Friday features a nine-game main slate starting at 7 p.m. ET.
Let’s dive into some of the top plays on the slate using the FantasyLabs tools and projections.
Also, don’t forget that for large-field tournaments, you can utilize our Lineup Optimizer to effortlessly create up to 300 lineups or use our Lineup Builder if you like to hand-build your lineups.
You can also use our SimLabs Lineup Generator, a tool that creates the most user-friendly lineup generation process.
Note: Projections and Leverage Scores/Ratings may change throughout the day after this article is posted. The NBA DFS landscape changes quickly.
Consult the NBA Player Models directly for any updates as we get closer to lock.
NBA DFS Point Guard Picks
Stud
Cade Cunningham got off to a bit of a slow start this season, but he’s starting to turn things around. He’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in four straight games, and he’s had at least 63.5 DraftKings points in two of them. Overall, he’s averaged 1.36 DraftKings points per minute for the year.
Cunningham is going to have to do a bit more than usual on Friday, given the team’s injury report. Tobias Harris will miss his third straight game, while Caris LeVert is currently listed as questionable. Cunningham has seen a team-high +3.88% usage bump with Harris off the floor this season, resulting in an average of 1.50 DraftKings points per minute. With Harris and LeVert off the floor, that figure increases to 1.54.
Cunningham also draws one of the best possible matchups Friday vs. the Nets. Brooklyn has been abysmal defensively to start the year. Their defensive efficiency currently sits at 125.1. That’s not just the worst mark in the league; it puts them on pace to be the worst defense in history.
Value
Bub Carrington has not been particularly relevant to start the year in Washington. He’s seeing plenty of playing time, but he hasn’t taken advantage of his minutes. He’s shooting just 31.9% from the field, and he’s averaged just 5.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game. His resulting average of 0.67 DraftKings points per minute is pretty uninspiring.
Still, Carrington has a chance to return value through sheer volume on Friday. He’s currently projected for 28 minutes at just $4,000, which is a nice combination. Historically, players with comparable salaries and minute projections have averaged a Plus/Minus of +2.85 (per the Trends tool).
Carrington was also a much more productive player as a rookie, so he has the chance to improve upon his per-minute average moving forward. That makes him a solid buy-low option, and he ranks third at the position in projected Plus/Minus.
Fast Break
Josh Giddey had to wait a long time to get a contract in restricted free agency this offseason. He ultimately agreed to return to the Bulls, and he’s helped propel them to a 6-1 start. He’s been an absolute monster for fantasy purposes, averaging 1.55 DraftKings points per minute, and he’s scored at least 63.0 DraftKings points in three straight games. His ceiling projection is only slightly lower than Cunningham’s, and he checks in at a significant discount.
The Heat are playing way different this year than in years past, and they currently rank first in the league in pace. That makes them a much more desirable squad to target for fantasy purposes. They’re also currently without both Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo, opening up plenty of opportunities for the rest of the roster. Davion Mitchell has been a solid part of their rotation to start the year, and he’s averaged 0.90 DraftKings points per minute. His price tag has come back to reality after spiking to $6,200, and the Heat have the second-highest implied team total on the slate for their matchup vs. the Hornets.
Don’t forget to check out our NBA SimLabs Lineup Generator to create advanced DFS lineups using the power of simulation:
NBA DFS Shooting Guard Picks
Stud
Norman Powell has the potential to provide stud-like production at a slight discount on Friday. He’s been excellent in his first year in Miami, averaging 1.20 DraftKings points per minute, and he should be asked to carry even more of the offensive load vs. the Hornets. He’s increased his usage rate by +5.73% with Adebayo off the floor this season, which is the top mark on the squad.
Powell has played more than 30.5 minutes in just two contests this season, and he’s racked up at least 49.25 DraftKings points in both. He could see a few additional minutes sans Adebayo, and he’s currently projected for 32 minutes in our NBA Models.
Powell ultimately has the third-highest ceiling projection at a relatively weak position, and he ranks second in projected Plus/Minus. That’s a very nice combination.
Value
The Nets really only have two good offensive players – Cam Thomas and Michael Porter Jr. – and they’re going to be without one of them on Friday. Thomas has been ruled out with a hamstring injury, which should open up some additional minutes for Tyrese Martin.
Thomas exited the team’s last game after just 5.6 minutes, and Martin responded with a season-high 27.5 minutes as a result. He finished that contest with 28.75 DraftKings points, and there’s no reason he can’t do it again on Friday. Martin has averaged 0.83 DraftKings points per minute for the year, and he’s historically averaged a Plus/Minus of +4.85 with a comparable salary and minute projection.
Fast Break
Anthony Edwards returned to the Timberwolves’ lineup in their last game. He was limited to less than 30 minutes in a blowout loss vs. the Knicks, but he should return to his usual workload if Friday’s matchup is more competitive. If that happens, $8,900 is simply too cheap in an excellent spot vs. the Jazz. Utah ranks 20th in defensive efficiency so far this season, and the Timberwolves have the third-highest implied team total on the slate.
Most of the talk around the Spurs has revolved around Victor Wembanyama, but Stephon Castle has also shown signs of improvement in his second professional season. He’s averaged 1.18 DraftKings points per minute, and he’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in four straight games. That includes two performances with at least 48.25 DraftKings points, giving him a nice ceiling at $7,100.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
Jaylen Brown is getting his opportunity to show what he can do as the Celtics’ top dog this season. With Jayson Tatum sidelined and Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday, and Al Horford all gone, Brown has posted a career-high 34.7% usage rate. That’s a pretty massive increase from his 28.9% mark last year.
Brown has taken things up a notch recently. He’s posted a usage rate of at least 42.1% in back-to-back games, and he’s responded with at least 35 points in both contests. He absolutely torched the Wizards in his last game, finishing with 51.25 DraftKings points in just 25.9 minutes.
Things are going to be much tougher for Brown on Friday in a matchup vs. the Magic. However, Orlando’s defense has been far from elite to start the year. They’re merely 14th in defensive efficiency, so Brown might have a bit more upside than you think. The matchup could result in a bit lower ownership than usual, making him an interesting pivot for tournaments.
Value
With the Pistons a bit shorthanded at the moment, Ron Holland has gotten the opportunity to play a bit more. Holland was the No. 5 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, and he’s shown some progression in his second season. Notably, he’s increased his 3-point percentage from 23.8% as a rookie to a much more respectable 34.6%. He’s doing that on increased volume as well, which is a nice development.
Holland is coming off 28 minutes in his last game, and he responded with 29.0 DraftKings points. He’s averaged better than a fantasy point per minute to start the year, so he should be able to provide value once again at just $4,200.
Fast Break
The Nets have a pair of appealing value options in Terance Mann and Ziaire Williams. Both guys have averaged 0.87 DraftKings points per minute for the year, and both are projected for at least 26 minutes on this slate. Mann is projected for slightly more playing time, while Williams is $700 cheaper.
Justin Champagnie is another potential source of savings. He’s projected for only 20 minutes, but he’s historically been a solid per-minute producer and is extremely affordable at $3,400. He ranks second at the position in projected Plus/Minus.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
The Bucks are coming off their worst loss of the season in their last outing, which limited Giannis Antetokounmpo to just 23.7 minutes. As a result, he finished with just 38.0 DraftKings points.
That stands out as a clear outlier. Giannis has been on an absolute mission to start the year, averaging 32.3 points, 12.6 rebounds, and 6.3 assists through his first seven games. His rebound and assist rates are both up compared to last season, while his 35.2% usage rate trails only Luka Doncic (38.8%). Giannis has responded with a ridiculous average of 2.04 DraftKings points per minute.
He’s in a fantastic bounce-back spot Friday vs. the Bulls. Chicago played at one of the fastest paces in basketball last season, and they’re 10th in that department so far this season. Milwaukee is implied for 121.75 points in this contest, which is the fourth-highest mark on the slate.
Giannis ultimately has the top ceiling projection in our NBA Models by a country mile. No one is within 14 points, despite the fact that he’s just the second most expensive player.
Value
Michael Porter Jr. isn’t a true “value” at $7,000, but he still has the potential to be one of the best overall plays on the slate. He’s taken on a much larger offensive role in Brooklyn than he did with the Nuggets, which is completely reasonable. MPJ is a gifted scorer, and he no longer has to share the ball with guys like Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. Porter has posted a usage rate of at least 32.4% in three straight games, and he’s racked up 53.25, 43.75, and 48.25 DraftKings points as a result.
Porter’s best showing came in his last outing, which was the game that Thomas exited early with an injury. That doesn’t feel like a coincidence. Porter has seen a +4.04% usage bump with Thomas off the floor this season, and he’s averaged 1.23 DraftKings points per minute in that split. His green light should be even greener than usual on Friday, so he has much more upside than his current salary suggests.
Fast Break
Noah Clowney is another potential option for Brooklyn. He’s priced much cheaper than Porter at $3,900, and he’s obviously not the same caliber of player. However, he’s projected for 30 minutes at his minuscule price tag, and players with comparable salaries and minute projections have historically averaged a Plus/Minus of +3.54. He doesn’t bring a ton of upside to the table, but he ranks first at the position in projected Plus/Minus.
Isaiah Stewart has started the past two games in place of Harris, and he’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in both. Those games have had wildly different results – 59.5 DraftKings points vs. the Grizzlies, 25.5 DraftKings points vs. the Jazz – but the fact that he still provided value in his “bad” game is encouraging. He’s logged at least 31.5 minutes in both contests, and he’s averaged 1.16 DraftKings points per minute for the year. He’s ultimately still too cheap at $5,700.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
Jalen Duren plays basketball like a man possessed. He’s undersized for an NBA center, but that doesn’t stop him from attacking the rim with ferocity. He gobbled up more than 20 points and 20 rebounds in his last game, and he’s averaged 1.44 DraftKings points per minute for the year.
With Stewart playing alongside him instead of as his backup, it’s allowed Duren to pick up a few additional minutes. He averaged just 23.8 minutes over his first six games this season, but he’s had at least 34.4 in two straight. If he’s going to continue to play that much, $7,500 is too cheap.
Value
The Mavericks already had a glut of big men, and they added another recently with the return of Daniel Gafford. He’s played roughly 25 minutes in each of his past two games, and he’s responded with 30.5 and 32.0 DraftKings points.
Both of those games have come with Anthony Davis and Dereck Lively out of the lineup, and it will be interesting to see how they balance the minutes for all these guys when healthy. However, Davis and Lively are expected to sit again on Friday, which should keep Gafford’s minutes very secure. He leads the position in projected Plus/Minus, and he’s a nice combination of value and upside.
Fast Break
Jusuf Nurkic is another phenomenal target. Only Gafford has a higher optimal lineup rate in Sim Labs, and Nurkic undoubtedly brings more upside to the table. He’s taken over as Utah’s starting center following the injury to Walker Kessler, and Nurkic can do serious damage with a starter’s workload. He’s averaged 1.22 DraftKings points per minute for the year, and he’s logged at least 31.3 minutes in back-to-back games. Nurkic finished with a season-high 42.25 DraftKings points in his last contest, so he’s still underpriced at $6,300.
Alex Sarr has shown a huge ceiling to start his sophomore season. He’s averaged 1.45 DraftKings points per minute, which trails only Wembanyama among Friday’s centers. He’s posted two games of at least 51.0 DraftKings points in his past five outings, and he posted a season-high 35.5% usage rate in his last contest. The Wizards are dreadful, so there’s no reason not to let Sarr try to blossom. That should lead to some monster performances.
Pictured: Cade Cunningham
Photo Credit: Imagn
