NBA DFS Picks: FanDuel Plays and Lineup Strategy for Sunday, January 8

NBA DFS Picks: FanDuel Plays and Lineup Strategy for Sunday, January 8

This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.

FanDuel's Sunday main slate tips off at 6:00 p.m. EST with six games to enjoy after the NFL season draws to a close.

SLATE OVERVIEW

For the latest spreads and over-unders, visit RotoWire's NBA Odds page. There, you can also find player props, futures, picks articles and sportsbook bonus codes.

Even though the projected total of the game isn't tops on the slate, we took a lot of Mavs against the Thunder. Spots where we may have skimped a bit include Atlanta against the Clippers and Minnesota against the Rockets. You can find options beyond what we've mentioned on both squads. 

INJURIES

For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report.  Below are some of the most recent and relevant injuries on today's slate. Keep in mind that this is not a complete list. Use your best judgment for long-term and ongoing injury scenarios.

MIA Bam Adebayo (thigh) - QUESTIONABLE

MIA Tyler Herro (back) - QUESTIONABLE

Adebayo had a great performance against Phoenix, but must have picked up the injury during the game and very little is known about its extent. We're equally in the dark about Herro's preparedness, but Orlando Robinson ($4,000) would be your pivot for Bam. If Herro misses, I've become enamored with Victor Oladipo's ($5,300) potential, and it will only be magnified if the former is out.

MEM Ja Morant (thigh) - QUESTIONABLE

MEM Steven Adams (illness) - QUESTIONABLE

This is the exact spot where Tyus Jones ($5,000) could explode if Morant can't go. Adams could be back. And with Brandon Clarke also out, Xavier Tillman would start if Adams' tag holds.

OKC Aleksej Pokusevski (leg) - OUT

This is an ongoing injury that I wouldn't normally mention, but I'm using it to highlight Jalen Williams' ($6,000) production valve opening up, and his salary rising along with it. We would be wise to take advantage of Williams while he's still this reasonable.

MIN Anthony Edwards (hip) - QUESTIONABLE

No one on the squad would be able to fully absorb Edwards' production, but I expect D'Angelo Russell ($7,0000) to do a lot of the heavy lifting. A direct pivot is more difficult to pin down, but I would lay some exposure on Jaylen Nowell ($5,000) if Edwards sits as expected.

LAC Paul George (hamstring) - QUESTIONABLE

If George misses out again, my money is on Norman Powell ($5,500) as the best pivot candidate.

PHO Chris Paul (hip) - QUESTIONABLE

PHO Cameron Johnson (knee) - QUESTIONABLE

PHO Devin Booker (groin) - OUT

PHO Cameron Payne (foot) - OUT

Paul exited early during Friday's loss, and his name is now added to Phoenix's lengthy injury list. If Paul is out, the team will likely give Duane Washington ($4,000) the first crack at the point, and Torrey Craig ($5,100) should pitch in if Johnson remains sidelined.

CLE Darius Garland (thumb) - QUESTIONABLE

CLE Donovan Mitchell - PROBABLE

Depending on when you sign in, you may still see a questionable tag for Mitchell. But unless there's breaking news, he should play. Garland gave it a try with his thumb in the previous game, but a return is currently up in the air. Keep your ear to the ground if you plan on utilizing these players against the short-handed Suns.

ELITE PLAYERS

We have enough value on the slate to make room for a few elites, and you can't get much better than Luka Doncic ($12,500) against the Thunder. We currently have him projected at 57 FDFP, but he could easily go north of that number. The pace of the game is a bit concerning, but it's hard to ignore the Nets of late. Kevin Durant ($10,800) and Kyrie Irving ($8,800) remain as relevant as ever and hold steady at their current salaries. 

We have injury concerns that we've already addressed throughout the upper echelon of the player pool, but there are still some players in the 8k range we can roster with confidence. I prefer the slightly cheaper Dejounte Murray ($8,500) over Trae Young against the Clippers. On the other end of this matchup, I will give exposure to Kawhi Leonard ($8,600) if George doesn't play despite his recent salary increase.

We have to round out the elites by giving some love to Lauri Markkanen ($8,400), who keeps dazzling us with stellar stat lines. His output gives the Jazz a chance to upend the red-hot Grizzlies.

EXPECTED CHALK AND OTHER TARGETS

Jaren Jackson ($7,300) and Dillon Brooks ($5,500), MEM vs. UTA

Brooks belongs in the value section, but it made sense to group the two together in the event of a Ja Morant absence. We should expect a spike in usage and a production boost from both players if Morant sits - especially from Brooks, who tends to excel when the premier guard is off the floor.

Onyeka Okongwu, ATL ($6,200) @ LAC

Okongwu continues to be a solid contributor amid Clint Capela's absence. This might not be the best matchup for the big man, but at this salary he doesn't need to do much to make an impact. If the Clippers are without Paul George, Okongwu will need to amp up the defense as LA look to gain the upper hand in the interior. It could be a rough night against Ivica Zubac, but we've seen Okongwu do well against the likes of Draymond Green and Nikola Vucevic recently.

Mikal Bridges, PHO ($6,100) vs. CLE

The Suns just took on Cleveland, and Bridges performed well with 32 FDFP. We should have seen a little more from him during the team's slew of absences, but the recent addition of Chris Paul to the injury report should result in a usage boost for the wingman if the tag holds. Thanks to decent secondary numbers, Bridges has a very reliable floor and won't hurt you at this salary.

Spencer Dinwiddie, DAL ($6,000) @ OKC

Maybe stacking Doncic and Dinwiddie isn't the smartest idea in most scenarios, but I have no problem with it against the Thunder. Dinwiddie scorched Oklahoma City for 40 FDFP in the previous matchup, and he did it alongside a 60-FDFP night from Doncic. Is this a good combo or what?

Also consider: Jordan Clarkson, UTA ($6,900) @ MEM

VALUE PLAYS

Don't forget about the values we mined in the injury section, with Victor Oladipo, Norman Powell and D'Angelo Russell some of my favorite plays of the day - so be sure to give the section a second look.

Tim Hardaway, DAL ($5,400) @ OKC

What can I say? I love this matchup. Granted, the Thunder's backcourt is healthy. And though Jalen Williams is heating things up, Dallas's defense should win the day here. Hardaway is always a good defender, and his recent streak of scoring makes him a very viable fantasy candidate. Even with big nights from Doncic and Dinwiddie, Hardaway found 32 FDFP against the Thunder last month.

Jabari Smith, HOU ($5,000) vs. MIN

The potential absence of Anthony Edwards compels me to look Smith's way despite leaving Kevin Porter and Jalen Green off the list. I expect both guards to have decent games, but their salaries were a bit too high for me. Smith is valued appropriately and is a great salary saver even though the rookie carries a lot of variance. He's only slottable at PF, which is a minor handicap.

Mike Muscala, OKC ($3,900) vs. DAL

Our options at center are a little thin, and although this is a punt play of the highest order, it's worth noting Muscala has recently started at center for the Thunder. I wouldn't object to him if you desperately needed salary relief, but he's far from a certainty. Since I faded other centers that are more popular, I felt obliged to add Muscala as an option despite some skepticism.

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jeff Edgerton
Jeff has provided sports content for numerous sports outlets and has played fantasy sports since scores had to be tabulated via newspaper. He started working with RotoWire in 2017. Originally from South Carolina, he's a lifelong Clemson fan now enjoying the sun in Los Angeles.
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