of this team is mostly tournament plays for me as well, I did have some interest in Killian Hayes last time out and may get some shares of him again tonight. He’s not anywhere near a complete NBA player, but he’s a prospect that they want to get a long look at, so the minutes will be there but the production will be volatile.

5-star play: ORL TBD

4-star play: ORL TBD, Cade Cunningham

Deeper Value: ORL TBD, Killian Hayes

GPP Sleeper: ORL TBD, Trey Lyles, Isaiah Stewart, Killian Hayes, Josh Jackson

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Utah Jazz @ Indiana Pacers

Vegas Total: 222.5

Vegas Spread: Utah -2.5

We’ll start with the Jazz where we’re waiting on an injury report to see who is available but I would expect they’re at least without Rudy Gobert and Joe Ingles as they’re in health and safety protocols. We saw most of this team miss their game last night but was mostly injury-related on guys like Jordan Clarkson, Donovan Mitchell, Mike Conley, etc. I’m going to operate under the assumption that everyone not named Gobert and Ingles will be in and then the Breaking News Feed will take it from there. With Gobert out, I would expect we get Hassan Whiteside starting again, and is going to be an elite value play again on this slate. With Gobert off of the court this season, Whiteside has an 18.7% usage rate and 1.23 fantasy points per minute. The price tag is better on DraftKings, but the minutes will be there to make him viable on all sites. The matchup is nice for Donovan Mitchell and Mike Conley as well, as the Pacers haven’t been able to stop any backcourt’s this season. Then we can label Bojan Bogdanovic, Jordan Clarkson, and Royce O’Neale as more GPP-type players, but could change depending on the injury report. From the Pacers, they’ll be without Caris LeVert for sure but Malcolm Brogdon and Chris Duarte are coming in as questionable so we’ll need news on them. I’ll operate under the assumption that both of these guys are back in the starting lineup for the Pacers here, but obviously, keep an eye on the Breaking News Feed for updates. Domantas Sabonis will lose some usage and production with Brogdon back, but the fact that the Jazz will be without Gobert will benefit him in the paint and looks like a solid option again here. I don’t hate the price tag on Brogdon if you want to go there, I may take a wait-and-see approach on him however as he has a lingering Achilles injury as well. I can’t seem to get Myles Turner right this season but will continue to be a tournament guy as we know the volatility that comes along with him. Then Chris Duarte will look like a nice mid-range option as he should take Caris LeVert’s minutes as he continues to be out.

5-star play: Hassan Whiteside (DraftKings), Donovan Mitchell

4-star play: Hassan Whiteside (FanDuel), Mike Conley, Domantas Sabonis, Malcolm Brogdon, Myles Turner, Chris Duarte

Deeper Value: Utah TBD

GPP Sleeper: Bojan Bogdanovic, Jordan Clarkson, Royce O’Neale, Chris Duarte, Malcolm Brogdon, Myles Turner

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New York Knicks @ Boston Celtics

Vegas Total: 207.5

Vegas Spread: Bos -7.0

Starting with the Knicks, they’ll continue to be without Kemba Walker as Evan Fournier comes in as questionable. Speaking of Fournier, the guy went absolutely bananas against the Celtics last time out, if people are going to chase that outing from him, let them. If he drops 60 fantasy points again I’ll just lose, plain and simple. Julius Randle came back down to Earth last time out but is averaging 48.3 DraftKings points per game in three games against the Celtics this season and looks like a solid option on this slate. RJ Barrett came down to Earth as well but has been good in this matchup too. The price seems about right on him, so more of a secondary option for me here. Alec Burks will continue to benefit from Kemba being out as his minutes become more secure and has at least 31 DraftKings points in two of his last three games and has had his price come down to a more reasonable range. Then guys like Mitchell Robinson and Immanuel Quickley are fine MME-type plays on a shorter slate. From Boston, Jayson Tatum looked great in this matchup last time out going for 65 DraftKings points in 40 minutes of play. I have no issue going right back to him in this one. Jaylen Brown has been great in this matchup this season averaging 47.3 DraftKings points in three games against the Knicks. The price feels high on Robert Williams but he keeps paying it off and the minutes have been more consistent for him with at least 32 minutes in three straight games. Al Horford has been the more volatile piece as of late and would be more of a secondary guy for me again here. Then we can round the Celtics out with Dennis Schroder and Marcus Smart as tournament options in a slow-paced game.

5-star play: Julius Randle, Jayson Tatum

4-star play: RJ Barrett, Alec Burks, Jaylen Brown, Robert Williams, Marcus Smart, Al Horford

Deeper Value: None

GPP Sleeper: Mitchell Robinson, Immanuel Quickley, Evan Fournier, Dennis Schroder

I wanted to give a quick shoutout to VIP member “GhostfaceKillaa” on his $30k win earlier in the season. A pivot to Curry off the chalky Doncic was the key for him, congrats man!

Miami Heat @ Phoenix Suns

Vegas Total: 218.0

Vegas Spread: Pho -8.5

Starting with the Heat, we’ll need some news on them tonight as Jimmy Butler comes into this one as questionable. I’m going to operate under the assumption that he plays, but obviously, keep an eye on that injury report. With Bam Adebayo off of the court this season Butler has a 29.6% usage rate and 1.39 fantasy points per minute and would look like a nice option here. Kyle Lowry was ejected last game so don’t pay much attention to that game log, I have no issue going right back to the well with him but would probably prefer Butler to be out to be really interested. Tyler Herro would be more of a GPP guy but would be firmly in play in all formats if Butler were to miss. Then I’ll continue to go to the Omer Yurtseven well, the guy has been the model of consistency as of late with averaging 39.1 DraftKings points per game in his last 10 games. From the Suns, they should get Deandre Ayton back here after missing a few games with Covid but should be a full go here against a banged-up Miami frontcourt. Chris Paul had a massive game last time out and his price didn’t go up enough, in my opinion, I’ll likely go right back to the well with him tonight. Devin Booker is a solid GPP option but has some volatility relative to this price tag. With Jae Crowder likely back as well, I think we can come off of Cameron Johnson even after a big game last time out. We can actively fade Jalen Smith as well as he should head back to the bench. Then we can round the Suns out with Mikal Bridges as a last type in type piece, he’s going to play good minutes and is about a 0.9 point per minute guy on the season.

5-star play: Jimmy Butler, Chris Paul

4-star play: Kyle Lowry, Tyler Herro, Omer Yurtseven, Devin Booker, Deandre Ayton, Mikal Bridges

Deeper Value: None

GPP Sleeper: Duncan Robinson, Jae Crowder, Cameron Payne

NBA Lock of the Day: Bobby Portis (DK – $6.5k; FD – $5.5k)

Let’s be honest, the lock is Hassan Whiteside on DraftKings but wanted to find a guy we could go to on both sites and that looks like Bobby Portis to me. He had a big night last night and the price just seems too low again here on both sites. With Jrue Holiday off of the court this season, he has a 25.9% usage rate and 1.17 fantasy points per minute and gets a great matchup with a pretty poor Hornets frontcourt. At this point in the day, I would think he makes my core, but check out our VIP Cheat Sheets as we get closer to lock for staff picks on Core plays, 8x locks of the day, and tiers notes as well!

As always, watch Twitter for updates throughout the day, and stay updated in our VIP Coaching forums as news breaks throughout the day!

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