Wednesday features an eight-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.
NBA DFS Point Guard Picks
Stud
Dejounte Murray continues to put up big numbers in his return from injury. He missed more than a calendar year while recovering from an Achilles tear, but he has looked like his old self since rejoining the rotation. He’s averaged 1.39 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, and he’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in six of his past seven games. That includes 52.75 DraftKings points across 31 minutes in his last outing.
The only real caveat is that Murray is currently dealing with an illness. That caused him to miss Monday’s game, and he’s officially listed as questionable for Wednesday. The Pelicans have nothing to play for at this point, so it would not be a huge shock if he’s ultimately ruled out. However, the Pelicans also don’t control their first-round pick, so they have no incentive to hold him out, either. Make sure to monitor the injury report closer to lineup lock, but if Murray can go, he stands out as one of the best pay-up options at point guard.
Value
The Timberwolves will be on the second leg of a back-to-back on Wednesday, so we’re still waiting on their official injury report. That said, we know that Anthony Edwards will be out of the lineup. He’s going to be re-evaluated in 1-2 weeks with knee inflammation, so he’s going to miss at least the next few games.
That opens up a few additional minutes for Bones Hyland. Hyland has always been an electric scorer, but finding opportunities has been difficult. He’s averaged 1.02 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, and he logged just under 29 minutes sans Edwards in his last game. He responded with 34.5 DraftKings points in that contest, and he’s projected for another 25 minutes on Wednesday.
Hyland leads the position in projected Plus/Minus by a decent margin, and he’s first in Sim Labs optimal lineup rate as well. He’s one of the best sources of value regardless of position.
Fast Break
Ajay Mitchell is back for the Thunder, and he’s picked up basically right where he left off. He’s averaged 0.97 DraftKings points per minute in his return to the lineup, and he’s playing around 28 minutes per game. That’s a pretty solid combination for someone who costs just $5,000. His price tag comes with a 97% Bargain Rating.
Ryan Nembhard is another potential value option. He’s even cheaper than Hyland and Mitchell at $3,600, and his salary comes with an 86% Bargain Rating. He hasn’t been as productive on a per-minute basis, but his average of 0.88 DraftKings points per minute over the past month is nothing to scoff at. He’s projected for 24.5 minutes in our NBA Models, and he’s scored at least 24.75 DraftKings points in two of his past three games.
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
Ayo Dosunmu is not priced like a stud, but he has the potential to deliver stud-like production on Wednesday. He moved into the Timberwolves’ starting lineup with Edwards out on Tuesday, and he logged 33.8 minutes and 17 shot attempts. Both of those are his top marks since joining the Timberwolves.
Dosunmu is projected to have roughly 50% ownership on this slate, but that still falls short of his Sim Labs projections. His optimal lineup rate is closer to 58%, and he leads the entire slate in projected Plus/Minus.
Value
The Grizzlies are still playing without a bunch of their key rotation players, which should give Walter Clayton the chance to return value. Clayton has been a solid source of fantasy production since being traded from the Jazz to the Grizzlies, and he’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in seven of his past 10 games. He hasn’t displayed a monster ceiling during that time frame, but he’s averaged 0.85 DraftKings points per minute.
Clayton stands out as one of the better pure values at the position on DraftKings. His $4,900 salary comes with a 95% Bargain Rating, and he ranks fourth at SG in projected Plus/Minus.
Fast Break
The Clippers could be an interesting source of value on Wednesday. Kawhi Leonard and Darius Garland are both listed as questionable, while Bennedict Mathurin has already been ruled out. If Leonard and Garland sit, it’s going to open up a ton of shots and minutes in their rotation. Jordan Miller is coming off 38.25 DraftKings points in his last outing, and he’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in three of his past four. That was with Garland and Mathurin combining for 33 shots in that contest, so Miller would have even more upside if the team is shorthanded vs. the lowly Pelicans.
Naji Marshall is one of my personal favorites in DFS. He can do whatever is asked of him, and right now, the Mavericks are asking a lot. He led the team with 24 shot attempts in their last outing, and he responded with 53.5 DraftKings points. Marshall had 42.75 DraftKings points the game prior, and he’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in three straight. That gives him solid upside at $6,400, and he’s projected for roughly 5% ownership on this slate.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
RJ Barrett is in the midst of his best stretch of basketball of the season. He’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in five of his past six games, and he’s coming off 38.5 DraftKings points vs. the Pistons in his last outing. He helped propel the Raptors to an upset over the best team in the East and their No. 2-ranked defense.
Wednesday’s matchup vs. the Bulls will be significantly less challenging. Chicago ranks 23rd in defensive efficiency for the year, and they’ve also played at the fourth-fastest pace. That’s a really nice combination for scoring purposes, and the Raptors are implied for 121 points in this contest. That represents a massive increase from Toronto’s regular-season average (113.6), giving them much more offensive upside than usual.
Value
Cody Williams isn’t quite as cheap as some of the other value plays on this slate, but it’s hard to argue against what he’s bringing to the table. The No. 10 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft hasn’t had a lot of opportunities this season, but he’s getting a chance to prove he belongs for the tanking Jazz down the stretch. He’s logged at least 36 minutes in his past six games, and he’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in seven straight.
Williams is coming off a career performance in his last outing. He scored 34 points on a 29.6% usage rate, and he added seven rebounds and seven assists. He ultimately finished with 57.25 DraftKings points, albeit against a dismal Kings defense.
I wouldn’t expect a repeat vs. the Timberwolves, but Williams should be able to pay off his current price tag. He’s priced at $5,700 and should continue to see as many minutes as he can handle.
Fast Break
Jaden McDaniels should see a bump in value for as long as Edwards is sidelined. He’s seen a +2.24% usage bump with Edwards off the floor this season, which is the second largest on the squad. He’s averaged 0.93 DraftKings points per minute in that split, and he had 39.25 DraftKings points across 37.1 minutes sans Edwards in his last game. The Timberwolves are also implied for 122 points against the Jazz, so as long as this game doesn’t turn into a blowout, he should be able to return value.
If Leonard is able to suit up for the Clippers, he would be worth some consideration as a stud play. He’s averaged an elite 1.51 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, and he could command a massive usage rate if Garland is unable to go. He’s seen a +3.79% usage bump with Garland, Mathurin, and James Harden off the floor this season, and he’s averaged 1.56 DraftKings points per minute in that split. He ultimately has the second-highest optimal lineup rate at the position in Sim Labs, trailing only Dosunmu.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
It’s hard to look past Julius Randle vs. the Jazz at power forward. He’s going to serve as the Timberwolves’ top offensive option for as long as Edwards is sidelined. He’s seen a team-high +3.99% usage bump in that split, resulting in an average of 1.34 DraftKings points per minute. That represents a massive increase from what Randle has done recently: he’s averaged just 0.97 DraftKings points per minute over the past month.
We saw what Randle is capable of sans Edwards in his last outing. He posted a massive 36.9% usage rate across 33.1 minutes, and he racked up 32 points, seven rebounds, two assists, and three steals. He ultimately finished with 45.75 DraftKings points, and that number could’ve been even better if not for six turnovers and five fouls. Randle ranks second at the position in projected Plus/Minus, and his ceiling projection is comparable to the more expensive players at power forward.
Value
The Nuggets are starting to get a bit healthier, with Aaron Gordon rejoining the rotation recently. That said, there’s a good chance that he sits on the second leg of a back-to-back. Peyton Watson is also still out with an injury, so there’s going to be some playing time available in the frontcourt on Wednesday.
Spencer Jones should be the biggest beneficiary. Jones has become an increasingly large part of their rotation of late, and he’s projected for 27.5 minutes vs. the Grizzlies. That’s a lot of playing time for someone priced at just $4,000. Historically, players with comparable salaries and minute projections have averaged a Plus/Minus of +2.58 (per the Trends tool).
The Nuggets also stand out as the clear top team of the day from an offensive standpoint. They’re implied for a massive 128.25 points, which leads all other teams by at least five full points.
Fast Break
Jayson Tatum’s return from an Achilles tear in last year’s playoffs has been nothing short of extraordinary. It sidelines most players for more than a year, but Tatum is already back and playing big minutes. He’s logged at least 32.2 minutes in two straight games, and Tatum has averaged 1.31 DraftKings points per minute in his return to the lineup. He’s still available at a slight discount, and he owns the top optimal lineup rate at power forward.
Naz Reid is also in play for the Timberwolves. He’s also seen a nice boost in production with Edwards off the floor this season, seeing a +2.04% bump to his usage rate while averaging 1.24 DraftKings points per minute. He had more than 30 DraftKings points in less than 18 minutes on Tuesday, and he’s projected for closer to 25 minutes on Wednesday’s slate.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
Nikola Jokic has seemingly busted out of his mini-slump. While he wasn’t really needed on Tuesday – he finished with 35.25 DraftKings points in just 24.8 minutes – he’s still posted a positive Plus/Minus in four of his past five games. He’s had at least 75.5 DraftKings points in three of them, so he remains the top player in fantasy.
Jokic has averaged 1.85 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, and he should absolutely demolish the Grizzlies for as long as he’s on the floor. The only question is how much the Nuggets will need from him in this contest. Denver hasn’t exactly been lighting it up in recent games, but they’re still listed as 13-point road favorites.
It’s possible that this game turns into a laugher, but Jokic still stands out as one of the top pay-up options on the slate. He leads the center position in optimal lineup rate, and the gap between him and the rest of the field is massive. His ceiling projection leads the position by nearly 35 points, so no other center can hold a candle to him on Wednesday.
Value
Robert Williams is questionable to suit up for the Blazers, but he’s a nice value option if he’s active. Williams has been outstanding in his limited minutes of late, averaging 1.33 DraftKings points per minute. He’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in six of his past seven games, yet his price tag has actually gone down over that time frame. His current $4,300 salary comes with a 99% Bargain Rating, and he leads the position in projected Plus/Minus.
Fast Break
It’s been a bit of a lost season for Jakob Poeltl, but the Raptors need him more than usual at the moment. Collin Murray-Boyles is doubtful on Wednesday, and Poeltl logged 36.4 minutes in his absence on Sunday. He finished with 54.5 DraftKings points vs. the Pistons, giving him excellent upside at just $6,300. While he likely won’t need to play as much on Wednesday, he should be effective against a soft Bulls’ interior.
Daniel Gafford is another center who is currently dealing with a questionable designation. That said, he’s been awesome when he’s been on the floor recently. He’s averaged 1.29 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, and he’s scored at least 31.0 DraftKings points in four straight games. If he’s able to return after missing the past three games, he would be worth some consideration.
Pictured: RJ Barrett
Photo Credit: Imagn
