NBA DFS Picks, Projections, Lineups, Injuries & More Today: Sunday Playbook

Published: Jan 05, 2025
Happy Sunday! We have a very interesting five game main slate to work with today with a number of top players being ruled out which has created some interesting value and some very obvious chalk plays in great matchups to build our lineups around.
Before actually diving into the meat and potatoes, welcome to the NBA DFS season. If this is your first time reading our column on NBA DFS picks, I just want to welcome you and give you a few tips and tricks on what you should be looking for each night.
- News outlets: reliable sources that give us injury news & starting lineups
- Pace of play: who's playing fast vs. who's playing slow. Which teams get a pace-up spot (more possessions) vs. pace-down (fewer possessions)
- Usage rates: is a percentage of how many plays that player is being used in
- NBA DFS Projections
- Lineup Generator
- NBA Ownership
NBA DFS Picks & Daily Fantasy Playbook Today, January, 5th
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Pre-Lock Update
This section will be used for anything that changes from the morning until right up to roster lock.
Injury updates, players we’re higher on than we were in the morning and so much more.
NBA Injuries, News & Updates Today, 1/5
- LaMelo Ball - Questionable
- Dejounte Murray - Questionable
- Brandon Miller - Questionable
- Stephen Curry - Questionable
- Brandon Miller - Questionable
- Jalen Suggs - OUT
- De'Aaron Fox - OUT
- Jordan Poole - OUT
- Lauri Markkanen - OUT
- John Collins - OUT
- Jordan Clarkson - OUT
- Keyonte George - OUT
- Jonathan Kuminga - OUT
- Bilal Coulibaly - Questionable
- Jabari Smith. - OUT
- Tari Eason - Questionable
- Keegan Murray - Questionable
- Anthony Black - Questionable
- Brandin Podziemski - Questionable
NBA DFS Slate & Game Overviews
In the section below, I’m listing the most notable things we need to look at in Las Vegas, including notable O/U and spreads.
Charlotte Hornets vs Cleveland Cavaliers
- Total: 223.5
- Spread: CLE -16.5
New Orleans Pelicans vs Washington Wizards
- Total: 232.5
- Spread: NO -5.5
- Total: 208.5
- Spread: ORL -8.5
Los Angeles Lakers vs Houston Rockets
- Total: 218.5
- Spread: HOU -4.5
Sacramento Kings vs Golden State Warriors
- Total: 225.5
- Spread: GSW -4.5
NBA DFS Core Player Pool & Lineup Picks
Here are the core players I’m looking at for my NBA DFS picks tonight. You can see the full analysis of tonight’s NBA DFS projections and player pool below or skip ahead to building the best lineups possible by locking these into the aforementioned lineup generator now.
High
- Anthony Davis, LeBron James, Alperen Sengun, Domantas Sabonis
Mid
- CJ McCollum, Trey Murphy, Austin Reaves, Goga Bitadze, DeMar DeRozan, Malik Monk, Amen Thompson, Walker Kessler, Collin Sexton, Yves Missi, Kyle Kuzma, Andrew Wiggins
Value
- Cole Anthony, Tristan da Silva, Cam Whitmore, Max Christie, Keon Ellis, Brice Sensabaugh, Isaiah Collier, Johnny Juzang
Pos (Click to sort ascending) | Player (Click to sort ascending) | Matchup (Click to sort ascending) | DK (Click to sort ascending) | DK Pts (Click to sort ascending) | FD (Click to sort ascending) | FD Pts (Click to sort ascending) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PG | Stephen Curry | SAC @ GSW Sun 8:30 | 8500 | 0 | 8300 | 0 |
After sitting last night on the front leg of the back to back Curry is in the lineup tonight against a Kings team that will be without De'Aaron Fox. The last time we saw Curry take the court he torched the 76ers, scoring 30 points with six rebounds and 10 assists over 29 minutes while knocking down eight three-pointers. Game Type: CASH & GPP | ||||||
PG | CJ McCollum | NOP @ WAS Sun 6:00 | 7800 | 42.2 | 7900 | 41.5 |
The Pelicans and Wizards are running it back after these two teams played on Friday and combined to score 252 points. In that game we saw McCollum knock down 10 three-pointers on his way to 50 points. While it's unlikely he hits 10 threes tonight, we also know the Wizards are not a good defensive team and this is projected to be another high scoring contest. Game Type: CASH & GPP | ||||||
PG | Austin Reaves | LAL @ HOU Sun 7:00 | 7200 | 33.6 | 7800 | 32.1 |
I guess this is just the Reaves we are going to get. Against the Hawks he played 39 minutes and finished with 20 points, seven rebounds and six assists. He ahs triple-double upside playing with Anthony Davis and LeBron James and not many can say that. Game Type: CASH & GPP | ||||||
PG | Malik Monk | SAC @ GSW Sun 8:30 | 6800 | 37 | 6800 | 36 |
Going to be a very popular play today with De'Aaron Fox out of the lineup. Monk already plays a ton of minutes and takes a lot of shots but with Fox out of the lineup there are even more opportunities for him to have the basketball in his hands. Game Type: GPP | ||||||
PG | Anthony Black | UTA @ ORL Sun 6:30 | 4700 | 19 | 4500 | 19.1 |
The injuries continue to hit the Magic as they are now without Jalen Suggs to go along with Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. Black is back in the lineup tonight facing a Jazz team that is missing three starters and four key rotational pieces here this evening. Game Type: GPP | ||||||
PG | Carlton Carrington | NOP @ WAS Sun 6:00 | 4700 | 26.1 | 4500 | 25.3 |
No Jordan Poole today and already playing a ton of minutes over the last few games. Should see him play 30+ minutes today and without Poole maybe there are more shots for him as well. Game Type: GPP | ||||||
PG | Isaiah Collier | UTA @ ORL Sun 6:30 | 3200 | 17.5 | 3900 | 17.1 |
Collier played 24 minutes against the Heat in Utah's blowout win the other night, finishing with 24 fantasy points. With Keyonte George and Jordan Clarkson out of the lineup we have to think he will get at least the same 24 minutes tonight if not even more against this Magic team. We saw Collier play 35 minutes at the end of December and in that game he also finished with 25 fantasy points. Game Type: GPP | ||||||
SG | Amen Thompson | LAL @ HOU Sun 7:00 | 6700 | 37.1 | 6600 | 37.9 |
Thompson is back from suspension and will enter the starting lineup for the injured Jabari Smith Jr.. With Tari Eason also out of the lineup the minutes are going to be very secure for Thompson here in this matchup against the Lakers. Game Type: CASH & GPP | ||||||
SG | Collin Sexton | UTA @ ORL Sun 6:30 | 6200 | 38.4 | 6200 | 36.3 |
No Jordan Clarkson, John Collins, Lauri Markkanen or Keyonte George today for the Jazz. This feels like a 30 shot game incoming for Collin Sexton against this depleted Magic team. Game Type: GPP | ||||||
SG | Malcolm Brogdon | NOP @ WAS Sun 6:00 | 5900 | 25.5 | 5700 | 25 |
Brogdon is a high usage and fantasy point per minute player and without Jordan Poole today we could see a ceiling minutes game from Brogdon this evening. Against the Pelicans the other night he played 25 minutes and finished with 16 points three rebounds and three assists. Game Type: CASH | ||||||
SG | Cole Anthony | UTA @ ORL Sun 6:30 | 5300 | 32.7 | 5100 | 31.3 |
Anthony saw 34 minutes against the Raptors the other night and finished with nine points, 11 assists and four rebounds. As long as he is going to approach 30 minutes he is live for a huge scoring night. Just know that he is a volume shooter but not an efficient one so there are days where he will go 2-for-12 and others where he will go 13-for-25. Game Type: GPP | ||||||
SG | Keon Ellis | SAC @ GSW Sun 8:30 | 3600 | 24.4 | 5200 | 25.7 |
Big chalk today, especially on DraftKings. He's going to likely start and play the minutes in place of De'Aaron Fox. That said, he's not a great offensive player but if he makes his shots there is some nice upside given his defensive stat accumulation. Game Type: CASH | ||||||
SF | Trey Murphy | NOP @ WAS Sun 6:00 | 7600 | 36.5 | 7500 | 35.9 |
We loved Murphy the other night against the Wizards but it was McCollum that dropped the 50 spot instead. It's doesn't scare me off going right back to Murphy here today in this matchup as he still had 37 fantasy points and we've seen him go for 40-45 FP pretty consistently this season. Game Type: CASH & GPP | ||||||
SF | DeMar DeRozan | SAC @ GSW Sun 8:30 | 7000 | 36.9 | 7200 | 37.5 |
Big usage bump without De'Aaron Fox on the floor. I like DDR in cash games today but can certainly see why he would be a core piece in GPP lineups as well as we look to stack this Kings vs Warriors matchup. Game Type: CASH | ||||||
SF | Andrew Wiggins | 5600 | 0 | 6400 | 0 | |
Curry is back but Jonathan Kuminga has been ruled out. Kuminga has been a high usage player when on the floor and with him out of the lineup I'd expect to see Wiggins pick up some of the offensive slack. Game Type: GPP | ||||||
SF | Tristan da Silva | UTA @ ORL Sun 6:30 | 5100 | 25.9 | 5000 | 25 |
Which version of Tristan da Silva shows up today? In two of the last five games he's shot 0-for-5 and 0-for- 6. In the other three games he's gone 7-for-12, 8-for-15 and 9-for-13. Given the matchup against the Jazz today I'm more inclined to think we get the good version of da Silva today and not the bad version. Game Type: GPP | ||||||
SF | Cam Whitmore | LAL @ HOU Sun 7:00 | 4400 | 13.3 | 4800 | 13.2 |
We love Cam Whitmore here at Fantasy Alarm and with both Jabari Smith and Tari Eason out of the lineup there should be plenty of minutes for him off of the bench even as Amen Thompson returns to the starting lineup. Game Type: GPP | ||||||
SF | Johnny Juzang | UTA @ ORL Sun 6:30 | 3400 | 19.2 | 3800 | 18.3 |
Juzang has been playing and he's had some good games as well. With everyone out of the lineup theres a shot he enters the starting lineup. A value play dart throw as most of the Utah Jazz roster will be today. Game Type: GPP | ||||||
PF | LeBron James | LAL @ HOU Sun 7:00 | 10000 | 48.2 | 9500 | 46 |
James has looked great since returning to the Lakers lineup and he's coming off back-to-back 30-point games against the Hawks and Blazers. Sure, the Rockets are a good defensive team but few are stopping LeBron even at his age. Game Type: CASH & GPP | ||||||
PF | Kyle Kuzma | 5800 | 0 | 5900 | 0 | |
Kuzma started and played 28 minutes against the Pelicans on Friday. My hope is those minutes continue to ramp up because this price tag is just too cheap for the ceiling that Kuzma provides, especially with no Jordan Poole here today. He scored 25 FP in 28 minutes in that start. Game Type: GPP | ||||||
PF | Draymond Green | SAC @ GSW Sun 8:30 | 5700 | 32.7 | 6200 | 32.5 |
Going to be locked into 30+ minutes and with Steph Curry back in the lineup that will actually benefit Green a bit more as he runs the offense and increases his assist odds. No Jonathan Kuminga may also offer a slight bump in minutes for Green here tonight as well. Game Type: CASH | ||||||
PF | Brice Sensabaugh | UTA @ ORL Sun 6:30 | 3300 | 21.6 | 3700 | 20 |
My man dropped 34 points in 26 minutes against the Heat last night on his way to 51 fantasy points. He's the top rostered play of the slate. He is going to start and play more than the 26 minutes we just saw him. We've gotten a few good games from Sensabaugh this season but he hasn't had an opportunity with THIS many guys out of the rotation. Game Type: GPP | ||||||
C | Anthony Davis | 10500 | 0 | 11500 | 0 | |
He's Anthony Davis. Lock him for 60 fantasy points and move along. Game Type: CASH & GPP | ||||||
C | Domantas Sabonis | SAC @ GSW Sun 8:30 | 9000 | 48.2 | 9400 | 45 |
No De'Aaron Fox today and Sabonis has a 25% usage rate and averages 1.4 fantasy points per minutes with him off of the floor this season. That is the highest on the team. Game Type: CASH & GPP | ||||||
C | Goga Bitadze | UTA @ ORL Sun 6:30 | 7100 | 42.7 | 7600 | 43.3 |
We were all ready for Goga against the Pistons and he gets benched, playing only 23 minutes. He then plays the Raptors, sees 30 minutes and goes for 46 FP. With Walker Kessler on the other side today I'd expect to see him play closer to the 30 minutes than the 20 minutes. Game Type: CASH | ||||||
C | Walker Kessler | UTA @ ORL Sun 6:30 | 6300 | 40 | 6900 | 41.1 |
There's obviously not a huge minutes sample size with all the players off the floor today that are out for the Jazz but if you take off John Collins, Lauri Markkanen and Jordan Clarkson we see Kessler with 1.31 FP/Min. He has solid double-double upside with a massive shot block potential. Game Type: GPP | ||||||
C | Yves Missi | NOP @ WAS Sun 6:00 | 5900 | 33.4 | 6100 | 33.1 |
The Wizards really struggle defensively and Missi put up a good game against them the other night. He is good with the defensive stats and has a double-double potential as well. Game Type: GPP | ||||||
C | Trayce Jackson-Davis | SAC @ GSW Sun 8:30 | 5000 | 31.8 | 6100 | 32.2 |
Seems relatively secure in his role which seems to see him play close to 30 minutes. Now, it's Steve Kerr as his head coach so this can change without notice but it's hard not to love the fantasy point upside we've been getting from the young center. Game Type: GPP |
Stephen Curry, PG | 8500 , 0 | 0 | 8300 , 0 | 0 | ||
After sitting last night on the front leg of the back to back Curry is in the lineup tonight against a Kings team that will be without De'Aaron Fox. The last time we saw Curry take the court he torched the 76ers, scoring 30 points with six rebounds and 10 assists over 29 minutes while knocking down eight three-pointers. Game Type: CASH & GPP | ||||||
CJ McCollum, PG | 7800 , 42.2 | 42.2 | 7900 , 41.5 | 41.5 | ||
The Pelicans and Wizards are running it back after these two teams played on Friday and combined to score 252 points. In that game we saw McCollum knock down 10 three-pointers on his way to 50 points. While it's unlikely he hits 10 threes tonight, we also know the Wizards are not a good defensive team and this is projected to be another high scoring contest. Game Type: CASH & GPP | ||||||
Austin Reaves, PG | 7200 , 33.6 | 33.6 | 7800 , 32.1 | 32.1 | ||
I guess this is just the Reaves we are going to get. Against the Hawks he played 39 minutes and finished with 20 points, seven rebounds and six assists. He ahs triple-double upside playing with Anthony Davis and LeBron James and not many can say that. Game Type: CASH & GPP | ||||||
Malik Monk, PG | 6800 , 37 | 37 | 6800 , 36 | 36 | ||
Going to be a very popular play today with De'Aaron Fox out of the lineup. Monk already plays a ton of minutes and takes a lot of shots but with Fox out of the lineup there are even more opportunities for him to have the basketball in his hands. Game Type: GPP | ||||||
Anthony Black, PG | 4700 , 19 | 19 | 4500 , 19.1 | 19.1 | ||
The injuries continue to hit the Magic as they are now without Jalen Suggs to go along with Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. Black is back in the lineup tonight facing a Jazz team that is missing three starters and four key rotational pieces here this evening. Game Type: GPP | ||||||
4700 , 26.1 | 26.1 | 4500 , 25.3 | 25.3 | |||
No Jordan Poole today and already playing a ton of minutes over the last few games. Should see him play 30+ minutes today and without Poole maybe there are more shots for him as well. Game Type: GPP | ||||||
Isaiah Collier, PG | 3200 , 17.5 | 17.5 | 3900 , 17.1 | 17.1 | ||
Collier played 24 minutes against the Heat in Utah's blowout win the other night, finishing with 24 fantasy points. With Keyonte George and Jordan Clarkson out of the lineup we have to think he will get at least the same 24 minutes tonight if not even more against this Magic team. We saw Collier play 35 minutes at the end of December and in that game he also finished with 25 fantasy points. Game Type: GPP | ||||||
Amen Thompson, SG | 6700 , 37.1 | 37.1 | 6600 , 37.9 | 37.9 | ||
Thompson is back from suspension and will enter the starting lineup for the injured Jabari Smith Jr.. With Tari Eason also out of the lineup the minutes are going to be very secure for Thompson here in this matchup against the Lakers. Game Type: CASH & GPP | ||||||
Collin Sexton, SG | 6200 , 38.4 | 38.4 | 6200 , 36.3 | 36.3 | ||
No Jordan Clarkson, John Collins, Lauri Markkanen or Keyonte George today for the Jazz. This feels like a 30 shot game incoming for Collin Sexton against this depleted Magic team. Game Type: GPP | ||||||
Malcolm Brogdon, SG | 5900 , 25.5 | 25.5 | 5700 , 25 | 25 | ||
Brogdon is a high usage and fantasy point per minute player and without Jordan Poole today we could see a ceiling minutes game from Brogdon this evening. Against the Pelicans the other night he played 25 minutes and finished with 16 points three rebounds and three assists. Game Type: CASH | ||||||
Cole Anthony, SG | 5300 , 32.7 | 32.7 | 5100 , 31.3 | 31.3 | ||
Anthony saw 34 minutes against the Raptors the other night and finished with nine points, 11 assists and four rebounds. As long as he is going to approach 30 minutes he is live for a huge scoring night. Just know that he is a volume shooter but not an efficient one so there are days where he will go 2-for-12 and others where he will go 13-for-25. Game Type: GPP | ||||||
Keon Ellis, SG | 3600 , 24.4 | 24.4 | 5200 , 25.7 | 25.7 | ||
Big chalk today, especially on DraftKings. He's going to likely start and play the minutes in place of De'Aaron Fox. That said, he's not a great offensive player but if he makes his shots there is some nice upside given his defensive stat accumulation. Game Type: CASH | ||||||
Trey Murphy, SF | 7600 , 36.5 | 36.5 | 7500 , 35.9 | 35.9 | ||
We loved Murphy the other night against the Wizards but it was McCollum that dropped the 50 spot instead. It's doesn't scare me off going right back to Murphy here today in this matchup as he still had 37 fantasy points and we've seen him go for 40-45 FP pretty consistently this season. Game Type: CASH & GPP | ||||||
DeMar DeRozan, SF | 7000 , 36.9 | 36.9 | 7200 , 37.5 | 37.5 | ||
Big usage bump without De'Aaron Fox on the floor. I like DDR in cash games today but can certainly see why he would be a core piece in GPP lineups as well as we look to stack this Kings vs Warriors matchup. Game Type: CASH | ||||||
Andrew Wiggins, SF | 5600 , 0 | 0 | 6400 , 0 | 0 | ||
Curry is back but Jonathan Kuminga has been ruled out. Kuminga has been a high usage player when on the floor and with him out of the lineup I'd expect to see Wiggins pick up some of the offensive slack. Game Type: GPP | ||||||
Tristan da Silva, SF | 5100 , 25.9 | 25.9 | 5000 , 25 | 25 | ||
Which version of Tristan da Silva shows up today? In two of the last five games he's shot 0-for-5 and 0-for- 6. In the other three games he's gone 7-for-12, 8-for-15 and 9-for-13. Given the matchup against the Jazz today I'm more inclined to think we get the good version of da Silva today and not the bad version. Game Type: GPP | ||||||
Cam Whitmore, SF | 4400 , 13.3 | 13.3 | 4800 , 13.2 | 13.2 | ||
We love Cam Whitmore here at Fantasy Alarm and with both Jabari Smith and Tari Eason out of the lineup there should be plenty of minutes for him off of the bench even as Amen Thompson returns to the starting lineup. Game Type: GPP | ||||||
Johnny Juzang, SF | 3400 , 19.2 | 19.2 | 3800 , 18.3 | 18.3 | ||
Juzang has been playing and he's had some good games as well. With everyone out of the lineup theres a shot he enters the starting lineup. A value play dart throw as most of the Utah Jazz roster will be today. Game Type: GPP | ||||||
LeBron James, PF | 10000 , 48.2 | 48.2 | 9500 , 46 | 46 | ||
James has looked great since returning to the Lakers lineup and he's coming off back-to-back 30-point games against the Hawks and Blazers. Sure, the Rockets are a good defensive team but few are stopping LeBron even at his age. Game Type: CASH & GPP | ||||||
Kyle Kuzma, PF | 5800 , 0 | 0 | 5900 , 0 | 0 | ||
Kuzma started and played 28 minutes against the Pelicans on Friday. My hope is those minutes continue to ramp up because this price tag is just too cheap for the ceiling that Kuzma provides, especially with no Jordan Poole here today. He scored 25 FP in 28 minutes in that start. Game Type: GPP | ||||||
Draymond Green, PF | 5700 , 32.7 | 32.7 | 6200 , 32.5 | 32.5 | ||
Going to be locked into 30+ minutes and with Steph Curry back in the lineup that will actually benefit Green a bit more as he runs the offense and increases his assist odds. No Jonathan Kuminga may also offer a slight bump in minutes for Green here tonight as well. Game Type: CASH | ||||||
Brice Sensabaugh, PF | 3300 , 21.6 | 21.6 | 3700 , 20 | 20 | ||
My man dropped 34 points in 26 minutes against the Heat last night on his way to 51 fantasy points. He's the top rostered play of the slate. He is going to start and play more than the 26 minutes we just saw him. We've gotten a few good games from Sensabaugh this season but he hasn't had an opportunity with THIS many guys out of the rotation. Game Type: GPP | ||||||
10500 , 0 | 0 | 11500 , 0 | 0 | |||
He's Anthony Davis. Lock him for 60 fantasy points and move along. Game Type: CASH & GPP | ||||||
9000 , 48.2 | 48.2 | 9400 , 45 | 45 | |||
No De'Aaron Fox today and Sabonis has a 25% usage rate and averages 1.4 fantasy points per minutes with him off of the floor this season. That is the highest on the team. Game Type: CASH & GPP | ||||||
Goga Bitadze, C | 7100 , 42.7 | 42.7 | 7600 , 43.3 | 43.3 | ||
We were all ready for Goga against the Pistons and he gets benched, playing only 23 minutes. He then plays the Raptors, sees 30 minutes and goes for 46 FP. With Walker Kessler on the other side today I'd expect to see him play closer to the 30 minutes than the 20 minutes. Game Type: CASH | ||||||
6300 , 40 | 40 | 6900 , 41.1 | 41.1 | |||
There's obviously not a huge minutes sample size with all the players off the floor today that are out for the Jazz but if you take off John Collins, Lauri Markkanen and Jordan Clarkson we see Kessler with 1.31 FP/Min. He has solid double-double upside with a massive shot block potential. Game Type: GPP | ||||||
Yves Missi, C | 5900 , 33.4 | 33.4 | 6100 , 33.1 | 33.1 | ||
The Wizards really struggle defensively and Missi put up a good game against them the other night. He is good with the defensive stats and has a double-double potential as well. Game Type: GPP | ||||||
5000 , 31.8 | 31.8 | 6100 , 32.2 | 32.2 | |||
Seems relatively secure in his role which seems to see him play close to 30 minutes. Now, it's Steve Kerr as his head coach so this can change without notice but it's hard not to love the fantasy point upside we've been getting from the young center. Game Type: GPP |