NBA DFS Picks: FanDuel Plays and Lineup Strategy for Monday, January 9

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Published on January 9, 2023

FanDuel's main slate for Monday consists of six games and will tip off at 7:00 p.m. EST. Let's kick off our endorsements for the evening!

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.

After combing through our selections, I would circle back to the Lakers Nuggets game, which has the highest O/U of the evening. The usual suspects should have good totals, although most did not make our initial list. The Kings and Celtics are two other teams that warrant deeper mining.

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.

NOP Zion Williamson (hamstring) - OUT
NOP Brandon Ingram (toe) - OUT

There won't be movement for Williamson anytime soon, and Ingram's absences continue to rack up. Still, the Pelicans have had success filling in the gaps with production from Naji Marshall ($5,000) and Herbert Jones ($5,600).

WAS Bradley Beal (hamstring) - OUT

I don't have much confidence in Beal's direct pivots, but we'll identify alternatives for the Wizards later in the article.

BOS Marcus Smart (knee) - DOUBTFUL

Malcolm Brogdon ($5,800) and Derrick White ($5,400) have both been quite effective recently in relief, Either guard is worth considering as a pivot for the Celtics.

NYK RJ Barrett (finger) - DOUBTFUL

We identified Jalen Brunson ($8,000) as the top contributor in Barrett's absence last week, and he delivered in spades for us. If Barrett is out as expected, Brunson should continue to see a production spike.

SAS Keldon Johnson (hamstring) - QUESTIONABLE
SAS Devin Vassell (knee) - OUT
SAS Jakob Poeltl (Achilles) - PROBABLE

I am probably steering clear of the Spurs tonight, For salary relief, Josh Richardson ($4,000) would be fine with me if Johnson's tag holds.

MEM Ja Morant (thigh) - QUESTIONABLE
MEM Steven Adams (illness) - QUESTIONABLE

We have no immediate news about these tags, but Sunday's split was intriguing. Jaren Jackson ($7,600) blew up as expected, but Desmond Bane ($6,700) went off and torpedoed our endorsement for Dillon Brooks. Bane and Tyus Jones ($5,200) will work well if Morant is absent, and Jackson warrants consideration if Adams is out.

ELITE PLAYERS

You can probably get away with fielding only one elite on Monday's slate, and based on the matchups, Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,800) and Nikola Jokic ($11,400) are excellent options. For $1k less, you're going to get exemplary production from Domantas Sabonis ($10,400) against Orlando. Although you can never completely fade Jokic, the Lakers are humming with a five-game winning streak and Thomas Bryant is playing well in the paint. I'm honestly not moved by much else above $8k tonight. Your usual elites will be fine, but I don't see anyone beating value at their respective salaries.

Also consider: DeMar DeRozan, CHI ($8,700) @ BOS

EXPECTED CHALK AND OTHER TARGETS

Paolo Banchero, ORL ($7,900) @ SAC

Back in November, Banchero tossed up a 33/16/4 line against the Kings, which is enough to make me believe in the rookie in this setup. Although the Kings are having a breakout year, their defense against Banchero's position is only slightly above average.

Kyle Kuzma, WAS ($7,500) @ SAC

Kuzma had two inefficient games against the Pelicans earlier this season, but New Orleans had all of their playmakers in both games. Things should be a bit easier for Kuzma this time around, and the added wrinkle of Bradley Beal's absence will continue to benefit his bottom line.

Bobby Portis, MIL ($5,500) @ NYK

Portis has secured double-doubles in two games against the Knicks this season, and you can't beat his recent totals. Over the past six games, he's averaged close to 40 FDFP per game, and has double-doubled in all six contests. The continued absence of Khris Middleton should keep Portis' production going Monday.

Mitchell Robinson, NYK ($6,200) vs. MIL

People will remember Robinson's huge 15/20 double-double against the Bucks back in November, and I think Julius Randle is a tad too expensive opposite Giannis. Robinson had Brook Lopez's number last time around, and he is definitely cheap enough to consider after a recent salary dip.

VALUE PLAYS

Refer back to the Injuries section for our best value plays. Below are some bargain-basement selections worth considering for Monday.

SF/PF Patrick Williams, BOS ($5,200)
PG/SG Dennis Schroder, LAL ($5,800)
SF Malaki Branham, SAS ($4,200)

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.