Fantasy Basketball Value Picks: Top DraftKings NBA DFS Bargain Plays for January 4

It’s Wednesday. That means two things around these parts. One, it’s a 12-game slate in the NBA and there’s more injuries than you can shake a stick at. Two, I’m inevitably going to watch that old commercial where the camel is really excited about it being “Hump Day” in his office. Classic.

Let’s dive into some values.

Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $400K Fadeaway [$100K to 1st]

For up-to-the-minute news, analysis and lineups, download the DK Live app. You also can follow DK Live on Twitter @dklive.

SF/PF Jalen McDaniels, Charlotte Hornets vs. Memphis Grizzlies, $4,400

It’s been a rough 48 hours for the Hornets. I mean, it’s been a rough season overall, but the last two days, in particular, haven’t featured much good news for the franchise. It was announced on Tuesday that Kelly Oubre Jr. (hand) is expected to miss at least a month thanks to a lingering ailment, and that came not long after Gordon Hayward ($5,700; hamstring) was forced to leave Monday’s loss to Los Angeles mid-contest. Hayward is tecnically doubtful to suit up on Wednesday, yet I’d suspect he’s unavailable. This all leaves a massive gap in Charlotte’s rotation, one that McDaniels will likely be asked to fill. The forward hasn’t been the most consistent DFS asset in 2022-23 — he’s produced a paltry 23.0 DKFP in his opportunities to start — but like most players, the secret to McDaniels’ success isn’t too complex. The last eight times McDaniels has logged at least 29.0 minutes in a game, he’s averaging 31.9 DKFP. Pretty straightforward stuff.

SF Gary Harris, Orlando Magic vs. Oklahoma City Thunder, $3,800

The Magic are still feeling the ramifications of last week’s tussle with the Pistons, as tonight the team will be without Franz Wagner, Moe Wagner, Kevon Harris and Admiral Schofield due to suspension. The most notable loss on that list is obviously the younger Wagner, who happens to rank second on Orlando in minutes per game (33.3), points per game (19.9) and usage rate (25.0%). The Magic will also be missing Jalen Suggs (ankle), Bol Bol (health protocols) and Chuma Okeke (knee) due to injury or illness. That obviously doesn’t leave many players active for this evening’s tilt with the Thunder. I’d wager it’s Harris who ends up entering the starting five in place of Wagner, and the veteran’s had some value in this scenario already this season. To wit, Harris dropped 35.0 DKFP in a start back on Nov. 28 — just before an injury of his own sidelined him for nearly a month. Mo Bamba ($4,300) is another name to keep an eye on in this spot, as both he and Harris could exceed 30.0 minutes in what should be an uptempo script versus Oklahoma City.

SF MarJon Beauchamp, Milwaukee Bucks at Toronto Raptors, $3,000

This game smells fishy. While we don’t yet have an official injury report for the Bucks on Wednesday, the team is playing on the second night of a back-to-back, which is raising some red flags. Also perking the interest of many is the fact that the reeling Raptors are currently heavy favorites on the DraftKings Sportsbook. The line suggests that Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,900) and Jrue Holiday ($8,100) might not be suiting up north of the border. To be fair to the books, there’s some history here. This is somehow only the fourth back-to-back set on Milwaukee’s schedule this season, and Antetokounmpo has sat on the second night each of the last two times. If neither is available, there’s several different ways you can go with value DFS assets. Jevon Carter ($4,600) and Grayson Allen ($4,300) are sure to have the ball in their hands a lot, but it’s Beauchamp at the bare minimum that catches my attention. Beauchamp logged 25.0 minutes with a 24.1% usage rate when both Antetokounmpo and Holiday sat during Sunday’s loss to Washington.

Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $400K Fadeaway [$100K to 1st]

Put your knowledge to the test. Sign up for DraftKings and experience the game inside the game.

I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is theglt13) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.