Monday features a small six-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
Since the start of March, Bulls guard Josh Giddey has been on an absolute tear. In his last six games, Giddey is averaging a triple-double with 19.5 points, 11.8 assists, and 11.2 rebounds per game while shooting 45.3% from downtown. He has eclipsed 60 DraftKings points in four of those six games.
His salary has jumped from $7,300 to $9,000 during that stretch, but deservedly so. Giddey has the second-highest projected ceiling on this six-game slate and draws an elite matchup against the Grizzlies. Since the All-Star Break, the Grizzlies rank 26th in defensive rating and are running out a G-League team.
The Bulls are 6.5-point home favorites, implied for the highest team total on the slate at 124.75 points. Given the matchup and how well Giddey has played recently, he is easily the top pay-up option tonight. Giddey is drawing around 25% projected ownership, which is currently the third-highest on the slate.
Value
The Wizards have lost 11 straight games and are in full tank mode with the second-worst record in the league at 16-50. They are 7.5-point home underdogs against the Warriors tonight but have a couple of intriguing options to target. One of their best options is sixth-overall-pick rookie point guard Tre Johnson.
Johnson has been a boom-or-bust player recently and relies mainly on his scoring to provide fantasy points. Early last week, Johnson had three straight games with 15+ points and averaged 28 DraftKings points per game. However, he followed that up with two duds, scoring barely over 11 DraftKings points.
Johnson has the second-highest projected Plus/Minus at the point guard position and has dual-guard eligibility. Even with Trae Young slowly ramping up his playing time, Johnson is worth getting exposure to at his $4,200 price tag. Value guards are tough to come by on this slate, making Johnson look even better.
Fast Break
Cooper Flagg is coming off his second double-double in his last four games. He poured in 27 points and dished out 10 assists against the Cavaliers last game, accumulating 54 DraftKings points. Flagg is point-guard-only eligible, which makes it a little difficult to prioritize him, but his projected ceiling is not too far from Giddey, and the matchup against the Pelicans is not that difficult. In his three games in this matchup, Flagg is averaging 21.7 points and 7.3 rebounds per game while shooting over 50% from the field.
The Magic have won seven straight games and have climbed to fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings. They are slight road underdogs tonight against the Hawks, who have won nine straight games. During the Magic’s winning streak, Jalen Suggs is averaging 16.4 points, 5.7 assists, two steals, and 34.1 DraftKings points per game. Priced in the mid-range, Suggs is drawing 30% projected ownership. The Magic are still playing without Anthony Black and Franz Wagner, boosting Suggs’ usage rate and ceiling.
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
In his fifth season in the league, sharpshooter Trey Murphy is averaging a team- and career-high 21.9 points per game. He has proven to be more of a playmaker recently, recording 12 steals in his last seven games. His peripherals have also increased, with Murphy averaging a career high in rebounds and assists per game.
Murphy ranks inside the top 10 in 3-point shooting with 3.3 3-pointers made per game while shooting 38.8% from long distance. He has connected on four 3-pointers in five of his last seven games. This is a decent matchup for Murphy, as the Mavericks rank in the middle of the pack in 3-point defense.
Pelicans starting point guard Dejounte Murray is currently questionable to play due to an illness. Keep an eye on his status the closer we get to lock. If he is unable to play, that would provide a significant boost to Murphy’s outlook, as he has played the most minutes on the team when Murray is off the floor this season.
Value
The Grizzlies are another team dealing with a plethora of injuries and giving their young players ample playing time. Rookie Cedric Coward has been impressive in his first season in the league, averaging 13.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. Coward had a 13-point, 16-rebound double-double two games ago.
Coward is still only playing around 25 minutes, but he has proven that is more than enough time to pay off his price tag. He is projected for a respectable 24% usage rate, and that has a chance to increase if Ty Jerome, who is doubtful, is unable to suit up. Coward is one of the few Grizzlies players worth targeting.
Coward has a relatively safe floor with his scoring and rebounding but can also provide a ceiling like he did two games ago. The Bulls are an average rebounding team this season, but Coward still has a chance to record his sixth points-and-rebounds double-double. He is simply a little too cheap at $5,100 tonight.
Fast Break
With the return of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown is starting to see his salary decrease. He is down to $9,100, which is the lowest he has been since closer to the start of the season. His production has also dipped, but Brown still has the highest projected ceiling at a very weak shooting guard position tonight. The Celtics are 8.5-point home favorites against the Suns, but this game has by far the lowest total on the slate at 213.5 points. Due to his recent inconsistency, keep Brown as a tournaments-only contrarian play.
Gary Payton is another value player worth getting exposure to. He is only $4,500 with shooting guard and small forward eligibility and is projected to play around 23 minutes for the Warriors, who remain without Stephen Curry and a majority of their starting roster. Payton is coming off his best game of the season, where he stuffed the stat sheet with 19 points, six rebounds, four assists, two steals, and one block for 40 DraftKings points. The Wizards rank 29th in defensive rating, so Payton should have a field day tonight.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
Since returning from injury, Deni Avdija hasn’t skipped a beat. In his last four games, Avdija is averaging 20.5 points, eight assists, and 42.1 DraftKings points per game. He played 38 minutes last game, so there is no minutes restriction moving forward. It is full speed ahead for the Trail Blazers’ best player.
Avdija broke out at the end of last season and picked up right where he left off this year. The six-year pro is averaging a career-high 24.1 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game. The Trail Blazers are a slate-high 10-point road favorite against the Nets, who have won a league-worst nine home games.
The Nets continue to play at a snail’s pace but have the fourth-worst defensive rating since the All-Star Break. This is a fantastic spot for Avdija, who has the highest projected ceiling at the small forward position tonight and is reasonably priced below $8,800. He fills a weak position with a massive ceiling.
Value
Due to his point guard and small forward eligibility, Cam Spencer is one of the most popular plays on the slate. The second-year pro is averaging a career-high 11.4 points per game this season while shooting 44.3% from behind the arc and has scored double-digit points in seven of his last eight games.
During that eight-game stretch, Spencer is averaging 13 points and 27 DraftKings points per game. He has made at least one 3-pointer in 10 straight games. Nearly 60% of his field-goal attempts this season have come from downtown. This is an incredible matchup for Spencer to get hot from long distance.
The Bulls are allowing opponents to make 13.9 3-pointers per game, which is the sixth-highest in the league. Spencer leads all small forwards in optimal lineup rate at 29.7% in our NBA Sims. Spencer’s guard and forward eligibility makes it easy to fit him into all lineup builds, and he remains simply too cheap tonight.
Fast Break
Desmond Bane has proven to be one of the most consistent fantasy producers in the league recently. He has over 30 DraftKings points in 16 of his last 17 games, with his only “dud” accumulating 28.5 DraftKings points. He is averaging over 20 points per game in his first season with the Magic while shooting a career-high 48.9% from the field. Bane has been great in his last five games, averaging 42.4 DraftKings points per game, and remains favorably priced at $8,100. He is one of the best mid-range options tonight.
De’Anthony Melton has two 40-point DraftKings games in his last three contests and is expected to play today despite missing last night’s game due to a knee injury. Melton has shooting guard and small forward eligibility and is only $6,000 in this excellent matchup against the Wizards. The Warriors are decimated with injuries, providing Melton with a 26% projected usage rate. He is drawing over 20% projected ownership, but it is warranted given his recent play and the fact that he’s facing a weak defense.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
Leading this six-game slate in projected ceiling by a wide margin is Hawks forward Jalen Johnson. The Hawks are running through the league right now, winning nine straight games, and Johnson is a huge reason for their success. He is coming off a 23-point, 12-assist, 10-rebound triple-double last game.
In his last five games, Johnson has scored 20+ points in each contest and is averaging 25.2 points, 9.0 assists, 8.2 rebounds, and 53.5 DraftKings points per game. His salary has reached season-high levels at $10,900, but there is enough value on this small slate to get exposure to the best player available tonight.
Johnson is only drawing 10% projected ownership, so getting overweight with his exposure is highly encouraged. The Magic are a top-five defense since the All-Star Break, but the Hawks are still favored by 3.5 points, and Johnson could easily flirt with or capture another triple-double. He is a superb pay-up option.
Value
One player who fits well with Johnson and the “stars and scrubs” lineup builds is Grizzlies forward Tyler Burton. The rookie signed a 10-day contract and has played an average of 28 minutes in his only two NBA games. He shot 1-for-9 from the field in both contests but is still getting enough playing time to be valuable.
The best part is Burton only costs $3,300, so he does not need to do much to return value. Nearly 70% of Burton’s field-goal attempts have come from behind the arc. Even though Burton has only made one 3-pointer in back-to-back games, he makes for an intriguing value option if his jumper starts to fall.
Burton has a low 17% usage-rate projection, but even with our NBA model projecting him to play a modest 23 minutes, he is still popping as an elite value play and the highest projected Plus/Minus at the power forward position. Ultimately, Burton is a boom-or-bust value play, but at $3,300, he is worth the risk.
Fast Break
Zion Williamson is comfortably the most popular power forward to target on this slate, drawing over 30% projected ownership. His price tag of $7,500 makes him one of the best mid-range plays available. He has been in and out of the lineup due to injuries but has recently played great. Williamson is also averaging over 20 points per game for the sixth straight season. In this specific matchup in two games this season, Williamson is averaging 23 points per game while shooting a blistering 73.9% from the field.
Paolo Banchero is another Magic player worth targeting on this six-game slate. Similar to Bane, Banchero has been a model of consistency during the Magic’s recent stretch of wins. He continues to lead the team in scoring and rebounding, averaging 22.3 points and a career-high 8.6 rebounds per game. Banchero has posted a points-and-rebounds double-double in six of his last 12 games. The Hawks rank 22nd in rebounding percentage this season, so Banchero has a great chance at another double-double.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
The center position is the weakest it has been recently, with no player priced at $8,000 or higher. However, leading this position in projected ceiling by a comfortable margin is Trail Blazers big man Donovan Clingan. The second-year pro from UConn has been a monster rebounding and scoring in the paint.
In his last five games, Clingan is averaging 14 points, 13 rebounds, 2.8 blocks, and 42.7 DraftKings points per game. If he can stay out of foul trouble, Clingan can easily play over 30 minutes. He is drawing less than 15% ownership, but in this incredible matchup against the Nets frontcourt, that seems way too low.
Not only have the Nets mailed it in this season, but they have also been dominated on the glass and inside. They rank 26th in rebounding percentage and 25th in points allowed in the paint at 53.3 points per game. It will not take much for Clingan to dominate tonight, and at his salary of $7,800, he is an exceptional play.
Value
Leading this slate in projected Plus/Minus is Mavericks center Marvin Bagley. Priced at $4,500, Bagley is the most popular player on this slate, and it isn’t even close. He is projected for near 50% ownership against a fairly weak Pelicans frontcourt. Dereck Lively is still out, and Daniel Gafford is doubtful to play.
Bagley’s recent production does not seem to warrant this high ownership, but he is still a near-lock in cash-game contests tonight. In his last two games without both Lively and Gafford, Bagley only averaged 11.9 DraftKings points per game. However, he does have several 20- and 30-DraftKings-point games lately.
With Bagley projected to play 25 minutes, he is popping in our NBA Sims with a 49.9% optimal lineup rate. That is the second-highest on the slate behind Giddey, proving how strong of a value play he is. In tournaments, he may be a decent fade, but he is impossible to fade in cash-game contests in this spot.
Fast Break
Another value play worth getting exposure to is Magic center Wendell Carter. He has posted a double-double in two of his last three games and is averaging 15 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, and 36.5 DraftKings points per game during that time. Having that much production at his $5,500 salary is very enticing. The Hawks rank 22nd in both rebounding percentage and points allowed per game in the paint this season. Carter has struggled in this spot in his last two games but is still a little too cheap tonight.
Danny Wolf is another player priced under $6,000 who looks like a strong value in a matchup against the Trail Blazers and has power forward and center eligibility. Wolf is coming off a 15-point, 10-rebound double-double against the 76ers, where he accumulated 32 DraftKings points. It was his third game in his last four where Wolf exceeded 30 DraftKings points. He has yet to play 30 minutes in any of those contests but has the upside to do so if this game against the Trail Blazers stays somewhat competitive.
Pictured: Josh Giddey
Photo Credit: Imagn
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