Friday features a seven-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
Cade Cunningham was a slight disappointment in his first game of the season, finishing with 49.25 DraftKings points vs. the Bulls. That said, there were still some major positives for his fantasy stock. He posted a 37.1% usage rate in that contest, which was well above his 33.2% mark from last season. With Jaden Ivey currently injured and Malik Beasley gone, Cunningham is going to have to continue to carry a heavier scoring burden. He also handed out 10 assists and grabbed seven rebounds, so he did good work in the peripheral categories.
The main reason Cunningham didn’t deliver value was poor shooting. He was just 8-24 from the field, including just 1-6 from 3-point range. He also shot just 60% from the free-throw line. All three of those figures were below his averages from last year, so he should be better in each area moving forward.
Unfortunately, Cunningham will have to navigate a tough matchup on Friday. He’s taking on the Rockets, who were one of the best defensive teams in basketball last season. It does diminish Cunningham’s appeal just a bit, but he still stands out as undervalued at $10,000. He has the top ceiling projection at the position, and he’s popping in the Sim Labs optimal lineup nearly 15% of the time.
Value
Tyus Jones was pretty dreadful for the Magic in Game 1, finishing with just 8.0 DraftKings points in 23.5 minutes. That said, the amount of playing time he saw bodes well for his future prospects. Jones is priced at just $3,700 on DraftKings, resulting in an 89% Bargain Rating, and he has historically been a solid per-minute producer. He’s projected for another 23 minutes on Friday, and Jones has averaged a Plus/Minus of +6.17 in 17 previous games with a comparable salary and minute projection (per the Trends tool).
The Magic also stand out as a clear team to target. They’re currently implied for 121 points, which is tied for the top mark on the slate. Jones leads all point guards in projected Plus/Minus, making him a nice, cheap way to get some exposure to Orlando.
Fast Break
Davion Mitchell delivered a huge game for the Heat on Wednesday, and he’s going to have to continue to do so with Tyler Herro sidelined. He logged 49.5 DraftKings points across 34.8 minutes, good for an average of 1.42 DraftKings points per minute. He didn’t even shoot the ball particularly well in that outing – he was 7-15 from the field and 2-6 from 3-point range – so there’s no reason he can put together another strong performance.
The Rockets rolled out one of the largest starting lineups you’ll ever see on Opening Night, with Amen Thompson starting at “point guard.” With Fred VanVleet out for the year, the Rockets have no choice but to lean into their size and defense. Thompson struggled vs. the Thunder, but we know the type of upside that he brings to the table. He has the potential to average well over a fantasy point per minute, and he should be poised for a career year.
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
The Spurs were one of the biggest talking points during the offseason. They already have arguably the most talented player in basketball in Victor Wembanyama, and they brought in De’Aaron Fox via a trade last season. Add in the No. 2 pick in the draft in Dylan Harper, and people were wondering if this would be the year where they put it all together.
Stephon Castle was occasionally overlooked when discussing the Spurs’ future, but that shouldn’t be the case anymore. He was brilliant in their first game of the year, racking up 41.75 DraftKings points in just 28.5 minutes of work. He averaged 1.46 DraftKings points per minute, and the game turning into a blowout is the only reason he didn’t do more.
The Spurs draw a fantastic matchup Friday vs. the New Orleans Pelicans. They were one of the worst teams in basketball last season, ranking 29th in defensive efficiency. The Spurs are implied for 119.0 points in this matchup, while the spread sits at just 1.5 points. It suggests a high-scoring game with minimal blowout potential, making Castle a clear target.
Castle is currently priced at just $6,800, resulting in an 82% Bargain Rating. He has eligibility in both backcourt spots, and his optimal lineup rate checks in just under 36%.
Value
The Hawks entered this season with as much hype as they’ve had in years. They’ve done a solid job of adding pieces over the past few seasons, and with the East looking wide open, they emerged as a popular sleeper pick.
The team added Nickiel Alexander-Walker to their backcourt this offseason, and he played a big role in their first game of the year. He logged 28.1 minutes and finished with 25.0 DraftKings points, despite shooting a paltry 2-15 from the field. With some better luck in that department on Friday, Alexander-Walker has the potential to be one of the better values of the day. He’s a nice combination of safety and upside.
Fast Break
Like the Rockets, the Mavericks are another team using a unique lineup construction with their star point guard currently on the shelf. Naji Marshall is going to be an important role player for the team this season, and he’s currently projected for 23 minutes in our NBA Models. Marshall has historically averaged a Plus/Minus of +2.27 with a comparable salary and minute projection, and he leads all shooting guards in projected Plus/Minus.
The Cavs ultimately came up short against the Knicks in a potential Eastern Conference Finals preview on Wednesday. However, Donovan Mitchell scored 31 points and posted a 37.1% usage rate in that contest. His production in the peripheral categories was lacking, but he has massive upside against the lowly Nets on Friday. He leads the position in ceiling projection at a reasonable $9,100.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
Cooper Flagg did not have the type of debut that he was hoping for on Wednesday. He did finish with a double-double, securing 10 points and 10 rebounds, but he didn’t do much else. He also shot just 4-13 from the field, while his team lost by 33 points to the Spurs.
There will undoubtedly be better games to come for the uber-talented rookie. He showed off his diverse skill set during the preseason, and he won’t have to navigate the Spurs’ tough defense every night. His matchup on Friday vs. the Wizards is significantly friendlier, with Washington ranking 28th in defensive efficiency last year. They’re 26th in defensive efficiency after their first game this season, and the Mavericks are implied for 119.0 points in this matchup. It’s a great spot for Flagg to bounce back with a big performance, and his optimal lineup rate in Sim Labs is just under 35%.
Value
Andrew Wiggins is another player who is going to have to step up for the Heat with Herro currently sidelined. He averaged 0.98 DraftKings points per minute with Herro off the floor last season, so he figured to be one of the team’s offensive focal points. Unfortunately, Wiggins turned in a typical Wiggins performance in his first game of the year, finishing with 19 points and not much else.
However, Wiggins was priced at $6,500 in that outing, and his price tag is down to $5,800 for Friday’s matchup vs. the Grizzlies. That’s a pretty massive decrease after just one game, and it results in an 87% Bargain Rating. The Grizzlies played at the fastest pace in basketball last season, so Wiggins can definitely pay off his reduced price tag in this spot. He leads the position in projected Plus/Minus, and he has the highest optimal lineup rate on the entire slate.
Fast Break
P.J. Washington was the super mega chalk on Wednesday. He was priced at the absolute minimum at $3,000, which was clearly a joke. It resulted in ownership north of 80% on DraftKings, and Washington posted a Plus/Minus of +13.92 in that contest. He’s up to a more reasonable $5,000 on Friday, though that still feels a bit too cheap. His 96% Bargain Rating is one of the top marks on the slate, and Washington logged just under 30 minutes in the Mavericks’ blowout loss on Wednesday. He’s projected for a similar workload on Friday, and Washington is capable of averaging around a fantasy point per minute.
Trey Murphy has the second-highest optimal lineup rate at small forward, trailing only Wiggins. He wasn’t particularly good in his first game of the year, but he shot just 5-15 from the field and 1-6 from 3-point range. Murphy is a much better shooter than those numbers suggest, so he’s a prime candidate for some positive regression on Friday.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
Zion Williamson is back, baby. Well, at least for the time being. “Skinny Zion” entered the year with no restrictions from a minute standpoint, and he responded with 54.25 DraftKings points in his first game of the year. He tallied 27 points, nine rebounds, five assists, and five steals across 33.5 minutes, good for an average of 1.62 DraftKings points per minute.
The only doubt with Williamson has been his ability to stay on the floor. If he can stay healthy this season, he could be poised for the best year of his career.
Williamson will have to face the Spurs on Friday, which could be one of the toughest matchups in basketball this season. That said, a truly healthy Williamson is clearly underpriced at just $9,300. He has one of the top optimal lineup rates of the day, especially among high-priced players.
Value
Sticking with the Pelicans, Saddiq Bey is back after missing all of last year while rehabbing a torn ACL. Now that he’s healthy, Bey is going to be an important role player for the Pelicans. He has always been able to put the ball in the basket, and he has a 50-point game under his belt for his career. That’s something not many players can say.
Bey saw just under 30 minutes in his first game of the season, and he’s projected for another 28 minutes on Friday. That makes him a clear value at just $4,100. Bey has historically averaged a Plus/Minus of +3.80 with a comparable salary and minute projection, and he posted a +11.41 mark in his first game of the year.
Fast Break
Evan Mobley has seemingly unlimited upside. He’s coming off the best offensive season of his career in 2024-25, and he could take another step forward in his fifth professional season. He scored 22 points in his first outing vs. the Knicks, and more importantly, his usage rate checked in at 28.5%. That represents a pretty sizable increase from his 23.2% mark last year. If he continues to stay that aggressive offensively, he has an excellent ceiling at just $8,400.
The Knicks have a new coaching staff this season, and they played a far deeper rotation than in years past. However, OG Anunoby still appears poised for a pretty sizable workload. He logged 37.5 minutes on opening night, and he responded with 53.0 DraftKings points. With Mitchell Robinson out of the lineup and Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart both listed as questionable, he could be looking at another massive role Friday vs. the Celtics.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
Wembanyama might be an alien. That seems more reasonable than the idea that he and I are from the same genetic pool. He put his ridiculous upside on display on opening night, finishing with 40 points, 15 rebounds, and five blocks in less than 30 minutes of work. He ultimately logged 70.25 DraftKings points, good for an average of 2.37 DraftKings points per minute.
While that’s not going to be an every-night occurrence – at least it probably won’t be – that’s the type of upside that Wemby brings to the table. He’s capable of stuffing the stat sheet in a way that very few others can in the NBA.
On a slate without Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, and Giannis Antetokounmpo, Wemby stands out as the guy with the clear top ceiling. He leads all players in ceiling projection by nearly eight full points, so he’s capable of absolutely breaking the slate. I wish the Pelicans the best of luck trying to slow this monster down.
Value
Nikola Jovic drew the start for the Heat on opening night, though he was ultimately pretty ineffective. He finished with just 14.25 DraftKings points in 23.1 minutes, resulting in an average of 0.62 DraftKings points per minute.
That said, Jovic has the potential for better production moving forward. He averaged 0.94 DraftKings points per minute with Herro off the floor last season, and he had 34.0 DraftKings points in 23.4 minutes vs. the Bucks in the preseason. He stands out as a nice buy-low target in a pace-up spot vs. the Grizzlies, and Jovic leads all centers on this slate in projected Plus/Minus.
Fast Break
Jock Landale is another potential value option at the position. He wasn’t particularly effective in his first game of the year, but he did start and play 25.4 minutes. He’s projected for another 24 minutes on Friday, and he has the potential to average much closer to a fantasy point per minute.
Alperen Sengun went absolutely nuclear for the Rockets in their first game of the season. He finished with 71.25 DraftKings points, albeit in a double-overtime game where he played 48.9 minutes. Sengun obviously won’t play that much every night, but he posted a usage rate of around 30% in that contest. He’s one of the most talented big men in basketball, so he has elite upside with that many scoring opportunities moving forward.
Pictured: Zion Williamson
Photo Credit: Imagn
