Fantasy

NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer: April 10

FantasyPros breaks down the top DraftKings and FanDuel daily fantasy players for the NBA's 8-game Wednesday slate.

Joel Bartilotta, FantasyPros

April 10, 2024 5:16 PM

Atlanta’s Dejounte Murray has scored at least 41 DraftKings fantasy points in 20 of his last 23 games.

This could be one of the most challenging slates of the season. While we only have eight games, almost every team is on the second half of a back-to-back set. That wouldn’t be a huge deal in the middle of the season, but we anticipate about half of these teams resting players in this circumstance. We don’t know which ones yet, so it’ll be up to you guys to figure things out closer to the opening tip, so let’s go ahead and get into it!

Core Plays

Dejounte Murray (PG/SG – ATL): $9,700 DraftKings, $9,600 FanDuel

Murray has been one of the best players in DFS since the All-Star break, taking over this offense in the absence of Trae Young. That’s led to him scoring at least 41 DraftKings points in 20 of his last 23 games, posting a 49-point average in that span. That form should be easy to duplicate against Charlotte, sitting 29th in defensive efficiency. When they played two weeks ago, Murray amassed 66 DK points in one of the best games of his career.

Anthony Edwards (SG/SF – MIN): $9,500 DraftKings

We had Edwards in here yesterday, and we’re going back to him for all the same reasons after that 51-point masterpiece. The All-Star has taken over this offense in Karl-Anthony Towns‘s absence, averaging 46 DraftKings points per game across his last 14 fixtures. He’s also scored at least 40 fantasy points in 11 of those, and you know he’ll be hungry against Denver since those teams are battling for the best record in the Western Conference.

Paul George (SG/SF – LAC): $8,700 DraftKings

It sounds like Kawhi Leonard will miss another game here, and we know that PG13 can take over an offense. That’s what he did in LA’s most recent game, scoring a season-high 68 DraftKings points against an elite Cleveland defense. Facing Phoenix is a much easier matchup, with the Suns surrendering the ninth-most fantasy points to opposing wings. That was clear when George dropped 52 DK points in one of their matchups earlier in the year.

Cash Game Considerations

Luka Doncic (PG – DAL): $12,800 DraftKings, $12,600 FanDuel

It’s hard to fade Luka in DFS right now, even though his price tags are out of control. He’s earned it, leading the league with 66 DraftKings points per game. He’s also got a 50-point floor while averaging over 70 fantasy points per game over the last two months. We’re willing to use him against anyone, but we love that Luka has 73 and 72 DK points in his two most recent meetings with Miami.

Nikola Jokic (C – DEN): $12,200 DraftKings

The Joker is always a top-notch option, averaging 61 DraftKings points per game. He’s also got a 50-point floor, just like Luka, scoring at least 76 DK points in three of his last four fixtures. That fantastic form should continue against Minnesota, with Joker scoring 58 and 60 DK points in their two most recent matchups. Something about the Rudy Gobert matchup lights up Jokic’s eyes because he’s done even better than that throughout their careers.

Josh Giddey (PG/SG – OKC): $7,700 DraftKings, $8,100 FanDuel

Since this is the second half of a B2B, there’s a chance Williams and SGA could sit. Giddey is having the best stretch of his career without those guys right now, scoring at least 43 DraftKings points in seven of his last nine games. The Aussie also has a 42-point average in that span and should stuff the stat sheet at will against a 26th-ranked San Antonio defense.

GPP Targets

Gary Trent Jr. (SG/SF – TOR): $6,400 DraftKings, $6,900 FanDuel

This Toronto roster has been trounced by injuries and trades, but it’s allowed Trent to take over. The sharpshooter regularly plays 35-40 minutes while taking 20 shots a game. This newfound role has led to Trent Jr. scoring at least 30 DK points in 10 of his last 11 outings while generating a 37-point average in that span. It’s not like Brooklyn is a scary matchup either, ranked 20th in defensive efficiency ratings.

Bobby Portis (PF/C – MIL): $6,700 DraftKings, $6,800 FanDuel

Since this is the second half of a B2B, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Lillard, Giannis, or Middleton sit. All we need is one of those guys to be out because that’ll guarantee Portis more minutes and shot attempts. In the 23 games that Portis has played at least 27 minutes, he’s averaging 36 DK points per game. Playing 27 minutes should be a lock if one of those guys sits, but it’s possible that all three are out, and this offense is run through Portis.

Zach Collins (PF/C – SAS): $4,900 DraftKings, $6,200 FanDuel
This is another guesstimate, but we know San Antonio will be shorthanded here. They’re already missing Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell, but we anticipate more guys sitting in this B2B. That could force Collins into 30 minutes as a starter, and he was a $7K player in that type of role last season. In the 27 games that ZC has played at least 23 minutes, he’s averaging 31 DraftKings points per game. Good luck finding that from another player in this price range.

Value Plays

Daniel Gafford (C – DAL): $6,100 DraftKings, $6,100 FanDuel

It’s hard to believe that Gafford’s price has dropped so much. This guy was a $7K player just a few weeks ago, averaging 32 DraftKings points per game since becoming the Mavs’ starting center. That’s what we saw in Washington, and the minutes should be on the rise since Dereck Lively is injured right now. Facing Miami can be tricky, but Dallas needs Gafford out there for 30 minutes to oppose Bam Adebayo.

Dennis Schroder (PG – BKN): $6,100 DraftKings, $6,400 FanDuel

The Nets have been one of the worst teams in the second half, but Schroder has been a sneaky addition. He’s taken over as the starting point guard since Ben Simmons got injured, averaging 31 DK points per game across his last 21 outings. Our favorite part about this is that he gets a revenge game against Toronto, who ranks 29th in total defense since the All-Star break.

Vasilije Micic (PG – CHA): $5,700 DraftKings, $6,100 FanDuel

The Hornets have been better over the last two weeks, and Micic is a significant reason for their success. The trade deadline acquisition has taken over as the starting point guard since LaMelo Ball got injured. That’s led to Micic scoring at least 29 DraftKings points in six straight outings, posting a 33-point average in that span. That form should continue against Atlanta, ranked 27th in points allowed and defensive efficiency.