Best NBA DFS Picks for January 21st Include Craig Porter Jr. and Jalen Duren

This five-game main slate provides for many profitable picks within both FanDuel and DraftKings DFS contests.

Jan 15, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren (0) dribbles in the second half against the Phoenix Suns at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

The NBA returns with another solid slate of games tonight. We have (5) at our disposal, although few of groundbreaking potential. What the slate does offer us is some great offensive versus defensive matchups. Many low-tier defenses take the court, and that finds us with many profitable DFS plays to consider. These are (5) plays that you should definitely want to have in your FanDuel or DraftKings lineups.

Craig Porter Jr., PG (CLE) — $4,500 (FanDuel) | $5,100 (DraftKings)

Darius Garland is out and thus, Porter Jr. is in. We are unsure if he will start, but he should get solid minutes, touching on 25+. Lonzo Ball is the other guard but given his output, minutes, and fan sentiment, we are confident that Porter Jr. is the biggest beneficiary on the depth chart.

The Hornets will oppose the Cavaliers tonight as 20th versus Point Guards. As for Porter Jr., he has 21+ fantasy points in his last four games of 21+ minutes played. We have trust in Porter Jr. to hit 5x at this cheap price.

CJ McCollum, SG/PG (ATL) — $6,000 (FanDuel) | $6,200 (DraftKings)

I love McCollum to a point where he is one of my buy-low candidates of Week 14. Tonight, he gets the Grizzlies who are 19th versus Shooting Guards. Across his first five games with the Hawks, McCollum is averaging (28.4) fantasy points per game, just below 5x. McCollum is playing to a (30.3%) Usage Rate as a Hawk and he will remain the top focus among Hawks Guards, Nickeil Alexander-Walker being the other other above-average usage option.

Kon Knueppel, SF/SG (CHA) — $6,500 (FanDuel) | $6,600 (DraftKings)

Kon Knueppel has made 137 threes through 40 games, the most in NBA history. 👀

No player has ever reached 100 threes by their 40th career game… Insane. (via @HornetsReddit) pic.twitter.com/YNCCD39J3J

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) January 17, 2026

Knueppel is out here setting NBA records in his rookie season. Despite working alongside Brandon Miller in common roles, Knueppel seems to also be slightly out-doing Miller on offense. He has 18+ points in four of his last six games. Knueppel even had (11) rebounds back on Saturday.

As for salary, Knueppel is averagong about 4.7x of it. He also plays to an above-average (21.5%) Usage Rate and he gets a Cavaliers team that is just 21st versus Small Forwards. Above all, Knueppel is lethal from 3-point range, and he can certainly get hot for huge points on any given night.

Derik Queen, PF/C (NO) — $6,600 (FanDuel) | $6,900 (DraftKings)

Zion Williamson (illness) downgraded to questionable Wednesday.

— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) January 21, 2026

We are certainly monitoring this play as Zion Williamson is listed as Questionable due to an illness. Of course, I cannot tell you whether he will play or not, but the illness compounded with his injury history should have him limited, if not out. The Pelicans are not playing for much.

Regardless, we do like Queen. He is playing to 4.7x of tonight's salary, marking 4th on the team in Usage Rate (22.3%). If Williamson is out, Queen will be the highest usage big-man on the Pelicans offense, Jeremiah Fears and Jordan Poole being the only other higher-usage players. Defensively, the Pistons can be tough, but they are just a mid-tier rated defense versus Power Forwards and 23rd versus Centers.

Jalen Duren, C (DET) — $7,200 (FanDuel) | $7,200 (DraftKings)

Duren is my top buy-low candidate of the week. I love Duren given all of his metrics. He may have average output in his last two games, but the ceilings is clearly there.

Duren is averaging over 5x of this salary on the season. As we see, he is playing to about full minutes in his three-game return. There should be no limit tonight. The Pelicans will oppose him as 28th versus Centers and well, Duren is 2nd on the Pistons in Usage Rate (22.2%). The world is for the taking tonight.