Tuesday features a four-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
There are only four games to choose from on Tuesday, but they’re four good ones for fantasy purposes. Only one game has a spread above 4.5 points, and there are some big totals as well. Detroit stands out as one of the better teams to target on this slate. They’re taking on the Bulls, who have been one of the best matchups in fantasy this season. They play fast and are well below average defensively, and the Pistons are implied for 122.0 points against them on Tuesday. That’s the second-highest mark on the slate and represents a massive increase from their season average of 112.9.
Cade Cunningham has had a breakout season for the Pistons, and he was rewarded with his first All-Star game nod. He’s been even better of late, posting a positive Plus/Minus in nine of his past 10 outings. That includes six straight games with at least 52.25 DraftKings points.
Cunningham leads the point guard position in ceiling projection by a wide margin on Tuesday. He clears Devin Booker by nearly 10 points, and Booker is second in that department. On a slate without a ton of true studs to consider, Cunningham stands out as an excellent pay-up option.
Value
Immanuel Quickley is still working his way back into form after missing much of the year with injuries. However, his minutes have steadily ramped up since returning to the lineup, culminating in 30.3 minutes in his last outing. He responded with 36.0 DraftKings points in a tough matchup vs. the Rockets, so he has plenty of upside at $6,100 if he’s going to continue to play that much.
Quickley has averaged 1.08 DraftKings points per minute for the year, and he’s increased that figure slightly since returning from injury. He should also continue to benefit from the absence of R.J. Barrett. He’s increased his production to 1.21 DraftKings points per minute with Barrett off the floor this season, so he’s one of the top options of the day in a solid matchup vs. the 76ers.
Fast Break
Tyus Jones is another excellent value proposition at point guard. The Suns are currently without Bradley Beal, and Jones has taken on a bigger role in his absence. He’s scored at least 36.75 DraftKings points in back-to-back games, despite playing less than 30 minutes in a blowout loss in his last outing. He saw more than 38 minutes in his previous outing, so he has the potential to play significantly more on Tuesday.
Jalen Brunson’s ceiling isn’t nearly as high as Cunningham’s, but he might be the better pure value at just $8,400. He’s averaged a Plus/Minus of +2.22 with a comparable salary as a member of the Knicks (per the Trends tool), and he owns an Opponent Plus/Minus of +3.89 vs. the Pacers.
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
Shooting guard is one of the weaker positions on this slate – especially at the top – but Coby White is worth considering at $6,700. With Zach LaVine now in Sacramento, White is clear to take over as the team’s top scoring threat. He’s increased his usage rate by +2.9% in games without LaVine this season, resulting in a team-best 26.67% mark. He’s also averaged 34.66 DraftKings points per game in that split. White has gone for at least 37.75 DraftKings points in three of his past five outings, and while his salary has come up a bit, he’s still a bit underpriced for his ceiling.
Value
Grayson Allen missed the Suns’ last outing, but he should be back in the lineup on Tuesday. He’s officially listed as probable on the team’s injury report, and he has the potential to handle a sizable workload. He logged more than 35.5 minutes the last time he was available, and he responded with 48.25 DraftKings points.
I wouldn’t expect a repeat performance, but Allen is undoubtedly underpriced for his role sans Beal. He’s currently projected for 31 minutes in our NBA Models, and he’s averaged 0.92 DraftKings points per minute over the past month. He ultimately leads all players on this slate in terms of projected Plus/Minus.
Fast Break
Gradey Dick is another potential target for the shorthanded Raptors. In addition to Barrett being sidelined, the team will also be without Jakob Poeltl. Dick has increased his usage rate by more than +2.0% with both players off the floor this season, resulting in an average of 0.91 DraftKings points per minute. He’s coming off a disastrous showing in his last outing, but he posted a positive Plus/Minus in his previous five contests.
The Grizzlies have the top implied team total of the day at 124.5 points, giving Desmond Bane some appeal at $7,500. He doesn’t stand out as the best pure value but has been a consistent source of production of late, averaging a Plus/Minus of +3.08 over his past 10 contests. He’s projected for less than 15% ownership on this slate, but he’s showing up in the optimal lineup simulations at closer to a 20% clip.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
Josh Hart doesn’t have the same scoring upside as some of the other fantasy studs on this slate, but he makes up for it with his work in the peripheral categories. Specifically, he’s an elite rebounder for his size, averaging just under 10 boards per game. The result is an average of 1.06 DraftKings points per minute for the year and 1.1 DraftKings points per minute over the past month.
Hart also routinely plays as many minutes as anyone in basketball. He’s currently projected for 37 minutes in our NBA Models, and that can be considered a conservative estimate. He’s logged at least 38.2 minutes in three of his past four games.
Make sure to monitor the status of OG Anunoby heading into lineup lock. He’s been upgraded to questionable after missing the past three games, but if he’s out of the lineup again, Hart would be an even stronger option than usual.
Value
Ausar Thompson is finally getting his chance to produce for the Pistons. Like his brother, Thompson has excelled for fantasy purposes when given the opportunity to play. He’s averaged 1.05 DraftKings points per minute for the year, so the only thing stopping him from providing regular value was a lack of playing time.
Those concerns have been alleviated a bit recently. Thompson has logged around 25 minutes per game over his past four outings, and he’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in each. That includes three straight games with at least 32.0 DraftKings points. He’s projected for another 27 minutes Tuesday vs. the Bulls, so he remains firmly in play at $5,100.
Fast Break
GG Jackson showed plenty of promise as a rookie last season despite being one of the youngest players in the NBA. He’s missed most of his sophomore campaign with injuries, but he’s suited up in 10 straight games for Memphis. Jackson is up to around 20 minutes per game at this point, and that’s enough to put him on the radar at a sub-$4k price tag. He’s averaged 0.95 DraftKings points per minute since joining the rotation, so he doesn’t need a ton of playing time to rack up fantasy points.
Scottie Barnes hasn’t produced at an elite level recently, but he remains the top option at the position from a ceiling perspective. He leads all SFs in ceiling projection by nearly eight points, so if he goes off on Tuesday, no one at the position has the firepower to match him. That gives him some value in tournaments, especially with his projected ownership checking in approximately 8% lower than his optimal lineup rate.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
Pascal Siakam has provided excellent value for DFS players of late. He’s increased his production to 1.30 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, yet his salary hasn’t really budged. He’s still available at $7,700 for Tuesday’s matchup vs. the Knicks despite posting a positive Plus/Minus in 10 of his past 12 outings.
Siakam leads the position with 12 Pro Trends, while he trails only the significantly more expensive Kevin Durant from a ceiling standpoint. Ultimately, he stands out as a nice combination of value and upside.
Value
Ochai Agbaji should continue to play an expanded role for the shorthanded Raptors. He’s logged at least 29.8 minutes in back-to-back games, and he’s projected for another 30 minutes on Tuesday. Agbaji has averaged a respectable 0.75 DraftKings points per minute for the year, and he’s increased that figure to 0.85 over the past month. He’s also priced at a discount at just $4,000 on DraftKings, resulting in a Bargain Rating of 81%.
Fast Break
Matas Buzelis is a bit more expensive than Agbaji, but he’s arguably an even better value. His $4,800 price tag comes with a 93% Bargain Rating, and he has a bit more upside than the Raptors’ forward. He’s averaged 0.94 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, and he’s getting plenty of opportunities for the Bulls following the LaVine trade. He’s logged at least 29.1 minutes in three straight games, and he’s responded with at least 31.5 DraftKings points in each of them.
Durant could be another underappreciated upside target in tournaments. His optimal lineup rate is roughly +7.5% higher than his projected ownership, and he has plenty of scoring potential in a pace-up spot vs. the Grizzlies. Without Beal, the Suns don’t have much choice but to let Durant and Booker do most of the scoring.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
I’m going to continue to look toward Joel Embiid at just a $10,000 price tag. It’s been a bit of a lost season for Embiid so far, but he has a chance to change things over the final half of the season. He’s averaged 1.70 DraftKings points per minute since returning to the lineup, and he’s racked up at least 56.0 DraftKings points in two of three outings.
Embiid is playing slightly fewer minutes than usual, but he has the potential to do plenty of damage when on the floor vs. the Raptors. They’re already a solid matchup for centers – Embiid owns an Opponent Plus/Minus of +3.16 – and they’re a bit thinner than usual with Poeltl out of the lineup. There’s definitely some risk here, but there’s plenty of upside, too.
Value
Jalen Duren continues to absolutely crush when on the floor for the Pistons. He’s increased his production to 1.36 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, which trails only Embiid among Tuesday’s centers. He’s not typically playing more than 30 minutes – he’s projected for 28 in our NBA Models – but that hasn’t stopped him from providing plenty of value. Duren has posted an average Plus/Minus of +7.37 over his past 10 outings, and he’s scored at least 41.25 DraftKings points in four of his past six games. He has plenty of appeal vs. a weak Chicago frontcourt, resulting in a position-best Opponent Plus/Minus of +4.84.
Fast Break
Myles Turner is down to just $6,000 vs. the Knicks, making him an interesting buy-low option. Turner has always been a boom-or-bust type of player, but there’s less risk than usual with him at this figure. He’s had a comparable salary in 67 games since the start of the 2022-23 season, and he’s averaged a Plus/Minus of +1.81 in those contests.
Nikola Vucevic has struggled recently, but he has a long track record of being a productive NBA center. He’s still projected for 32 minutes in our NBA Models, and he’s averaged 1.30 DraftKings points per minute for the year. That gives him some buy-low appeal at just $7,800, and his 11 Pro Trends are tied for the most at the position.
