FanDuel Daily Fantasy Basketball Helper: Saturday 1/29/22

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 NBA is very reliant on 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, and we also have player news updates. The projected numbers referenced below may change throughout the day.

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

Guards

Stephen Curry, PG, (FanDuel Salary: $9,500) - The best DFS game (and real-world game) on this slate is Curry's Golden State Warriors against the Brooklyn Nets. The game has a slate-best (by 4.5 points) 232.0-point total and 6.5-point spread. Curry paces the Dubs with a 28.6% usage rate over the last five games, and the Nets have been shredded by point guards this year, allowing the fourth-most FanDuel points per game to the position (49.0).

Jalen Brunson, PG/SG, $5,600 - Brunson is a good way to save some salary on a slate that offers several tasty high-end plays. He's got a great matchup versus the Indiana Pacers, a team that sits 24th in defensive efficiency. The Pacers have allowed at least 110 points in five consecutive games. As of Saturday morning, Brunson is projecting really well as our model forecasts him to score 30.2 FanDuel points -- 5.39 per $1,000.

Others to Consider: Luka Doncic ($11,100), Jaylen Brown ($8,700), Tyrese Maxey ($6,000), Spencer Dinwiddie ($5,800)

Wings

James Harden, SG/SF, $10,200 - With Kyrie Irving ($9,400) on the court and Kevin Durant off it this season, Harden has a 28.7% usage rate while Irving holds a 29.8% clip, per RotoGrinders' CourtIQ. Irving scores 1.23 FanDuel points per minute in the split, and Harden puts up 1.20. Both are strong plays and good game-stacking pieces alongside Steph. Despite the numbers I just cited, I lean Harden over Kyrie. Harden has produced 66.5 and 65.5 FanDuel points in two of his last three outings, with the 65.5-point explosion coming in a road game with Irving out there.

Oshae Brissett, SF, $4,000 - Indiana's Goga Bitadze ($5,300) left early on Friday. If he sits today, that's going to leave the Pacers pretty short-handed in the frontcourt, although Domantas Sabonis ($9,600) made his return last night. Brissett would likely be in for a lot of run tonight if Goga is sidelined. Our algorithm has Brissett pegged for 21.4 FanDuel points (5.34 per $1,000), making him an appealing point-per-dollar option versus the Mavs.

Others to Consider: Jimmy Butler ($8,700), Caris LeVert ($7,600), Kessler Edwards ($4,000)

Bigs

Joel Embiid, C, $11,400 - Embiid is a priority for me. Center is pretty blah outside of him as we have just one other center-eligible player forecasted for more than 40.0 FanDuel points, and Embiid's projection is way up at 53.8 -- tops on the slate among all players. Embiid had 52.3 FanDuel points last time out, and that's actually his worst output across his last five games. Dude has been a monster, and he is capable of blowtorching a Sacramento Kings team that surrenders the second-most FanDuel points per game to centers (58.3).

Willy Hernangomez, PF/C, $5,100 - Jonas Valanciunas ($7,400) has sat the last two games for the New Orleans Pelicans. Hernangomez has gone off in each contest, totaling 43.5 and 52.7 FanDuel points. If JV is out once more, Hernangomez is going to be a projections darling who will surely be chalky after making the optimal lineup a night ago and being just $100 more tonight. Eligible at power forward, Hernangomez can be used with Embiid. If JV plays, Hernangomez probably goes back to a reserve role.

Others to Consider: Jaren Jackson Jr. ($7,600), Al Horford ($5,300), Kevon Looney ($4,900)