Sunday features a seven-game main slate starting at 6 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
Luka Doncic has been absolutely balling for the Lakers to start the year. The team is currently playing without LeBron James, so Luka has had to carry a tremendous workload on offense. He’s responded by averaging a ridiculous 46.0 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 8.5 assists per game, and he’s scored at least 77.25 DraftKings points in both contests.
Doncic is capable of posting huge totals in multiple ways. He’s fallen just short of a triple-double in both contests, and he had a usage rate of 47.2% in his most recent outing. Overall, he’s averaged 2.05 DraftKings points per minute.
Doncic is up to $11,800 on this slate, but he draws a favorable matchup vs. the Kings on Sunday. They were 22nd in defensive efficiency last year, and they don’t figure to be much improved this season. Ultimately, Doncic owns the top ceiling projection at the position by a significant margin, and he’s not expected to be particularly popular: he’s currently projected for just 7.5% ownership in our NBA Models.
Value
The Hornets brought in Collin Sexton this offseason, and he has quickly become a leader in a young locker room. He also still has plenty of gas left in the tank. He’s turned in two solid performances to start the year, and he moved into the starting lineup for their second game of the season. He ultimately finished with 30.1 minutes in that outing, and he responded with 37.0 DraftKings points.
The Hornets will be on the second leg of a back-to-back Sunday, so we’ll have to monitor their injury report leading up to tipoff. If they were going to rest someone in this spot, Sexton would be one of the top candidates.
That said, they may not have that luxury. Brandon Miller exited Saturday’s game early with a shoulder injury, and Sexton should be looking at another expanded workload in his absence. He leads the position in projected Plus/Minus, and he’s one of the better pure values of the day.
Fast Break
LaMelo Ball is another potential option for the Hornets. He’s coming off more than 60 DraftKings points on Saturday, and he increased his usage rate to 31.1% in that contest. That’s not surprising with Miller exiting early. The Hornets draw a fantastic matchup Sunday vs. the Wizards, and their 118.0 implied team total ranks fourth on the slate.
Cole Anthony is currently listed as questionable with a non-COVID illness. However, if he’s able to suit up, he stands out as underpriced. He put together a big performance in his second game of the year, finishing with 23 points, seven assists, four rebounds, and two steals in just 26.7 minutes of action. Anthony has always been a gifted offensive player, and he should have more opportunities to put that on display for the Bucks this season.
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 top implied team total of the day belongs to the Cavaliers. They’re currently listed as 6.5-point favorites over the Bucks, giving them an implied team total of 121.5 points. Cleveland was a historically good offense last season, and they’re expected to be excellent in that department once again.
However, the Cavs are currently playing without Darius Garland. He’s one of their top facilitators on offense, so his absence opens up some additional opportunities for the rest of the lineup. That’s particularly true after losing Ty Jerome in free agency.
As a result, Donovan Mitchell has been busy to start the year. He had 46.5 DraftKings points and a 37.1% usage rate in his first game vs. the Knicks, and he followed that up with 52.5 DraftKings points vs. the Nets in his second. Mitchell averaged 1.33 DraftKings points per minute with Garland off the floor last season, so he should continue to provide value for as long as his backcourt mate is out of the lineup.
Mitchell owns the top ceiling projection at shooting guard, despite checking in slightly below Anthony Edwards from a price standpoint. That makes him the clear top option if paying up at the position.
Value
The Pacers were a massive surprise last season, making it all the way to the NBA Finals. Unfortunately, their lineup looks completely different this season. Tyrese Haliburton could miss the entire season while rehabbing a torn Achilles, while T.J. McConnell is also out with an injury. Andrew Nembhard missed Saturday’s contest, leaving the team without their top three ball handlers.
We’re still waiting on Nembhard’s status for Sunday’s game vs. the Timberwolves, but Ben Sheppard stands out as a strong play regardless. He’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in both games to start the year, including 36.5 DraftKings points vs. the Thunder in his first outing.
Despite that fact, he’s still priced near the minimum at $3,200. He’s currently projected for 32 minutes in our NBA Models, and players with comparable salaries and minute projections have historically averaged a Plus/Minus of +6.39 (per the Trends tool). Sheppard has also averaged 0.93 DraftKings points per minute to start the year, giving him more upside than the typical player in this price range. That’s a pretty tough combination to beat.
Fast Break
C.J. McCollum has yet to really get going for the Wizards. He’s scored 21.0 and 17.5 DraftKings points in his first two games, and he’s shot just 6-for-22 from the field in those outings. Still, we know that McCollum can put the ball in the bucket, and he’s in a great spot to do so Sunday. The Wizards are currently implied for 120.5 points, which is the second-highest mark on the slate. McCollum is also much cheaper than usual at $6,500, making him a solid buy-low candidate.
Lonzo Ball is another potential option for the Cavaliers. He’s posted a negative Plus/Minus in back-to-back games to start the season, but he’s shot just 1-for-11 from the field. He’s stuffed the stat sheet in other areas, so when his shot eventually starts falling, the fantasy production should come. Ball is currently projected for 24 minutes in our NBA Models, and he’s the type of player who can average well over a fantasy point per minute.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
While Doncic has gotten most of the headlines for the Lakers to start the year, Austin Reaves has also been balling for the Lakers. He’s scored 47.75 and 52.25 DraftKings points in his first two contests, and his numbers are way up compared to last season. His usage rate has jumped from 23.7% to 27.1%, while his assist rate has ballooned from 24.9% to 41.5%. In other words, even with Doncic dominating offensively, there has still been plenty of work for Reaves as well.
With LeBron out of the lineup, it looks like it’s going to be a two-man show in Los Angeles. Deandre Ayton ranks third on the team in usage, and he’s all the way back at 18.0%.
While Doncic’s salary has gotten all the way up near $12,000, Reaves remains very affordable at just $7,700. That’s only a $400 increase from the start of the year, despite posting a Plus/Minus of +11.59 in both contests. He leads the position in ceiling projection, and he also stands out as one of the better values.
Value
Jerace Walker is another excellent value option for the Pacers on this slate. He’s priced at just $3,400, and he has taken on a much larger role than he did in his first two years. He’s averaged 28.5 minutes through his first two games, which is nearly double his mark from last season.
With the Pacers playing so shorthanded at the moment, they’re going to need guys like Walker to step up. He’s responded by averaging 0.83 DraftKings points per minute through his first two outings.
Walker has done that despite shooting just 2-for-13 from the field in his last contest. He still managed to return positive value in that game, and he has the potential for a much stronger showing Sunday. He leads the entire slate in projected Plus/Minus.
Fast Break
The Heat are another team searching for offense. They’re currently without Tyler Herro, who is their clear focal point on that side of the ball. Jaime Jaquez Jr. is someone who has seen a bump in responsibilities to start the year. He’s averaged 1.19 DraftKings points per minute, and he’s coming off 42.5 DraftKings points in his last outing. He’s played at least 26.9 minutes in both games this season, so he’s another nice value at just $4,600.
There are some questions about the Raptors’ current roster construction. They have some intriguing pieces, but they don’t necessarily fit together. The good news is that Brandon Ingram has looked pretty good in his first two games with the squad. He’s posted a usage rate above 30% in both contests, and he racked up 29 points, six rebounds, and three assists in his last game. If he can continue to produce like that, he’s underpriced at $7,000.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
The Bucks are 2-0 to start the year, albeit with wins over the lowly Wizards and Raptors. Still, it’s a positive sign for a team at a crossroads. Giannis Antetokounmpo is still one of the best players in basketball, and he deserves an opportunity to compete for another championship. If the Bucks can’t give him that, it may be time for a change of scenery.
Antetokounmpo has looked like his usual dominant self through his first two games. He’s averaged 34.0 points and 17.0 rebounds per game while shooting a blistering 67.5% from the field. He’s also averaged 6.0 assists per game, and he could need to do a bit more distributing with Damian Lillard now out of the picture.
It takes his already elite fantasy game to another level. He’s put up at least 63.0 DraftKings points in each of his first two games, and there’s no reason he can’t do it again Sunday. He has the top ceiling projection on the slate, despite checking it at a slight discount compared to Doncic.
Value
The Bucks’ big offseason move was securing Myles Turner in free agency. His absence has opened up some playing time at center for the Pacers, which is great news for Obi Toppin. It’s also great news for DFS players. Toppin has historically been an elite per-minute producer, and he should now be looking at much more consistent playing time.
Toppin has averaged 0.93 DraftKings points per minute through his first two games, and he’s projected for 26 minutes Sunday vs. the Timberwolves. He’s also capable of exceeding that 0.93 mark, something he’s done routinely in previous years. It gives him a nice combination of ceiling and floor at $5,200.
Fast Break
Evan Mobley had 45.0 DraftKings points vs. the Knicks in his first game of the year, but he was unable to duplicate that performance vs. the Nets. Still, Mobley is a player on the rise, and he has more upside than usual with Garland out of the lineup. He averaged 1.46 DraftKings points per minute with Garland off the floor last season, and he saw the second-largest usage bump on the team. He has plenty of upside for the team with the top implied team total on the slate.
Andrew Wiggins is pretty boring from a DFS perspective, but that doesn’t mean he’s not effective. He’s been one of the Heat’s top scoring threats to start the year, resulting in an average of 0.99 DraftKings points per minute. He’s yet to post a positive Plus/Minus to start the year, but he was limited to just 23.7 minutes in a blowout win Friday. He should return to his usual workload vs. the Knicks, and he ranks third at the position in projected Plus/Minus.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
Anthony Davis has done typical Anthony Davis things to start the year. He remains one of the most talented big men in the league when healthy, and he’s going to be the clear focal point of the Mavericks’ offense until Kyrie Irving returns from injury.
Davis has posted a 32% usage rate through his first two games, which is easily his best mark in years. The last time he had a higher figure was back in 2016-17 for the Pelicans. Davis has also gobbled up 13 boards in both contests, and he’s sprinkled in a handful of assists, steals, and blocks.
Davis is coming off 56.25 DraftKings points vs. the Wizards in his last outing, and he has plenty of upside Sunday vs. Toronto. He has the top ceiling projection at center by nearly five full points, and only Antetokounmpo and Doncic have better marks overall.
Value
Ryan Kalkbrenner has more than held his own as the Hornets’ starting center this season. Not much was expected of the 34th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, but he’s averaged 12 points and nine rebounds through his first two outings. The result is an average of 1.07 DraftKings points per minute, and he’s played at least 26.1 minutes in back-to-back contests. He should see a similar workload Sunday, and while his price has jumped to $4,300, he still stands out as significantly underpriced.
Fast Break
James Wiseman is priced at the absolute minimum at $3,000, and he started at center for the Pacers on Saturday. Wiseman wasn’t particularly productive, tallying just four points, four rebounds, and one block in 19.9 minutes, but any starter has some appeal at just $3k.
Nikola Jovic started the first game of the season for the Heat, but he came off the bench in his second. Ironically, he performed much better as a member of the reserve unit. He tallied 38.5 DraftKings points in just under 27 minutes, and he’s going to be a big part of the Heat’s rotation regardless of his starting status. He’s averaged 1.05 DraftKings points per minute so far this season, so he has upside at just $4,400.
Pictured: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Photo Credit: Gerry Angus, Imagn
