Friday features a six-game main slate starting at 7 p.m. ET.
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
Darius Garland has been unable to get going this season for the Cavaliers. He’s appeared in just nine games, and he hasn’t been particularly effective when he’s been available. He’s averaged just 0.97 DraftKings points per minute, which is well below his mark from last season. Garland is shooting just 35.3% from the field and 32.1% from the 3-point line, and his ineffectiveness is a big reason why the Cavs haven’t been as dominant as they were last year.
That shouldn’t continue forever, and Friday’s contest vs. the Wizards is a great spot for a potential breakout. Washington has been historically bad on defense to start the year, posting a Defensive Rating of 123.8. As a result, the Cavs are implied for a slate-best 128.75 points.
Garland ultimately ranks second at the position in projected Plus/Minus, and he’s sixth in projected ceiling. Most of the highest-priced options at point guard stand out as poor values, so pivoting to Garland is an appealing alternative.
Value
The Hornets are going to be extremely thin at point guard on Friday. LaMelo Ball, Tre Mann, and Collin Sexton have all been ruled out, leaving them without their top three options at the position.
That opens up plenty of playing time for K.J. Simpson. He’s currently projected for 29 minutes in our NBA Models, and he’s averaged a solid 0.93 DraftKings points per minute for the year. He’s logged at least 28 minutes in back-to-back games, and he’s responded with at least 24.75 DraftKings points in both contests.
Simpson also remains massively underpriced on DraftKings. He’s priced at just $4,500, resulting in a 95% Bargain Rating. He owns the top projected Plus/Minus at the position, making him the clear top choice for cash games.
Fast Break
The Jazz have played in back-to-back blowouts, which has affected Keyonte George. He’s failed to crack 28 minutes in either contest, and he’s posted 17.75 and 23.5 DraftKings points as a result. However, George has scored at least 45.0 DraftKings points in his last five games with at least 31 minutes, so hopefully, the Jazz can get back on track on Friday. They’re listed as just 7.5-point underdogs vs. the Grizzlies in what should be an outstanding game environment: the 242.5-point total is tied for the top mark on the slate.
Ryan Nembhard continues to produce for the Mavericks. He’s averaged 1.12 DraftKings points per minute for the year, and he’s projected for another 28 minutes Friday vs. the Nets. Brooklyn is another team that has struggled mightily on defense this season, so Nembhard should be able to keep the production rolling.
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
While Garland has struggled to get on track this season, Donovan Mitchell has been absolutely rolling. He’s averaging 30.5 points per game while shooting better than 50% from the field, and no one at the position can match his upside on Friday’s slate. He’s averaged 1.39 DraftKings points per minute, and Coby White is a distant second at 1.18.
Mitchell benefits from the same elite matchup as Garland, and he has the top ceiling projection at shooting guard by nearly 20 points. He also ranks fourth at the position in projected Plus/Minus, which is a tough combination to ignore.
Value
The Wizards appear set to get talented rookie Tre Johnson back on Friday. He’s not currently listed on the injury report, so he’s expected to suit up for the first time since November 21. He’ll likely be limited in his return – we currently have him projected for 23 minutes – but that should be more than enough playing time to pay off his meager salary. He’s averaged 1.01 DraftKings points per minute for the year, which is an elite figure for someone priced at just $3,900.
Johnson could also see a bump from the team’s injury report. Alex Sarr, Khris Middleton, and Bilal Coulibaly have all been ruled out, which should open up some additional shot attempts for the rest of the roster.
Fast Break
Kon Kneuppel continues to play like a 10-year veteran as a rookie. He’s doing a little bit of everything for the Hornets, and he’ll be asked to pick up the slack with Ball, Sexton, and Mann out of the lineup on Friday. He’s increased his assist rate by +10.65% with all three players off the floor this season, and he’s upped his fantasy production to 1.15 DraftKings points per minute as a result. He has plenty of upside against a Bulls squad that ranks second in pace this season.
Lonzo Ball is another potential option in the Cavaliers’ backcourt. He’s not playing a ton of minutes at the moment, and he hasn’t been as dominant as usual on a per-minute basis. However, he’s been priced down to just $4,400 for Friday’s slate, resulting in an 87% Bargain Rating. He doesn’t provide the same ceiling that he used to, but he should be able to return value.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
It’s safe to say that the Nets won the Michael Porter Jr. trade. While Cam Johnson has struggled to find his footing in Denver, Porter has been putting on an absolute show in Brooklyn. He’s averaging an efficient 25.8 points per game, while also averaging career highs in both rebounds (7.6) and assists (3.2). Add it all up, and he’s averaged an elite 1.38 DraftKings points per minute. Porter has always been a gifted offensive player, and now freed from the shadow of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, he’s putting on a display on a near-nightly basis.
Porter has been particularly hot of late. He’s scored at least 33 points in three straight games, and he’s led the Nets to three straight wins. With Cam Thomas still out with an injury, there’s no reason Porter can’t keep the production coming. He’s increased his usage rate to greater than 31% in games with Thomas sidelined, and he leads the position in ceiling projection on Friday’s slate.
Value
Ace Bailey is another excellent prospect from a loaded 2025 NBA Draft. He’s starting to play a bit more for the Jazz, who are dealing with a host of injuries at the moment. He’s logged at least 28.4 minutes in five of his past seven games, and he’s responded with a positive Plus/Minus in each of them.
Bailey is projected for another 28.5 minutes on Friday’s slate, and as long as he gets to that threshold, he should be able to pay off his $4,600 price tag. Bailey has averaged a Plus/Minus of +1.68 with a comparable salary and minute projection (per the Trends tool), and the Jazz are implied for a respectable 117.75 points vs. the Grizzlies.
Fast Break
Brandon Miller is another outstanding option to consider for the Hornets. He hasn’t seen a ton of minutes so far this season, which has unfortunately been a trend early in his career. However, he passes the “eye test” whenever he’s on the floor, and he’s averaged a respectable 1.06 DraftKings points per minute so far this season. Miller has seen a +4.76% usage bump with Ball, Sexton, and Mann off the floor, and he’s projected for 31.5 minutes in our NBA Models. This could be a breakout spot for the former No. 2 overall pick.
Jaylen Wells stands out as one of the best pure values at the position on DraftKings, where his $4,400 salary comes with a 96% Bargain Rating. Wells has been an excellent source of value recently, posting a positive Plus/Minus in eight of his past nine games, and he’s coming off more than 31 DraftKings points in his last outing. The Grizzlies have the second-highest implied team total on the slate, and they could be shorthanded as well. Ja Morant is listed as questionable, and if he’s ultimately ruled out, Wells would be an excellent value target.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
The 76ers’ lineup could look a bit different than usual on Friday. Tyrese Maxey has carried them all season, but he’s currently listed as questionable with an illness. However, Joel Embiid is listed as probable, while Paul George is absent from the injury report altogether.
George hasn’t been asked to do much for most of the year. He’s appeared in just eight games, and he’s averaged just 24.4 minutes per contest. That said, he’s still averaged an excellent 1.21 DraftKings points per minute when he’s been on the floor.
George’s playing time has ticked up of late. He’s logged at least 28 minutes in three of his past four games, and he hit 32.1 minutes in his last outing. He’s projected for a similar workload on Friday, making him an interesting option at his current price tag.
George also stands out as undervalued in Sim Labs. His optimal lineup rate checks in at 33.1%, which is the second-highest at the position. However, his projected ownership is below 20%. That’s the largest discrepancy at small forward, making him a fantastic option for tournaments.
Value
Justin Champagnie has typically delivered excellent production whenever he’s had the opportunity to play for Washington. He’s averaged 1.06 DraftKings points per minute so far this season, and he should see plenty of playing time with the team shorthanded on Friday. He’s currently projected for 27 minutes in our NBA Models, and Champagnie has historically averaged a Plus/Minus of +6.64 with a comparable salary and minute projection. He leads the position in projected Plus/Minus, and he’s one of the better values on the slate.
Fast Break
Miles Bridges is another potential option for the Hornets. Like the rest of his teammates, he should benefit from the team’s current injury situation. He’s averaged 1.17 DraftKings points per minute with Ball, Sexton, and Mann off the floor, which represents a significant increase from his average of 1.00 for the year. Bridges is also priced at a discount at $7,500, resulting in an 87% Bargain Rating.
Zach Edey will miss Friday’s contest vs. the Grizzlies, which should open up a few additional minutes for Santi Aldama. That’s an appealing prospect for DFS players. Aldama is an elite per-minute producer, averaging 1.15 DraftKings points per minute so far this season. He’s projected for 27 minutes in our NBA Models, which should give him an excellent chance to return value vs. the Jazz.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
Center is a bit weaker than usual on Friday, but Evan Mobley has some appeal with Jarrett Allen out of the lineup. He’s seen a team-high +1.38% usage bump with Allen off the floor this season, and he’s increased his production to 1.26 DraftKings points per minute in that split. Mobley has struggled in back-to-back games, but Friday’s matchup vs. the Wizards represents a clear step down in competition. He owns an elite +4.93 Opponent Plus/Minus, and he has the highest ceiling projection at the position. Mobley also ranks third at center in optimal lineup rate, so he’s the clear target if spending up.
Value
Jock Landale stands out as the best value of the day, and it’s not particularly close. He should take over as the Grizzlies’ starting center with Edey out of the lineup. He’s currently projected for 25 minutes in our NBA Models, and he’s averaged an outstanding 1.26 DraftKings points per minute for the year.
Landale is also dirt cheap at $3,700, and he has historically averaged a Plus/Minus of +3.03 with a comparable salary and minute projection. His optimal lineup rate is north of 70% on this slate, so he’s an extremely difficult fade in all formats.
Fast Break
Joel Embiid is a big wild card on Friday. Embiid simply hasn’t been the same player this season, averaging just 1.00 DraftKings points per minute when he’s been healthy enough to suit up. Still, we know what Embiid is capable of. He was one of the best players in basketball not all that long ago, and he’s projected for 30 minutes in a juicy matchup vs. the Pacers. If Maxey is unable to suit up, Embiid could try to turn back the clock a bit in this spot.
Ryan Kalkbrenner has operated as the Hornets’ starting center this season, and he’s basically held his own. He is way too cheap at $4,200 on Friday, resulting in a 98% Bargain Rating. Only Landale has a better optimal lineup rate at the position, and playing both guys together gives you a ton of flexibility with the rest of your lineup.
Pictured: Darius Garland
Photo Credit: Imagn
