NBA Fantasy Picks Today: DraftKings & FanDuel Fantasy Basketball Rankings

There is a fantastic nine-game NBA fantasy slate tonight. With that, NBA DFS injury news will be a big part of tonight’s process. Be sure to check the Awesemo NBA Starting Lineups page to see who is in, who is out and who is starting as news breaks, and look at the NBA DFS rankings and projections before making your NBA fantasy picks today for DraftKings and FanDuel lineups.

DraftKings & FanDuel NBA Fantasy Rankings Today

*Grades are ordered DraftKings, FanDuel. Initial grade indicates a player’s strength of output, with the value grade indicating their strength as a play in relation to their salary.

SG Jordan Poole — Grades: C, C | Values: A, A

The Warriors have fallen back down to Earth, losing four of their last five games, with all four losses coming on the road. They stay on the road tonight against the Bulls, who have the best record in the Eastern Conference. Not only have the Warriors been struggling lately, but tonight they are without Draymond Green, Klay Thompson and Gary Payton II. Jordan Poole will likely move back into the starting lineup and play a key role in this matchup. Awesemo projects Poole to be the best value play on DraftKings tonight, where he also has the highest ownership on the slate (35.2%).

Poole has been struggling to find his shot lately. Over the past five game, he is averaging 10.4 points per game while shooting 32.7% from the field and 21.9% from behind the arc. During that time he has failed to score over 25 DraftKings points. This matchup against the Bulls is pretty difficult for opposing guards. They only allow 31.9 3-point attempts per game, which ranks third in the league. However, with the Warriors’ injuries Poole will play heavy minutes, and he has the second-highest usage rate on the team, behind Stephen Curry. There is some risk here, but Poole will get many opportunities.

C Christian Wood — Grades: A, B | Values: B, A

The matchup between the Rockets and Kings features the highest total on the slate by a wide margin (239 points). The next closest is 223 points. If looking to stack up a game tonight, this is the one. Start with Rockets center Christian Wood, who is in an amazing spot. The Kings rank 27th in defensive rating this season, while they have allowed a league-high 52.4 points in the paint. They also really struggle on the glass, where they rank 25th in rebound rate. Wood is averaging a double-double for the first time in his career, with 17.2 points and 10 rebounds per game.

Picking the right game in which Wood shows up has been difficult. Especially over the past five games, Wood has been a bit of a roller coaster. He has three games in which he scored over 42 DraftKings points and two games where he scored under 30 DraftKings points. Using Awesemo’s Boom/Bust Tool, Wood has the highest boom percentage on DraftKings and the fifth highest on FanDuel. He is the first piece for this very exciting, up-tempo game.

PG LaMelo Ball — Grades: A, A | Values: B, A

The best pay-up option on the slate tonight is LaMelo Ball. Awesemo’s NBA DFS Rankings have Ball as the best option on the slate for both sites, but especially FanDuel. Similar to Wood, Ball has been a roller coaster all season. He has triple-double upside, but he also has games where he disappears and defers to his teammates. He makes for an incredible tournament play, and his salary has dipped enough for cash games. Ball leads the Hornets in rebounds, assists and steals.

The Hornets are 11-point home favorites against the Magic, who rank 25th in defensive rating this season. They will have a tough time with Ball and the Hornets in the open court tonight. The Hornets come in with the second-fastest pace, and they lead the league in transition points per game (24.2). The Hornets love to push the pace, and Ball is a big part of that. The Hornets have the biggest spread on the slate, which presents potential blowout risk, but Ball should still be able to put up a respectable line even if this game got out of hand. The price tag is simply too low for his upside.

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C Onyeka Okongwu — Grades: C, A | Values: C, A

Awesemo projects Onyeka Okongwu to be the best value on FanDuel, and it is not particularly close. With Wood being power forward eligible, there is no need to worry about deciding on one or the other. Okongwu also has the highest boom percentage on FanDuel, while he is coming in the optimal lineup third most (28.9%). He is a fantastic value option tonight.

The Hawks will be playing without Clint Capela, which will give Okongwu another start. In the four games that Okongwu has started without Capela, he is averaging 9 points, eight rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game. During that time he is playing 28.7 minutes per game, and he projects to play near the same tonight. Despite this being a more difficult matchup against the Heat, Okongwu still has the upside to post a double-double.

SF Harrison Barnes — Grades: B, C | Values: B, A

It makes sense to target the Kings due to this great matchup, and Awesemo projects Harrison Barnes as the best value for both sites for the Kings. Ownership projections have Barnes as the second-most owned player on DraftKings and the seventh most on FanDuel for the slate. Barnes’ mid-range salary is a big reason he is popping so well.

The Kings have the highest implied total on the slate, at a ridiculous 121.75 points. They are only favored by 5 points at home against the Rockets. Anyone who plays the Rockets knows it is a stat-stuffing night. The Rockets rank 29th in defensive rating, and they allow a league-high 116.6 points per game. Their opponents shoot 46.9% from the field and 36.9% from downtown. Barnes has torched opponents from behind the arc this season, averaging a career-high 42.5% while making 2.1 3-pointers per game. He is a key piece to the Kings, who are in the best matchup on the slate.

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