FanDuel Daily Fantasy Basketball Helper: Saturday 10/22/22

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

Luka Doncic ($10,800): numberFire's top rated guard with a 52.4 FanDuel point has an underrated matchup against Memphis Grizzlies' team allowing a 112.0 defensive rating and an eye-popping 59.0 points in the paint this season. In his first game with his new supporting cast, the Mavericks' superstar averaged 1.47 FanDuel points and 0.63 field goal attempts per minute.

Ja Morant ($9,900): After a vintage 71.8 FanDuel point performance on Friday night, Morant's FanDuel salary jumped 5.3% to his highest point this season. Even if Dillon Brooks is active tonight, the Grizzlies' point guard still averages 1.62 FanDuel points and 0.70 shot attempts per minute in a 229.7 minute sample size with Memphis' other current injuries.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($9,600): Despite a massive 18.5% salary bump, Gilgeous-Alexander ranks fourth among guards with 43.8 FanDuel points and 25.7 real-life points against a Denver Nuggets squad allowing a 116.6 defensive rating.

Donovan Mitchell ($8,500): With Darius Garland sidelined with an eye injury, Mitchell has seen per minute increases of 0.11 FanDuel points and 0.02 shot attempts while averaging 1.56 FanDuel points and a 38.7% usage rate in a 28.6 minute sample size.

De'Aaron Fox ($8,500): After a 6.2% salary increase, Fox's projection still offers a 4.66 value rating with a 39.2 FanDuel point expectation despite his difficult matchup against a Los Angeles Clippers team with a 91.5 defensive rating.

Tyrese Haliburton ($8,200): In a great spot versus a Detroit Pistons playing with a 102.7 pace while also allowing a 106.8 defensive rating, Indiana's point guard ranks ninth overall with a 41.1 fantasy projection. In 62.8 minutes this season, Haliburton is averaging 1.37 FanDuel points, 0.57 shot attempts, and 0.30 assists.

Cade Cunningham ($7,700): The 21-year old ranks first among his team's starters in usage (26.6%), shot attempts (0.47), and assists (0.25).

Jrue Holiday ($7,600): In 990.7 minutes since 2021 with Khris Middleton off the floor, Holiday's per minute production has increased by 0.12 FanDuel points to a 1.23 mark while also accounting for a 28.2% usage rate.

Kevin Porter Jr ($7,200): At his median salary point, Houston's 22-year old guard is second among his team's starters in shot attempts (0.51) and usage (24.8%) while also producing 1.00 FanDuel points per minute.

Jalen Green ($6,200): Despite recording a season-high 43 FanDuel points on Friday, Green's salary has dropped to his lowest point against a Milwaukee Bucks' unit allowing a 92.6 defensive rating. The Rockets' second-year guard has been aggressive with his offensive game, recording 0.73 real-life points and 0.61 shot attempts per minute.

Caris LeVert ($5,600): In 192.9 minutes with Garland off the floor since last season, LeVert's production has been boosted by 0.08 FanDuel points per minute to 0.92 mark mostly due a 6.8% increase in his assists.

Reggie Jackson ($5,000): With Kawhi Leonard and John Wall ruled out, Jackson ranks eighth among guard in value with a 5.28 rating and a 26.4 FanDuel point projection. In 2339.3 minutes with Leonard off the floor since 2021, Jackson averaged 0.92 FanDuel points and a 28.1% usage rate.

Forwards

Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,500): The Greek Alphabet sees a 4.9% assist increase and a 0.01 FanDuel point per minute boost to a 1.70 mark in 1496.4 minutes with Middleton off the floor the past two seasons.

Jayson Tatum ($10,600): With Robert Williams and Al Horford sidelined, Boston's forward ranks first among his team in fantasy production (1.33 FanDuel points), shot attempts (0.56), rebounds (0.25), and real-life points (0.79) in 488.4 minutes since last season.

Paul George ($9,000): In 1085.8 minutes with Kawhi Leonard and John Wall inactive, George has accounted for 1.28 FanDuel points, 0.58 shot attempts, and 0.16 assists per minute. At his lowest salary point, the Clippers' forward offers a 5.01 value rating and today's third highest expectation among forwards with a 45.1 FanDuel point projection.

Pascal Siakam ($8,600): Toronto's forward has taken the next step in his overall game, ranking first among his team with 0.58 field goal attempts per minute, 0,17 assists, 0.32 rebounds, and 1.52 FanDuel points per minute.

Jaylen Brown ($8,300): In a 283.4 minute sample size with Boston's current inactives, Brown has seen a 0.18 FanDuel per minute increase to a 1.33 mark while also recording a 33.9% usage rate and 0.59 shot attempts per minute.

Paolo Banchero ($7,600): Orlando's first overall pick has impressed so far in 69.0 minutes, averaging 0.68 real-life points, 0.30 rebounds, 0.10 assist, and 1.34 FanDuel points.

Evan Mobley ($6,900): In 839.1 career minutes with Garland off the floor, Mobley has accounted for 0.96 FanDuel points and a 21.1% usage rate.

Jabari Smith ($5,700): Houston's 19-year old rookie ranks as a viable value play with a 5.46 rating and a 31.2 FanDuel point projection in 35.0 expected minutes.

Centers

Nikola Jokic ($11,100): Since Denver's opening game, Jokic's FanDuel salary has dropped 4.3% to his lowest point this season. In an underrated spot against a Oklahoma City Thunder team allowing 50.0 points in the paint and a 109.5 defensive rating, Denver's versatile center rates as numberFire's top play with a 58.2 fantasy expectation.

Domantas Sabonis ($8,000): In 537.5 minutes since Sabonis has joined Sacramento, the the 26-year old is averaging 1.24 FanDuel points, 0.35 rebounds, 0.17 assists, and a 24.4% usage rate.

Jarrett Allen ($7,100): Among Cleveland's starters in a 681.1 minute sample size with Garland out, Allen ranks second in fantasy production with a 1.09 FanDuel point mark.

Ivica Zubac ($6,600): In a 1843.3 minute sample size with Los Angeles' inactives, the Clippers' center is producing 1.05 FanDuel points.

Alperen Sengun ($5,000): With Bruno Fernando ruled out, Sengun stands as numberFire's top value play at his position with a 6.43 rating and a 32.2 fantasy projection.