The Memphis Grizzlies have won back-to-back games, including knocking off the Miami Heat on Wednesday, despite dealing with some crippling injuries to top players such as Ja Morant (shoulder), Desmond Bane (ankle) and Marcus Smart (finger). But the injuries have allowed new Grizzlies from the NBA DFS player pool to have huge performances, such as Vince Williams Jr. scoring 25 points against the Heat despite averaging eight points per game this season. Could he be a cheap option to outperform his price tag for NBA DFS lineups on sites like FanDuel and DraftKings to consider in your NBA DFS strategy?
Friday's NBA DFS player pool also includes top options such as Luka Doncic, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, so finding values will be crucial for daily Fantasy basketball players to include some top options in NBA DFS lineups. Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton (hamstring) is out, so are there possible Indiana breakout options for NBA DFS picks? Before making your NBA DFS picks, be sure to check out the NBA DFS advice, player rankings, stacks, and top daily Fantasy basketball picks from SportsLine's Jimmie Kaylor.
Kaylor is a DFS and betting expert for SportsLine, who won a DraftKings Millionaire Maker contest in 2022. He uses a combination of his background as a former college and professional athlete and his keen eye for statistical trends when making his picks and locking in his DFS lineups. Kaylor enters the 2024 calendar year with multiple five-figure tournament cashes on his DFS resume.
Kaylor's approach allows him to find the best NBA DFS values and create optimal lineups that he only shares on SportsLine. They're a must-see for any NBA DFS player.
On Wednesday (when he last published picks), Kaylor highlighted Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns as one of his top picks in his NBA DFS player pool on both sites. The result: Towns had 27 points and six rebounds, returning 41.5 points on DraftKings and 40.7 points on FanDuel. Anybody who included him in their lineups was well on the way to a profitable day.
Kaylor has turned his attention to NBA action on Friday and locked in his top daily Fantasy basketball picks. You can only see them by heading to SportsLine.
Top NBA DFS picks for Friday, January 26
For Friday, one of Kaylor's top NBA DFS picks is Rockets guard Jalen Green ($6,000 on DraftKings and $6,500 on FanDuel). Green had 29 points in a 137-131 overtime loss to the Trail Blazers on Wednesday. He was aggressive with his shot throughout the contest, making 12 of 24 field-goal attempts, and is averaging 17.4 ppg over 13 games in January.
The Hornets are allowing 119.8 ppg this season, including 116 ppg over their last five contests. Green, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, averaged 22.1 ppg last season and is scoring 17.4 ppg this year. Opposing teams are shooting 49.9% against the Hornets this season, which is the third-highest in the NBA. Kaylor likes Green to outperform his price tag on Friday, serving as a valuable option for NBA DFS lineups.
Another part of Kaylor's optimal NBA DFS strategy includes stacking Green with center Alperen Sengun ($8,600 on DraftKings and $9,800 on FanDuel). Sengun had 30 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists in a 137-131 overtime loss to the Trail Blazers on Wednesday. He has scored at least 30 points in two of his last three games, averaging 30.3 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists over that span.
The 21-year-old is averaging 22.1 points, 9.2 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game this season. The Rockets are playing the Hornets, who are allowing 116 ppg over their last five contests and 119.8 ppg this season. The Hornets are allowing 52.8 points in the paint per contest, which ranks 22nd in the NBA, and they are the third-worst rebounding team in the NBA, which should all favor the 6-foot-11 Sengun. See Kaylor's other NBA DFS picks right here.
How to set your NBA DFS lineups for Friday, January 26
Kaylor is also targeting a player who could go off for massive numbers on Friday because of a dream matchup. This pick could be the difference between winning your tournaments and cash games or going home with nothing. You can only see who it is here.
Who is DFS pro Jimmie Kaylor putting in his optimal NBA DFS lineups for Friday? Visit SportsLine now to see optimal NBA DFS picks, rankings, advice, and stacks, all from a professional DFS player who won a DraftKings Millionaire Maker contest, and find out.