Wednesday features a four-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
Wednesday’s main slate features just four games to choose from, and five of those eight teams suited up on Tuesday. That means we’re still waiting on injury reports for more than 50% of the available squads. Those reports will have a big impact on this slate, so make sure to monitor for updates.
The 76ers are one of those teams, and they could be pretty shorthanded. Joel Embiid and Paul George are both out, while V.J. Edgecombe exited Tuesday’s contest early with a lower back injury. Kelly Oubre also missed that contest with an illness.
That gives Tyrese Maxey a nice potential boost. He’s seen a usage bump of +3.03% with Embiid and George off the floor this season, and that figure jumps to +4.79% with Edgecombe off the floor as well. He’s averaged 1.52 DraftKings points per minute in that split, which represents a solid increase from his average of 1.41 over the past month.
Maxey and the 76ers also draw an elite matchup on Wednesday. They’re taking on the Jazz, who rank dead last in defensive efficiency for the year. The 76ers lead the slate with a 124.5-point implied team total, making Maxey one of the strongest stud options of the day.
Value
The Knicks have cruised to three straight wins, and they’ve been one of the best teams in basketball in recent weeks. They’re third in Net Rating over their past 15 games, trailing only the Spurs and Celtics.
The addition of Jose Alvarado has been a part of that equation. For fantasy purposes, Alvarado has posted a positive Plus/Minus in five of his past eight outings. He’s averaged 1.12 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, so he doesn’t need a ton of playing time to potentially pay off his $3,700 salary. He ranks third at the position in projected Plus/Minus, and he’s projected for less than 10% ownership.
Fast Break
Jrue Holiday has been a solid fantasy producer all season, and he’s averaged 1.12 DraftKings points per minute over the past month. He’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in back-to-back games, despite being limited to less than 30 minutes in a blowout loss in his last contest. He should see more like 31-33 minutes if Wednesday’s game is more competitive, and the Blazers are another team with an elite matchup. They’re implied for 123.0 points vs. the Grizzlies, who are 26th in defensive efficiency over their past 15 games.
Shai Gilegous-Alexander missed Tuesday’s win for the Thunder, but he should return for a potential NBA Finals’ preview vs. the Knicks. SGA has averaged 1.64 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, and he’s eclipsed 60 DraftKings points in two of his past four games. Maxey is expected to command most of the ownership in this price range, making SGA an interesting pivot for tournaments.
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
There is a wide gap between Jaylen Brown and the rest of the shooting guards on Wednesday’s slate. He owns the top median and ceiling projections by roughly 15 points, making him the clear top choice if spending up at the position.
Brown has had a career year for the Celtics with Jayson Tatum on the sidelines. He’s putting up career highs in virtually every category across the board, and he’s averaged 1.47 DraftKings points per minute over the past month.
The Celtics will have to navigate a tricky matchup vs. the red-hot Hornets on Wednesday, but Brown has been extremely reliable of late. He’s scored at least 47.25 DraftKings points in five straight games, and he’s had at least 57.25 in three of them.
Value
Quentin Grimes should be a big winner from the 76ers’ current injury situation. He’s projected for 32 minutes in our NBA Models, which should be more than enough to return value at his current salary. His $4,400 price tag comes with a 93% Bargain Rating, and players with comparable salaries and minute projections have historically averaged a Plus/Minus of +2.77 (per the Trends tool).
Grimes hasn’t exactly taken advantage of his minutes recently, averaging just 0.66 DraftKings points per minute over the past month. Still, someone is going to have to score the ball besides Maxey. With Edgecombe potentially out and Jared McCain now in OKC, the coast is clear for Grimes to put up excellent value in a phenomenal matchup. He ranks first among all players in projected Plus/Minus, and he also has the top Sim Labs optimal lineup rate.
Fast Break
Walter Clayton moved back to the bench in the Grizzlies’ last outing, but he still finished with 27.25 DraftKings points in 24.3 minutes. He’s projected for 28 minutes on Wednesday’s slate, and he’s averaged a strong 0.90 DraftKings points per minute over the past month. We’re still waiting on the Grizzlies’ injury report, but he’s grading out extremely well in our projections.
Kelly Oubre would be another potential target for the 76ers if he’s feeling well enough to suit up on Wednesday. He’s played plenty of minutes when available of late, and he’s projected for 34 minutes vs. the Jazz. Oubre has averaged 0.85 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, and he’s increased that figure to 0.94 with Embiid, George, and Edgecombe off the floor this season.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
The Hornets haven’t needed much from Brandon Miller recently. They’ve won five straight games by at least 15 points, and Miller has played 26.1 minutes or fewer in four of them. However, he still managed to get 50.75 DraftKings points in one of those contests, and he had 40.0 DraftKings points in his lone game with his usual workload.
The Hornets will likely need a much greater effort from Miller on Wednesday. The Celtics are first in net rating over the past 15 games, and they’re listed as 6.5-point underdogs in this contest. Miller is projected for 33.5 minutes in our NBA Models, and if he gets close to that threshold, he has solid upside at $7,800. His average of 1.28 DraftKings points per minute trails only Brown and Deni Avdija among Wednesday’s SFs.
Value
Jaylen Wells has posted a positive Plus/Minus in three straight games, and there’s no reason he can’t make it four in a row vs. the Blazers. He’s averaged 0.91 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, and he’s posted a usage rate of at least 20.1% in six of his past seven outings. That represents a slight upgrade from his regular-season average, and he could be even more involved than usual if Ty Jerome rests on the second night of a back-to-back.
Fast Break
Taylor Hendricks is another potential option for the Grizzlies. He’s coming off a disappointing showing in his last outing, but he had a positive Plus/Minus in his previous four contests. That includes games of 27.5 and 32.5 DraftKings points, so he’s definitely viable at just $4,700.
Mikal Bridges has a wide range of outcomes on a nightly basis, but there’s no denying his upside at $6,200. He erupted for 44.75 DraftKings points over the weekend, though he followed that up with a clunker vs. the Raptors on Tuesday. The Knicks could lean on their starters a bit more than usual in a marquee showdown vs. the defending champs, so Bridges could be a bit undervalued on this slate.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
The Jazz continue to be without most of their key big men, opening the door for Kyle Filipowski to take on an expanded role. That’s an appealing prospect for fantasy players. Filipowski has been an elite per-minute producer at the NBA level, averaging 1.31 DraftKings points per minute over the past month.
Filipowski had 40.5 DraftKings points across 29.4 minutes in his last outing, and he should see a comparable workload vs. the 76ers. Kevin Love will be back in the lineup, but he was limited to just nine minutes in his last game. Filipowski should handle the majority of the center minutes for Utah, making him a bit underpriced at $7,200.
Value
Trendon Watford got up to 25.6 minutes for the 76ers on Tuesday, and he’s projected for another 23.5 minutes Wednesday vs. the Jazz. That’s more than enough to put him in play at just $3,600. Players with comparable salaries and minute projections have historically averaged a Plus/Minus of +1.81, and Watford has personally averaged a Plus/Minus of +5.19 in that split. He ranks first at the position in projected Plus/Minus, and only Grimes has a better mark across the entire slate.
Fast Break
Jerami Grant was limited to just 11.0 DraftKings points in 26.1 minutes in his most recent contest, which was a blowout loss for the Blazers. However, he had posted a positive Plus/Minus in three of his previous four games, with 27.75 DraftKings points vs. the Hornets as the lone exception. His current matchup vs. the Grizzlies is significantly friendlier, making him a solid bounce-back target.
GG Jackson has moved into the Grizzlies’ starting lineup given all their recent injuries, and he’s posted an average Plus/Minus of +3.73 across his past 10 games. He’s gotten more expensive of late, but he still possesses some upside at his increased price tag. He’s averaged 1.18 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, and he’s projected for 25.5 minutes in our NBA Models.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
Donovan Clingan continues to stand out as underpriced for the Blazers. He’s been an outstanding per-minute producer since arriving in the NBA, and he’s starting to see more consistent minutes. He’s responded with an average Plus/Minus of +7.26 across his past 10 outings, and he’s had at least 42.25 DraftKings points in four of his past six games.
Clingan is projected for just under 30 minutes on Wednesday, which should be more than enough to pay off his $7,400 salary. He’s averaged 1.45 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, and the Grizzlies don’t have much of an interior presence at the moment.
Value
Speaking of the Grizzlies, Olivier-Maxence Prosper has gotten the starting nod in six straight games. He’s fared reasonably well in that stretch for fantasy purposes, posting a positive Plus/Minus in four games with a high of 40.0 DraftKings points. He’s averaged just over a fantasy point per minute over the past month, and he’s projected for 26.5 minutes in our NBA Models. He ranks first among centers in projected Plus/Minus, making him the best source of value at the position.
Fast Break
The 76ers have a pair of center options in Andre Drummond and Adem Bona. Bona is cheaper and has a slight edge in projected Plus/Minus, but Drummond brings far more upside to the table. He’s been much stronger in terms of fantasy points per minute (1.17 vs. 0.83), but Drummond was limited to just 5.2 minutes on Tuesday. If he can get back to 20+ minutes on Wednesday, he has the potential to be one of the best options at the position.
Karl-Anthony Towns will have his work cut out for him vs. the Thunder’s elite defense, but he still has the top ceiling projection at the position. Towns has gone for 49.5 and 53.25 DraftKings points across his past four games, so he has solid upside for his price tag.
Pictured: Donovan Clingan
Photo Credit: Imagn
