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NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Sleeper Lineup Picks for 12/17/18

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner* 

The NBA will be plenty busy Monday night with eight games on the schedule. The Warriors, Rockets, Thunder, and Sixers are among the teams in action, leaving a ton of elite talent to choose from in DFS. Let’s highlight some cheap value plays at all of the positions to try and help you squeeze a star or two into your lineup. Don’t forget to sign up for our Newsletter and try our Playerlab tool, where you can filter the stats that matter the most and help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.

POINT GUARDS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Sleeper Lineup Picks for 12/17/18

Derrick Rose, MIN vs. SAC
FanDuel = $6,100
DraftKings = $6,300

The Timberwolves didn’t have much of a choice but to trade Jimmy Butler since he no longer wanted to play for the team, but his departure left a huge hole in their offense. Karl-Anthony Towns has seen a significant increase in his usage rate since the trade, but the Timberwolves have also relied on Rose to provide a scoring punch off the bench. He hasn’t let them down and is now averaging 18.7 points and 4.4 assists per game for the season, overall. The Kings play at the second-fastest pace (105.3 possessions per game) in the league, which should help Rose to continue to be productive in this contest.

T.J. McConnell, PHI at SA
FanDuel = $4,300
DraftKings = $3,800

McConnell has seen his playing time decrease to 19 minutes a game this season, but he’s logged at least 21 minutes in nine straight games with Markelle Fultz (neck/shoulder) on the sidelines. His numbers don’t stand out, but McConnell is averaging 9.7 points, 2.9 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.4 steals across 13 games in which he has played at least 20 minutes. Jimmy Butler has dealt with a groin injury of late, but he returned to play 25 minutes on Sunday. With such a quick turnaround Monday, Butler might again receive limited playing time, which could open up even more opportunities for McConnell.

SHOOTING GUARDS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Sleeper Lineup Picks for 12/17/18

Bogdan Bogdanovic, SAC at MIN
FanDuel = $6,100
DraftKings = $5,800

Bogdanovic started in place of Iman Shumpert (hip) on Sunday, which allowed him to log a season-high 37 minutes. He didn’t let the rare starting opportunity go to waste, scoring 15 points to go along with seven rebounds and five assists. If Shumpert can’t play again Monday, expect Bogdanovic to receive another start. Even if Shumpert does play, Bogdanovic is still a viable target since he has logged at least 30 minutes in five straight games.

Langston Galloway, DET vs. MIL
FanDuel = $4,100
DraftKings = $3,400

The Pistons recently received a boost with Stanley Johnson and Reggie Bullock returning from injury, but they are still shorthanded with Ish Smith (groin) and Glenn Robinson III (ankle) on the shelf. Galloway is able to play multiple positions, which has resulted in him averaging 30 minutes across his last five games. With 13.6 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game during that stretch, Galloway should at least be on your radar in tournament play, especially with the Bucks playing at the fifth-fastest pace (103.4).

SMALL FORWARDS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Sleeper Lineup Picks for 12/17/18

Nemanja Bjelica, SAC at MIN
FanDuel = $5,200
DraftKings = $4,400

The Kings drafted who they hope will be the power forward of their future in Marvin Bagley III, but he’s currently sidelined with a knee injury. Bjelica has a clear path to significant playing time during his absence, evident by the fact that he played 35 minutes Sunday. He’s averaged 17.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.5 steals and two blocks across six games in which he has logged at least 30 minutes, making him very hard to pass up at this price.

Jae Crowder, UTA at HOU
FanDuel = $4,200
DraftKings = $4,400

Crowder has mostly come off of the bench this season, but he has started more of late when the Jazz play smaller teams. He actually started when these two teams met less than two weeks ago, finishing with 12 points, five rebounds, two steals, and a block. His upside isn’t all that high, but he is still an intriguing option based on his potential playing time and cheap price on both sites.

POWER FORWARDS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Sleeper Lineup Picks for 12/17/18

Noah Vonleh, NY vs. PHO
FanDuel = $5,500
DraftKings = $5,500

Mitchell Robinson (ankle) did not play Sunday against the Pacers and might not take the floor Monday, either, which could leave Vonleh with a more reliable role. The Knicks constantly changing up their rotations can make things challenging, but Vonleh has averaged 11.5 points, 10 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.2 blocks across 13 games in which he has logged at least 30 minutes. It should also help his cause that the Suns have allowed the seventh-most points per game (112.7) in the league.

Richaun Holmes, PHO at NY
FanDuel = $5,000
DraftKings = $4,000

Being the backup to the top overall pick might not always be ideal, but Holmes has made it work for his fantasy value. Across his last 15 games, he’s averaged 10.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks. His role is solidified with Tyson Chandler now on the Lakers, so he’s worth a look Monday even though his ceiling isn’t that high.

CENTERS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Sleeper Lineup Picks for 12/17/18

Enes Kanter, NY vs. PHO
FanDuel = $7,000
DraftKings = $6,700

Kanter steamrolled a strong defensive team in the Pacers on Sunday for 20 points and 15 rebounds. That marked his fifth double-double over his last seven games, which is especially impressive when you factor in that he logged 26 minutes or fewer in three of those five contests. The Suns allow the third-most FanDuel points per game and the fourth-most DraftKings points per game to opposing centers, so expect them to have a hard time slowing down Kanter.

Brook Lopez, MIL at DET
FanDuel = $5,600
DraftKings = $5,100

It might not have been the sexiest of moves, but the Bucks bringing in Lopez during the offseason has been one of the key reasons for their success. His 2.6 three-pointers per game have provided them with a much-needed ability to stretch the floor, but he’s also helped defensively with 1.8 blocks per contest. They’ll need his size to battle with Andre Drummond in this contest, leaving him with a secure enough minutes floor to warrant considering in tournament play.

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Sleeper Lineup Picks for 11/20/18

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner* 

There’s not a ton of action with just four games in the NBA on Tuesday. That doesn’t leave us with many value play options, but that doesn’t mean there still aren’t some great ones to consider. Here are some players at each position that stand out for the slate. Don’t forget to sign up for our Newsletter and try our Playerlab tool, where you can filter the stats that matter the most and help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.

POINT GUARDS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Sleeper Lineup Picks for 11/20/18

Tyler Johnson, MIA vs. BKN
FanDuel = $5,600
DraftKings = $5,400

The Heat will be without Goran Dragic (knee) on Tuesday, marking the fifth game in which he has missed this season. Across the previous four contests, Johnson averaged 14.5 points, 3.5 assists, and 1.3 steals. The key is that he logged at least 32 minutes in three of those contests. Don’t expect him to start against the Nets, but he’s still likely going to receive enough playing time to be a great option at this price.

D.J. Augustin, ORL vs. TOR
FanDuel = $4,700
DraftKings = $4,300

Augustin has racked up at least seven assists in each of his last three games as he continues to run the point for the Magic. He hasn’t just been stockpiling assists, either, scoring at least 12 points in back-to-back contests. His overall upside is limited based on his 15.5 percent usage rate, but the Magic have little choice but to give him the bulk of the minutes at point guard, making him a viable option for such a small slate.

SHOOTING GUARDS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Sleeper Lineup Picks for 11/20/18

Allonzo Trier, NY vs. POR
FanDuel = $4,200
DraftKings = $4,000

The Knicks are trying anything and everything right now in terms of rotations. In their last game against the Magic, they started Trier, Kevin Knox, Emmanuel Mudiay and Mitchell Robinson alongside Tim Hardaway Jr. It was a disaster, which led to Enes Kanter, Noah Vonleh and Trey Burke logging significant minutes off the bench. Trier only had seven points and two rebounds across his 13 minutes after logging at least 32 minutes in back-to-back contests. He’s shown the ability to score when given the opportunity, making him a risk worth considering at this price.

Wayne Ellington, MIA vs. BKN
FanDuel = $4,200
DraftKings = $4,400

Johnson isn’t the only player on the Heat who has benefited from Dragic missing time this year. In those four games that Dragic was previously unable to play, Johnson scored at least 19 points twice. It’s hard to count on Ellington for much outside of points and steals, but he can get hot in a hurry from behind the arc. The return of Dwyane Wade (personal) does hurt Ellington’s upside some, but he should still receive added playing time.

SMALL FORWARDS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Sleeper Lineup Picks for 11/20/18

Joe Harris, BKN at MIA
FanDuel = $4,700
DraftKings = $4,600

Harris has started all 17 games for the Nets this season, averaging 13.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.2 assists across 29 minutes a game. He’s one of their most lethal three-point shooters, averaging 2.5 a game while shooting 50.6 percent from behind the arc. This could be an opportunity for him to shine against a Heat team that has allowed the third-highest three-point shooting percentage (37.9 percent) in the league.

Jeff Green, WAS vs. LAC
FanDuel = $4,200
DraftKings = $4,200

The Wizards have certainly dug themselves an early hole at 5-11. The locker room appears to be a mess and there are already rumors of them looking to make trades. One player who has quietly performed well is Green, who is averaging 10.4 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. The Wizards could be without Dwight Howard (back) for this game, which would likely force them to play a lot of small lineups. Green would likely see added minutes in that scenario, so keep an eye on Howard’s status leading up to tip-off.

POWER FORWARDS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Sleeper Lineup Picks for 11/20/18

Markieff Morris, WAS vs. LAC
FanDuel = $4,400
DraftKings = $4,900

Another player who would benefit greatly if Howard can’t play is Morris. With Howard sidelined for the first six games of the season, Morris averaged 12.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks. Over nine games since Howard made his debut, Morris has averaged just 7.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 0.3 blocks. Both of these teams are in the top-eight in the league in pace of play, so any added role could provide significant returns for Morris.

Ed Davis, BKN at MIA
FanDuel = $4,000
DraftKings = $3,900

If there is one thing you can count on from Davis, it’s that he’s going to attack the glass. He only averaged 19 minutes a game last year with the Blazers, but still grabbed 7.4 rebounds a night. Despite logging just 17 minutes a game since joining the Nets, he’s actually been even better with 8.3 rebounds per contest. The Nets are going to need Davis to battle with Hassan Whiteside and Bam Adebayo, making him a viable target at this price.

CENTERS

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Sleeper Lineup Picks for 11/20/18

Enes Kanter, NY vs. POR
FanDuel = $6,500
DraftKings = $6,300

Kanter played 38 minutes off the bench Sunday against the Magic, posting 21 points and 19 rebounds. The Knicks continue to play him with their second unit, but they’ve lost five straight, so it’s fair to question why he isn’t starting. Luckily, his 25.9 percent usage rate off the bench has still enabled him to average 15 points and 12.1 rebounds per game in that role. Look for him to at least be a double-double threat again Tuesday.

Mitchell Robinson, NY vs. POR
FanDuel = $4,200
DraftKings = $3,600

Robinson is certainly someone you only want to consider in tournament play. Even then, he’s awfully risky. He had five fouls in just nine minutes against the Magic, leaving him with 14 fouls across his last three games. His offensive game is still very raw, but he can pile up rebounds and blocks in a hurry due to his athleticism. With so few quality cheap centers on the board, Robinson should at least be in the discussion if you want to save money at the position.