FanDuel Daily Fantasy Basketball Helper: Saturday 11/5/22

If you're new to daily fantasy basketball -- maybe you started your DFS journey during the MLB or NFL seasons, or maybe basketball is your sport and this will be your first year giving it a shot -- you're in for a treat. 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 basketball is very reliant on a player's 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, we have player news updates, and the FanDuel Scout app will send push notifications for pressing updates regarding your players.

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

Let's break down today's main slate on FanDuel.

Guards

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($10,500): Despite a tough matchup versus a Milwaukee Bucks team ranked first in defensive rating, Gilgeous-Alexander is rated numberFire's top guard option with a 47.2 FanDuel point projection. At his second highest salary point this season, the Thunder's leading scorer still offers a 4.49 value rating while averaging 1.52 FanDuel points per minute.

Dejounte Murray ($9,100): With Trae Young considered questionable with an eye contusion, Murray could see a 0.04 boost to 1.33 FanDuel points per minute with a 31.7% usage rate if Young is inactive.

Devin Booker ($8,900): In a rematch versus a Portland team allowing a 109.9 defensive rating and a 37.0% three point shooting percentage, Booker is rated fourth among his position with a 41.3 fantasy expectation and third in real-life scoring (25.9 expected points).

Jrue Holiday ($8,300): Milwaukee's veteran guard could be their lead offensive option versus a Thunder team ranked sixth in defensive rating after Giannis Antetokounmpo was ruled out. In 89.7 minutes this season, Holiday is averaging 1.32 FanDuel points with the "Greek Alphabet" off the court.

Anthony Edwards ($8,000): Minnesota's third year guard is producing 1.12 FanDuel points, 0.18 rebounds, and 0.13 assists per minute in a 105.9 minute sample size with Rudy Gobert inactive.

Chris Paul ($7,600): Even at his highest salary point this season, Paul is an underrated mid-range option, ranking first among his team's starters in fantasy production (1.12) despite averaging 0.26 field goal attempts per minute.

Kevin Porter Jr. ($7,500): In the past week, Porter's FanDuel salary has moved down 5.0% to his median point. The 22-year old is averaging 1.05 FanDuel points per minute in 60.2 minutes this season with Houston's current inactives.

Jalen Green ($6,000): Houston's guard ranks sixth in value with a 5.18 rating and a 31.1 fantasy projection after his FanDuel salary dropped 6.2% since October 28th.

RJ Barrett ($5,900): Despite averaging 0.93 FanDuel points and a 26.9% usage rate, Barrett's FanDuel salary has remained unchanged in the past week.

Derrick White ($4,500): In 76.0 minutes with Al Horford inactive, White sees a sneaky 0.14 FanDuel point increase to 0.92 as well as a 3.4% usage jump to 16.8%.

Joe Harris ($4,200): In his return versus a Hornets' unit ranked ninth in three point shooting percentage, Harris rates ninth among guards in value with a 5.02 rating and a 21.6 fantasy projection.

Torrey Craig ($3,800): With Cameron Johnson ruled out, Craig is an optimal value option even at his highest salary point, averaging 0.83 FanDuel points in a 123.0 minute sample size.

Forwards

Kevin Durant ($10,600): In 71.2 minutes with Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons off the floor, Durant's fantasy production is boosted by 0.08 to 1.50 FanDuel points per minute with an eye-popping 38.1% usage rate.

Jayson Tatum ($10,400): Boston's stud 24-year old forward leads his team in fantasy production (1.39 FanDuel points) and usage (31.1%) in a 112.6 minute sample size with tonight's inactives.

Zion Williamson ($8,800): Despite logging an average of 31.0 minutes per game, the Pelicans' forward has remained ultra efficient, producing 1.22 FanDuel points, 0.22 rebounds, and 0.12 assists per minute.

Jaylen Brown ($8,300): Even at his highest salary point, Brown is an intriguing mid-range option ranked seventh among forwards with a 37.9 FanDuel point projection.

Brandon Ingram ($7,700): After his return on Friday, Ingram's FanDuel salary stands at his second highest point this season against a Hawks' team rated 20th in defensive rating and eighth in true shooting percentage.

Julius Randle ($7,400): The Knicks' power forward sees a 0.10 fantasy boost to 1.16 FanDuel points with Mitchell Robinson unlikely to suit up against a Boston team ranked 18th in defensive rating.

Justise Winslow ($5,200): In 52.5 minutes with Portland's inactives, Winslow's production increases by 0.16 to 1.25 FanDuel points mostly due to 6.6% increase in assist rate.

Isaiah Hartenstein ($5,100): New York's versatile big man rates as an elite lower salary option with a 6.72 value rating and a 34.3 FanDuel point projection while averaging 1.06 FanDuel points with Robinson off the floor.

Kenyon Martin Jr. ($4,600): numberFire's second highest value option at the forward positions with a 5.89 value rating and a 27.1 fantasy expectation.

Centers

Nikola Jokic ($11,400): In a mouth-watering spot against a San Antonio Spurs' team ranked 29th in points allowed per game, Denver's stud center ranks first among all players with a 57.7 FanDuel point projection including 26.0 real-life points, 12.7 rebounds, and 9.0 assists in 33.1 expected minutes.

Karl-Anthony Towns ($9,300): KAT rates first among his team's starters in fantasy production (1.47 FanDuel points), rebounds (0.27), real-life points (0.94), field goal attempts (0.57) and usage (32.3%) in 115.5 minutes with Gobert off the floor.

Alperen Sengun ($6,500): Houston's center produces 1.17 FanDuel points, 0.35 rebounds, and 0.35 field goal attempts per minute with Houston's expected rottation.

Nicolas Claxton ($6,000): In a good matchup versus a Charlotte team allowing 53.8 points in the paint, Claxton stands seventh in value among centers with a 5.08 rating and eighth with a 30.5 FanDuel point projection.