The NBA season is in full swing, and that means loaded DFS slates for the weekends. It’s time for weekly Sunday picks. I’ll give you a stud play, a value play, and a player to fade for each position so you can piece together your ideal lineup.
For Sunday, Nov. 23rd, we will be using the NBA $150K Fadeaway [$50K to 1st] DFS pool. Now, let’s dig into the picks!
Point Guard
Stud: James Harden (LAC), $10,300
It’s a stacked point guard slate on Sunday. Luka Doncic and SGA are the headliners for good reason, but their presence pushes one-man offense James Harden down the board. After dropping 55 points on the Hornets in Saturday’s win, I expect the Beard to be raring to go against the Cavs. He’s matchup-proof at this point; roll with him and reap the rewards.
Value: Darius Garland (CLE), $6,200
The reverse side of this Clippers game is how bad LA’s defense is. Harden himself is a traffic cone as usual, and with Derrick Jones Jr. out, they don’t have the depth of defenders needed to handle Cleveland’s backcourt. Assuming that Donovan Mitchell gets the Kris Dunn matchup, that leaves Garland to cook. He provides strong value with a bang-on average price.
Fade: Derrick White (BOS), $7,400
Sooner or later, Derrick White will get his shot back. Uncharacteristically, White is shooting career lows from inside and outside the arc. It’s not a confidence issue; he needs to find his touch. But I doubt it’ll happen against Orlando. Jalen Suggs is a tough assignment, and the Magic have a strong team defense. Don’t count on White in your lineups at this price, even with his blocks-plus-steals production.
Shooting Guard
Stud: Brandon Ingram (TOR), $7,500
Hammering the Brooklyn Nets’ defense is always a good call for DFS. They’re on pace to be one of the worst defenses in NBA history. It’s a great spot for a Raptors team brimming with confidence and full of offensive talent. Brandon Ingram has a great scoring floor, provides some assists, and can get a few steals or blocks. He’s a strong play at this price point — a price that should be a few hundred dollars higher.
Value: Anthony Black (ORL), $4,900
Boston’s bench-unit defense has been brutal. Anfernee Simons, by himself, drags down their floor significantly. When you toss Luka Garza out there as well, it gets worse. Enter Anthony Black, who is quietly taking another step forward offensively. He should feast on the drive against this porous bench group and provide a lot of defensive upside.
Fade: Desmond Bane (ORL), $7,700
Desmond Bane, however, doesn’t have the luxury of facing Boston’s bench. He’ll be chased around by Derrick White, one of the best defensive guards in the league. They’re also going to have Jaylen Brown and Jordan Walsh out there, two strong defenders in their own right. His shooting does give him a lot of floor, but I’m not confident enough to play him as the third-highest priced shooting guard on the board.
Small Forward
Stud: Michael Porter Jr. (BKN), $8,100
We all know that Michael Porter Jr. can score. He’s averaged 17.5 points per game over the last five seasons combined and has been highly efficient. Now that he’s a Brooklyn Net, he’s scaling up offensively without sacrificing much efficiency. MPJ is averaging career highs in points, rebounds, and assists per game. Toronto has some tough defenders, but with his seven-foot release point and movement shooting skills, you can’t stop him from getting his shots.
Value: Rui Hachimura (LAL), $5,500
Getting in on this Lakers matchup against the Jazz is important for DFS lineups. But if you’re not keen on getting Luka Doncic or LeBron James in the lineup, you have to find value elsewhere. Enter Rui Hachimura, another player averaging a career-high in PPG, while improving on his efficiency. He won’t get a ton of volume, but Rui knocks down his shots and brings solid value on the glass. That’s a great formula against a feeble Jazz team.
Fade: Jaylen Brown (BOS), $8,600
Another Celtic I’m not bullish on for Sunday’s slate. Jaylen Brown has leveled up his scoring without Jayson Tatum in the fold, but he’s not matchup-proof. Getting chased around by Franz Wagner all day is going to be frustrating for Boston’s All-Star. He’s not worth the price of admission as the second-most expensive SF on the board.
Power Forward
Stud: Scottie Barnes (TOR), $8,300
Here’s the second Raptor I’m locking into lineups on Sunday. Barnes brings a great floor as a scorer, rebounder, and passing hub. But the extra appeal of his defense takes Scottie over the top. Barnes is averaging a combined 3.1 steals and blocks per game, easily a career high. The explosive defensive potential on top of his offensive floor makes him a surefire stud play against these Nets.
Value: Jordan Walsh (BOS), $3,800
My favorite bargain-bin value on the board, Walsh has found himself in the good graces of head coach Joe Mazzulla. He’s taking the challenging perimeter assignments more often than not and knocking down 42% of his threes. The time he spends on those difficult matchups increases his appeal in steals and blocks, and he can provide enough shooting and rebounding for a legitimate floor.
Fade: Deni Avdija (POR), $9,300
The second priciest PF on the board, Avdija’s price is justified. He’s taken control of this Portland offense and is primed for an All-Star campaign. But nobody is safe from this terrifying Oklahoma City defense. Their tough rotations, depth of great defenders, and penchant for turnovers severely cap his upside. Stay far away from Deni.
Center
Stud: Kristaps Porzingis (ATL), $7,000
The center position has been destroyed by injury. Victor Wembanyama, who would easily be the top option on the board, is sidelined. Onyeka Okongwu, the third-most-expensive option, is also out. It leaves us wondering where to find value. Kristaps Porzingis gets a matchup with the Charlotte Hornets, a team that struggles to defend floor-spacing centers. He should get a ton of open threes on top of his fair share of blocks.
Value: Wendell Carter Jr. (ORL), $5,600
Speaking of open threes, the Boston Celtics were perfectly content to leave WCJ open in their last matchup. Boston’s rebounding struggles compelled them to stay grounded to the paint, and Carter had an open shot whenever he wanted. With his rebounding and defensive upside, it’s enough to make him a starter-level play in a shallow center pool.
Fade: Ivica Zubac (LAC), $7,600
Now the priciest center on the board, Zubac has a tough matchup against the Cavaliers. They’ve got two great defensive bigs in Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley. Those two cap his scoring and rebounding upside, which are the primary drivers of his value. I’d save the money by investing further down the center board.
