We’ve got eight games on the board for the DraftKings NBA main slate on Friday night. There are also several injury situations to monitor before lock, with big names like Alperen Sengun, Jaylen Brown, and Jalen Smith all carrying questionable tags into the day.
Let’s dive into some of the top plays on the slate using the FantasyLabs tools and projections.
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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 ($9,600)
The Pistons are off to another hot start, as they’re 4-1 heading into Friday’s clash with the Nets in Brooklyn. As usual, Cade Cunningham has been driving the bus offensively, averaging 22.6 points, 7.8 assists, and 5.6 rebounds in nearly 35 minutes of action. Cunningham’s scoring and assist averages are actually down from last season, so there’s room for improvement going forward.
Cunningham’s usage is up by 1.1% on the season with Jalen Duren out of the lineup, as he will be again tonight. Brooklyn wasn’t necessarily a cakewalk matchup for all of last season despite a poor overall record, but the Nets are just 23rd in defensive rating through the first week-plus of the season. Early projected ownership indicates most of the field won’t be paying up for Cade, as he’s projecting for only around 10% pOWN% early in the day.
Value
Immanuel Quickley ($6,500)
Kawhi Leonard is getting his annual random knee swelling out of the way early this year, so the Raptors will be without the former Finals MVP for the next few weeks. As you may expect, losing a 30% usage player has major ramifications for the rest of the offense. Immanuel Quickley (+3.7%) has seen the biggest spike in usage with Leonard off the floor so far this season, followed by RJ Barrett (+3.5%) and Ja’Kobe Walter (+2%).
Toronto is off to a 3-1 start and looked no worse for wear without Kawhi in the last game, as they blasted the offensively-challenged Magic by 30 points. The same two teams will meet again tonight in Toronto. Orlando has struggled to contain high-usage guards over the past couple of seasons, and Quickley’s $6,500 DK salary is clearly still too cheap for the boosted role he plays without Leonard.
Fast Break
Andrew Nembhard ($6,800) – Tyrese Haliburton is one of the many stars who’ve come down with an injury early in the season. With T.J. McConnell also sidelined, the Pacers are running out of ball handlers. Nembhard piled up 18 points and 14 assists in his first game of the year sans Haliburton, and he’s averaging a healthy 1.08 DK fantasy points-per-minute in such minutes early in the year.
Jalen Brunson ($8,100) – The champs looked a little hungover amid their 0-3 start, but they’ve bounced back this week with consecutive wins over the Pistons and Bulls. Jalen Brunson is still leading New York in usage (32.5%) and scoring (25.8 PPG), but he’s shooting just over 40% from the field. We finally saw Brunson’s ceiling in the most recent game, and he’s projected for a modest 13% ownership this evening against Philly.
NBA DFS Shooting Guard Picks
Stud
RJ Barrett ($7,000)
I mentioned that Barrett has seen the second-biggest usage jump (+3.5%) early in the season with Kawhi Leonard off the floor. Barrett’s salary is $900 higher than it was the last time we saw him, but that presumably has a lot to do with what he did to the Magic in that game. Barrett did a little bit of everything, finishing with 25 points, nine rebounds, and six assists in just 32 minutes.
Barrett is averaging a sparkling 1.24 DK FP/minute, and that includes the time he’s shared the floor with the high-usage Leonard. There isn’t much else to pay up for at the shooting guard position, so Barrett is projected for considerable 28% ownership despite a season-high $7,000 price tag.
Value
Ayo Dosunmu ($5,600)
Anthony Edwards is slated to miss the next couple of months after undergoing a knee procedure, which opens up a pile of usage for the rest of the T-Wolves. With Donte DiVincenzo still recovering from an Achilles injury, there are also loads of backcourt minutes available. In 170 minutes last season with Edwards and DiVincenzo off the floor, Ayo Dosunmu racked up an average of 1.01 DK FP/minute. That average has fallen to 0.94 FP/minute in 77 such minutes this season, but I’d expect that number to rise going forward as the sample grows.
Minnesota gets one of the more favorable matchups on tonight’s slate at home against the new-look Clippers. Dosunmu can pile up the defensive stats while he’s out there, and this young, inexperienced Clippers bunch currently leads the NBA with an average of 23 turnovers per game. Dosunmu’s affordable salary and SG/SF eligibility make him one of the more versatile value plays on the board.
Fast Break
Keaton Wagler ($5,300) – The Clippers don’t have much to be excited about these days, but Keaton Wagler is off to a solid start. The No. 5 pick in the draft is averaging 15 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in over 26 minutes per game off the bench despite sluggish 31.6% shooting from the field. I expect Wagler’s role to continue growing steadily as the season progresses.
Terrence Shannon Jr. ($4,300) – Edwards’ absence also opens up some extra playing time for Terrence Shannon Jr., who was already playing a steady role off the T-Wolves’ bench to begin the campaign. In 75 minutes, Shannon actually leads Minnesota in usage (29%) with Edwards off the floor alongside a solid 1.01 DK FP/minute average.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
Jayson Tatum ($9,800)
The decision to ship Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia was a sign that the Celtics were ready to hand the reins over to Jayson Tatum, and he’s run with the alpha dog role so far. Tatum leads Boston in usage rate (32.2%), while his 39% assist rate is not only the highest of his career by a huge margin, it’s the sixth-highest mark league-wide.
For the second time in four days, Tatum and the Celtics will face a Bulls team widely expected to be among the worst defensive teams in the league. Sure enough, Chicago comes into this one ranked just 28th in defensive efficiency, while they’re running at the league’s fastest pace. In related news, Boston’s 124.5 implied team total is the highest on the slate. Tatum is a high-upside way to spend salary in all formats.
Value
Grayson Allen ($5,100)
Not only did the Hornets trade LaMelo Ball over the summer, but the backcourt has been decimated by injuries to begin the 2026-27 season. Kon Knueppel and Coby White have yet to play a single minute, which has opened up a steady role for Grayson Allen off the Buzz City bench. Allen is averaging 28 minutes as a reserve through Charlotte’s first five outings.
Dennis Schroder is also questionable for tonight’s clash against the Wizards. While Allen isn’t a true point guard, Schroder missing this game would leave rookie Christian Anderson Jr. and Sion James as the only other guards on the active roster. Even if Allen wouldn’t start in that scenario, there’s a good chance he’d see elevated playing time if Schroder were to miss.
Fast Break
Brandon Miller ($7,800) – With the aforementioned injuries and trades, Brandon Miller has been thrust into a huge offensive role. Miller’s 36% usage rate easily leads the Hornets, and he’s contributed 1.18 DK FP/minute despite shaky shooting for most of the season’s first week. Miller has topped 50 DK points in each of his last three games and is clearly way too cheap for his current role at $7,800, especially when you factor in tonight’s favorable spot against the Wizards.
Paul George ($6,800) – So far, Paul George is fitting in nicely as a secondary offensive option next to Jayson Tatum. Through four games in Celtics green, PG-13 is averaging better than 22 points per game and knocking down an impressive 43.8% of his three-point attempts. His 28% usage rate is also considerably higher than the 24% mark he posted last season as the No. 3 option in Philadelphia.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
Giannis Antetokounmpo ($10,500)
Giannis Antetokounmpo finally notched his first victory as a member of the Heat with a 129-117 triumph over the Hawks on Wednesday. Miami is off to a ragged 1-4 start, but Giannis has been doing Giannis things. The Greek Freak is averaging 27.6 points, 11.2 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 1.6 steals/blocks in just over 32 minutes per game for the Heat.
The Pacers traded for Ivica Zubac last season to fill their gaping hole at center. Indiana’s paint defense has improved considerably ever since Zu showed up. Unfortunately, Zubac is currently sidelined by an ankle injury, which means the Pacers will have to rely on the likes of Jay Huff and Larry Nance Jr. to try and protect the rim against Antetokounmpo. Good luck!
Value
Bobby Portis ($4,600)
Bobby Portis certainly wasn’t the headliner in the trade that landed Giannis in Miami, but he’s proven to be a helpful worker bee off the bench early on. The veteran has averaged 10.4 points and 8.2 rebounds in 24 minutes per game through five outings off the Miami bench. That adds up to a healthy 1.15 DK FP-per-minute average, similar to what we’ve seen him do over the years for the Bucks.
That per-minute production gives Portis a solid floor ahead of tonight’s favorable matchup against the shorthanded Indiana frontcourt. For whatever reason, Portis’ $4,600 salary is actually $300 lower than it was the other night against Atlanta.
Fast Break
Pascal Siakam ($8,000) – Pascal Siakam was a usage monster last season with Haliburton sidelined by an Achilles injury, and he’s stepped right back into that role with Hali now hobbled by a bad hamstring. Siakam is averaging a whopping 1.36 DK FP/minute in his first 65 minutes this season with Haliburton and Zubac on the bench while leading the Pacers with a 28.6% usage rate.
Caleb Wilson ($6,900) – It’s early, but this is shaping up to be one of the best rookie classes in NBA history. Caleb Wilson is one of the early Rookie of the Year favorites thanks to his impressive averages of 20.8 points and 7.0 rebounds through his first five NBA contests. Wilson also leads the Bulls in usage (27.4%).
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
Karl-Anthony Towns ($8,500)
Karl-Anthony Towns led the NBA with 56 double-doubles in 75 games a season ago, and he’s five-for-five so far this season. KAT’s numbers are actually up across the board, as he’s contributing 21.8 points, 13.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists on his usual stellar shooting from three-point territory (40.9%).
Towns does have a proclivity for getting himself into foul trouble, which could be an issue in tonight’s head-to-head showdown against Joel Embiid. KAT still mustered 19 points and 12 rebounds in the season opener despite logging just 24 minutes against the Sixers. He’s projected for single-digit ownership on this slate, per the Player Models.
Value
Moussa Diabate ($5,300)
Moussa Diabate is not out there to score points for the Hornets. In fact, his 12.7% usage rate is the fifth-lowest among the 13 players who have seen game action so far this season for Charlotte. Regardless, Diabate is still averaging a solid 1.02 DK FP/minute thanks to his ability to contribute in other areas.
The former Clipper is averaging 9.2 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.8 steals, and a block per game in a shade under 30 minutes a night. Tonight’s matchup suits Diabate’s strengths well, as the Wizards are the league’s third-worst rebounding team in the season’s early stages.
Fast Break
Naz Reid ($6,900) – While it’s been the Brandon Miller show offensively for the Hornets, Naz Reid has done his part, too. The former Sixth Man of the Year is averaging career-bests in scoring (17 PPG) and rebounding (8.8 RPG) in just over 27 minutes per game for his new team. He’s also found success in this very matchup, as he totaled 18 points and 12 rebounds in a game earlier this week against Washington.
Alperen Sengun ($8,200) – Sengun is officially questionable for tonight’s game against Dallas after missing Wednesday’s game with a sore back, so keep an eye on the news. If he suits up, though, he’s facing a prime spot against an undermanned and underwhelming Dallas frontcourt. The Mavs are yielding the fifth-most paint points per game this season (53.2), while Sengun came to within five assists of a triple-double in only 29 minutes in Houston’s season-opening win over their intrastate rivals.
Pictured: Karl-Anthony Towns
Photo Credit: Imagn
