This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We have a slim four-game slate for Sunday's NBA DFS action on FanDuel. Using RotoWire's trusted projections, we'll identify our best selections in the player pool. For slates of this size, I usually recommend a cash-game approach that focuses on 50/50s and head-to-heads due to the necessity for near-perfect results in large-field tournaments. We have some wait-and-see scenarios to keep tabs on, which I'll outline later.
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FanDuel Main Slate NBA Games Today
You'll hear me repeat this throughout the article, but the slate requires greater vigilance if you're going to play it. We need to see what happens with the Pacers during the shootaround, where they'll hopefully provide us more budget options to help cover our elite path that I've clearly outlined below.
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NBA Injuries Today
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report. Below are some of the most recent and relevant injuries for Sunday. Keep in mind that this is not a complete list. Use your best judgment when evaluating ongoing injury scenarios elsewhere on the slate.
DAL P.J. Washington (ankle) - QUESTIONABLE
DAL Klay Thompson (rest) - QUESTIONABLE
DAL Daniel Gafford (illness) - QUESTIONABLE
I expect Thompson to be fine for the tail end of the back-to-back, though statuses for Washington and Gafford are less certain. Khris Middleton ($4,200) would be a decent selection off the bench if Washington can't go while center starting duties would likely fall to Marvin Bagley ($4,600).
CLE Jarrett Allen (knee) - OUT
CLE Sam Merrill (hamstring) - OUT
CLE Jaylon Tyson (ankle) - QUESTIONABLE
It's still Evan Mobley's ($8,300) show in the frontcourt with Allen out. I'd expect the Cavs to roll with Keon Ellis ($5,000) with Merrill being out as he's fared well having recorded three consecutive double-digit scoring performances.
IND SEVERAL ABSENCES
We'll have to wait and see what the Pacers come up with for a starting lineup before making any calls. Some of the questionable tags may clear up, but some of those players also impact more likely absences. A switch like Obi Toppin (foot) for Pascal Siakam is a good example of this.
MIL Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) - QUESTIONABLE
MIL Ousmane Dieng (illness) - QUESTIONABLE
The Bucks could decide to bring Giannis out against the Pacers, but I have little confidence in that happening. It's worth noting Dieng is questionable, yet Ryan Rollins ($7,900) and Kevin Porter ($8,500) are better (albeit expensive) backcourt support choices.
PHI Joel Embiid (oblique) - OUT
PHI Tyrese Maxey (finger) - OUT
PHI Kelly Oubre (elbow) - OUT
PHI Andre Drummond (back) - QUESTIONABLE
Let's go piece-by-piece. Absences for Maxey and Oubre will lift prospects for Quentin Grimes ($6,600) and VJ Edgecombe ($7,800). Justin Edwards ($4,700) will also probably earn another start. Drummond's questionable status boosts Adem Bona's ($4,600) potential. Wildcards for the roster are Cameron Payne ($5,200) and Trendon Watford ($4,200).
Elite Players
We only have two players with five-digit salaries. Giannis Antetokounmpo ($10,600) is questionable, leaving Cade Cunningham ($11,000) as the only definitive starter. He'll take on a fully healthy Toronto squad at home, but I'll likely fade him due to the potentially slower pace of this matchup.
My next elite picks may be controversial to some, but I think a triple stack of Donovan Mitchell ($9,500), James Harden ($8,800) and Evan Mobley ($8,300) is a great way to go on Sunday. The projected total is excellent, yet I'd also be fine with a double combo of Harden and Mobley to keep salary down. They are the most viable options above $8,000 for me, and I'll definitely use at least two of them in my builds. Deni Avdija ($9,300) is always at risk for an explosion, though isn't playing at a value-beating level while dealing with injury.
Expected Chalk and Value Plays
Sunday's list will be a little slim. We addressed many of our favorite options within the injury and elite sections with an emphasis on teams like Philadelphia and Cleveland dominating our builds. Indiana options are sure to emerge closer to lock, but I wanted to justify the smaller sampling here with those situations in mind. The best avenues to cover our elite picks will come via dart throws from the Sixers.
Brandon Ingram, TOR ($7,900) vs. DET
I think Ingram is a dependable Sunday option and sets up better against Detroit's defense than his teammates. Scottie Barnes ($8,600) enters with a salary that's a bit too high for me and I believe we should get similar or better output for less money by opting for Ingram over the Raptors' other productive players.
Jrue Holiday, POR ($7,400) @ PHI
While most of my builds will be packed with Philly and Cleveland guards, there's dual eligibility for most of the picks I'm considering from those clubs. This leaves room for Holiday as one of the point guards and he's been performing extremely well during Shaedon Sharpe's extended absence. We need sub-$6k talent on this slate, so you could get cute and go with Scoot Henderson ($5,300) over Holiday and hope for continued upside.
Jerami Grant, POR ($6,300) @ PHI
I'm not sure what to make of Grant's recent low total against Utah. He wasn't in foul trouble and Avidja's production wasn't high enough to affect his numbers too adversely. While Grant will become less dependable as Avidja regains his footing, $6,300 is still too low. Before the regressive showing against the Jazz, he was on a sizzling four-game run where he averaged 24.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists.
Myles Turner, MIL ($5,100) vs. IND
If you're a fan of revenge games, Turner stands out as a sneaky way to earn some value. I'd like it better if the matchup took place in Indy, yet I still think it's a fun spot to check out. Turner has already faced the Pacers twice on the road with mixed results, so going up against them in Milwaukee could be the cure. If Antetokounmpo is good to go Sunday, I'll fade Turner. Otherwise, he'll get some exposure from me.
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