On Saturday night, the NBA has five games on the main DFS fantasy basketball slate on DraftKings, which tips off at 7:00 p.m. ET and includes some intriguing matchups. The Pelicans and the Grizzlies are the only teams finishing a back-to-back, so we should get relatively regular rotations from the rest of the options on the board. Keep a close eye on injury reports and players resting before tip-off, but coming into the day, some players stand out as strong options to be the core of your fantasy basketball roster. As things move throughout the day, the models will adjust to availability and injury updates, but we will run down the top options to play this Saturday night according to the models.
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
In the FantasyLabs projections, Tyrese Maxey has the highest median, ceiling, and floor projections of all point guards. Maxey and the Sixers are in a favorable matchup against the Pelicans, who have been one of the best matchups for most of the season, even when they are not playing on the second night of a back-to-back like they are on Saturday. Even though New Orleans has been much improved lately, it should be a great spot for Maxey to continue his strong play.
Maxey won’t have to carry the load by himself, however, since both Joel Embiid and Paul George are not on the injury report and should be good to go. While Maxey has proven he can carry the team with a huge workload, he’s also shown lately that he can thrive alongside those other strong players. He hit the game-winning shot on Thursday against the Kings and finished with 60 DraftKings points on 40 points, eight assists, and four rebounds. He has four games in his last eight with at least 55 DraftKings points and has shown he can deliver monster games in good matchups like this one.
The 76ers have the highest implied team total of the day according to our Vegas Dashboard, and Maxey should be in a great spot to lead the way for them and your fantasy lineups this Saturday night at home against the Pelicans.
Value
The Heat are hosting the Bulls in Miami in one of the two Eastern Conference contests on Saturday night’s scoreboard. The Heat will remain without Tyler Herro (ribs) for a ninth straight game, and Davion Mitchell (shoulder) is doubtful, indicating he will likely miss his sixth straight game. Without those two point guards, Dru Smith has been stepping into a much bigger role, and he has the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus of all point guards this Saturday.
Smith has exceeded salary-based expectations in four of his last five games, averaging 26.2 DraftKings points per game on 9.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 2.2 steals in 22.4 minutes per game. He has put up over 26 DraftKings points in three of his last four games and is coming off a strong showing in the first game of this home-and-home set with the Bulls on Thursday.
Smith had 31.25 DraftKings points to help the Heat to a three-point win in Chicago. He finished with 11 points, five rebounds, five assists, and three steals in 22 minutes in that game, and even though he’s coming off the bench behind Kasparas Jakucionis, Smith has been a much better fantasy play over the last several games.
Fast Break
On the other side of that Bulls-Heat matchup, which has the highest point total on the board, Josh Giddey has the best value projections among the high-priced point guards. Giddey has been playing limited minutes since missing almost a month and is listed as questionable for this contest. If he plays, he brings enough value potential to be a strong GPP play due to his high ceiling.
The Hawks have given Dyson Daniels the regular point guard spot after trading Trae Young to the Wizards. Daniels has been very productive in assists, but his scoring has been a little sporadic. When he does score points, like when he had 15 points against the Celtics on Wednesday, he usually has good fantasy totals, like the 48 fantasy points he had in that game. He also had a big game when he faced the Pacers on Monday, producing 22 points, nine assists, and 45.75 DraftKings points, as the Hawks won by 16. If he continues his scoring production, he’ll be a great point guard option in this rematch since his non-scoring numbers are almost always strong.
The Pelicans continue to tweak their rotation now that their main pieces are healthy (aside from Dejounte Murray), and for now, Jordan Poole seems to be the odd man out in the backcourt, leaving more work for Jose Alvarado, who has played 20 and 23 minutes in his last two games after returning from an oblique injury. Alvarado and Jeremiah Fears have been playing alongside each other in the second unit while the starting unit goes without a true point guard. In that role, Alvarado has chipped in 17.75 and 18.75 DraftKings points in his last two games, and with that many minutes coming his way, he can be a good bargain option against the Sixers on Saturday night since his salary is only $3,300.
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
The Bulls have dropped three straight games this week, but they’ll look to get back on track as they take their talents to South Beach in a rematch against the Heat. Especially if Giddey is limited or out, they’ll need a bounce-back game from Coby White, who has the second-highest Plus/Minus projection at shooting guard in the FantasyLabys projections and the highest of any shooting guard in the ShotQuality projections.
White had a down shooting game on Thursday, going just 2-for-11 from the field and scoring 14 points. He still had 34.5 DraftKings points since he turned in eight assists, four rebounds, and two steals in his 31 minutes. Before his last two down games, White was on a strong stretch of five straight games with 20+ points and reached 40+ DraftKings points in three of those five games. If he gets back to that level on Saturday, he’ll be one of the strongest values at the top of this position.
Like Giddey, White is questionable for this contest, so be sure to watch for pregame updates. If either one is out, the other would become a very strong play, and if both are out, there will be plenty of work available for the rest of the rotation options discussed below.
Value
With White and Giddey uncertain, Ayo Dosunmu could be a strong mid-range play to consider at either guard spot this Saturday. He has the highest Plus/Minus projection at both guard spots in the FantasyLabs projections and the second highest in the ShotQuality projections behind only his teammates (Giddey at point guard and White at shooting guard).
Dosunmu has at least 29 DraftKings points in five of his last seven games, and he excelled in this matchup on Thursday, posting 23 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and 37.75 DraftKings points in the Bulls’ loss.
With at least 19 points in each of his last three contests and his continued strong contributions in non-scoring categories, Dosunmu is a very solid option even if Giddey and White both play. If either or both sit out, Dosunmu would be one of the best value plays on the entire slate at just over $5,000.
Fast Break
As the Timberwolves take on the Grizzlies in a smash spot, Anthony Edwards has the highest median, ceiling, and floor projections at the position in both sets of projections. He led his Timberwolves to a huge win over the Thunder on Thursday with 26 points and 46.2 DraftKings points, and he has at least 45 DraftKings points in five of his last six games. As long as this game doesn’t turn into a blowout early, Edwards has a good chance to reach his high ceiling again on Saturday.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker has scored 20 points or more in three straight games this week, dating back to his Hawks’ last matchup against the Pacers. He finished with 37.75 DraftKings points in that win on Monday. He continues to play big minutes in the backcourt for Atlanta, and he is in a good spot in the rematch against the Pacers Saturday night. Alexander-Walker has the third-highest median, ceiling, and floor projections at the position in the FantasyLabs projections.
The Pelicans have given Herbert Jones a key spot in their rotation since his return four games ago, and if he’s ready to play in both games of this back-to-back, he should be a good value play at just over $4,000. He has the highest Plus/Minus projection of all shooting guards except White and Dosunmu in the ShotQuality projections, while the FantasyLabs projections slide NAW just ahead of him as well. Jones has exceeded salary-based expectations in three straight games after scoring 16 points against the Grizzlies on Friday and totaling 28 DraftKings points.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
The Texas-sized contest between the Mavericks and the Rockets in Houston gives us a great matchup between the top two small forwards on the board. Kevin Durant has the top median, ceiling, and floor projections at the position, with Cooper Flagg just behind him after going off for 70 DraftKings points against the Hornets. In both the FantasyLabs and ShotQuality projections, Durant is the stronger play in this contest since he has a more favorable matchup and a longer run of success coming into what should be an awesome showdown.
Durant had 31 points on Thursday in a win over the Hawks, giving him at least 30 points in four of his last five contests. He had at least 49 DraftKings points in three straight games before his midweek back-to-back, and he should be able to bounce back with another signature performance at home against Dallas.
With his scoring upside, KD always brings an immensely high ceiling, but he has also been very consistent over the last few weeks and makes a great option to build around in almost any matchup. The Mavericks’ defense has not been strong this season, setting up a smash spot for Durant at small forward or shooting guard this Saturday.
Value
In addition to Herro and likely Mitchell missing Saturday’s game, the Heat will be without Norman Powell (personal). In what should be a high-scoring game against the Bulls, small forwards Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Pelle Larsson both have strong Plus/Minus projections since they should pick up plenty of usage.
Jaquez has the third-highest Plus/Minus projections at small forward in the ShotQuality projections, while Larsson has the third-highest Plus/Minus projections at the position in the FantasyLabs projections. Larsson is about $1,000 cheaper, so which one is a better play depends on the rest of your roster build.
Jaquez has scored double-digit points in three straight and six of his last eight games, exceeding salary-based expectations in five of those contests. One of his best games during that run came on Thursday against Chicago, when he had 19 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, three steals, and 48.5 DraftKings points. He will be an excellent value if he comes close to matching that performance in the rematch Saturday.
Larsson had 15 points and six boards in that game for 31 DraftKings points, and he has at least 29 DraftKings points in three of his last six games while sliding over to help at point guard without Herro and Mitchell. With Powell out as well, there should be even more work this Saturday, setting him up as a strong mid-range value.
Fast Break
Paul George has a slightly better Plus/Minus projection than Durant and Flagg since he’s much cheaper than those two options. He had an impressive 32 points and 53.75 DraftKings points against the Bucks earlier this week, reminding everyone of his high ceiling, and he followed that up with 29 DraftKings points against the Kings. He’s a very solid mid-range play with upside against the Pelicans in a good matchup Saturday.
The Timberwolves got 21 points and 37.5 DraftKings points from Jaden McDaniels in their big win over the Thunder, and McDaniels has exceeded salary-based expectations in 10 of his last 13 games. He doesn’t always get a ton of usage with the rest of the rotation doing most of the scoring, but he usually finds ways to return value. He gets a great spot against Memphis on Saturday, and he’ll look to build on that 21-point breakout. McDaniels brings a top-five ceiling projection at small forward in both sets of projections.
If the Bulls opt to give White, Giddey, or both the night off, Kevin Huerter would be a great value at small forward. He had a double-double of 15 points, 10 rebounds, and 41.5 DraftKings points in the first game of this home-and-home set with the Heat, and he could get even more work in the rematch depending on who else is available. Huerter has the second-highest Plus/Minus projection at small forward in both sets of projections behind only Herb Jones (discussed above).
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
If he’s available for the second night of the Pelicans’ back-to-back, Zion Williamson stands out as a great stud value play with a salary under $8,000 but an extremely high ceiling. He has the best Plus/Minus projection of all power forwards over $6,500 and the fourth-highest median projection at the position in both sets of projections.
Since his most recent return, Zion has played in 24 straight games for the Pelicans, averaging 21.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.2 assists in 28.6 minutes per game. He’s been even better in his last four games, producing 22.5 points, 9.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.3 blocks in 33.3 minutes per game. He has over 38 DraftKings points in each of those four games, with a high point of 50.75 DraftKings points against the Grizzlies last Friday.
On Saturday, he will need to step up with a big game against the Sixers to keep his Pelicans gathering momentum. He has been playing the second night of back-to-back sets recently, but double-check the injury report before locking him in. If he does play, he brings elite upside for a player under $8,000 in his busy role for New Orleans.
Value
Bulls power forward/center Jalen Smith has the highest Plus/Minus projection of any player at any position on the entire slate in both the FantasyLabs and the ShotQuality projections. Smith has been stepping up lately for the Bulls, and even though his salary has climbed over $6,000, he’s still projected to bring big-time value.
Like so many other key players for the Bulls, Smith is questionable for this matchup, but if he is cleared, he’ll likely move into the starting lineup since Nikola Vucevic (rest) is doubtful. Smith left Thursday’s game with calf tightness after posting 17.2 DraftKings points in 15 minutes against Miami, and that’s the same issue that has him uncertain for Saturday.
Smith has had a big January, averaging 28.7 DraftKings points per game on 12.1 points and 8.5 rebounds. He had a nice double-double against the Pacers on Tuesday for 35.25 DraftKings points, and he has similar potential if he plays through his injury designation on Saturday in Miami.
Fast Break
Jalen Johnson is also questionable after missing Thursday’s loss to the Rockets, but he has the highest median, ceiling, and floor projections at power forward if he plays through his injury. He has at least 48 DraftKings points in four of his last five games, dating back to two huge games with 61 DraftKings points against the Bucks and 65.2 DraftKings points against the Grizzlies. If healthy, he brings a sky-high ceiling as the focal point of Atlanta’s offense.
The Pelicans’ bigger rotation hasn’t crowded out Saddiq Bey, who continues to put together a great season. He has exceeded salary-based expectations in five straight games with over 40 DraftKings points in each contest. Bey always seems ready to step into more work if any of his teammates rest on the second night of the back-to-back.
Behind Jalen Smith, Simone Fontecchio has the second-highest Plus/Minus projections at power forward, with his teammate Andrew Wiggins just behind him. Fontecchio is a cheaper play at just over $4,000 and has exceeded salary-based expectations in six of his last eight games even though he was held scoreless in his last game against the Bulls. Wiggins will also have to help carry extra work in the offense without Powell, Herro, and Mitchell.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
Joel Embiid continues to return to his exceptional form, and he gets a smash spot against the Pelicans on Saturday, who have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points per game to centers this season. The new-look rotation has been better defensively, but Embiid still comes with an extremely high ceiling in this contest.
On Thursday, Embiid went off for 58.8 DraftKings points on 37 points, eight assists, and five rebounds in 36 minutes against the Kings. He has over 58 DraftKings points in three of his last four games and over 45 DraftKings points in six straight contests coming into this matchup with the Pelicans.
The big man has poured in at least 29 points in six straight games and went off for a 32-point triple-double against the Rockets, which earned him 72.25 DraftKings points in 46 minutes just over a week ago.
Without an injury designation, he seems to be back to full strength, making him an excellent option to build around on Saturday’s slate.
Value
The Hawks won’t have Onyeka Okongwu (dental fracture) for a second straight game, and Kristaps Porzingis (Achilles) is also not available. Without those two big men, Christian Koloko has the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus of all centers in the FantasyLabs projections and the third-highest in the ShotQuality projections.
Koloko is an interesting option because he’s so cheap at $3,600 that he leaves plenty of salary for other spots and doesn’t need to do much to bring good value. He played 26 minutes on Thursday without Okongwu and finished with 21.2 DraftKings points on six points, seven rebounds, two assists, a block, and a steal.
He also had 24.5 DraftKings points against the Pacers last week even though he only played 17 minutes on his way to 12 points, four rebounds, an assist, and three blocks. Mouhamed Gueye is also worth a look since he’ll get more time, but since Koloko is cheaper and has been more productive, he’s the better option.
Fast Break
With so many members of his supporting cast out, Bam Adebayo will have to step up and carry the load on Saturday, and he’ll have a good matchup against the injury-depleted Bulls. Bam has exceeded salary-based expectations in seven of his last 10 games and is coming off a 20-point, 12-rebound game against the Bulls on Thursday that earned him 40 DraftKings points.
The Timberwolves have a great matchup against Memphis, and both Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid are strong mid-range options. Reid has exceeded salary-based expectations in three straight games and in five of his last seven.
If both Nikola Vucevic and Jalen Smith are out, the Bulls would turn to Patrick Williams and Lachlan Olbrich. It could result in some strange rotations, but keep an eye on the Bulls’ injury report and check the models to see who will end up getting minutes and usage, since they could end up being outstanding values.
