FanDuel Daily Fantasy Basketball Helper: Friday 12/10/21

If you're new to daily fantasy basketball -- maybe you started your DFS journey during the MLB or NFL seasons, or maybe basketball is your sport and this will be your first year giving it a shot -- you're in for a treat. The NBA scene changes on a week-to-week, day-to-day, and -- depending on injury news -- even a minute-to-minute basis, making every slate a unique one that requires an ever-changing approach.

With so much changing so quickly, we're here with plenty of tools to help you out. We have daily projections, a matchup heat map, a lineup optimizer, and a bunch of other great resources to help give you an edge.

Daily fantasy basketball is very reliant on a player's opportunity, so you'll need to make sure that you're up-to-date with key injuries. Our projections update up until tip-off to reflect current news, we have player news updates, and the FanDuel Scout app will send push notifications for pressing updates regarding your players.

We'll also be coming at you with this primer every day, breaking down a few of the day's top plays at each position.

Let's break down today's main slate on FanDuel.

The Slate and Key Injuries

In terms of new injuries or ailments, this is the cleanest nine-game slate in daily fantasy history.

Really, the one notable situation to monitor is the Timberwolves' D'Angelo Russell. Russell has even missed the last two games, so Minnesota salaries are firmly rustled, but he's questionable to return from his ankle injury Friday.

Richaun Holmes left early on Wednesday with an eye injury, and he's out at least two games with it. The problem is Sacramento did the Sacramento thing and replaced him with a gross mix of Tristan Thompson and Marvin Bagley.

We saw Precious Achiuwa ruled out with a shoulder issue shortly before lock on Wednesday. That only allowed Chris Boucher 22 minutes of court time, so there's not much there, either.

Worth noting, both the Pacers and Raptors canceled practice yesterday after Indiana's coach Rick Carlisle and Toronto's GM Masai Ujiri both tested positive for COVID-19. Anything and everything is worth planning for in this league.

Guards

Trae Young ($9,800): It was pretty shocking to prefer Young over James Harden in one of the three stand-out games to stack. Young's season-long role is not only better, but his current one is, too. Over the last two weeks, Young has a 35.5% usage rate and has turned that into 1.40 FanDuel points per minute. He also comes without the Kevin Durant guessing game to attack this sweet 224.5-point total in Atlanta.

De'Aaron Fox ($7,800): The best game of the day is the 230.5-point total between Sacramento and Charlotte. Both of these teams are bottom-five ones in defensive rating and top-three teams in pace. Fox has gotten it going just in time for this marquee fantasy matchup; he's posted 1.09 FanDuel points per minute the last two weeks even amidst the breakout of Terence Davis. He's the top Sacramento option for this game by a good bit.

Josh Giddey ($5,500): I wrote Giddey here because Cody Martin is just plug-and-play, no-doubt value seeing his heavy minutes. Giddey is a little tougher. The 215.0-point total between the Lakers and Thunder is the best option outside the top three, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Lu Dort have salaries that are hard to justify. Giddey has broken 30 FanDuel points in 11 different contests this season, so his salary is a fair one to run back LeBron James shares.

Others to Consider:
Tyrese Haliburton ($7,000): I almost wrote Cade Cunningham here. Then I realized Haliburton's game total was 17.5 points higher. Yeah, give me that one.
Marcus Smart ($5,800): Super high floor for this salary. 0.92 FanDuel points per minute this season with Jaylen Brown off the court.
Cody Martin ($5,000): 43 minutes the last two games. Exact same salary. Insane game total in Charlotte. 100% is justifiable.
Landry Shamet ($3,800): Still starting for Devin Booker but doing nothing with the minutes. If you need a punt guard...play and pray for steals?

Wings

LeBron James ($10,200): It's sad because it means "King James" won't be in this year's title discussion, but LeBron appears to have had to re-engage at close to full strength already. James is overshadowing his teammates in a massive way in both usage rate (30.9%) and FanDuel points per minute (1.32) since he returned from injury. This is the second leg of a back-to-back with a bad OKC team, so watch his status closely Friday afternoon, but if he plays, it's in a dream matchup.

Kelly Oubre ($7,400): I've seen using Oubre in DFS this week described as a "fish play." While he's been lower-salaried, Oubre still is the top option at this elevated salary because he has the very best role. Oubre's usage rate (28.4%) in the past two games is much larger than Gordon Hayward's (23.1%) and Miles Bridges' (19.6%). At a lower salary than both, it's hard not to go back to the well. He just is playing with the starters like he's controlled the second unit this season.

Mikal Bridges ($5,200): The injury to Devin Booker has really just lifted Bridges above all else. His minutes were spotty at full strength, but he's played at least 36 minutes in five of his last six. The FanDuel production has been up-and-down, but his salary has now dropped to a point where that type of workload is in automatic contention for a roster spot. numberFire's projections haven't been high on Bridges a ton, but they are today with his new role.

Others to Consider:
Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,000): Ignore the dud in the points column. 32 minutes last game. The key Milwaukee piece in that 226.0-point total.
Gary Trent Jr. ($5,900): The Achuiwa injury led to four starters seeing 38 or more minutes. Trent is the only one of those below $7,500. Great value.
Garrison Mathews ($4,700): Quietly has worked in a rock-solid role for Houston. Part 1 of "low-salaried access to these monster totals."
Kevin Huerter ($4,600): Part 2 of "low-salaried access to these monster totals." Played at least 31 minutes in five straight entering Friday.

Bigs

Christian Wood ($8,200): Who could have possibly guessed the near seven-footer was a better center than a wing? The Rockets have won seven straight since Daniel Theis and Jalen Green exited the rotation, and it's largely been on the back of their big man. Wood has a 24.1% usage rate and has posted 1.40 FanDuel points per minute on the streak. He's been productive all season; he's just now viable thanks to not getting blown out constantly.

Evan Mobley ($7,300): Mobley's floor isn't very good, but he showcased his upside that will make him a core play for me on Friday. Mobley's broken 40 FanDuel points on seven different occasions this season -- including Wednesday. The ceiling games generally come from his blocks, and the rookie is already a top shot-blocker in the league. He's posted at least three blocks in four of his last seven games.

LaMarcus Aldridge ($5,600): While averse to the Harden-or-Durant debate, that will naturally point me to Brooklyn value options like Aldridge and Patty Mills. Both could see 30-plus minutes in this high-scoring affair. Although, Aldridge did only play 23 minutes on Tuesday before resting on the back-to-back Wednesday. Before that, he played at least 27 minutes in five straight games and posted 30 FanDuel points twice in that span. He's got unmatched upside in the $5,000 area at big.

Others to Consider:
Karl-Anthony Towns ($9,500): If Russell sits again, Towns is viable but not incredibly stable. Not the best slate to spend way up at center.
Myles Turner ($6,700): He's well-projected by numberFire and fine value for this salary. Just a little nervous about whether the Pacers play tonight.
Isaiah Stewart ($5,500): The salary creeping up increases the worry he's matched off the floor, but 27-plus FanDuel points in four straight.
Darius Bazley ($5,400): Back-to-back games with over 29 minutes. He's finally snatching minutes in the frontcourt back from Jeremiah Robinson-Earl. Might get here in a game that should stay close.