Fantasy basketball picks: Best DraftKings NBA DFS goals, values for April 16

The NBA playoffs are upon us. The first round kicks off Saturday with a four-game slate starting at 1 p.m. ET. Let’s dive into some of the best options to consider in each position.
Define your DraftKings fantastic basketball lineups here: NBA playoff opener at $350,000 [$100K to 1st]
For the latest news, analysis and programming, download DK Live app. You can also follow DK live on Twitter @dklive.
peak guard
Standard
Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies vs. Minnesota Wolves ($9,800) – Morant is officially back for the Grizzlies, and he should be able to play close to his usual workload in Game 1 against the Timberwolves. It’s an outstanding game, with Minnesota ranking first in pace this season. The Grizzlies also played at a top-four pace, so this game should feature plenty of possessions.
Morant also stands out as the best producer per minute in this position. He has an average of 1.42 DKFP per minute, so he can do damage there.
Other options – Jalen Brunson ($7,200), D’Angelo Russell ($7,200)
Value
Spencer Dinwiddie, Dallas Mavericks vs. Utah Jazz ($6,300) – Saturday’s biggest news is the Mavericks, who are expected to be without a world leader Luka Doncic ($10,200; calf), which is officially listed as questionable. Doncic has been exceptional in the second half of the year, and his absence will open up tons of additional attacking responsibilities for the rest of the roster.
Dinwiddie is one of the biggest beneficiaries of a Doncic absence. Since joining the Mavericks, Dinwiddie has increased his utilization rate by 9.1% with Doncic on the ground. The result is an average of 1.24 DKFP per minute, which is the team’s best mark. Dinwiddie also averaged 44.38 DKFP in two full games without Doncic, making him one of the best values on the slate.
Other options – Patrick Beverley ($5,400), Monte Morris ($4,900)
shooting guard
Standard
Fred VanVleet, Toronto Raptors to Philadelphia 76ers ($7,900) – VanVleet has been hampered by a knee injury, which has seen him miss 10 of the Raptors’ last 23 games. However, head coach Nick Nurse showed him no mercy when he was in the lineup. He’s still steadily approaching 40 minutes of playing time, and he should see at least that much running against the 76ers. VanVleet is averaging 1.09 DKFP per minute this season, so he should be able to pay his salary with that much playing time.
Other options – James Harden ($9,200), Donovan Mitchell ($8,100)
Value
Bones Hyland, Denver nuggets to Golden State Warriors ($5,100) – The Nuggets are looking for someone who can give them consistent production alongside Nikola Jokic ($10,600), and Hyland has had more opportunities lately. He has responded well, racking up at least 30.0 DKFP in four of his last six games. Don’t expect Hyland to play a ton of minutes, but he should be able to make up for it with his average of 1.04 DKFP per minute.
Other options – Reggie Bullock ($4,800), Gary Payton II ($3,500)
small forward
Standard
Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Memphis Grizzlies ($7,600) – This game clearly stands out as the main target from a fantasy point of view. The total currently sits at 236.0 points, and no other game tops 223. That’s a pretty huge gap.
Edwards is coming off a strong performance in the qualifying match, finishing with 42.75 DKFP in 37 minutes. He benefited from Karl-Anthony Towns ($9,600) face foul issues, but Edwards has scored at least 41.0 DKFP in six of his last eight games. That makes $7,600 a good price in a great game.
Other options – Scottie Barnes ($6,900), Gary Trent Jr. ($5,900)
Value
OG Anunoby, Toronto Raptors vs. Philadelphia 76ers ($5,500) – Anunoby stands out as one of the highest values on the slate. His playing time was limited in the streak, but the Raptors weren’t really trying in those contests. Like most Raptors, Anunoby has the potential to approach 40 minutes now that the playoffs are here. Anunoby averages a strong DKFP 0.90 per minute, so it has a great price advantage.
Other options – Otto Porter ($4,700), Danny Green ($3,700)
Power forward
Standard
Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors vs. Denver Nuggets ($6,100) – The power forward is one of the weakest positions on Saturday’s list, but Green deserves some consideration. He’s no longer the same player he was in his prime – his scoring and 3-point shots continue to deteriorate – but he remains a major threat in peripheral categories. He’s averaged 7.0 assists and 7.3 rebounds per game this season, and he’s done it in an average of 28.9 minutes.
Green should see a few extra minutes per game in the playoffs, and his average is 1.07 DKFP per minute. There aren’t many options up front with that kind of rise per minute.
Other options –Pascal Siakam ($8,900), Tobias Harris ($6,700)
Value
Brandon Clarke, Memphis Grizzlies vs. Minnesota Timberwolves ($3,800) – Clarke is actually one of the few power forwards to have been better than Green by the minute. It averaged 1.14 DKFP per minute, albeit on a smaller sample. He thinks he sees around 18-20 minutes in this contest, which should be plenty.
Other options – Jarred Vanderbilt ($4,000), Jeff Green ($3,600)
Center
Standard
Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets at Golden State Warriors ($10,600) – The center is absolutely loaded at the top, but it’s hard to pass Jokic at $10,600. He had another monster season, finishing with a career-high 27.1 points and 13.8 rebounds per game. He also added his usual outstanding ratings as a distributor, averaging 7.9 assists. Overall, he averaged 61.25 DKFP per game during the regular season, blowing his previous career high of 56.95.
There’s no reason to expect less in the playoffs. On the contrary, Jokic should be able to improve his average of 33.5 minutes per game. It should be a popular choice, but it’s hard to avoid at such a low price.
Other options – Joel Embiid ($10,400), Karl-Anthony Towns ($9,600)
Value
Dwight Powell, Dallas Mavericks vs. Utah Jazz ($5,200) – Powell has recently been a solid source of value for the Mavericks. He’s scored at least 24.25 DKFP in five of his last seven games, and the Mavericks will need his size in this series. Rudy Gobert ($8,000) will patrol the paint for the Jazz, and Powell will be asked to keep him off the glass. That should translate to a good handful of minutes, even with Maxi Kleber ($3,300) cleared to return to alignment.
Other options – Kevon Looney ($3,400), Maxi Kleber ($3,300)
Define your DraftKings fantastic basketball lineups here: NBA playoff opener at $350,000 [$100K to 1st]
Put your knowledge to the test. Sign up for DraftKings and discover the game inside the game.
Place your NBA betting to DraftKings Sportsbook or by download the DraftKings Sportsbook app.
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is mlamarca) and may occasionally play on my personal account in the games I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal views on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the views of DraftKings and are not a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment to create queues. I can also deploy different players and strategies than those I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, you can access crisis counseling and referral services by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/MI/NJ/PA/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/NH), 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 1-877-770-STOP (7867) (LA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), call/text TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (NT), or 1-888-532-3500 (VIRGINIA).
21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/LA/MI/NH/NJ/NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. Eligibility restrictions apply. To see draftkings.com/sportsbook for full terms and conditions.