After a jam-packed Thursday schedule, the NBA has a slightly slower Friday with five games on the scoreboard. The main DFS fantasy baseball slate includes all five games in the contests for Friday, which tip off at 7:00 p.m. ET. The Nets and Mavericks are finishing a back-to-back set of games, and none of the 10 teams in the player pool are back in action tomorrow. Even with fewer back-to-backs, it’s critical to monitor the injury reports closely as we get clarity on who will play and who will sit. As the availability of players is finalized throughout the day, the models will shift and adjust, so be sure to check back before tip-off and change your lineup if necessary.
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
Many of the elite point guards have extra risk factors on Friday, and several are dealing with injuries. One very solid option that is a little cheaper and has flown a little under the radar is Kevin Porter Jr., who has a top-five ceiling, median, and floor projection at the position on Friday. KPJ and the Bucks are hosting the Knicks in one of the Eastern Conference showdowns on the slate, and he has been delivering great production lately.
Porter has exceeded salary-based expectations in eight of his nine games since returning from his most recent injury in early February. He has produced an average of 46.8 DraftKings points in 34.1 minutes per game. He had almost 60 DraftKings points against the Heat on Tuesday and followed that with 48 DraftKings points in a win over the Cavs on Wednesday.
Without Giannis, Porter is carrying the load for the Bucks, and he’s stuffing the stat sheet with production across almost every offensive and defensive category. He has multiple steals in five straight games, has scored at least 20 points in four straight, and has hit double-digit assists in two of his last six.
Value
Whenever you’re shopping for a value play on this slate, check out the Grizzlies-Mavericks matchup. It has the highest point total on the board, according to our Vegas dashboard, and players with very affordable salaries should be heavily involved. Eight of the top nine players in Projected Plus/Minus this Friday come from this matchup, including Javon Small of the Grizzlies, who has the highest Plus/Minus projection at point guard this Thursday.
Small has exceeded salary-based expectations in eight of his last nine games and is a strong value play again, even though his salary has climbed a little bit. He has scored at least 15 points and had over 30 DraftKings points in three of his last four games. His best performance during that stretch came against the Kings, when he had 21 points, nine assists, and 43.5 DraftKings points against the Kings.
Ty Jerome (thigh) is doubtful for Friday’s matchup, while Ja Morant (elbow) and Cedric Coward (knee) remain out. The rookie second-round pick has been helping carry the load lately, and if Jerome is out on Friday, there should be plenty of work for him to shine again in this great matchup against the Mavs on the second night of a back-to-back.
Fast Break
Cade Cunningham has been awesome lately, and he has the highest median, ceiling, and floor projection at the position. His salary has spiked all the way to $11,000, though, and the Cavs are so short-handed that there is definitely blowout risk in paying all the way up for him on Friday’s slate.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will make his return on Friday against the Nuggets, but his minutes could be limited after an extended layoff, and his salary is still over $10,000. On the other side of that matchup, Jamal Murray (illness) is questionable for the Nuggets. He tried to play through the issue on Wednesday but left after only eight minutes.
Knicks backup Jose Alvarado has the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus at point guards and is a bargain play at only $3,500. He has produced at least 18 DraftKings in four of his last five games and has flashed a very high ceiling by going off for 48.75 DraftKings points in just 19 minutes against the Sixers just before the break. Even though outbursts like that are rare from the defense-first guard, he usually does enough to return value at this bargain salary.
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
As the Celtics come home and face the Nets, Jaylen Brown should be set for a monster game in a very favorable matchup. He has the highest median, ceiling, and floor projections at both shooting guard and small forward for Friday’s slate.
Brown sat out Tuesday’s front half of Boston’s back-to-back, but he returned on Wednesday and had a double-double for 47.2 DraftKings points in a loss to the Nuggets. He had been even more productive in his first two games after the All-Star break, delivering 64.75 DraftKings points against the Warriors and 57.5 DraftKings points against the Lakers to start Boston’s West Coast swing.
With the Celtics back at home and catching the Nets on the second night of a back-to-back, Brown has a very high ceiling if you have the salary to spend up at one of your wing spots. His ability to fit at either guard or forward makes him more versatile to build around.
Value
The Mavericks lost to the injury-depleted Kings on Thursday night and will host the Grizzlies on Friday, looking to avoid a pair of ugly back-to-back losses. In the backcourt, Max Christie, Klay Thompson, and Brandon Williams all have very strong Projected Plus/Minus, but of the three, Williams has been the most consistent value producer.
Williams has exceeded salary-based expectations in nine of his last 12 games, scoring double-digit points 11 times during that stretch and averaging 15.6 points, 4.6 assists, 2.3 rebounds, and 0.7 steals in 22.6 minutes per game. He’s only started one game during that stretch but has contributed excellent numbers off the bench.
Dallas hasn’t played a back-to-back since late January, but Williams played in both of those games. Depending on who is available for Dallas, more work for Williams could even be available. While he doesn’t contribute quite as much as Christie in non-scoring categories, Williams should continue to get enough minutes and usage off the bench to be a solid value option at shooting guard.
Fast Break
Payton Pritchard can be boom-or-bust in his role off the bench, and he definitely busted in Denver on Wednesday, managing just three points and 17.25 DraftKings points in 28 minutes. He had three strong games with at least 47 DraftKings points before down games in Boston’s midweek back-to-back. He has a high ceiling as the C’s come home, though, and is a good GPP consideration since his ceiling is so high.
The Cavs could be extremely short-handed (more below), leaving lots of potential work for Sam Merrill and Keon Ellis. Ellis is questionable with a left index finger fracture, but if he plays, he’ll be a good value option, while Merrill may have to step in and shoulder a lot of the scoring for the Cavs, depending on who else is in or out.
The Grizzlies signed Rayan Rupert to a 10-day contract, and the former Trail Blazer jumped right into a big role, logging 26 minutes and producing 28.2 DraftKings points on Monday. He’s a bargain under $4,000, whom the Grizzlies obviously want to get a look at with significant minutes while he’s available.
Be sure to check out all the pick’ems Sleeper has to offer with our Sleeper promo code.
NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
When breaking down a slate, it can be helpful to have a second perspective, and one way to get that is by adding the ShotQuality projections to your models. In both sets of projections, Naji Marshall of the Mavs is lined up to carry the load for Dallas against the Grizzlies in what should be a smash spot. Cooper Flagg (foot) has missed five straight games, and PJ Washington (ankle) was unable to play Thursday. If both those scorers remain out on Friday, in addition to any players sitting out the back-to-back, Marshall will again need to carry the scoring load.
He had 36 points, 10 boards, six assists, and 58 DraftKings points against the Kings and had 21 points and 39.2 DraftKings points on Tuesday against the Nets. Marshall has shown the ability to deliver monster stat lines in multiple categories when the team is short on other options, and that seems likely to be the case again on Friday.
Marshall has the third-highest median, ceiling, and floor projection at small forward in the ShotQuality projections and a positive Plus/Minus projection. The injury report for the Mavs will be extremely important to determining his potential usage, but if he gets a green light against the Grizzlies, he could be lined up for an encore to Thursday’s premium performance.
Value
The Cavs will be without Donovan Mitchell (groin) for a second straight game on Friday when they visit the Pistons, and James Harden (thumb), Dennis Schroder (ankle), and Keon Ellis (finger) are all questionable. One player who has shown a very high upside when helping fill in the gaps this season has been Jaylon Tyson.
With everyone healthy, Tyson had played a limited role, but he had two big games earlier this week to remind everyone of his upside. He had 12 points, eight rebounds, and 29 DraftKings points against the Knicks on Tuesday and followed that up with a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds for 37 DraftKings points against the Bucks on Wednesday.
The best-case scenario for Tyson is probably that Harden plays to take some of the attention off him, but either way, the high-energy, high-ceiling Tyson will get plenty of work and be a strong option with a mid-range salary on Friday. Aside from the Grizzlies and Mavericks, he has the second-highest Plus/Minus projection at small forward in the ShotQuality projections.
Fast Break
Both sets of projections give Michael Porter Jr. the second-highest median, floor, and ceiling projection at small forward. He had 44 DraftKings points on Thursday against the Spurs and always brings a high ceiling as the focal point of the Brooklyn offense. It is the second night of a back-to-back, but if he plays in Boston, he has a high ceiling.
Behind Taylor Hendricks (more below) and Rupert, Klay Thompson has the third-highest Plus/Minus projection at small forward, assuming he plays on the second night of the Mavs’ back-to-back. He had a throwback game with 17 points against the Nets that carried him to 24.5 DraftKings points on Tuesday and only played 16 minutes on Thursday. If he doesn’t play, Caleb Martin could help pick up the slack as another Mavericks veteran who offers value.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
Power forward doesn’t have a lot of elite options on Friday, but Knicks forward OG Anunoby has the highest median, ceiling, and floor projections in the FantasyLabs projections. Anunoby is looking to bounce back from some down games, but this matchup in Milwaukee should be a solid one for him.
Anunoby has been stuck in a shooting slump in his last two games, going a combined 6-for-20 from the field and 1-for-10 from long range. He’s shooting 47.1% from the field and 35.5% from three-point territory this season, so he should be able to shake off his shooting woes and post a better total on Friday.
He continues to get good usage and chip in production in non-scoring categories, though, which keeps him relevant for fantasy lineups. He only had nine points against the Bulls on Sunday but still had a decent 28.75 DraftKings points. His minutes and usage give him a high floor, and if his shot turns around as projected, he’ll also have a good ceiling this Friday.
Value
In the ShotQuality projections, Taylor Hendricks has the highest Plus/Minus projection at small forward and power forward, as he steps into a bigger role for the Grizzlies on the other side of that value extravaganza in Dallas. The Grizzlies added Hendricks in the Jaren Jackson Jr. trade and have given the No. 9 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft an opportunity to prove his upside.
In his last six games, he has averaged 24.3 minutes per game and just under 10 field goal attempts per contest. He has turned that opportunity into 24.1 DraftKings points per game on 10.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.5 steals per game.
He played 28 minutes on Wednesday and had 32.5 DraftKings points against the Warriors. Even though he has moved back to the bench behind GG Jackson, Hendricks brings enough upside in the second unit to be a top value play at $4,200 against Dallas.
Fast Break
GG Jackson has been excellent for the Grizzlies, and his salary is finally starting to catch up to his production a little bit. He has exceeded salary-based expectations in 14 of his last 15 games. He has 33+ DraftKings points in four of his last five games and should be the focus of Memphis’s offense once again in Dallas on Friday.
Former Maverick Olivier-Maxence Prosper is also worth a look for the Grizz on Friday. He has played at least 23 minutes and produced at least 23 DraftKings points in six straight games. He has the second-highest Plus/Minus projection at power forward in the FantasyLabs projections.
Depending on who the Nets have available, Danny Wolf and Noah Clowney both have big potential against the Celtics. Keep a close eye on Brooklyn’s injury report this Friday as they finish their back-to-back.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
If you can stock up on value at other positions and are looking to spend up at center, Nikola Jokic is a great place to pay up for a big-salary play with both a high ceiling and a high floor. Jokic has the highest median, ceiling, and floor projection on the entire slate in both sets of projections, and even though his salary is over $12,000, he has a positive Plus/Minus projection.
Jokic had 57 DraftKings points in 33 minutes in Wednesday’s blowout win over the Celtics, but he was even more impressive with 91.5 DraftKings points in Sunday’s loss to the Warriors. He finished that game with 35 points, 20 rebounds, and 12 assists, and it was his sixth game with at least 60 DraftKings points in his last seven games.
He’ll need to step up against the Thunder, especially with SGA back and Murray potentially dealing with his illness. Jokic is a great place to use all your savings and get a star in the late game to build around.
Value
In both sets of projections, Marvin Bagley III has the second-highest Plus/Minus projections at center. Yesterday, he had the highest Plus/Minus projections on the slate and delivered 23.25 DraftKings points in 29 minutes. He could get some help if Daniel Gafford (ankle) returns for the second night of the back-to-back, but he’ll still likely get enough work to be a good value.
Bagley had a better day on Tuesday, with 22 points, five rebounds, and 29.2 DraftKings points against the Nets, and he has scored double-digit points in five of his seven games since arriving in Dallas at the trade deadline.
He flashed his high ceiling with three double-doubles that have earned him 30.75, 34.75, and 46 DraftKings points, and against the banged-up Grizzlies front line, he brings a high ceiling again on Friday.
Fast Break
If you can’t quite get the salary to include Jokic, Karl-Anthony Towns has the second-highest ceiling, median, and floor projections at center, and he should have a good matchup against the Bucks. KAT had a big game in Chicago with 52.25 DraftKings points last Sunday before cooling off in Cleveland. He should be able to bounce back with a big game on Friday.
Pistons big man Jalen Duren has exceeded salary-based expectations in seven of his last nine games, including each of his last three contests. He has at least 48 DraftKings points in three straight, but he will have a tough matchup down low against the Cavs, even though Cleveland’s perimeter options could be limited.
If you go cheap at the position, Bagley and Prosper are the top two plays to consider. Alternatively, Paul Reed will continue to fill in for the suspended Isaiah Stewart, and Mitchell Robinson is a decent punt play from under $4,000.
Pictured: Nikola Jokic
Photo Credit: Imagn
