NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer: Nov. 13

We have another week in the books, and it feels like we’re finally in the full swing of things. It always takes a few weeks to adjust to these rotations, but we know how they look now. With that said, it feels like we have new injuries every day, and it’s challenging to navigate through those minefields. The good news is we don’t have too many here, but we only have four games to dissect!

Core Plays

Donovan Mitchell (PG/SG – CLE): $9,300 DraftKings, $10,000 FanDuel

Mitchell has been one of the best guards in the NBA, averaging 29.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 2.3 steals. That’s led to Mitchell scoring at least 38 DraftKings points in every game while maintaining a 50-point average. We love that against Sacramento, surrendering the third-most fantasy points to opposing guards in the NBA last season. That’s on full display since Mitchell has at least 42 DK points in each of their last six meetings!

Scottie Barnes (SF/PF – TOR): $9,000 DraftKings, $9,400 FanDuel

Barnes is one of the breakout players of the year. He took a step back last season after a Rookie of the Year campaign, but he’s stepping into All-Star territory with his recent form. Scottie has scored at least 44 DraftKings points in all but one game this season, generating a 49-point average. That’s what you want from a core play, and we couldn’t ask for a better matchup. Washington ranks 29th in defensive efficiency and last in points allowed!

Cash Game Considerations

Giannis Antetokounmpo (PF/C – MIL): $11,100 DraftKings, $11,400 FanDuel

The Greek Freak got off to a slow start this season, but he’s rolling right now. The former MVP has 69 and 71 DK points in his two most recent outings. This guy has flirted with a 60-point average in the past, and he’ll get to that sooner rather than later. He went off against Chicago in their last matchup, with Antetokounmpo scoring 84 DK points in one of the best showings of his career.

Jayson Tatum (SF/PF – BOS): $10,000 DraftKings, $10,600 FanDuel

Tatum hasn’t had many massive games, but he’s one of the safest bets for 40-50 fantasy points. The perennial All-Star has scored at least 42 DraftKings points in all nine games this season, falling just shy of a 50-point average. That’s the perfect recipe from a cash game player, and it should continue in this matchup. JT has at least 64 DK points in two of his last three meetings with the Knicks!

Dennis Schroder (PG – TOR): $6,600 DraftKings, $6,700 FanDuel

Dennis the Menace was my favorite season-long value coming into the season, and he’s proven to be one of the steals of the draft. The veteran point guard has scored at least 29 DK points in seven of nine games this season, averaging 35 fantasy points per outing. He’s the only point guard on this roster and will be guaranteed 30-35 minutes as the primary ball-handler every game. That makes him impossible to fade against Washington, surrendering the most fantasy points to opposing guards.

GPP Targets

Darius Garland (PG/SG – CLE): $7,200 DraftKings, $7,600 FanDuel

Garland has been slow out of the gates because of some injuries, but he’s too good to be this cheap. DG was $8,000 on both sites throughout most of last season, and he’s finally getting back to a full workload. That led to Garland generating 42 DK points across 36 minutes on Sunday! That’s the sort of upside game we’re looking for, but lines like that will be more common as we advance.

Daniel Gafford (C – WAS): $5,500 DraftKings, $5,800 FanDuel

Gafford has been all over the map regarding consistency, but this per-minute stud is locked into a fantastic opportunity. He’s the only true center on this woeful Washington roster and should be locked into 25-30 minutes a night. This guy has averaged 30-35 DK points per game in that sort of role in the past, and he’s shown flashes of that in the opening weeks. He’s got at least 33 fantasy points in two of his last three outings and should be utilized heavily against a massive Toronto team.

Value Plays

Jrue Holiday (PG – BOS): $6,900 DraftKings, $7,000 FanDuel

It’s strange to see Holiday below $7K. This All-Star has been an $8K player and has performed like that this season. Before a blowout on Saturday, Jrue had 27 DK points in seven straight games while totaling a 37-point average in that span. That’s a godsend from a player in this price range, but it’s no surprise with how he stuffs the stat sheet. New York is not a scary matchup, with Holiday scoring at least 36 fantasy points in their last four meetings.

OG Anunoby (SG/SF – TOR): $6,200 DraftKings, $6,700 FanDuel

Anunoby hasn’t had many upside games, so he’s hovering below $6,000. That alone makes OG a decent value because he’s averaged 30 fantasy points throughout his career. He’s also been playing 35-40 minutes every since his rookie season, and that workload will inevitably raise his price along with some big stat lines. What we love here is that he has the best possible matchup, with Washington ranked last in nearly every defensive metric. That’s awesome since Anunoby accrued 50 DraftKings points in their previous matchup!

Tyus Jones (PG – WAS): $6,000 DraftKings, $6,000 FanDuel

Tyus has gotten off to a rough start in Washington, but will get better once he gets acclimated with these ball-dominant players. We saw Jones average over 30 DK points per game when starting for Ja Morant last season, and he should be looking at a similar role for the Wizards. That means some positive regression is right around the corner, especially since he had 34 DK points in his last game against the Raptors.

Advantageous Pricing

• Derrick White (PG/SG – BOS): $5,900 DraftKings, $6,600 FanDuel
• Donovan Mitchell (PG/SG – CLE): $9,300 DraftKings, $10,000 FanDuel
• Jarrett Allen (C – CLE): $5,700 DraftKings, $6,400 FanDuel