Written By: Ryan Humphries on Twitter & LineStar chat @Ryan_Humphries

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NBA DFS & Props Shows w/ Tyler & Shannon 

DFS Main Slate Rundown 📰

The two-game opening night slate was a bit of a snooze from a viewing perspective (unless you’re a Celtics or Lakers fan), but the NBA season truly gets underway tonight with a hefty 10-game slate on the board! It was a fairly busy off-season, and we’ve got plenty of well-known faces playing in new places, so here’s a gentle reminder to be aware of early-season NBA volatility as rotations, minutes allocations, and usage distributions become established. Some teams will roll out a nearly identical lineup/rotation as last season, but many will not. Things are going to be hectic today so let’s jump right into the chaos. Best of luck!

Today’s Key Injuries

• Pacers: I. Jackson - Questionable

• Pistons: A. Thompson - OUT, B. Klintman - OUT

• Nets: D. Sharpe - OUT, B. Bogdanovic - OUT, T. Watford - OUT

• Hawks: K. Bufkin - OUT, C. Zeller - OUT, D. Barlow - OUT, S. Lundy - OUT

• Cavs: M. Strus - OUT, E. Bates - OUT

• Raptors: RJ Barrett - OUT, K. Olynyk - OUT, B. Brown - OUT, J. Walter - OUT

• Magic: None

• Heat: J. Richardson - OUT

• Bucks: G. Antetokounmpo - Probable, K. Middleton - OUT

• 76ers: J. Embiid - OUT, P. George - OUT

• Hornets: M. Williams - OUT, J. Green - Questionable, D. Jeffries - OUT

• Rockets: S. Adams - Questionable

• Bulls: None

• Pelicans: D. Murray - Questionable, Z. Williamson - Questionable, T. Murphy III - OUT, J. Alvarado - Questionable

• Grizzlies: J. Jackson Jr. - OUT, V. Williams Jr. - OUT, G. Jackson - OUT, L. Kennard - OUT, C. Spencer - OUT

• Jazz: I. Collier - OUT, J. Juzang - OUT

• Suns: G. Allen - Probable, J. Okogie - OUT, D. Lee - Probable

• Clippers: K. Leonard - OUT, PJ Tucker - OUT (no longer w/ team), M. Bamba - OUT

• Warriors: None

• Trailblazers: S. Sharpe - OUT, R. Williams - OUT, M. Thybulle - OUT

Main Slate Match-Ups w/ Game Totals & Point Spreads

Top DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Plays

Note: NBA position designations are never going to perfectly align between the major DFS sites. For the purposes of these newsletters, positional designations will default to DraftKings.

Point Guards/Shooting Guards to Consider 🏀

PG James Harden, LAC | DK: $9.2k, FD: $9.3k | vs. PHX

A 10-game slate is going to be deep at every position, but the guard is arguably the deepest today. It’ll be interesting to see how James Harden fares in his age-35 season, but there is no question that he should be the primary scorer AND facilitator for a Clippers offense that is short on star power. Harden posted low (by his standards) 20.6% USG% and 16.6 PPG averages last season, which were his lowest marks since the 2011-12 season -- his third year in the league. With Kawhi Leonard (knee) sidelined indefinitely to start this season and Paul George (also injured) now a member of the 76ers, Harden is going to be [presumably] starting next to the likes of Norman Powell, Terance Mann, Derrick Jones Jr., and Ivica Zubac. Over the last two seasons with Leonard and George off the floor, Harden has seen per 32-minute boosts of +4.35% USG%, +6.54 FP, and +7.23 PPG. The Clippers open up the season at home against a better Suns starting five, but they are only 4.5-point underdogs, so the books believe Harden and the Clippers can be competitive here. There’s at least some chance that Harden can turn back the clock and put up numbers akin to his days in Houston.

PG Immanuel Quickley, TOR | DK: $7.2k, FD: $7.9k | vs. CLE

Quickley enters into his fifth NBA season, but it will be his first where he’ll begin the season as a full-time starter. Quickley has always been a strong per-minute fantasy scorer, but playing time was the primary hurdle. Now that he’s locked in as the Raptors’ starting point guard, we know that we can expect mid-30s minutes out of him most nights. Quickley averaged 1.13 FPPM last season after he was traded from the Knicks to the Raptors and he was up to 1.28 FPPM over his final 20 starts. The Raptors will open this season without the services of RJ Barrett (shoulder), Kelly Olynyk (back), and Bruce Brown (knee), so the bulk of the usage will fall to Quickley, Scottie Barnes, and Jakob Poeltl with Quickley owning a large slice of the pie. Quickley also has plenty of points/assists double-double upside after averaging 8.5 APG L20Starts -- in his lone preseason game, Quickley racked up 10 assists in just under 24 minutes played. It’s perhaps not an ideal spot as the Raptors (+6.5) will open up at home against the slow-paced Cavs, but Cleveland also took a step back defensively a season ago, ranking mid-pack at 16th in defensive rating. Overall, Quickley brings plenty of upside to DFS lineups out of the $7k range on both sites.

SG Collin Sexton, UTA | DK: $6.1k, FD: $6.7k | vs. MEM

Sexton was a DFS mainstay for much of last season, particularly when he became a routine starter for the Jazz. Sexton averaged a sharp 1.18 FPPM in the 2023-24 season while shooting 39.4% from three-point range. Scoring is Sexton’s main skill but he also provides solid assists from the shooting guard position and proved that he can still put up excellent numbers while sharing the court with guys like Lauri Markkanen and Keyonte George. This game between the Grizzlies and Jazz (+2.5) also features one of the closer spreads on the slate so starters should be expected to play big minutes today. If Sexton is out there for 35+ minutes, he should easily pay off at these price points.

Other Guards to Consider

PG Ja Morant, MEM | DK: $9.5k, FD: $9.4k | at UTA

PG Tyrese Maxey, PHI | DK: $9k, FD: $9.6k | vs. MIL

PG LaMelo Ball, CHA | DK: $8.8k, FD: $9.7k | at HOU

PG Cade Cunningham, DET | DK: $8.6k, FD: $8.7k | vs. IND

PG Steph Curry, GSW | DK: $8.5k, FD: $8.4k | at POR

PG Fred VanVleet, HOU | DK: $7.4k, FD: $8k | vs. CHA

SG/SF Zach LaVine, CHI | DK: $7.3k, FD: $7.5k | at NOP

PG/SG CJ McCollum, NOP | DK: $6.9k, FD: $7.1k | vs. CHI

PG/SG Jaden Ivey, DET | DK: $6k, FD: $5.9k | vs. IND

PG/SG Brandin Podziemski, GSW | DK: $5k, FD: $5.2k | at POR

SG/SF Gradey Dick, TOR | DK: $4.7k, FD: $4.8k | vs. CLE

SG/SF John Konchar, MEM | DK: $3.3k, FD: $3.9k | at UTA

Small Forwards/Power Forwards to Consider 🏀

PF/C Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL | DK: $11k, FD: $11.6k | at PHI

Giannis is the only player on both DK and FD with a five-figure price tag, but he’s truly in a league of his own on this slate, with no one else coming close to the sort of ceiling he can provide. That alone put him on the DFS radar even if it means that you’ll have to take on multiple punts to fit him into lineups. He averaged an excellent 1.69 FPPM a season ago and should find plenty of success against a 76ers team that is thin in the frontcourt (no Embiid or Paul George). After being forced to miss the entirety of last season’s playoffs, Giannis should head into this season with plenty of motivation to get the Bucks back to being a championship contender. Giannis looked as dominant as ever in his two preseason games where he averaged 22.0 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 3.0 APG, and 1.0 BLK/gm in just 21.5 Min/gm. He is dealing with some knee tendinitis but is officially listed as “probable” and it isn’t something that is expected to hinder his on-court ability or be a long-term issue.

SF/PF Lauri Markkanen, UTA | DK: $7.5k, FD: $7.8k | vs. MEM

I don’t mind these sub-$8k price points on Markkanen one bit considering he routinely went for 50+ FP when healthy last season while averaging a stout 1.23 FPPM -- at home, his production saw a notable uptick to 1.27 FPPM. Markkanen also shot a sharp 41.9% from 3P range at home last season and the Grizzlies allowed the 4th highest 3P% to opposing teams in 2023-24. Between injuries and the Jazz tanking down the stretch last season, Markkanen’s fantasy outputs became a bit inconsistent, but those are two negative factors that we won’t need to stress about for the time being.

PF/C Guerschon Yabusele, PHI | DK: $3k, FD: $3.9k | vs. MIL

If we’re going to fit someone like Giannis into lineups, we’ll need some cheap-o plays and Guerschon Yabusele is at the very least an intriguing value option on this slate. Yabusele was the 16th overall pick by the Celtics way back in the 2016 NBA draft. He never really found his footing in the NBA, playing in 74 games on just 6.6 Min/gm across two seasons with the Celtics. Yabusele has since spent his time playing overseas but the 28-year-old now looks to make an impact in a return to the NBA. Yabusele operated as the backup center to Andre Drummond (who is, of course, the backup to the injured Joel Embiid) in the preseason, and, across six games, he averaged 9.0 PPG (57.6% FG%), including 44.4% 3P% and 88.9% FT%, along with 5.0 RPG, 1.8 APG, and 1.7 STL+BLK/gm across 17.9 Min/gm. If Yabusele continues to serve as the backup center to Drummond while Joel Embiid remains out, he could come close to around 20 minutes/gm, which would be plenty of time for him to pay off these bottom-of-the-barrel DFS prices. While his main role should be at center, Yabusele is power forward eligible on both sites.

Other Forwards to Consider

PF Scottie Barnes, TOR | DK: $8.9k, FD: $8.9k | vs. CLE

PF Zion Williamson, NOP | DK: $8.1k, FD: $8.6k | vs. CHI (Currently questionable)

SF/SG Kelly Oubre Jr., PHI | DK: $6.4k, FD: $6.4k | vs. MIL

PF Jerami Grant, POR | DK: $6.3k, FD: $6.5k | vs. GSW

SF/SG Norman Powell, LAC | DK: $5.8k, FD: $5.1k | vs. PHX

SF/PF Cameron Johnson, BKN | DK: $5.5k, FD: $5.6k | at ATL

SF/SG Gary Trent Jr., MIL | DK: $5.2k, FD: $4.5k | at PHI

PF/C Santi Aldama, MEM | DK: $5k, FD: $5.8k | at UTA

PF Nikola Jovic, MIA | DK: $4.1k, FD: $5.1k | vs. ORL

PF Jabari Walker, POR | DK: $3.3k, FD: $4.8k | vs. GSW (DK Preferred)

SF/PF Ziaire Williams, BKN | DK: $3k, FD: $3.8k | at ATL

Centers to Consider 🏀

C Andre Drummond, PHI | DK: $7k, FD: $8k | vs. MIL

With Embiid on the mend once again, Drummond will enter this season as the 76ers’ interim starting center. Some may be hesitant to pay these sorts of salaries for a “backup center” but Drummond has a long track record of being an elite DFS option when given the minutes. He averaged a superb 1.38 FPPM across 78 games a season ago and routinely smashed when he was given a start (10 starts in 2023-24). It didn’t include any starts, but in four match-ups with the Bucks last season, Drummond got up to 1.59 FPPM. Drummond is a rebound machine, and in just 20.4 Min/gm over five preseason games, he racked up 12.4 RPG to go along with 9.0 PPG and 2.8 STL+BLK/gm. He should probably be in line for around 32 minutes tonight, in which case he’d be a virtual lock for a double-double and would comfortably return value even though he is priced up a bit. Drummond will be fairly chalky, but if he goes off for 50+ FP, you’ll regret fading him in a hurry!

C Nick Richards, CHA | DK: $4k, FD: $5.5k | at HOU

Richards handled plenty of starts last season, 51 to be exact, in place of the oft-injured Mark Williams. Williams (foot/out) will remain out of Charlotte’s lineup for the foreseeable future so, with very little center competition on the Hornets’ roster, Richards is once again expected to resume starting responsibilities. Richards averaged a respectable 0.91 FPPM across 26.2 Min/gm in 2023-24. He was solid in the preseason as well, averaging 7.0 PPG, 7.0 RPG, and 1.2 BLK/gm in 17.8 Min/gm. Considering he could play nearly double the minutes he averaged in preseason, Richards is a pretty easy value target on this slate -- especially at a flat $4,000 on DraftKings.

Other Centers to Consider

C Alperen Sengun, HOU | DK: $8.6k, FD: $8.6k | vs. CHA

C Nikola Vucevic, CHI | DK: $8.3k, FD: $8.1k | at NOP

C Deandre Ayton, POR | DK: $7.4k, FD: $7k | vs. GSW

C Zach Edey, MEM | DK: $6.2k, FD: $5.3k | at UTA

C Traycee Jackson-Davis, GSW | DK: $4.9k, FD: $4.7k | at POR

C Brandon Clarke, MEM | DK: $3.7k, FD: $4.4k | at UTA

PrizePicks NBA Power Play of the Day ⚡

Here is a two-pick “Power Play” I’m liking for today's NBA action over on PrizePicks! Nothing is ever a guarantee to hit but I put my own money on these bets so I don't just lightly throw these out there without believing they'll cash! If it hits, it will return 3x the wager.

Andre Drummond MORE than 34.0 Fantasy Score

James Harden MORE than 44.0 Fantasy Score

🔥 Props AI 🔥

In LineStar’s ongoing mission to improve, innovate, and help you reel in some cash, we are introducing Props AI for NBA – available for LineStar Premium users! This tool can help you find value and mispriced odds on player props from sportsbooks and, more specifically, for PrizePicks and UnderDog Fantasy!

Speaking of props, put the Props AI tool to use by signing up for PrizePicks (Promo code: LINESTAR) or Underdog (Promo code: LINESTAR). You'll receive a 100% match on first deposits up to $100 PLUS a free month subscription to LineStar Premium. Many people may not realize that you can legally place prop bets in most states using UnderDog (or PrizePicks) – it’s called Pick'Em, and it’s incredibly easy.

That will wrap us up with today’s “Daily Dribble” edition! Once again, you can find me on Twitter or in LineStar chat @Ryan_Humphries. Good luck everyone!