The NBA has seven games on the scoreboard this Saturday, with three matchups throughout the afternoon and four games on the main DraftKings DFS fantasy basketball slate tipping off at 7:00 p.m. ET. Of the eight teams on the board, the Celtics and Cavaliers are playing for the second day in a row, so be sure to double-check their injury reports as they come out later in the day. Several important players are uncertain, but some strong options are also standing out in our models early in the day. Be sure to check the models for updates throughout the day leading up to the contests, but let’s run down the top options to consider based on what we know coming into the day.
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
One of the big stories of the night is that Luka Doncic and the Lakers are in Dallas in a matchup against Luka’s former team, the Mavs. As usual, Luka has the highest median, ceiling, and floor projection on the entire slate, and if you can figure out a way to make his $11,800 salary fit under your salary cap, he has a great chance at returning value with a monster game.
Doncic has exceeded salary-based expectations in his first two games on his team’s current road trip, posting 66.25 and 77.75 DraftKings points against the Clippers and Nuggets, respectively. He had a 38-point triple-double against Denver in the team’s win on Tuesday and is averaging 61.3 DraftKings points per game on the season.
With a salary of almost $12,000, he needs to get 60 DraftKings points to be a good value, but he has the ability to dominate any matchup and stuff the stat sheet in multiple categories. He’ll be especially motivated to do that against the team that traded him to the Lakers, and in his three games against the Mavs since the trade, he’s averaging 33.0 points, 9.7 assists, and 9.3 rebounds. He’s only played one time in Dallas since the trade, putting up 45 points, eight rebounds, and six assists in 38 minutes last April.
He’s an expensive option to build around, but he has so much potential to go off that he’s hard to fade on Saturday’s slate.
Value
On the other side of that matchup, Brandon Williams is one solid salary-saving option. He has the third-highest Projected Plus/Minus of all point guards and has exceeded salary-based expectations in six of his last eight games.
In his last 11 games dating back to Christmas, Williams has produced 16.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 26.7 DraftKings points per game. He had a few very low games during that stretch due to illness and injury, but he seems to be healthy coming into this contest and should be a great source of value under $5,000.
Williams had 19 points and 29.2 DraftKings points on Thursday when the Mavs beat the Warriors for their fourth straight win.
Fast Break
Payton Pritchard has the second-highest Plus/Minus projection. He had 32 points in 40 minutes during the Celtics’ double-overtime win over the Nets. He finished with 45.5 DraftKings points while taking on more work in the absence of Derrick White (rest), who is expected to return for this matchup with the Bulls. Pritchard is still a solid play since he has put up over 45 DraftKings points in three of his last seven games.
The Magic could get Jalen Suggs (knee) back after an eight-game absence, and the starting point guard is probable. Over his last 10 games, Suggs put up 15.9 points, 4.7 assists, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.3 steals in 27.3 minutes per game, but he could be eased back in against the Cavs on Saturday. His return will likely eat into the value of Anthony Black as well, so be careful if you target the Magic backcourt.
The Heat and Jazz have the highest point total of the night according to our Vegas Dashboard, and the Heat have the top implied team total. With Tyler Herro (ribs) still out, Davion Mitchell could be a good value play at point guard if he can play through a shoulder injury that has him questionable. Mitchell has the highest Plus/Minus projection of all point guards and has 21+ DraftKings points in four straight games, highlighted by a big game against Oklahoma City when he had 35.75 DraftKings points in 31 minutes. If Mitchell is out, Dru Smith and Kasparas Jakucionis could get more playing time, making them good value punts. We’ll be back to this game for plenty more value picks.
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
In what should be a smash spot against the Jazz, Norman Powell has the second-highest median, ceiling, and floor projections at shooting guard, and he has the highest Plus/Minus projection on the entire slate.
Powell is questionable with back soreness, but he was able to play through the injury Thursday in Portland and did not suffer a setback that has been reported. He only had 23 DraftKings points on 18 points, one assist, one steal, and one block in 28 minutes, but this matchup with the Jazz should be a great bounce-back spot if he’s up for it.
The veteran wing has had an outstanding season after taking his talents to South Beach this past offseason. He’s averaging 23.5 points and 35.4 DraftKings points per game, and with Herro out, he’ll be the focus of the offense if he plays on Saturday night.
The Heat injury report is going to be one of the keys to the slate, since whoever plays in their backcourt will have a great matchup. The Jazz have allowed the second-most fantasy points per game to opposing shooting guards, and Powell will be set up to torch them if he plays through his back issue.
Value
Sometimes it can be helpful to have different perspectives on a specific position, and one great way to get different looks is by using the ShotQuality projections, which can be built right into your models page. In those projections, Jazz rookie Walter Clayton Jr. has the second-highest Plus/Minus projection of all point guards and all shooting guards on the other side of that potentially high-scoring matchup in Utah.
Clayton was the No. 18 pick in the draft in 2025 and has played 40 games as a rookie. He has averaged 23.8 minutes per game in his 12 contests this month, producing 8.7 points, 3.9 assists, 2.3 rebounds, and 19.2 DraftKings points per game. He exceeded salary-based expectations in six of his last eight games and comes at an extremely affordable $3,900 salary.
The Jazz rotation is always uncertain, but as the team leans toward its younger players the rest of the season, look for Clayton to get even more work. He is a bargain value with good upside in what could be a great spot this Saturday night depending on who else is available and how the game flow plays out.
Fast Break
With Franz Wagner (ankle) out again on Saturday, Desmond Bane will have to help carry the load for the Magic against the Cavaliers. He had 21 points and 35.9 DraftKings points in the team’s first game back in the U.S. after a two-game overseas trip with the Grizzlies. Bane has a top-four ceiling, median, and floor projection at shooting guard in both sets of projections, along with a strong Plus/Minus projection, especially in the ShotQuality projections.
With Josh Giddey back to run the point, Coby White can slide back to shooting guard, and he has a top-six Plus/Minus projection in both sets of projections as he and the Bulls host the Celtics, who could be fatigued after Friday’s double-OT marathon. White has at least 22 points and at least 32 DraftKings points in three straight games during the Bulls’ current winning streak.
Luka isn’t the only player facing the team that traded him, since Max Christie was part of the package that went to the Mavs in exchange for the All-Star guard. Christie has been helping the Mavs deal with multiple injuries lately, and he has exceeded salary-based expectations in six of his last eight games. He has over 32 DraftKings points in each of his last three contests, which gives him great value potential at his salary of only $5,300.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
If he plays on the second night of his team’s back-to-back, Jaylen Brown will bring a ton of upside to what should be a great matchup against the Bulls. Brown has been awesome all season for the Celtics and has the highest median, ceiling, and floor projection at small forward by a wide margin in both sets of projections.
Brown had a triple-double on Friday with 27 points, 12 assists, 10 rebounds, and one steal while logging 46 minutes and putting up 65 DraftKings points. He has at least 50 DraftKings points in four straight games and has raised his average for the season to 48 DraftKings points per game.
Brown took on more play-making responsibilities with Derrick White out, but he should be able to return to his role as the team’s primary scorer on Saturday. He has at least 27 points in six straight contests, and he makes sense as a pay-up play at small forward if you have the salary available since he brings one of the highest ceilings of all players on the slate.
Value
The Heat offer the top four Plus/Minus projections at small forward in the ShotQuality projections. The highest Projected Plus/Minus at small forward in that set of projections goes to Jaime Jaquez Jr., who could have even more work if Powell can’t play through his back soreness.
Jaquez had only four points and 13.75 DraftKings points in Thursday’s loss, shooting a disappointing 1-for-7 from the field. Before that down game, he had three straight games with 30+ DraftKings points. During that span, he fell just one rebound short of a double-double in one game and just one assist short of a double-double in another contest.
When given playing time, he typically stuffs the stat sheet, and if he gets a big role against the Jazz, he should thrive in such a fantasy-friendly matchup. Check that Heat injury report!
Fast Break
Top draft pick Cooper Flagg has come in under salary-based expectations in his last three games, but he did have a nice double-double in his team’s win over the Warriors, producing 39.75 DraftKings points. He has a high ceiling and unique eligibility at point guard and small forward. At small forward, Flagg has the third-highest median, ceiling, and floor projection behind only Brown and Powell. He has been a little inconsistent, like most rookies, but he definitely brings a high enough ceiling to be worth a GPP look on this slate.
With Darius Garland (toe) out and Sam Merrill (hand) also absent, Jaylon Tyson has come up huge for the Cavs. He has over 30 DraftKings points in four straight games, dating back to a breakout game last Friday against the Sixers, when he had 39 points and 52.75 DraftKings points. He had 17 points and 31.75 DraftKings points in the Cavs’ most recent game and continues to be a great mid-range target on the wing, especially if the Cavs rest anyone on the second night of their back-to-back.
Simone Fontecchio and Pelle Larsson also have great Projected Plus/Minus for the Heat. Larsson is probable with a finger issue and has flashed a high ceiling on the team’s current trip. He had 39 DraftKings points on Tuesday against the Kings but only 18.2 DraftKings points in Thursday’s loss in Portland. Fontecchio is highlighted more at power forward below, but he has the flexibility to slide to this roster spot as well.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
The highest Projected Plus/Minus on Thursday’s slate in the ShotQuality projections is from Paolo Banchero of the Magic against the Cavaliers. He has the highest median, ceiling, and floor projection at power forward in both sets of projections and the third-highest median and floor projections on the entire slate behind only Doncic and Brown.
Banchero has been relatively quiet in his last couple of games, but he has at least 53 DraftKings points in five of his last 10 contests, averaging 46.3 DraftKings points per game. Without Wagner, Banchero will have to carry the offense for the Magic against the Cavs, who could be fatigued on the second night of a back-to-back and playing on the road.
This will be his first matchup against the Cavs this season, but he had a nice double-double against them at the end of the last regular season. He has averaged 23.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 4.2 assists in 9 games against the Cavs in the regular season during his career. He also averaged 27.0 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 4.0 assists in 7 games against Cleveland in the playoffs.
If the Cavaliers rest anyone, that should make the matchup even easier, but whether they do or not, this should be a good bounce-back spot for Banchero.
Value
With a salary under $4,000, Simone Fontecchio can help you afford some of the bigger names on the board. He has a top-four Projected Plus/Minus at both forward spots in both sets of projections this Saturday as he takes on his former team (sensing a theme?).
Fontecchio has played off the bench all season for the Heat, but he’s been in a larger role for his last few games. He’s only averaging 8.5 points in 17 minutes per game for the season, but he has at least 13 points in four straight games while playing an average of 22 minutes per contest.
Fontecchio had 17 points and 29 DraftKings points against the Trail Blazers on Thursday, and he could get even more work depending on how the rest of the injury report plays out leading up to Saturday’s tip-off.
Fast Break
LeBron James won’t be the focus of the matchup in Dallas, but he still brings the second-highest ceiling, median, and floor projection at power forward in both sets of projections. He’s come in under salary-based expectations in his last three games, but he is averaging 49.3 DraftKings points per game over his 11 games this month. The King could be an interesting GPP pivot since he’ll be off the radar, but he’s an expensive option to consider if he takes a back seat to Luka’s vengeance on Saturday night.
In the smash spot against the Jazz, Andrew Wiggins is also a solid option to consider. He has exceeded salary-based expectations in four of his last five games and five of his last seven. He has scored at least 14 points in five straight and is a solid mid-range option at power forward, especially if Powell ends up sitting out.
While his younger brother still isn’t ready to play, Moritz Wagner has returned to the Magic’s rotation over the last two weeks. He had an impressive 14 points in 15 minutes for 20.75 DraftKings points against Charlotte on Thursday and does not have an injury designation on Saturday. He’s still only playing limited minutes after his recovery from a torn ACL that he suffered in December 2024. He’s a fun bargain play that brings good upside against Cleveland.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
With Jusuf Nurkic (illness) doubtful, Bam Adebayo has a good matchup against a thin Jazz frontcourt. He has the second-highest median and ceiling projections at center in both sets of projections, and the highest Projected Plus/Minus in the FantasyLabs projections.
Without Herro and with Powell limited, Bam has been carrying the Miami offense over the last few games. He had 32 points, 10 rebounds, and 56 DraftKings points against the Trail Blazers on Tuesday, which was his fourth game with over 45 DraftKings points in his last six contests.
In those six games, Adebayo has averaged 45.3 DraftKings points on 23.7 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.2 steals per game.
With his salary under $8,000, Adebayo can fit next to other stars and give your lineup a very high ceiling in a matchup in which he should be able to go off depending on how much help he gets with the offensive workload.
Value
In the ShotQuality projections, Kyle Filipowski has the highest Projected Plus/Minus at the position, just edging out Adebayo and Neemias Queta of the Celtics. Filipowski will likely get a lot of work if Nurkic is out as expected, and the second-year big man has shown good upside despite some inconsistency this season.
Filipowski only had five points, five rebounds, and 10.75 DraftKings points on Thursday against the Spurs in 19 minutes, but before that, he had posted over 27 DraftKings points in three of his previous four games, including an outburst of 41 DraftKings points against the Mavericks in the last game he played without Nurkic.
With Lauri Markkanen out, Filipowski should be busy on Saturday against Bam and the Heat’s injury-depleted frontcourt.
Fast Break
Evan Mobley has the highest median, ceiling, and floor projection at center on Saturday in both sets of projections. If either Mobley or Jarrett Allen is out for the second game of the Cavs’ back-to-back, the other one would become a great value play against Orlando, so keep a close eye out for the Cavs injury report. Mobley isn’t cheap, but he has a high ceiling, which he flashed Friday with 29 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists, and 66.25 DraftKings points in the Cavs’ win over the Kings.
Celtics center Neemias Queta is a solid mid-range target with the third-highest Plus/Minus projection at the position in both sets of projections. He had only 20.25 DraftKings points Friday but posted over 27 DraftKings points in three straight before that, including 39.25 DraftKings points against the Pacers on Wednesday.
If Queta is out or limited on the second night of the back-to-back, Luke Garza would join Moritz Wagner as a potential punt play at center. Garza had 12 points and 19.75 DraftKings points in Friday’s game and has averaged 19.1 DraftKings points in his 12 contests this month.
