On Saturday night, the NBA has eight games on the schedule, with the first six of those games as the main DFS fantasy basketball slate on DraftKings, tipping off at 7:00 p.m. ET. With so many teams on back-to-backs and rotations uncertain coming into the day, the two late games are on a separate slate to help make things more manageable. With 12 teams still in the player pool, there are plenty of strong options to consider. Of those 12 teams, seven teams are on the second game of their back-to-back sets, so be sure to check back for updates on the injury reports of the Hawks, Bulls, Cavs, Mavs, Spurs, Raptors, and Wizards as the day goes on.
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
Luka Doncic has the highest ceiling, median, and floor projection of all the players on the slate on Saturday night, and he’ll lead his Lakers into Atlanta to take on the Hawks, who are one of the many teams playing for a second night in a row.
Donic has been carrying huge usage without LeBron James (sciatica) this season and Austin Reaves (groin) the last few games. In his five games this season, Docic is averaging 40.0 points, 11.0 rebounds, 9.2 assists, 2.0 steals, and 74.6 DraftKings points per game.
He’s producing an impressive 1.9 DraftKings points per minute and is coming off a monster game on Wednesday against the Spurs. In that contest, he had 35 points, 13 assists, nine rebounds, five steals, and two blocks in 42 minutes for 81.2 DraftKings points.
The Hawks are usually pretty good against point guards, allowing only the fourth-fewest fantasy points to the position. While there is some matchup risk as a result, Doncic’s high volume expectations make him the top pay-up option on the board.
Value
In the ShotQuality projections for Saturday, Pelicans rookie point guard Jeremiah Fears has the highest Plus/Minus projection of all point guards and the second-highest on the entire slate. The rookie has moved into the starting lineup and should get more work on Saturday against the Spurs with Jordon Poole (quad) missing a second straight game.
With Poole out on Wednesday, Fears had 13 points, five rebounds, three assists, and 24.8 DraftKings points in a close win over the Mavericks. He exceeded salary-based expectations for the fourth time in his last five games and has reached double-digit scoring in each of those five games.
Fears has had a few rough outings due to rookie inconsistency, but his upside and strong overall production make him a great value option for Saturday against the Spurs, who are playing for the second night in a row and working De’Aaron Fox into the rotation for the first time this season.
Fast Break
Bulls point guard Josh Giddey has put up big multi-category production in the early going this season. He has at least a double-double in each of his last six games, with two triple-doubles during that span. While on that roll, he is averaging 23.0 points, 10.7 rebounds, 10.7 assists, and 1.0 steals per game while logging over 35 minutes per contest. Giddey is a cheaper alternative to Luka if you don’t have quite that much salary, and he has the second-highest median and ceiling projections in both sets of projections.
Immanuel Quickley is a great mid-range play at point guard, with at least 15 points and 35 DraftKings points in each of his last two games. The Raptors have won four straight coming into Saturday night’s matchup with the Sixers. It is the second game of a back-to-back for Toronto, but Quickley has the highest median and ceiling projections of point guard options under $7,000 on Saturday, and he brings one of the best Plus/Minus projections as well. As long as there are no surprises on the injury report, he’s set up to be in a good spot.
With Kyshawn George (illness) out on Friday in addition to Bilal Coulibaly (lower leg), Wizards guard Bub Carrington moved into the starting lineup for the first time this season. The bargain basement play posted 29.5 DraftKings points on six points, 11 assists, four rebounds, and a block. He shot an ugly 4-of-14 from the field and struggled with his efficiency, but if he gets another start and an expanded role against the Mavs, he’ll be hard to pass up at just over $4,000. He has the highest Plus/Minus projection of all point guards in the FantasyLabs projections.
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
Spurs sophomore Stephon Castle has been excellent lately, and he has the highest median and floor projection at shooting guard in the ShotQuality projections and the second-highest ceiling, median, and floor projections at the position in the FantasyLabs projections.
Castle posted an impressive double-double on Friday, earning 46 DraftKings points on 14 points, 13 assists, six rebounds, and two steals in the Spurs’ NBA Cup win over the Rockets. He’s averaging an impressive 39.2 DraftKings points per contest and will be in a great spot against the Pelicans.
He still brings a very high ceiling on the second night of the back-to-back, but the season debut of De’Aaron Fox could crowd him out of some work. That factor makes him risky for cash lineups, but his strong production overall this year and multi-category potential make him a good GPP consideration.
Value
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, Cooper Flagg has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all shooting guards in both sets of projections on Saturday night as he leads the Mavs into D.C. to take on the Wizards. Washington has been a great matchup to attack all season long, giving up the most points per game in the NBA at 130.3 points per game. The Wizards also have the second-worst Defensive Rating in the NBA.
Flagg has been asked to do a lot for Dallas early in his rookie year since Kyrie Irving (knee) will still be out a while, and Anthony Davis (calf) has missed the last five games. Flagg and the Mavs have gone just 2-7 after losing on Friday in Memphis, but they’ll look to bounce back in this smash spot Saturday night.
In Friday’s blowout loss, he played fewer than his normal minutes, but he had exceeded salary-based expectations in three of his previous four games. He had over 34 DraftKings points in those three games, highlighted by 43.8 DraftKings points on Wednesday night against the Pelicans.
He has multi-category upside and should be able to put together a big game Saturday night against the Wizards.
Fast Break
Without Poole, Zion Williamson (hamstring) or Yves Missi (illness), the Pelicans will need Trey Murphy III to step up. Murphy has exceeded salary-based expectations in three straight with over 34 DraftKings points in each of those games. In the ShotQuality projections, Murphy has the third-highest median, ceiling, and floor projections at shooting guard.
Norman Powell injured his ankle on Friday but was able to return. As long as he’s ready to roll on Saturday, he’ll have a good ceiling at home in Miami against the Trail Blazers. Powell has scored at least 20 points in five of his last six games, including each of his last three. He had 25 points and 34.5 DraftKings points in 27 minutes against Charlotte in Friday’s win.
Wizards’ rookie Tre Johnson has the second-highest Plus/Minus projection at shooting guard in the FantasyLabs projections and the highest of all options under $6,000 in both sets of projections. Johnson had 18 points, three boards, and 23.75 DraftKings points on Friday, and he is averaging 12.3 points and 20.4 DraftKings points per game in his first nine games in the NBA. If George and Coulibaly are out on Saturday, Johnson will be a great value option.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
If Anthony Davis misses another game, P.J. Washington will be in a smash spot against the Wizards. Washington only played 25 minutes in Friday’s lopsided loss to the Grizzlies, but he should be back to his full workload on Saturday, which gives him a high ceiling. He has the highest median, ceiling, and floor projections of all small forwards in both the FantasyLabs and ShotQuality projections.
He showed off his high ceiling with 29 points, 12 rebounds, and 55.5 DraftKings points in a huge double-double against the Rockets on Monday. He followed that with 36.25 DraftKings points and another double-double on Wednesday before Friday’s lighter workload.
Even though he doesn’t cost as much as the top ticket players at other positions, Washington brings elite upside in a great opportunity on Saturday night.
Value
While Washington has the highest Plus/Minus projection of all small forwards in the FantasyLabs projections, Herbert Jones has the top spot in the ShotQuality projections. Jones has the highest Plus/Minus projection on the entire slate in the ShotQuality projections, making him a great play.
Jones has scored at least 11 points in four straight contests, with at least 21 DraftKings points in each game. His best fantasy game of the year was in the season opener, when he had 17 points, nine rebounds, and 41.2 DraftKings points.
His production dipped after that, though, and Wednesday’s 12-point, five-rebound performance was his first game with over 25 DraftKings points since then. Without so many other starters available, Jones brings a high ceiling and good value against the Spurs on Saturday.
Fast Break
Raptors forward Brandon Ingram has the second-highest ceiling projection at small forward in both sets of projections, and he has nice upside after scoring 20+ points in four of his last five games. He doesn’t have quite the non-scoring upside that Washington brings, but he is also a solid option to consider.
With Austin Reaves out, Jake LaRavia has shown lots of potential for the Lakers. He exceeded salary-based expectations in four straight games before struggling to just 16.5 DraftKings points on Wednesday. He had performances with 45 and 48 DraftKings points in his productive stretch before that, though, and he has a very high ceiling for a player at $6,200.
If you want to go ultra cheap at small forward, Justin Champagnie of the Wizards has the highest Plus/Minus projection of all forwards under $4,000 in both sets of projections. He exceeded salary-based expectations in each of his last two games, producing 22 DraftKings points against the Celtics and 26.25 DraftKings points against the Cavs.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
The Cavaliers are finishing their back-to-back at home against the Bulls, and they have the highest implied team total on the board according to our Vegas Dashboard. Evan Mobley has the highest ceiling projection at power forward in both the FantasyLabs and ShotQuality projections, narrowly edging out Scottie Barnes, who is also a good play depending on who is available for both the Cavs and Raptors on the second night of a back-to-back.
The Bulls have allowed the second-most fantasy points per game to power forwards this season, so Mobley should be in a good matchup to put up a big stat line. He had 18 points and 10 boards for 40 DraftKings points in 28 minutes on Friday against the Wizards, and he has at least 38 DraftKings points in seven straight games.
Mobley almost always chips in steals and blocks to go with good rebounding and assists numbers for a big man. He is an expensive option at almost $9,000, but his upside is huge in this home game against Chicago.
Value
One of my favorite value plays on the whole slate this Saturday is Derik Queen of the Pelicans, who will get a tough assignment against the Spurs. The rookie has stepped up in the last few games for New Orleans, though, and he should continue to get opportunities with Williamson and Missi both out on Saturday night.
Queen has a top-five Plus/Minus projection at both power forward and center in both the ShotQuality projections and the FantasyLabs projections. The first-round rookie had an impressive 12 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, four steals, and 39 DraftKings points in only 18 minutes against the Hornets on Monday in his first breakthrough performance. He followed that up with 11 points, seven rebounds, two assists, three steals, and 27.2 DraftKings points on Wednesday against Dallas while making the play that helped the Pelicans get their second straight victory as well.
With many ways to contribute and lots of opportunities ahead of him, he should be able to return value even against Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs.
Fast Break
Scottie Barnes had 14 points, 10 boards, and 40 DraftKings points in 35 minutes in a win over the Hawks on Friday. He’s averaging 43.6 DraftKings points per game on the season and has projections that almost match Mobley’s across the board. His matchup is a little tougher against the Sixers, but if other Raptors sit out the second night of the back-to-back, he could end up the best play at the position.
Forward Saddiq Bey is another member of the Pelicans who will have to help shoulder the load. Bey had 17 points and 22 points in his last two games for 23.5 and 36.25 DraftKings points. He is boom or bust, but with more work, he brings good upside. He has the second-highest Plus/Minus projection at power forward in both sets of projections.
Champagnie is a great bargain value at power forward as well, and Simone Fontecchio also brings a good Plus/Minus projection for a play at only $4,000 as an alternative if the Wizards’ rotation shifts away from Champagnie. Fontecchio would also get a big boost if Powell or other Heat contributors are unavailable on Saturday.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
The Wizards have had a very rough start to the season, but second-year center Alexandre Sarr has been one of the few bright spots. He has the third-highest ceiling, median, and floor projections at center on Saturday, in addition to the second-highest Plus/Minus projection in both the FantasyLabs and the ShotQuality projections.
Sarr is averaging 19.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 40.6 DraftKings points in 28.1 minutes per game. Racking up 1.43 DraftKings points per minute is an elite production rate for any nine-game span, and the fact that Sarr is still only 20 years old points to a very bright future for him as the centerpiece of Washington’s rebuild.
On Friday, Sarr had a big game with 20 points, four rebounds, four assists, four blocks, and a steal against the tough frontcourt of the Cavs, producing 39.5 DraftKings points. He was even better with 51 DraftKings points on Wednesday, when he had 31 points, eight rebounds, and three blocks against the Celtics.
Even though the Wizards have been losing badly on a regular basis this season, he gets enough playing time to bring a good ceiling in most matchups, including this contest with the Mavs on Saturday night. Dallas ranks in the top 10 in DraftKings points per game allowed to centers and will likely remain without Davis and Dereck Lively II (knee) on Saturday.
Value
The only center with a better Projected Plus/Minus than Sarr on Saturday’s slate is on the other side of the matchup. Daniel Gafford will face his former team and will likely get all the minutes he can handle without Lively and Davis.
Gafford only played 12 minutes on Friday night, posting a supremely disappointing 1.25 DraftKings points. He was dealing with right ankle soreness, but the game was lopsided, so it’s hard to know if he’ll play through the issue Saturday or not. If he plays, he’ll be a good value, but if he sits, Washington will actually get even more work as a small-ball center.
Before Friday, Gafford posted 30.5 and 32 DraftKings points in his first two full games of the season, showing he still has a good ceiling when he’s at full strength.
Fast Break
Victor Wembanyama has cooled off a little bit after a torrid start, and now he looks a little overpriced according to the projections. He had 22 points and 42 DraftKings points on Friday and continues to post big games for the Spurs. He has the ceiling to go off in this matchup against the Pelicans and welcomes back De’Aaron Fox to the rotation, but he is a high-risk play at his salary and best used in GPPs due to his elevated risk.
Jarrett Allen is a very strong mid-range target after posting over 28 DraftKings points in four straight games. He is coming off back-to-back double-doubles with 51.5 DraftKings points against the Sixers and 45 DraftKings points against the Wizards. He should be in a good spot against the Bulls, and as long as he isn’t limited on the second night of the back-to-back, he should be a solid mid-range play to build around.
If you need a punt play at center, Kevon Looney could get more work in the middle for the Pelicans with Missi out. The veteran played 15 minutes against the Mavs and racked up 20 DraftKings points with eight points, six rebounds, two assists, and a block. Looney and Queen will continue to share time, but the former could be a bargain steal at under $4,000 on Saturday night’s slate.
