Josh Engleman here, back again with my DraftKings NBA DFS picks for Friday, April 18 — the final game day of the Play-In Tournament. We have two games on the slate, and then we’re diving head-first into the real playoffs tomorrow. But before that happens, we have value to chase and decisions to make using Stokastic’s NBA DFS Sims, NBA DFS projections and NBA DFS ownership projections. Don’t forget to check out Stokastic’s NBA DFS Starting Lineups Page to get the latest injury and rotation news.
DraftKings NBA DFS Value Picks Today, April 18
5 – Dyson Daniels
Position: PG/SG | Salary: $6,900
Projections: 14.8 Points, 7.2 Rebounds, 4.8 Assists, 3.9 Stocks
Daniels racks up those steals, which helps him project for 38 DraftKings fantasy points with a target score of 45. We have him in the optimal lineup 44% of the time. He’s going to play as much as he can handle. I have him in for 37.5 minutes right now, and that could climb. His job is to take Tyler Herro out of this game; that’s his whole focus. It might ding his offensive ceiling a bit, but the defensive upside — those stocks — more than make up for it. Throw in the dual guard eligibility and his price tag, and Daniels is one of the best plays on the slate.
4 – Caris LeVert
Position: SG/SF | Salary: $4,600
Projections: 13.6 Points, 4.0 Rebounds, 3.4 Assists, 1.7 Stocks
LeVert’s in the optimal lineup 55% of the time because this team needs his creation. He’s one of the only secondary creators they have who plays real minutes. He was trending toward closing in the last game, and I expect the same thing to happen again here. His price tag is behind the role. We’d be seeing a $5,100 or $5,200 LeVert if there was another game on the schedule. Plus, SG/SF eligibility is gold on a two-game slate.
3 – Trae Young
Position: PG | Salary: $8,800
Projections: 27.1 Points, 3.7 Rebounds, 11.6 Assists, 1.5 Stocks
Paying up for Young just made sense today. He’s simply underpriced for this spot. I have him in for 40 minutes at $8,800 — that’s cheaper than Herro, projects better. That’s cheaper than Bam Adebayo, projects better. Young is projected for 51 DraftKings points, and we need 54 to hit the goal.
He’s in the optimal lineup 52% of the time. The matchup against Miami’s defense isn’t great, but the price tag is just too low. This is win-or-go-home Young — not regular season 36-minute Young — and that matters. He’s going to do everything for this team. He has to; there’s no one else.
2 – Anthony Davis
Position: PF/C | Salary: $10,000
Projections: 28.4 Points, 12.2 Rebounds, 5.0 Assists, 4.2 Stocks
Finally, we leave Atlanta and head to Dallas for the big man. Davis is the premier pay-up option on this slate. I have him projected for 60 fantasy points on the dot, and the target is 60. He’s hitting that optimal lineup 60% of the time.
There’s enough value on this slate to get to Davis without any issue, and nobody else matches his raw point ceiling. He’s 10 points clear Herro and Adebayo, and even well above Young. Davis is the safest high-ceiling play we have, and the Mavericks need him in a massive way. I have him in for 38 minutes, and you’re hoping for more. He’s the guy at the top if you’re spending up today.
1 – Scotty Pippen Jr.
Position: PG | Salary: $4,800
Projections: 12.4 Points, 4.5 Rebounds, 5.2 Assists, 2.5 Stocks
Pippen got the start in the first Play-In game, and I’m projecting him for 32 minutes tonight. He’s just not priced to start. He’s a good per-minute guy — around 0.95 — and that works at this salary. They want him out there to provide some defense in the backcourt against Dallas. And here’s the kicker: This is all with Ja Morant currently projected in. If Morant ends up out, Pippen likely will play more and look even better. He’s already the top guy — he could be an even better top guy by lock.
