John Wall poses in his new threads as he will be a Houston Rocket this year
The start of the 2020-2021 NBA regular season is less than a week away, and if you're like us then your fantasy basketball draft is coming up.
Next week is going to be an exciting one. Not only do we get Christmas, but we get the return of the NBA after a very short offseason. That means you only have a few days to prepare for your fantasy basketball draft, and we know you're already busy wrapping gifts and baking cookies.
The NBA has already given us an early present by giving us a great slate of games on Christmas Day, including Zion v. Jimmy, Steph v. Giannis, and Luka v. LeBron.
Now let FindBet give you an early Christmas gift, as this article should help you prep for your draft by giving you some targets in the mid-to-late rounds that we think will provide upside and consistency throughout the fantasy season.
Here are five of our top sleeper picks for fantasy basketball this year. We present to you: A Fantasy Basketball Carol.
Ghost of Fantasy Past
John Wall Houston Rockets PG
It's easy to forget the past, and if you asked me about most anything from two years ago I would have trouble recalling much. Well it's nearly been that long since we last saw John Wall play a regular season game in the NBA. However, Wall hasn't been forgotten during his absence due to multiple injuries.
Wall has been referred to quite often while rehabbing from a torn Achilles under one of the worst contracts in the NBA that he signed while still a member of the Washington Wizards. Now with the Rockets, Wall has been looking great in preseason actions so far.
John Wall has impressive debut with Houston Rockets | NBA Preseason Highlightswww.youtube.com
While some of the explosiveness may be gone, Wall looks quick, and his shooting seems to be improved since the last time we saw him play, which continues a trend we saw prior to his injury. A perennial threat to go for 20 points and 10 assists while adding steals and three pointers, Wall is being severely overlooked in fantasy drafts right now.
With the trade rumors swirling around James Harden, Wall could end up being THE guy in Houston if Harden is traded. Even if Harden stays, the ceiling for Wall is high considering his skill set compliments Harden as an off-ball player, too. If you load up on big men early in your draft, don't sleep on John Wall.
Ghosts of Fantasy Present
Montrezl Harrell Los Angeles Lakers PF/C
If you didn't learn anything from the ghost of fantasy past, let the ghosts of fantasy present enlighten you. Start with Montrezl Harrell, the reigning NBA Sixth Man of the Year, from his 2019-2020 performance. Last year with the Clippers, Harrell averaged 18.6 points and 7.1 rebounds per game as the top option off the bench.
Montrezl Harrell using all of his 7"4 wingspan! https://t.co/ntXx2fOTeX— 🏀 (@🏀) 1608180758.0
Still in L.A. but now sporting purple and gold, Harrell finds himself in an even better situation than he was last year. The Lakers shed both Dwight Howard and JaVale McGee, opening up more opportunity for minutes for Trez. The Lakers brought in veteran big man Marc Gasol, but Harrell will likely see minutes at center, power forward, and small forward this season. Frank Vogel likes to play around with lineups, and Harrell provides the kind of versatility that his new coach likes.
Harrell has already proven he can do a lot with a little, and now in a slightly better situation playing for the defending champs, we expect big things from Harrell this year. Certainly a lot better than his late round projections in most fantasy drafts. Consistency is king, and that's what Trez will bring.
Clint Capela Atlanta Hawks C
Capela is another player we like because of the consistency that he can provide. Last year he was limited to just 39 games played due to injury, but during that time he averaged 13.9 points, 13.8 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game. That's near elite production at the center position. Sure you would like more scoring, but in today's NBA any center that can get those numbers night in and night out is valuable.
Hold on... Clint Capela must’ve bought some VC during the offseason. When did he unlock these moves? 👀🔥 https://t.co/PljsjfmlDg— Da Kid Gowie (@Da Kid Gowie) 1607900273.0
Also take into consideration Capela benefits from having Trae Young absorbing most of the opposing defense's attention throughout the game which allows Capela space to work in the paint. We may see the Young to Capela lob become the new CP3 to Blake Griffin ally-oop combo everybody tunes into to see.
Capela would have finished eighth in blocks and second in rebounds if he played enough games to qualify last year, and Atlanta should be a better team this year. There will be a handful of centers taken before Capela, but if you can grab him in the mid rounds, then it will allow you to stock up on guards and elite shooters early in your draft.
Ghosts of Fantasy Future
Isaac Okoro Cleveland Cavaliers SF
So far the ghosts of fantasy basketball have tried to teach you about remembering the past and the importance of consistent performance. Let the ghosts of fantasy future give you some hope in the late rounds of your draft in case you are feeling a little hum-buggy about how your draft develops.
There may not be a hotter rookie in the preseason right now than Cleveland's Isaac Okoro. Let's start by tempering your expectations, though, as he will not likely be starting in the preseason, as the team is resting some starters, including Kevin Porter Jr. The good news, however, is that we've seen Okoro do it all so far. He can score with confidence, hit shots from the perimeter, and has shown good vision for a raw rookie.
Hold on... Clint Capela must’ve bought some VC during the offseason. When did he unlock these moves? 👀🔥 https://t.co/PljsjfmlDg— Da Kid Gowie (@Da Kid Gowie) 1607900273.0
The Cavs have a bevy of young talent to sort through, including Collin Sexton, Darius Garland, and the aforementioned Kevin Porter Jr, but nobody's spot is guaranteed. It may behoove the Cavs to put Okoro into the mix early since he's riding a hot streak, and if he succeeds, then he could keep his spot for the season. A late round flyer on Okoro could be a move that puts you over the top in 2021, and who doesn't need a win after this year?
James Wiseman Golden State Warriors C
One thing we know is that the future is not guaranteed. One of the biggest fish in the NBA rookie pond was Wiseman. He lands in Golden State who has future hall of famer Steph Curry returning from injury. The Warriors should immediately get back in the playoff picture in the Western Conference after suffering through an uncharacteristic poor season under Steve Kerr.
James Wiseman showing off the range 👁 (via @warriors) https://t.co/Dt75Wh9GjL— Def Pen Hoops (@Def Pen Hoops) 1607719671.0
Curry and Klay Thompson were sorely missed last year, and the Warriors will again be without Thompson who sustained another injury and will miss the entire season for the second consecutive year. The Warriors traded for Kelly Oubre Jr and will hope for improvement out of Andrew Wiggins.
Coming back to Wiseman, we have never seen a Warrior team under the Kerr-Curry regime operate with a big man of Wiseman's pedigree. We had a glimpse of what the offense could look like with a legit scorer in the middle during the short era of Demarcus Cousins, but he was recovering from injury and never looked 100%. Wiseman is fresh and he oozes talent the way Razor Ramon oozed machismo in the mid 90s.
12/16/95: Razor Ramon graces us with his version of The Night Before Christmas. https://t.co/RyCTTK114n— OVP - Retro Wrestling Podcast (@OVP - Retro Wrestling Podcast) 1608157812.0
The inside-outside threat should not only help Steph Curry find space to spot up, but it will bring a new element of a dangerous pick and roll game between the two. Wiseman will probably be the first rookie selected in your fantasy draft, but it won't be until all the teams in your league have their starter.
Once you see the last team fill that position, if you want Wiseman, don't wait. Smash the "Draft Player" button quickly, as he won't last much longer. After seeing the success that DeAndre Ayton has had in Phoenix early in his career, don't be surprised if Wiseman is the next in line to burst onto the NBA and fantasy scene this year.
Until now, there was a void in the industry. An all-in-one prop bet research tool for Over/Under rankings did not exist. Fantasy SP has changed that.
Of course, you could find betting trends on the internet but there wasn’t a place where you could have all the information for every single player on the same page at your fingertips. Well, we wanted to change that. We’ve created the definitive NFL prop bet research tool for pros and newbies alike.
In a typical NFL week, there can be over 1,000 player prop lines available. Traditional player game logs are not optimal for researching player props. Our unique tool allows you to quickly analyze thousands of lines on your phone, tablet, or computer, and find the props with the greatest value. Don’t just bet on the players you like. Become more data-driven with your props research by using Fantasy SP’s Player Prop Over/Under Rankings!
This is the perfect prop bet research tool to make some serious cash. Place informed bets using relevant analytics and increase your chances of seeing your bankroll increase.
All | Pass Yds | Pass TDs| Pass Comp | Pass Att | Rush Att | Rush Yds | Rec | Rec Yds
Unique Features
With our brand-new Player Prop Over/Under Rankings Research Tool, users will be able to filter by tons of critical data points including home vs. away, favorite vs. underdog, player popularity, last few games, indoor vs. outdoor, specific props, specific teams, position rank, opponent rank, and so much more!
Research Prop Bet Betting Example
Okay, enough talk, and let’s get to a simple real-world example of how to use the tool to help you place a bet.
For example, Jared Goff has had some of the most ridiculous home/away splits in 2022.
Goff has a passer rating of 106.9 with 2,217 yards (277.1 yards per game), 20 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions in eight games at home this season. Pretty good, right? On the road, he has a passer rating of 82.5 with 1,387 yards (231.2 yards per game), 3 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions in six games.
As you can see, Goff is averaging 46 more yards per game at home in 2022 entering Week 16. Vegas may try to trick you when Goff is on the road after coming off a massive home game but by using our tool, you won’t be fooled.
Goff has a 5-3 O-U record on his passing yard props at Ford Field this season. While his average line at home on DraftKings is 247 yards, his average result is 277.1 passing yards. Prior to throwing for 250+ yards against the Jets at the Meadowlands in Week 15, he was 2-3 on his passing yards props on the road. His average line on DraftKings on the road was only 10 yards fewer heading into Week 15 yet he averaged a full 50 fewer yards per game (227). This shows a clear pattern that he is much more successful at hitting the over and much more efficient when playing in front of his home crowd. There are countless examples of patterns you can spot using this brand-new prop tool that are even more eye-popping than Goff’s numbers.
How to Find Favorable Prop Bets
The key to placing informed bets is to place bets on clear patterns. Ideally, you want to see a player consistently going over or under. Grab a concise list of potential bets to place and compare to the lines at your favorite operator.
Let’s say you want to place a passing yards prop bet on Tom Brady. You check all the lines at your favorite operator (we suggest
Caesars or FanDuel) and need to put his line into context. How often does he go over? What outcomes occur against an easy matchup? What is his average result? How does he do at home versus on the road?
Using our exclusive Over-Under Rankings, you can utilize our premium filters to find out Brady’s historical prop record at home versus the road is even more volatile than Goff’s splits. (This is good and what we want to see.)
At home, Brady is averaging a whopping 307.3 passing yards and has hit the over in six of seven games heading into Week 15.
On the road, while his average line is only two yards fewer (271.2 to 269.2), he has a 1-5 O-U record and is only averaging 239 passing yards per game.
Fantasy SP has just highlighted a very promising prop bet whenever Brady is at home. Take the over. And when he is on the road, it’s a prime spot to smash the under.
Some players also tend to do much better when their team is the favorite such as running backs late in the fourth quarter when their team needs to kill time. Heading into Week 15, Dalvin Cook had a 7-2 O-U rushing yard record when his team was the favorite (79.9 yards per game). Conversely, when the Vikings were underdogs, he was 1-3 (57.8 yards per game). This is why filtering by favorite or underdog can be a critical data point to help you gain an edge at sportsbooks.
You can also filter by the last few games in case a player has begun to heat up or cool off. These filters will help you nail your bets in very specific scenarios. It’s the perfect tool for situational prop betting.
What the Experts Are Saying
Don’t simply trust our word. We provided a free preview to professional bettors and journalists and this is what they had to say:
“I don’t place my player prop parlays until checking out Fantasy SP’s Prop Bet Rankings. This is the only place where I can get an in-depth historical analysis of every player in the League before placing my wagers!”
Matthew Rumack, Professional Sports Bettor
“This tool provides insight that I haven’t seen anywhere else in the sports betting industry. Fantasy SP has developed something truly unique. The premium filters that allow me to figure out how each player has performed in very specific situations are simply next-level. I will not be placing prop bets before using this tool for research!”
Mark Morales-Smith, Senior Fantasy & Gambling Writer
“The features of this prop research tool are simply awesome. It’s easy to use, easy to understand, and incredibly powerful. There is so much data at your fingertips. This is an essential piece to finding player prop betting value.”
Dan Hickman, Professional Gambling Writer
The dropdowns and filters on this tool are what really make this a game-changing feature. If you only want to see the most popular players on the page, simply slide the popularity to 75% or 100%. If you want to see players’ over-under records and their average results for only home games, simply click Home on the dropdown. If you want to see over-under records for players against teams in the bottom 5 at defending that position, simply click Bottom 5 under Position Rank. Not only can you get all of this insight, but the sliders and dropdowns all work interactively with a user-friendly interface so you can find out how a player is doing in a very specific situation. For example, let’s say Dak Prescott and the Cowboys are hosting the top-five San Francisco 49ers defense and are four-point underdogs. To get a much clearer picture of how Prescott has performed in similar situations, you can check off Home, Underdog, Indoor, and Top 5 under Opponent Rank to get his exact over-under prop historical record in this particular situation. If he is 0-3 on his passing yard prop in this scenario, you may want to smash the under.
Wrap-Up
NFL prop betting can be overwhelming but this tool makes it easy to research the best bets for novices and seasoned vets alike. Bettors should not be placing their prop bets before doing the necessary research. Now you can do all that research on one page with Fantasy SP’s Player Prop Over/Under Rankings Research Tool! It doesn’t get much better than that.
Stay tuned for our future article on even more in-depth tips and tricks.
France vs Argentina World Cup Final Betting Preview: Can Lionel Messi Capture That Elusive World Cup Title?
Picking up where they left off in 2018, the French National Team led by 23-year-old Kylian Mbappe have found their way back into the finals as they look to be the first back-to-back World Cup Champions since Brazil’s dominant runs in 1958 and 1962. Standing between that incredible feat for the defending champions is Argentina, who currently have their superstar, Lionel Messi, in top form. Messi is finding ways to create passes no one can see and he’s done it multiple times, assisting three goals (tied for the most) throughout the tournament. The legend is also scoring goals of his own and is tied with Kylian Mbappe (5 goals) for Golden Boot honors in this year’s World Cup. Regardless, soccer fans around the world are in for a treat on Sunday at 10:00 AM EST as two of the best players in the world face each other for their country’s World Cup glory.
After winning Group D, France defeated Poland in the Round of 16, England in the quarterfinals, and a strong Morocco team in the semis to advance to the Final. On the other side of the bracket, Argentina won Group C and dispatched Australia in the Round of 16. Messi and the Argentinians were then tested in the quarterfinals, needing a penalty shootout to defeat the Netherlands after blowing a late two-goal lead. Finally, Argentina played perhaps their best match of the tournament against Croatia in the semi-finals, winning 3-0. Now the stage is set for a blockbuster finale between two powerhouses featuring some of the top players in the world.
Note (from FanDuel Sportsbook): No team will play at home during Qatar's World Cup. For betting purposes, FanDuel explains that: “Home Team refers to the team listed first, Away Team refers to the second team listed.”
Argentina (-104) vs. France (-112)
Argentina Keys To Victory
Lionel Messi has played incredibly for Argentina throughout this World Cup. He is leaving opposing defenders in the dust, taking on multiple players at once, dragging them away from his teammates, which is opening up the field for his fellow goal scorers. Every time Messi has the ball at his feet, there seems to be more than one threat. Messi is playing just as well as he always has in 2022. He’s served his team as a playmaker and as a goal-scorer in Qatar. He’s also had some help from Manchester City forward Julian Alvarez who’s scored a handful of goals in this World Cup (including two in Argentina’s decisive victory over Croatia). If Alvarez and Messi are able to link up while on the attack, the depleted French defense and midfield could be in for some trouble.
France Keys To Victory
One of the biggest headlines heading into this World Cup Final is the return of French striker Karim Benzema. The Real Madrid star and winner of this year’s Ballon D’Or hurt his hamstring in one of France’s first practices soon after arriving in Qatar. He flew back to Madrid where he immediately completed his recovery work which was set at three weeks from the time of injury. Right now, Benzema is flying back to Doha and could be starting for France in the final. At the moment, France’s HC Didier Deschamps has declined to comment on whether or not he will be including KB9 in the starting lineup. France’s ball movement has been excellent throughout the tournament, but their key to victory against Argentina will be efficient defense. Over the last few games, France’s defense seems to have slowed down. Not only will they need to stop Messi, but they will need to turn defensive stops into counterattacks. Mbappe and Olivier Giroud (four goals thus far in the tournament) will need to be electric on offense and test the Argentinian keeper. Antoine Griezmann may be an x-factor for France as he has three assists in this World Cup and was inches away from scoring against Morocco.
Conclusion
It’s only fitting that Lionel Messi will finally hoist the World Cup trophy in his last World Cup match. Expect him to score a goal and lead his team to victory in a tightly contested battle.
The Pick: Argentina (-104)
World Cup Final Best Prop Bets
Kylian Mbappe: To Score Or Give Assist (+100)
Mbappé has been relatively quiet over France’s last few games. Still, he is the main wing on France’s team who is capable of breaking down defenses through his skillful technique and ridiculous speed. He currently is tied with Messi for the most goals in the 2022 World Cup. If he isn’t able to score in this game, then expect him to at least make an assist. For France to win this one, the 23-year-old will need to have a big game.
Lionel Messi: Anytime Goalscorer (+190)
Messi has stepped up his performance big time this World Cup. If you have watched Argentina play in this tournament, you know how crucial of a role Messi has played in the team’s success. He is tied for the most goals in the tournament with Mbappe and has a great chance of putting the ball in the net at some point during Sunday’s big match. This is a particularly great prop to target since Messi takes all of Argentina’s penalty shots and has converted four-of-five throughout the tournament.
Fantasy SP has worked diligently to bring you next-level sports betting analytics, prop betting tools, public betting splits, and so much more! Become an Edge+ member today!
Calling every sports fan across the globe! The best month for all things sports is here: December. NFL and CFB are getting into the thick of things — I mean, we are finally not seeing Alabama and Clemson in the CFP, not to mention both the NBA and NHL are underway and college basketball just tipped off!
Despite all of these different sporting events going on, the World’s biggest Sporting event is down to the Semifinals, the World Cup.
Although Soccer is the World's most popular sport, it still struggles to gain support in the US. However, every 4 years Soccer takes the country by storm and this year, and these last few games are going to be amazing.
Let us introduce you to your new go-to app, FanDuel Sportsbook. It’s the place to be for not only the usual sports, but for this year's World Cup!
FanDuel Sportsbook is providing a multitude of features with a few market differentiators.
- Futures:
- World Cup Winner
- Who will win the Golden Boot (the award for the top goal scorer of the World Cup)
- Highest scoring Group
- And more
- Popular Markets - outside of the normal Moneyline, Spread & Over/Under lines, FanDuel will also be offering:
- Anytime Goal Scorer
- First Goal Scorer
- Shots on Goal
- Correct Score
- Number of Corner Kicks
- Half-Time Result
Market Differentiators:
- Tournament Goal Scorer Parlay Builder - build your own tournament-long Goal Scorer parlays with your favorite players from every team.
- Daily Specials:
- Highest scoring team of the day
- Total daily goals
- Player specials
- And More!
- Live Parlays
Out of all the betting apps we’ve used, signing up for FanDuel Sportsbook is also the easiest. Simply download the app and create an account by providing an email, credit card, and SS# — that’s to protect your winnings and ensure you're not a sporting professional.
FanDuel is undoubtedly the best site/app to parlay across multiple sports. It’s designed for bettors at any stage. The clear interface is ideal for beginners and you can make a bet in just a few clicks! It’s complete with a number of betting guides that explain the rules and resources to safely bet.
One of the best parts is that once the game ends, you can cash out your winnings right away. No minimum, no wait.
There’s also the incredible New User Offer: sign up with FanDuel Sportsbook and get up to $1000 in Free Bets if you lose your first bet!
Their app has everything you need — from tutorials to real-time game scores. Get amped for the World Cup with FanDuel Sportsbook. Enhance your Sportsember by downloading the FanDuel Sportsbook app today!