NBA DFS Picks for January 26

Picks for every position and price point on Friday's 10-game NBA DFS slate.

Friday night’s 10-game slate features no shortage of avenues for lineup construction. A tool like LineupLab's PlayerLab helps you filter out some of the noise by focusing on what matters, such as defense versus position, field goal attempts, minutes, and points per game. Take a look for yourself and see the difference. Then, pair what you find there with our hand-selected picks for your Friday night lineups.

Point Guard

Chris Paul, vs. Pelicans (FD: $9,600, DK: $9,300)

Projected Points: FD: 48.93, DK: 50.97

This promises to be an up-and-down game, with a generic Rockets-Pelicans matchup averaging out to the seventh-fastest game in the league. Given the fact that New Orleans is also allowing 23.3 points per game to the point guard position over the last four weeks, Paul will have plenty of opportunities to put the ball in the basket.

Darren Collison, vs. Cavaliers (FD: $5,400, DK: $6,000)

Projected Points: FD: 27.31, DK: 27.66

We know that the Cavs defense leaves much to be desired at any spot on the court. They are allowing the fourth-most points per game (25.6) points per game and third-most rebounds per game (7.2) rebounds per game to point guards. Collison provides great value on Friday’s 10-game slate, giving you the flexibility to afford studs at other positions. Over his last five starts, he has averaged 15 points and 3.8 assists per game.

Did LeBron or Curry Win? Ten Questions About the NBA's First All-Star Draft

Shooting Guard

Jordan Clarkson, vs. Bulls (FD: $7,500, DK: $7,300)

Projected Points: FD: 31.00, DK: 31.81

Clarkson has been on fire of late, averaging 48.3 FanDuel points and 49.3 DraftKings points per game over his last three contests. What’s more, he has done it against the Celtics, Pacers and Knicks, three of the better defenses in the league. If he can play that well against those teams, just imagine what he should be able to do against the Bulls. The Bulls have allowed the second-most points per game to shooting guards this season, making them a willing patsy for Clarkson.

Courtney Lee, vs. Suns (FD: $5,100, DK: $5,300)

Projected Points: FD: 28.09, DK: 28.02

The one team worse at defending shooting guards than the Bulls? That would be the Suns. Lee, who is still underpriced, is in a prime position on Friday night. In his last five games, he has racked-up 15.8 points and 2.4 assists in 35.4 minutes per game. Having a career-year as a starter you can't ask for more than what Lee has given the Knicks. Even with trade rumors on the horizon, he seems to be in great spirits and has been the consonant professional.

Want more in-depth DFS advice? Click here and use promo code NEWYEAR40 to get 40% off a season-long subscription with our partners at Lineup Lab, helping Joes play like DFS pros.

Small Forward

LeBron James, vs. Pacers (FD: $10,900, DK: $11,100)

Projected Points: FD: 51.86, DK: 53.1

We just want to be the first to congratulate LeBron on being part of our Friday DFS picks column. You can always find a reason to roster James. On Friday, that reason, in addition to his high baseline of performance, is the Pacers defense. James has scored at least 60 points on both sites in his last three games against the Pacers. There’s no reason to bet against him extending that streak.

Breakaway: How Damian Lillard Put His Stamp on the Blazers

Taurean Prince, vs. Hornets (FD: $4,800, DK: $4,700)

Projected Points: FD: 26.66, DK: 26.84

Prince has struggled of late, but that shouldn’t scare you off him. After all, not everything is going to be perfect for a player priced in the $4,000s. The abysmal Hawks don't have many other options to turn to, giving Mike Budenholzer no choice but to grant Prince plenty of leash. The Hornets, meanwhile, struggle against small forwards, particularly on the boards, where they allow 9.5 rebounds per game. Like Collison, Prince can be the cheap option who not only gives you the freedom to pony up for multiple studs, but pays off in his own right.

Power Forward

Blake Griffin, vs. Grizzlies (FD: $8,700, DK: $8,900)

Projected Points: FD: 43.07, DK: 44.57

Griffin has dazzled over his last five games, putting up 35.8 points, 9.4 rebounds and 5.6 assits in 35.9 minutes per game. The Clippers may have lost three straight, but that doesn’t really trouble us in the fantasy world, especially when Griffin’s minutes floor is so high every time he takes the floor. His 31.5% usage rate also suggests he won’t be slowing down any time soon. The Grizzlies have surrendered 50.15 fantasy points per game to power forwards over the last four weeks, so Griffin should keep it rolling on Friday.

After Lob City Letdown, Chris Paul Seizes Second Shot at Superstar Marriage

Domantas Sabonis, vs. Cavaliers (FD: $6,700, DK: $6,300)

Projected Points: FD: 34.3, DK: 36.43

Victor Oladipo gets most of the national attention (understandably so), but Sabonis has also looked like a completely different player since getting traded to the Pacers from the Thunder. He’s averaging a double-double over his last 20 games, scoring 13.7 points and pulling down 10.4 rebounds per game in that stretch. Last time he faced the Cavaliers, he put up 37.75 points on DraftKings, and 35.5 points on FanDuel in just 28 minutes, taking advantage of their weak interior defense. If Myles Turner is out because of his elbow injury, Sabonis will be one of hte major bargains on Friday.

Center

Dwight Howard, vs. Hawks (FD: $9,900, DK: $8,800)

Projected Points: FD: 43.12, DK: 44.26

Everyone loves a little revenge game narrative, right? Howard faces one of his former employers on Friday, taking on a Hawks team that simply doesn’t have an answer for him in the paint. Howard has been on a tear over his last five games, highlighted by a 22-point, 16-rebound outburst against DeMarcus Cousins and the Pelicans on Wednesday. It will be a major surprise if he isn’t one of Friday’s best performers, regardless of position.

The Biggest Snubs From The 2018 NBA All-Star Game

Enes Kanter, vs. Suns (FD: $6,200, DK: $6,900)

Projected Points: FD: 30.06, DK: 31.97

The Knicks are on the second half of a back-to-back on Friday, but Kanter’s minutes should be safe with Kyle O’Quinn out because of a calf injury. Willy Hernangomez has been picking up more minutes, too, but Kanter has played at least 26 minutes in each of his last five games, and that’s a safe expectation for Friday. He has averaged 16 points and 9.6 rebounds per game, with his usage rate climbing more than two percentage points over his last 15 contests. He was great the last time the Knicks played the Suns, scoring 42.25 DraftKings points and 40.5 FanDuel points.