Wednesday features a 13-game slate starting at 7 p.m. ET.
Let’s dive into some of the top plays on the slate using the FantasyLabs tools and metrics.
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.
Note: Projections and Leverages 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.
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NBA DFS Point Guard Picks
Stud
Luka Doncic has been the best fantasy producer in the league thus far. Through his first three games, Doncic is averaging 39 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 9.7 assists per game while shooting 55.6% from the field and 48.6% from behind the arc. He has two triple-doubles and is averaging a league-high 75.6 DraftKings points per game. It is impossible to ignore his ceiling.
Kyrie Irving is questionable to play after missing the Mavericks’ last game. Monitor his status the closer we get to lock, as that would make Doncic look even better in this spot. The Mavericks lead the league in scoring with 125.3 points per game this season and rank sixth in pace. Their new offense benefits Doncic the most as he has a 35.7% usage rate, which is the second-highest in the league. Even if Irving plays, Doncic is going to look fantastic and be one of the best plays on the slate.
Value
With the status of Paul George and Kawhi Leonard in jeopardy for the Clippers second leg of their back-to-back, Bones Hyland is popping as an elite value guard. Hyland has the highest Projected Plus/Minus on the entire slate for FanDuel at his cheap $4,700 salary. He is projected to play 34 minutes and has a 90% Bargain Rating. Outside of George and Leonard, Hyland has been the third-leading scorer for the Clippers averaging a career-high 16 points per game so far this season.
Hyland drew his first start of the season last night and scored 17 points while making four 3-pointers in the Clippers’ comfortable victory over the Magic. The Clippers also traded away a lot of their depth to acquire James Harden and PJ Tucker. Both are likely not playing tonight, but keep an eye on the status of all of these Clippers players.
Hyland could be one of the biggest beneficiaries if the Clippers sit their superstars on this back-to-back.
Fast Break
Jamal Murray leads all players on FanDuel with 14 Pro Trends as he finally got it going last game with an 18-point, 14-assist double-double. Priced under $8,000 on both sites, Murray has had a ton of success in this spot against the Timberwolves in the past. In their five-game playoff series, Murray averaged 27.2 points, 6.4 assists, and 5.6 rebounds per game. The Nuggets are fully healthy, but Murray is still popping as a great play on both sites at a very reasonable salary.
NBA DFS Shooting Guard Picks
Stud
Desmond Bane continues to impress in the lead scoring role for the Memphis Grizzlies with Ja Morant still out. The Grizzlies are 0-4, but Bane is averaging a career-high 25.5 points per game with a 28.9% usage rate. He has recorded two 30-point games already this season and will have a great chance to add to that total against the Jazz, who rank 23rd in Defensive Rating.
The Grizzlies are two-point road underdogs looking for their first win of the season. To capture a victory tonight, it will need to be on the back of Bane, who has attempted 19 field goals per game and 10 3-pointers in three of the first four games. He has also averaged two steals per game during that time.
Bane’s willingness to let it fly is perfect for tournament exposure.
Value
Sticking with the Grizzlies backcourt, Marcus Smart has been awesome, racking up peripherals over his last three games. After recording no rebounds and only three assists in the season opener, Smart has averaged 6.7 points and 3.7 rebounds per game in his last three contests. Pair that with a career-high 17.3 points per game on 53.1% shooting, and Smart catapults his way as one of the best guard values. He has recorded a positive Plus/Minus in three of his last four games.
It is obvious that Smart, in his first year with the Grizzlies, is going to take on a much larger scoring role, especially with Morant away from the team. With a 225-point total, this is a good spot to get exposure to both Smart and Bane. Smart has point guard and shooting guard eligibility on both sites, and being priced in the mid-range, he is easy to fit in all builds.
Fast Break
Another team with injury situations to monitor is the Cleveland Cavaliers. They are also playing the second leg of a back-to-back as Darius Garland, Caris LeVert, and Jarrett Allen did not play last night. If all remain out tonight, Donovan Mitchell will once again be a great pay-up option. In three games, Mitchell is averaging a career-high 32 points per game, shooting 54.4% from the field. He’s added 5.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 3.3 steals, and 54.5 DraftKings points per game over that span.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
Despite playing 28 minutes in a Celtics blowout last game, Jayson Tatum still managed to score 33 points and reach over 45 DraftKings points. Tatum is currently leading the team in usage rate, points, and rebounds, even though he is playing with a star-studded cast. The Celtics will likely be favored by a huge margin all year, and tonight is no different. They are 11.5-point home favorites against the Pacers, implied for 122.5 points. Tatum’s sub-5% ownership is worth getting exposure to.
This is a great matchup for Tatum as the Pacers rank 26th in Defensive Rating and fifth in pace. Their lack of defense but willingness to play fast sets up a perfect game environment. Tatum is projected to play the third-most amount of minutes tonight. If this game is competitive for four quarters, he is going to be a key contrarian piece to tournament-winning lineups.
Value
The Brooklyn Nets are already getting stung by the injury bug as Nic Claxton remains out, along with Cameron Johnson and Spencer Dinwiddie. That will open the door for more minutes and usage rates for role players like Lonnie Walker. In his two games played, Walker has provided the scoring boost the Nets need in their second unit and has convincingly earned his new role. Walker is averaging 16.5 points per game while already connecting on seven of his 13 3-point attempts.
Priced under $5,000 on both DraftKings and FanDuel, Walker is going to be a popular value play, but rightfully so. Playing against the Heat’s stout defense is never ideal, but they are also dealing with plenty of injuries themselves which has hurt their defensive outlook. After back-to-back games with a positive Plus/Minus, expect another great game from Walker again.
Fast Break
Similar to Walker, Dillon Brooks is another value play who looks strong across the industry. Prioritize Brooks on FanDuel at his $4,600 price tag, as he has an 89% Bargain Rating. Brooks has the second-highest projected ownership on the site and has cleared his fantasy points expectation in each of the Rockets’ three games. This matchup against the Hornets should be one of the most enticing game environments on the slate. Getting exposure to Brooks, especially on FanDuel, is a necessity.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
Giannis Antetokounmpo failed to get a double-double for the first time last game but still managed to put up a great score with 33 points on 12-for-21 shooting from the field. Giannis has yet to have a massive ceiling game, but tonight could be the night. In his last two games against the Raptors, Giannis has back-to-back triple-doubles averaging 26 points, 16.5 rebounds, and 10 assists per game. He has shot 59.3% from the field and has even made one 3-pointer in each contest.
Giannis has the third-highest projected ceiling on both DraftKings and FanDuel tonight. The Bucks are five-point road favorites against the Raptors, implied for 114.25 points. Despite the Bucks adding Damian Lillard and Khris Middleton being healthy, Giannis still leads the team in points and rebounds and has a 35.3% usage rate, ranking third in the league.
Value
The game with the highest total on the slate is the Hawks hosting the Wizards at a 238-point total. Jalen Johnson is once again a value power forward to target as he has the highest Projected Plus/Minus on DraftKings and the fourth-highest on FanDuel. Continuing to start for the Hawks, Johnson has scored double-digit points in each game while shooting 65.8% from the field and 40% from behind the arc. He has even added a block and 1.5 steals per game, proving his starter worth.
Johnson is the fourth-leading scorer on the Hawks and has contributed on the glass with seven rebounds per game. The Wizards rank 21st in Defensive Rating and have been a middling rebounding team thus far. At his price tag on both sites, Johnson is going to be a key piece for all lineup builds.
Getting exposure to this game, in general, is important for tonight.
Fast Break
Priced under $6,000 on both sites, Jabari Smith Jr. looks like another popular forward option. After a poor season opener, Smith Jr. has scored 13 and 14 points in each of their last two games while adding 8.5 rebounds per game. He has flirted with a double-double in both games, which would be massive to capture at this price tag. In his second year in the league, Smith Jr. is going to be a key piece for the Rockets moving forward. He will get as much playing time as he can handle.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
Domantas Sabonis against the Warriors is always a spot worth getting exposure to. Over the last three years in this matchup, Sabonis has averaged a massive double-double with 21.9 points and 15.6 rebounds per game. Now he will get to play without De’Aaron Fox, as he is out with an ankle injury. The offense will need to be run even more through Sabonis.
Sabonis is a rebounding machine against the Warriors despite who is starting for them at center. In their earlier matchup last Friday, Sabonis recorded a 19-point, 18-rebound double-double. Among the pay-up center options, Sabonis will be the most popular, but it is due to the elite matchup and cheaper salary. Having power forward eligibility on FanDuel is a nice added bonus as well. Without Fox, expect Sabonis to carry most of the offensive production and flirt with another triple-double.
Value
Both Hawks’ centers, Clint Capela and Onyeka Okongwu, make up half of the ownership at this position on DraftKings tonight. They look fantastic in this spot against the Wizards frontcourt as Daniel Gafford is dealing with an injury. Even if Gafford suits up, this game environment and matchup sets up perfectly for Capela and Okongwu. Prioritize both players on DraftKings compared to FanDuel, where there are too many center options to choose from, and both are only center eligible.
Fast Break
Nikola Jokic is the most expensive center on this slate, but for good reason. He is coming off his second triple-double of the season against the Jazz and now faces another familiar foe in the Timberwolves. The reigning Finals MVP had no trouble in this matchup during the regular season or playoffs last year, recording a triple-double in three of the seven contests. His expensive price tag is keeping his ownership in check, but Jokic is always a worthy pay-up option regardless of the slate.
After a rough start to the season, Anthony Davis has bounced back in a huge way with three straight games with over 60 DraftKings points. During that stretch, Davis is averaging 28.7 points, 15.7 rebounds, three blocks, and two steals per game. The center position is loaded tonight, but he is another player worth mentioning. Davis hasn’t taken as many 3-pointers as the staff wants him to, but he is absolutely dominating the paint. Prioritize Davis on DraftKings at his sub-$10,000 salary.
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