This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We have an odd Saturday main slate on tap, as both the Lakers' and Clippers' scheduled games have been postponed due to the L.A. wildfires. That leaves us with a three-game ledger that naturally narrows our player pool considerably and shapes up more like a traditional Tuesday or Thursday night short slate.
Slate Overview
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Listed spreads/totals are from FanDuel Sportsbook and current as of Saturday, 1/11 @ 11:30 a.m. EST:
Toronto Raptors at Detroit Pistons (-4.5) (O/U: 227.0)
Memphis Grizzlies at Minnesota Timberwolves (-1.5) (O/U: 231.0)
Miami Heat (-4.5) at Portland Trail Blazers (O/U: 219.0)
While the amount of games is sparse, the betting lines are encouraging Saturday. Not only are we dealing with a trio of narrow spreads that portend competitive games, but we also have two especially appealing projected totals in the first two games of the night. Additionally, the one outlier in that regard, the Heat-Trail Blazers battle, certainly has enough talented players participating to have it exceed expectations.
Injury Situations to Monitor
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report.
Jimmy Butler, MIA (suspension): OUT
In Butler's ongoing absence, Jaime Jaquez should continue starting at small forward while Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo enjoy expanded opportunities.
Deandre Ayton, POR (calf): QUESTIONABLE
If Ayton can't suit up, Donovan Clingan and Robert Williams would be in line to handle center minutes.
Other notable injuries:
Jerami Grant, POR (face): OUT
Elite Players
We have one player with a five-figure salary on Saturday's slate in Cade Cunningham ($10,400)
Cunningham has earned a salary bump in recent weeks by averaging 48.7 FD points over his last 15 games, a span in which he's exceeded 54 FD points in seven contests. He also draws a favorable matchup against the Raptors on Saturday, making him even more appealing.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Anthony Edwards, MIN ($9,100)
Edwards has tallies of between 49.3 and 58.4 FD points in three of his last four games, which should keep him highly rostered on a small slate.
Jaren Jackson, MEM ($8,900)
Despite Ja Morant's recent return, Jackson has scored 68.1 and 57.6 FD points in his last two games, which should help him remain very popular Saturday.
Scottie Barnes, TOR ($8,800)
Barnes has posted 42.5 and 54 FD points in his last two games and has another tally of 62.1 within his last five, all factors that should keep him very popular.
Bam Adebayo, MIA ($8,400)
Adebayo has eclipsed 40 FD points in three straight games as Jimmy Butler's suspension continues, and the big man will be under the same scenario Saturday against what could be a short-handed Blazers frontcourt.
Tyler Herro, MIA ($8,200)
Herro is the primary scorer in the absence of Butler and has provided two efforts of over 43 FD points within his last three games.
Key Values
Shaedon Sharpe, POR vs. MIA ($6,400)
Sharpe has flashed a ceiling worthy of a much higher salary on multiple occasions this season, scoring over 30 FD points on 11 occasions, including more than 40 in five games. Two of the latter instances have come within the last three games, and Sharpe is averaging 33.2 FD points across his last 11 contests overall while shooting a crisp 49.4 percent from the field in that span. The emerging wing could take the floor without Deandre Ayton on Saturday as well, and the Heat has allowed the fifth-most FD points per game to shooting guards (44.5) in the last seven contests.
Jalen Duren, DET vs. TOR ($6,100)
Duren has been boasting an impressively steady floor of late, averaging 33.8 FD points in his last six contests while scoring over 31 in five instances during that span. The big man is supplementing his fantasy production nicely during that stretch with 1.5 blocks and 1.2 steals per contest, recording multiples of each stat on three occasions apiece. Duren already has one 43.4 FD-point effort versus the Raptors this season as well, while Toronto checks in allowing the second-highest offensive efficiency rating to centers (37.4), along with an Eastern Conference-high 63.2 FD points per game to the position in the last 15 contests.
Jaime Jaquez, MIA at POR ($5,800)
Jaquez has been doing a fine job filling in at small forward during Jimmy Butler's ongoing suspension, averaging 41.6 FD points over the last three games on 18.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 2.3 steals per contest. The talented wing his shooting 55.3 percent, including 40.0 percent from deep, in that sample, and he's averaging 35.2 FD points across his seven starts thus far this season. The opposing Trail Blazers check in with a No. 25 ranking in offensive efficiency rating allowed to small forwards (24.8) while also surrendering 49.1 percent shooting, including 39.6 percent from behind the arc, to the position.
