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.
Stud
The slates around the trade deadline are always a bit wonky, and Friday’s slate is no exception. There is a ton of potential value with teams that made moves, so it’s pretty easy to jam multiple studs into your lineup.
You could certainly go with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at point guard, but Damian Lillard is showing up as a better pure value in our NBA Models. He’s priced at a discount at just $8,700 in an elite matchup vs. the Hawks. The Bucks’ 125.0 implied team total ranks second on the slate, and unlike the Cavaliers and Thunder, they’re expected to play in a competitive contest. Milwaukee is only favored by 5.5 vs. the Hawks, while the Cavs and Thunder are each favored by at least 17.5 points. That makes Milwaukee the top team to target on Friday.
Lillard has also played some of his best basketball of late. He’s coming off 58.0 DraftKings points in his last outing, and he’s increased his production to 1.28 DraftKings points per minute over the past month. Lillard also looks potentially undervalued in Sim Labs, with his optimal lineup rate checking in at +7.7% higher than his projected ownership.
Value
The Cavaliers have been one of the biggest surprises in basketball this season, and they’re unsurprisingly making a go of it. They traded for D’Andre Hunter before the deadline, giving up Caris LeVert and Georges Niang in the process. That should make them better in the long run, but it leaves them a bit shorthanded for Friday’s matchup vs. the Wizards.
Ty Jerome stands out as one of the biggest potential beneficiaries. Jerome has been a per-minute monster for the Cavs this season, averaging 1.16 DraftKings points per minute. He typically smashes value when he gets the opportunity to play a bit more than usual, and he’s projected for 28 minutes on Friday’s slate. He’s had a comparable minute projection in just four games since the start of last season, but he’s averaged 34.63 DraftKings points and a +14.74 Plus/Minus in those outings (per the Trends tool). That makes him a clear target at just $4,700.
Fast Break
Jamal Shead is another potential value target at point guard. He’s not nearly as good as Jerome on a per-minute basis, but his average of 0.80 DraftKings points per minute is still respectable. He’s projected for 28 minutes for the shorthanded Raptors on Friday, and he’s priced at just $3,500. His playing time also shouldn’t be too heavily impacted if the game turns into a blowout, which is a nice plus.
De’Aaron Fox’s debut with the Spurs went pretty swimmingly. He racked up 57.75 DraftKings points in a win over the Hawks, and he remains priced at a slight discount at $8,500. It comes with a Bargain Rating of 90%, and he draws another favorable matchup vs. the Hornets.
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
Bilal Coulibaly isn’t priced like a stud, but he’s turned in some stud-like performances of late. He’s gone for at least 34.0 DraftKings points in three of his past four games, and he’s had at least 42.75 DraftKings points in two of them. That gives him an excellent ceiling at just $5,500.
The Wizards are clearly playing for the future at this point, so getting minutes for guys like Coulibaly is the team’s No. 1 priority down the stretch. He has plenty of potential as the No. 7 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, and he’s projected for 32 minutes vs. the Cavs.
Value
Coulibaly isn’t the only option for the Wizards on Friday. They have plenty of minutes available after trading away Kyle Kuzma, Jonas Valanciunas, and a few minor rotation pieces, and it’s unclear if any of their new acquisitions will be ready to debut. They also have a few players listed as questionable on the injury report.
As a result, Bub Carrington is projected for 32 minutes on Friday. It’s impossible to ignore that type of workload at just $3,300. Historically, players with comparable salaries and minute projections have averaged a Plus/Minus of +5.60.
Carrington has also displayed a big ceiling recently, going for 41.0 DraftKings points vs. the Nets just two games ago. Ultimately, he’s a really tough fade at such a cheap price tag.
Fast Break
Gradey Dick stands out as a strong target for the Raptors. They’re going to be without R.J. Barrett and Jakob Poeltl on Friday, in addition to the players they shipped out in the Brandon Ingram trade. With Barrett and Poeltl off the floor this season, Dick has increased his usage rate by +2.99% and averaged 0.93 DraftKings points per minute. He’s expected to see around 32 minutes vs. the Cavaliers, making him a nice value at just $4,300.
Fox has the top ceiling projection at shooting guard, but Donovan Mitchell isn’t far behind. The Cavs have the top implied team total on the slate, and while there’s some blowout potential, it gives Mitchell plenty of upside if the game stays competitive. He’s averaged 1.35 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, which is the top mark at the position by a decent margin.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
Scottie Barnes stands out as a high-risk, high-reward option for the Raptors on Friday. He hasn’t been particularly effective of late, and he draws a brutal matchup vs. the Thunder. There’s definitely a chance that he ends up playing reduced minutes in a blowout.
Still, Barnes is projected for approximately 5% ownership, and he carries the top ceiling projection among small forwards. He’s going to have to do a bit of everything with the Raptors being so shorthanded, and he’s already averaged 1.27 DraftKings points per minute for the year. Barnes has turned in some big performances at times this season, and he has the potential to be the top-scorer at the position by a decent margin.
Value
At the other end of the pricing spectrum, Ochai Agbaji stands out as arguably the best pure value on the entire slate. He’s projected for 34 minutes at just $3,300, and he’s averaged an outstanding 0.91 DraftKings points per minute over the past month. Agbaji has gone for 31.75 and 26.25 DraftKings points in two of his past three contests despite playing less than 22 minutes in both. The thought of him getting a full workload is tantalizing, even in a tough matchup.
Fast Break
Ja’Kobe Walter is yet another option for the Raptors. He’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in four straight games, and he’s projected for 28 minutes vs. the Thunder. He’s a bit more expensive than Agbaji and doesn’t seem to possess the same upside, but he’s a solid high-floor target for cash games.
Ausar Thompson hasn’t had the same impact as his brother, but he’s starting to get more opportunities in Detroit. He’s scored at least 27.25 DraftKings points in three straight games, and he’s played at least 25.4 minutes in two straight. He’s projected for another 26 minutes Friday vs. the 76ers, and he’s averaged better than a fantasy point per minute for the year. That puts him in play at $4,500.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
Giannis Antetokounmpo has missed back-to-back games for the Bucks, and he’s officially questionable on Friday. His status is obviously going to be extremely important to monitor. If he’s unable to suit up, it would vault Lillard near the top of the stud rankings.
However, if Giannis is able to return to the lineup, he’s undoubtedly in play on a slate loaded with value. His $11,800 salary is very easy to fit into your lineup, and Giannis owns the top ceiling projection on the slate. $11,800 has also been a bit too cheap for Giannis over the past few seasons. He’s posted an average Plus/Minus of +2.18 when priced below $12,000 since the start of the 2022-23 season.
Value
Kyshawn George is another outstanding value option on this slate. The 2024 first-round pick hasn’t had the most consistent playing time this season, but that shouldn’t be a huge issue for him following the trade deadline. He’s currently projected for 30 minutes in our NBA Models, and he’s averaged a +3.81 Plus/Minus with a comparable minute projection so far this season.
George leads the position with a massive 37.79% optimal lineup rate in Sim Labs, and no other player is above 24%. He’s also projected for just 27% ownership, so he’s being undervalued by the public.
Fast Break
Tidjane Salaun is priced at the absolute minimum at $3,000, and he’s an intriguing prospect for the Hornets. He should get more opportunities to play down the stretch with the team clearly tanking, and he’s coming off 20.5 DraftKings points in 21.5 minutes in his last outing.
Nikola Jovic has been a nice source of value for the Heat recently, and he should retain an elevated role for at least another game. Andrew Wiggins is targeting Monday vs. the Celtics for his Heat debut, so Jovic should be locked into 30+ minutes vs. the Nets. He’s averaged just under a fantasy point per minute over the past month, and he’s scored at least 30.75 DraftKings points in four of his past six games.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
Joel Embiid has missed most of the year with injuries, but he returned to the 76ers’ lineup on Tuesday. He wasted no time making an impact, racking up a 29-point triple-double in a win over the Hawks. He ultimately finished with 62.25 DraftKings points, and he played more than 36 minutes.
If Embiid is going to continue to play that much, he’s underpriced at $10,000. Embiid hasn’t had his best season for fantasy purposes, but he’s still one of the most dominant forces in basketball when on the floor. He’s led the league in scoring in two of the past three seasons, and he averaged a career-best 34.7 points per game last year. Some DFS players will likely still be skeptical of Embiid’s workload in just his second game back from injury – especially after resting on the second leg of a back-to-back on Wednesday – making him an interesting contrarian pay-up target in tournaments.
Value
The Hornets traded away promising young center Mark Williams before the trade deadline. Part of that was because of his injury history, but it was also a statement of belief in Moussa Diabate. Diabate has some outstanding on/off splits with the Hornets this season, so expect him to take on a larger role moving forward.
He hasn’t been an awesome center for fantasy purposes, but he’s averaged a respectable 1.02 DraftKings points per minute over the past month. If he can get closer to 30 minutes Friday vs. the Spurs, he has the potential to provide big value at just $4,300.
Fast Break
Richaun Holmes is expected to play a solid handful of minutes at center for the Wizards. He’s currently projected for 26 minutes in our NBA Models, and Holmes has historically been a solid producer when on the floor. He’s averaged just under a fantasy point per minute this season, so he’s definitely in play at $3,500.
Jarrett Allen is a bit cheaper than usual at $6,400, resulting in a 90% Bargain Rating on DraftKings. He hasn’t been asked to do much recently, and there’s a good chance that’s the case once again vs. the Wizards. However, Allen has historically averaged a Plus/Minus of +1.13 with a comparable price tag as a member of the Cavs, so he’s a potential buy-low option.
