NBA DFS Picks 5 November: Fanteam, DraftKings, FanDuel & Yahoo

The main slate is 14 games: BKN-CHA, BOS-MIL, DEN-TOR, DET-PHI, HOU-MIN, LAC-MIA, MEM-IND, NOP-UTA, NYK-CHI, OKC-CLE, PHX-POR, SAC-LAL, SAS-DAL and WAS-ATL. You pick seven players (PG, SG, SF, PF, C and two UTIL) under a 93 cap, with at most seven from one team. That works out to about 13.3 per slot. At the top you have to decide how many stars you can afford.

Top plays

Jokic and Doncic project almost the same and cost almost the same. I like both. But paying near 20 for one player forces cheap picks elsewhere, and Jokic in particular is one I would only build around if the rest of the lineup comes together. Giannis is the better price at 18.0 with a value of 3.07. According to the latest injury report he is probable with a wrist sprain, and the Clippers have Beal, Ingram and others out. Doncic, Jokic, Wembanyama and Gilgeous-Alexander are not on the report, so lineups are not final for any of them.

Gilgeous-Alexander is the one I would push. According to the latest injury report, Oklahoma City has Holmgren, Jalen Williams, Wallace, Topic and Sorber out. That leaves him with an enormous share of the shots and a high ceiling, and I would rather pay 17.2 for him than 19.1 for Wembanyama.

Towns and Davis are the best-priced stars on the board. Towns gets a Bulls defense that struggles against bigs and a Knicks team implied for 122.8. The risk is a game that stays close and early foul trouble. Josh Hart is questionable for New York, and if he sits the Knicks starters have a firmer role. Davis has a steady, heavy workload for Washington and looks underpriced for it. Alex Sarr is questionable, so I would watch that before lock.

Value plays

Meleek Thomas leads the value list. According to the latest injury report Cleveland has Jaylon Tyson, Peyton Watson and Nae’Qwan Tomlin out, which leaves the young guards a secure, growing role. He will be popular, and I am fine with that at 6.3.

Boston is the swing team. Jayson Tatum is questionable for rest and Pritchard is questionable with a shoulder contusion, and Devin Carter is out. If Tatum sits, Paul George gets more of the offense, and he is already a good play against a weak Milwaukee team at 12.0. Scheierman only makes sense to me if Tatum and Pritchard are both out. Pritchard’s value of 3.38 comes with real availability risk, so I would wait for news before locking him in.

Strus is a cheap, steady option with the Clippers so thin. He is a stable salary saver, not a ceiling play.

Fades

These four are badly priced tonight, which is not the same as bad players. Each costs over 11 and projects in the mid-20s. Knueppel is probable with a hamstring strain according to the latest injury report, and I do not want to pay up for a player coming back from that. Zubac is questionable with an ankle sprain, so you would be paying a high price with no certainty he plays. Ware and Vassell simply cost more than their projections justify. With a 93 cap, that 11 is better spent on Towns or Davis.

DraftKings is eight players (PG, SG, SF, PF, C, G, F, UTIL) under a $50,000 cap. Jokic ($12,300) and Doncic ($12,200) are priced at the top, and Giannis at $10,700 has the best value of the stars at 5.16 points per $1,000. The cheap end is the same as on Fanteam: Cleveland, the Clippers and Boston.

FanDuel is nine players (PG, SG, SF, PF, C, G/F, F/C and two UTIL) with a $60,000 cap. Gilgeous-Alexander has the best value of the top group at $9,900 and 5.06 points per $1,000. Boston has the most cheap options, and the Tatum and Pritchard news matters for several of them.

Yahoo is eight players (PG, SG, G, SF, PF, F, C, UTIL) with a $200 cap and at most six from one team. Giannis has the best value of the stars at 1.05, priced at 52. The cheap options all cost 10, so the choice comes down to role and matchup.