Daily Fantasy Basketball Value Picks For Sunday, 10/8

After a wild Saturday that included some crazy college football games and a ton of NBA action, things quiet down on the pro basketball front with just two NBA preseason games.

With the NFL taking over our Sundays still, we’re pushing this piece out early, as there are just two games to focus on. That doesn’t mean we won’t want to take a stab at the perfect daily fantasy basketball GPP squad, though, because even the smallest of NBA preseason slates still offer a ton of upside.

This could be the perfect time to remind everyone of just how important it is to both differentiate your lineups and stay on top of news. Last night we saw guys like D’Angelo Russell, Brandon Ingram, Jamal Murray and Marquese Chriss all excel, yet all go under-owned.

On the flip-side, Danilo Gallinari – who didn’t even play – was owned by an insane 49% of owners in the small GPP we played. Mistakes like that cost you big – especially on a two-game slate. Be sure to look for sleepers, but also make sure every single guy your roster is – ya know – actually playing.

Top Stars

• Anthony Davis – Pelicans
• James Harden – Rockets
• D’Angelo Russell – Lakers
• Ryan Anderson – Rockets
• Eric Gordon – Rockets
• Julius Randle – Lakers
• Jusuf Nurkic/Nikola Jokic – Nuggets
• Emmanuel Mudiay – Nuggets

The list goes on, but there are the biggest names that can take over games in real life and daily fantasy basketball. Houston has been running their starters wild as they try to get ready for the new year in a new system, so it’s tough to expect that to suddenly change.

That makes Harden the top stud and a must-own player on this slate, while it also puts every Rockets starter in play. Due to their best players seeing the floor a lot, we can’t trust Rockets bench players too much. Toe that line with caution if you consider hitting up their bench.

The Brow has been limited to this point, but if he can get even a mild minutes bump he could be worth it. He’s that explosive. Also keep in mind the Lakers and Nuggets both played on Friday, so they could consider resting or limiting guys. Denver specifically held a bunch of guys out (Gallo!), so they could opt to do so again.

As for injuries, nothing huge has popped up yet, but Luol Deng did sit out Friday and Gary Harris is still out for the Nuggets. Remember, we’re pushing this out early with such a light Sunday slate, so be sure to check up on the latest lineup and injury news.

Let’s dive into the rest of the slate to see where the value lies:

Guards

• Tim Frazier – Pelicans
• Langston Galloway – Pelicans
• Buddy Hield – Pelicans
• E’Twaun Moore – Pelicans
• Tyler Ennis – Rockets
• Jamal Murray – Nuggets
• Malik Beasley – Nuggets
• Will Barton – Nuggets
• Lou Williams – Lakers

Salaries have not been released yet for Sunday’s preseason games, so we have to throw everyone together in the guard pool. You can adjust once the games are pushed live at DraftKings and other DFS sites.

The names are all the same, with all the New Orleans guards being highly appealing. Of that group, though, Buddy Hield remains the most fun.

Rookie of the Year Favorite?

Buddy Hield follows up 19 point debut with 18 points on the Pacers. (VIDEO): https://t.co/LrPx11eqeU pic.twitter.com/2P4bpTkZQf

— Ball Don't Stop (@balldontstop) October 5, 2016

He’s been great in his first two preseason games and can really score the ball. He’s doing more than shooting, though, which bodes well for his DFS upside.

Ennis is just a throw-in, but Patrick Beverley is out with an injury and it’s possible the Rockets don’t run James Harden into the ground tonight. If so, Ennis could get some run.

If you’re not stacking Pellies guards, then look for action with guards in the Lakers/Nuggets game. Jamal Murray was awesome in extended action on Friday and will see a good amount of run with Gary Harris (groin) sidelined. Teammates Beasley and Barton are also worth a look, but I like Murray’s versatility the most.

Lou can flat out score, so if Luke Walton is shoving him out there, he’s in the mix.

James Harden owns the guard position on Sunday and needs to be owned all of the wheres. After that, we like DLo and then probably Murray the most.

Forwards

• Terrence Jones – Pelicans
• Solomon Hill – Pelicans
• Corey Brewer – Rockets
• J. McDaniels – Rockets
• Sam Dekker – Rockets
• Donatas Motiejunas – Rockets
• Montrezl Harrell – Rockets
• Kenneth Faried – Nuggets
• Wilson Chandler – Nuggets
• Brandon Ingram – Lakers
• Larry Nance – Lakers

The Brow is the top forward if he plays, while Ryan Anderson has been murdering in strong run.

If either are out/limited or you just want to be a tad contrarian on such a small slate, Terrence Jones is your next best bet. Denver rested some guys the other night, but if they don’t do it here, they could be another place to look with Faried and Danilo probably back in action.

Some of these other young guys like Dekker or Harrell could be fun if we know for sure they’re playing a lot, but with the way Houston is running their preseason rotation right now, we can’t trust them.

I really like Brandon Ingram again after delivering a strong performance on Friday.

Watch Lakers’ Brandon Ingram get the first buckets of his career https://t.co/6uno1hk7Hn

— Kurt Helin (@basketballtalk) October 8, 2016

He’s not starting, but Luol Deng could be out again and the rook is going to get run as he adapts to the NBA. His length can get him easy rebounds and blocks and the offensive upside is already there. He might be a must-use guy on such a small slate and with a limited amount of truly explosive NBA DFS options.

Centers

• Alexis Ajinca – Pelicans
• Clint Capela – Rockets
• Nene Hilario – Rockets
• Tarik Black – Lakers

Center is brutal for Sunday’s preseason daily fantasy basketball slate. I don’t like any of these guys, as Ajinca is super points dependent, Black isn’t a lock for anything and Capela/Hilario are splitting run as they compete against each other.

Of this group, take your chances with Nene or Capela. Of the two, I’d side with Capela, as he is younger and a little more explosive due to his shot-blocking ability.

Ultimately, I want Nurkic, who has been a total monster. If not him, use teammate Jokic instead. Center isn’t good tonight, so it’s Nurkic or bust and if those dudes don’t play or end up being limited, we’re all in trouble.