NBA DFS Picks: Yahoo Plays and Strategy for Wednesday, January 17

NBA DFS Picks: Yahoo Plays and Strategy for Wednesday, January 17

This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.

The NBA brings a loaded slate made up of 10 games Wednesday. That leaves us with a bevy of options to sift through on Yahoo. Let's try to help narrow down the field by highlighting some of the top players to consider at each position, as well as a few to possibly avoid.

GUARDS

Donovan Mitchell, CLE vs. MIL ($44): The Cavaliers revealed some good news Tuesday that Darius Garland (jaw) has been cleared to resume basketball-related activities. While he's nearing a return, he won't be back for this matchup, leaving Mitchell in a leading role. The Bucks have played at the fifth-fastest pace in the league, so with Mitchell having already scored at least 51.2 Yahoo points in six of his last nine games, he has an incredibly high ceiling.

Anfernee Simons, POR vs. BKN ($29): Simons has some crazy splits. On the road, he has averaged 19.9 points and shot 35.9 percent from the field. At home, he has averaged 27.1 points and shot 47.9 percent. The last time he took on the Nets, he scored 57.3 Yahoo points in Brooklyn. Look for him to remain successful in their rematch.

Guard to Avoid

Dennis Schroder, TOR vs. MIA ($23): Now that Immanuel Quickley is starting for the Raptors, Schroder has been moved to the bench. That change has contributed to him scoring 22.6 Yahoo points or fewer in four of their last five games. The Heat have the ninth-best defensive rating in the league, so this matchup doesn't put Schroder in a good spot to break out of his slump.

FORWARDS

Paolo Banchero, ORL at ATL ($40): The absence of Franz Wagner (ankle) has continued to put an added workload on the shoulders of Banchero. Over the last six games without Wagner, Banchero has averaged 25.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 1.5 steals. He averaged 22.7 shot attempts per game, compared to his season average of 18.0 attempts. The Hawks have played at the fourth-fastest pace and have the fourth-worst defensive rating in the league, making Banchero a stellar option.

Jonathan Kuminga, GS at UTA ($15): Despite Draymond Green returning from his suspension, the Warriors still have depth issues. Kuminga has played well, scoring at least 20 points in each of the last three games. The most encouraging stat from his double-double against the Grizzlies on Monday was that he logged 29 minutes despite Green being back with the team. With a prominent role off the bench in hand, Kuminga is worth considering at his cheap salary.

Forward to Avoid

Draymond Green, GS at UTA ($23): Green did not start in his return from suspension Monday, logging 23 minutes off the bench. Given how long he has been out, it wouldn't be a surprise to see his playing time limited for at least one more game. Combine that possibility with his paltry averages of 9.5 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.7 assists for the season and Green is someone to stay away from during a slate with so many other viable options.

CENTERS

Anthony Davis, LAL vs. DAL ($52): Davis is a tough matchup for most teams, but especially the Mavericks. Promising rookie center Dereck Lively II is healthy, but he is only 19 years old. The Mavericks have very little size behind him, too. The last time these two teams met, Davis scored 54.2 Yahoo points. Expect Davis to have one of the highest floors among centers for this slate.

Goga Bitadze, ORL at ATL ($15): Bitadze has started each of his last nine games. While his numbers during that span don't exactly jump off the page, he did produce respectable averages of 7.1 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.3 blocks. That included a game against the Hawks in which he finished with 11 points, 14 rebounds, three assists and two blocks over 28 minutes. His salary is cheap enough to make him worth considering in their rematch.

Center to Avoid

Wendell Carter, ORL at ATL ($22): If the Magic decide to make any moves at the trade deadline, Carter could find himself on a new team. His role has been declining, leaving him to log 24 minutes or fewer in each of his last four games. Bitadze is playing well, so there's no reason to believe that Carter will see a boost in playing time during this matchup.

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. Mike Barner plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: FanDuel: mbarner, DraftKings: mbarner51.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mike Barner
Mike started covering fantasy sports in 2007, joining RotoWire in 2010. In 2018, he was a finalist for the FSWA Basketball Writer of the Year award. Mike also won the 2022-23 FSGA NBA Experts Champions league. In addition to RotoWire, Mike has written for Sportsline, Sports Illustrated, DK Live, RealTime Fantasy Sports, Lineup Lab and KFFL.com.
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