NBA DFS Picks: FanDuel plays and lineup strategy for Tues., Nov. 15

We’re set for a compact five-game Tuesday night slate, and there are some notable names on the injury report to monitor as the day unfolds. The night shapes up as fairly competitive if spreads are any indication, and only two of the 10 teams in action will be on the second night of a back-to-back.

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Injury Situations to Monitor

NOTE: Injury reporting is especially fluid in the NBA, where the status of multiple players can change during the course of a day. Therefore, although the following serves as a foundation for the latest injury report as of the time the article is written, check back throughout the course of the day with RotoWire for the latest news regarding the status of all players on that night’s slate, including those carrying injury designations that aren’t listed in this section.

Kyrie Irving, BKN (suspension): OUT

In Irving’s ongoing absence, Edmond Sumner should draw another start at point guard.

Zion Williamson, NOP (ankle/foot): QUESTIONABLE

If Williamson is unable to suit up, Naji Marshall and Larry Nance should see the majority of minutes at power forward.

Jusuf Nurkic, POR (thigh): QUESTIONABLE

If Nurkic remains out, Drew Eubanks should continue handling a bulk of center minutes.

Desmond Bane, MEM (toe): DOUBTFUL

In Bane’s likely absence, John Konchar could draw a start at two-guard, and the usage of the remainder of the starting five should see a bump.

Ben Simmons, BKN (knee): QUESTIONABLE

If Simmons is able to return, Royce O’Neale could see a reduction in minutes.

Jaren Jackson, MEM (foot): GTD

If Jackson is able to make his season debut as expected, Santi Aldama should see a reduction in minutes but may be able to remain in the starting five.

Other notable injuries:

Kawhi Leonard, LAC (knee): OUT

John Wall, LAC (injury management): GTD

Seth Curry, BKN (ankle): PROBABLE

Nicolas Claxton, BKN (eye): PROBABLE

Mitchell Robinson, NYK (knee): QUESTIONABLE

Tre Jones, SAN (illness): GTD

Justise Winslow, POR (ankle): QUESTIONABLE

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Elite Players

We have three players with five-figure salaries on Tuesday’s slate: Luka Doncic ($12,400), Kevin Durant ($11,300) and Ja Morant ($10,000).

Doncic put together another elite performance against the Trail Blazers on Saturday night, posting 79.5 FD points to push his season average to 61.6. He’ll come into Tuesday’s matchup against the Clippers with two full days of rest and having scored more than 50 FD points in all but one game thus far.

Durant will continue to be the Nets’ offensive linchpin with Irving’s ongoing absence and has scored 55.3 and 69.4 FD points in two of his last three games.

Morant is expected to take the floor without Desmond Bane, a scenario in which he’s averaging 55.1 FD points per 36 minutes and sports a massive 40.3 percent usage rate. He also comes in with some extra rest after having missed Sunday’s game with an ankle issue.

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Expected Chalk

Other likely chalk plays include:

Domantas Sabonis, SAC ($9,600)

Sabonis should be especially popular after having turned in a 26-point, 22-rebound double-double against the Warriors that netted 61.4 FD points Sunday.

Paul George, LAC ($9,400)

George has seen a nice salary drop from Monday to Tuesday and is coming off having posted 44.1 FD points against the Rockets, his fourth game over 40 in the last six.

Damian Lillard, POR ($9,000)

Lillard went off for 53.4 FD points across 37 minutes against the Mavs on Saturday, his best performance of the season so far and third of over 50.

Lauri Markkanen, UTA ($7,600)

Markkanen has been integral to the Jazz’s surprising start, and despite coming in under 30 FD points in his last pair of games, his season average of 37.8 FD points and slight salary reduction should keep him in plenty of lineups on the small slate.

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Key Values

Dillon Brooks, MEM at NOP ($5,200)

Brooks sports a 28.7 percent usage rate with Bane off the floor and comes in having scored over 20 FD points in six straight, a stretch that includes a pair of tallies over 30. The veteran wing is shooting a career-high 38.5 percent from three-point range as well, and despite Herbert Jones‘ presence, the Pelicans are still allowing the sixth-highest offensive efficiency rating (24.1) to small forwards. Brooks has already demonstrated an ability to deliver more than 5x his current salary on multiple occasions and should have solid chance of replicating that feat with his talented teammate likely sidelined.

Jarred Vanderbilt, UTA vs. NYK ($5,200)

Vanderbilt has been an excellent complementary source of scoring and rebounding early in his Jazz tenure, coming into Tuesday’s game averaging a career-high 8.6 points and complementing that figure with 8.2 rebounds, a career-best 2.7 assists and 1.3 steals. Vanderbilt is averaging 25.8 FD points per game for the season as well, and he’s crossed the 30-mark on four occasions in his first 13 games. The Knicks make for good targets as well, considering they’ve surrendered an Eastern Conference-high 33.4 offensive efficiency rating to power forwards, along with the third-most points (27.2) per game to the position.

Isaiah Hartenstein, NYK at UTA ($4,800)

Hartenstein makes for an intriguing value option on the other side of the Knicks-Jazz matchup, even as his production has been a bit uneven. The big man is coming off tallies of 20.4 and 24.9 FD points in his last two games, and although those were preceded by a pair of underwhelming performances, he’d generated 25.7 to 32 FD points in a five-game stretch immediately prior. Even if Mitchell Robinson were to return in some form Tuesday from his knee issue, Hartenstein should still enjoy a solid role off the bench against a Jazz team that’s surrendering the sixth-highest offensive efficiency rating to centers (33.8) and the 11th-most rebounds per game overall (53.4).

ALSO CONSIDER: Edmond Sumner, BKN at SAC ($4,200)

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Winner of the FSWA 2016 Newcomer of the Year Award, Juan Carlos Blanco has been playing fantasy sports for over 20 years and covers NBA, MLB, NFL, CFL and Arena Football for Rotowire.com, including serving as the beat writer for teams in multiple sports. He has previously written for KFFL.com and remains an avid season-long and daily fantasy player in multiple sports as well.