NBA DFS Picks For Fanduel 8/5/2020

It feels good to start another little win streak and sit at 4-2 on the season since the NBA restart. For yesterday's slate, we managed to easily cash in 50-50s and some GPPs/pools, and that was with the lost cap we had to get by swapping out Butler after he was scratched just prior to his game. I am confident in today's slate and will try to be providing you with the best picks to help you win money. As always, the lineup I will be using (unless there's last minute changes) will be at the bottom of the article. Let's shoot for 5-2!

Injury News:

- Jamal Murray is questionable for the Nuggets' game today. I wouldn't be confident in him playing.

- Michael Carter-Williams is doubtful, so don't expect him to play. (update: ruled out)

- Kemba Walker will rest and not play today.

- Caris LeVert/Joe Harris have GTD marks on Fanduel. (update: both listed as probable)

- Dennis Schroder is out again today (personal).

- Jamal Crawford is day-to-day. I wouldn't expect him to play tonight. (update: ruled out)

- Jaren Jackson Jr. will miss the remainder of the season.

Point Guard:

Chris Paul - $7,300:

CP3 will take the court against the Lakers today. He has been one of the safest fantasy options all season, and that shouldn't change for this slate, especially with there being more minutes available in the back court with Dennis Schroder not playing. He is almost a lock to get 30 FD points, with the possibility of reaching as high as 50.

Markelle Fultz - $4,600:

With no Michael Carter-Williams today, both of the Magic point guards are solid value for the slate. Fultz hasn't had the best outputs thus far in the restart, but he should take on a larger part in the offense today. There is a chance for a bust performance, but most models have him as one of the top value plays at the position. Solid play in all formats.

Monte Morris - $4,500:

Monte Morris will continue to be a great play as long as Jamal Murray isn't playing, and his price tag is under $5,000. In the 2 bubble games without Murray so far, Morris has played 66 minutes and scored over 50 FD points. If Murray sits again today which is likely, fire up Monte Morris.

Other great plays: Ja Morant - $7,500, Dejounte Murray - $6,500, D.J. Augustin - $4,000

Shooting Guard:

Donovan Mitchell - $7,300:

Donovan Mitchell has found himself mentioned in all of my articles on the days that he has played so far. It is not that I love Mitchell, but he keeps drawing favorable match-ups for his value. Today, he faces a weaker defensive team who loves to play up-tempo. Once again, Mitchell is a very good play in all formats.

Josh Richardson - $4,700:

Josh Richardson has seen a ton of minutes so far throughout the NBA restart, but hasn't been able to capitalize with them besides in his most recent game against the Spurs. I don't expect Richardson to have a monster game with all the talent on the 76ers, but they are facing a bad Wizards team which could cause him to see more quality minutes. The 76ers also have the highest implied team total on the slate.

Garrett Temple - $3,700:

Garrett Temple had a monster game yesterday for the Nets in their upset win over the Bucks. It is likely that LeVert, Harris, and Allen will all be back today, so he shouldn't see the same usage, but he is a solid play nonetheless. At a near minimum price tag, he should hit value with ease.

Other great plays: Caris LeVert - $7,400, Dillon Brooks - $5,100, Jordan Clarkson - $4,500, Grayson Allen - $3,700, Luguentz Dort - $3,600

Small Forward:

Gordon Hayward - $6,100:

I really like Gordon Hayward for today's slate. The Celtics will be without Kemba Walker, so everyone on the team will get a slight boost in their value today. In 3 games across the NBA restart, Hayward has averaged over 34 minutes per game, and scored over 35 FD points twice. It is possible he gets a little rest today if the Celtics go up big over the Nets, but I think he should play his normal minutes. Love the play.

Danilo Gallinari - $5,700:

In terms of fantasy, Danillo Gallinari hasn't been able to get a whole lot going so far in the bubble, but I think that changes tonight. I have mentioned that the bubble arena has helped most shooters with the lack of crowd and depth perception, and I predict Gallinari starts to light it up from 3 tonight. $5,700 is also a friendly price tag for him, usually he is above $6k.

Kyle Anderson - $4,000:

Last time I wrote about Kyle Anderson, he burned us bad, although we were still able to cash easily. Jaren Jackson Jr. will miss the remainder of the season, so all of the Grizzlies forwards are going to get a pretty significant boost in their play time. Anderson was already seeing the court a decent amount before the injury, but his production in those minutes should increase now.

Other great plays (lots of good plays today): Pascal Siakam - $7,900, Tobias Harris - $6,900, Jaylen Brown - $6,600, Joe Harris - $4,700, Joe Ingles - $4,600, Rudy Gay - $4,600

Power Forward:

Michael Porter Jr. - $5,500:

It is crazy that MPJ is the highest priced player at the position that I will be talking about since he was near the minimum mark just a few days ago. It is impossible to not mention him after he went off for a 55 point FD game, including 37 actual points, in his most recent affair. It seems like whenever I play him, he is a bust, and whenever I don't, he explodes, so it is probably best to check my lineup below and to do the opposite of me.

Brandon Clarke - $4,900:

Brandon Clarke will probably be the highest owned player on the slate today. As aforementioned, there is no JJJ, so he is going to get a ton of quality minutes, and should produce efficiently. At $4,900, there is no reason why he shouldn't be in your line today. Play him.

Paul Millsap - $4,800:

Millsap is the second forward on the Nuggets to get a mention for today. He has been a very consistent option so far through the NBA restart, and he is once again for this slate. If you have to choose between MPJ and Millsap, you have a tough choice to make. Millsap is the safer of the two, but Michael Porter Jr. has more upside.

Other great plays: Anthony Davis - $10,500, Jayson Tatum - $8,300, Al Horford - $5,400

Center:

Joel Embiid - $9,500:

Embiid draws an excellent match-up today against the Wizards. He has played extremely well so far in the bubble, and $9,500 is still a very reasonable price to pay for him. Jokic is a good play around the same price, but I would give the slight edge to Embiid for today. He will most likely make my lineup, but there are other solid plays at center if you aren't a fan.

Jonas Valanciunas - $7,200:

I know I have said it a ton of times in this article, but Grizzlies' players are going to benefit in a fantasy standpoint from the absence of Jaren Jackson. Valanciunas may not be one of the most impacted, but he will still get more play time to make up for it. We know he has great production in terms of fantasy points per minute, so more play time will give him more output. Love him for GPP.

Steven Adams - $5,800:

Steven Adams is the best value for a cheaper priced player at the position today. I know $5,800 isn't super cheap, but there really aren't any good options under his price tag today except for Poeltl. The Lakers do have a formidable inside presence, but that shouldn't stop Adams from being able to hit value for his price tag.

Other great plays: Nikola Jokic - $9,100, Nikola Vucevuc - $7,800, Rudy Gobert - $7,500, Jakob Poeltl - $5,400

Core/Example Lineup:

This is the most confident I have been in any of my lines so far - I am not sure if that is a good or a bad thing. I don't want to restrict your lineup, but my core 3 would be Anthony Davis, Brandon Clarke, and Joel Embiid for the slate.

PG - Chris Paul - $7,300 PG - Monte Morris - $4,500

SG - Donovan Mitchell - $7,300

SG - Garrett Temple - $3,700

SF - Jaylen Brown - $6,600

SF - Danilo Gallinari - $5,700

PF - Anthony Davis - $10,500

PF - Brandon Clarke - $4,900

C - Joel Embiid - $9,500