Wednesday features an eight-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
Tyrese Maxey has been absolutely phenomenal to start the season. He’s averaging 1.41 DraftKings points per minute, and no one in basketball is carrying a larger workload. He’s racked up 42.0 minutes per game through his first seven contests, and he leads the slate with 39 projected minutes on Wednesday. Maxey has responded by leading the league with 34.4 points per game, and he’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in all but one outing. That includes five games with more than 60 DraftKings points.
The 76ers will be on the second leg of a back-to-back on Wednesday, and Joel Embiid will likely get the night off after playing on Tuesday. That gives Maxey even more upside than usual. He’s seen a slight usage bump with Embiid off the floor this season, and he’s averaged 55.5 DraftKings points in his two full contests with Embiid out of the lineup.
The matchup vs. the Cavaliers isn’t ideal – they’re sixth in the league in defensive efficiency – but they have at least played at the 10th-fastest pace. Maxey leads the position in ceiling projection, and his 11 Pro Trends are tied for the most among point guards.
Value
Jose Alvarado has been a non-factor for the Pelicans for most of the early season, but he logged more than 30 minutes in their last game. He responded with 36.25 DraftKings points in the Pelicans’ first win of the year.
The Pelicans were without Zion Williamson in that contest, and he’s expected to miss at least the next week with a hamstring injury. That should keep Alvarado’s role in the rotation pretty secure. He’s not projected for quite as much playing time on Wednesday, but his 21 projected minutes should still be enough to pay off his current salary. Alvarado has averaged 0.83 DraftKings points per minute for the year, and he’s historically averaged a Plus/Minus of +4.79 with a comparable salary and minute projection (per the Trends tool).
Fast Break
Jeremiah Fears is another potential option for the Pelicans. He’s coming off just 17.5 minutes in his last outing, which is another reason why Alvarado was able to go off. However, the playing time between the two should be split far more evenly on Wednesday. Fears posted a 30.6% usage rate in his previous outing, and he had at least 35.25 DraftKings points in the two games before that. He has plenty of upside at $5,000 with Williamson out of the lineup.
It hasn’t been a great start to the year for Derrick White, who has posted an average Plus/Minus of -5.82 to start the year. That’s caused his salary to dip to $7,500 for an elite matchup vs. the Wizards. White has seen a bump in usage rate this season following some key injuries and departures; he simply hasn’t made any shots. He’s shot just 31.0% from the field and 26.3% from 3-point range, and he’s too talented to struggle like that forever. The Celtics’ 123 implied team total is the third-highest mark on the slate, making White a strong buy-low option.
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 Cooper Flagg at point guard experiment hasn’t gone particularly well for Dallas. Flagg is uber talented, but he’s still a rookie playing out of position. As a result, Dallas is dead last in offensive efficiency.
With that in mind, it’s no surprise that they’ve started leaning a bit more into D’Angelo Russell. He’s played at least 28.9 minutes in four of his past five games, and he’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in each of them. Russell has averaged 1.23 DraftKings points per minute, so he can do some damage with an expanded workload.
That makes Russell underpriced at $6,100, especially in a juicy matchup vs. the Pelicans. They’re 29th in defensive efficiency to start the year, and things don’t figure to get any better with Williamson out of the lineup. Russell leads all shooting guards in projected Plus/Minus, and he also provides a bit of upside.
Value
The Pistons are currently playing without Tobias Harris, Jaden Ivey, and Marcus Sasser, and they already lost Malik Beasley this offseason. That’s allowed Duncan Robinson to play plenty of minutes of late. He’s logged at least 34.3 minutes in back-to-back games, including just under 40 in his last contest.
That’s a ton of playing time upside for someone priced at just $4,500. Robinson has been a dreadful per-minute producer this season (0.59 DraftKings points per minute), but he’s shown a bit of improvement of late. He’s racked up at least 27.75 DraftKings points in two of his past four outings. Robinson is projected for 33 minutes Wednesday vs. the Jazz, making him a reasonable target.
Fast Break
Keyonte George continues to absolutely crush for fantasy purposes. He’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in each game this season, and he’s cracked 40 DraftKings points in five straight. Despite that production, his price tag has remained steady at $7,100 for Wednesday’s matchup vs. the Pistons. He’s currently projected for roughly 22% ownership, but his optimal lineup rate is a position-best 31.5% in Sim Labs.
Trey Murphy’s numbers are down to start the year, but he could be asked to pick up the slack with Williamson out of the lineup. He averaged 21.2 points per game last year, and his price tag has dipped to just $6,900. It results in an 85% Bargain Rating, making him an interesting buy-low option.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
Like White, Jaylen Brown is another player who has had to carry an increased offensive workload for the Celtics this season. With Jayson Tatum out with injury and Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, and Al Horford all gone, Brown has increased his usage rate to a career-best 33.8%. He also has a career-best 25.0% assist rate, and he’s unsurprisingly delivered some solid fantasy performances. Brown has at least 47.0 DraftKings points in four of his past six games, with the two exceptions being blowouts where he played reduced minutes.
Brown is in a great spot to do some damage on Wednesday. The Wizards currently rank 28th in defensive efficiency, and they also rank second in pace. It’s hard to beat that combo for fantasy purposes. He has the top ceiling projection at a weak position by a pretty comfortable margin, and he also ranks tied for fifth in projected Plus/Minus.
Value
The Pacers continue to deal with an abundance of injuries to start the year. They currently have eight players listed as out on their injury report, including a host of key contributors from last year’s NBA Finals squad.
As a result, some new names have had the chance to make an impact this season. That includes Jerace Walker. He’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in six of his past seven games, and he’s coming off a season-high 38.2 minutes in his last outing. He responded with 35.5 DraftKings points, and he’s averaged 0.92 DraftKings points per minute for the year.
Walker is projected for a slightly more modest 33 minutes on Tuesday, but it’s in a dream spot vs. the Nets. Brooklyn has been the worst defensive team in basketball by a wide margin. Their defensive rating currently sits at 128.5, which would obliterate the previous worst mark in NBA history. Walker has the top projected Plus/Minus at small forward, and he has the highest optimal lineup rate as well.
Fast Break
Herbert Jones’ skill set is being wasted in New Orleans. He’s the prototypical role player, capable of defending multiple positions at a high level. Unfortunately, you don’t get fantasy points for that, but he still stands out as a viable target at $4,700 on DraftKings. Jones saw a nice spike in playing time sans Williamson on Tuesday, and he’s projected for 33 minutes on Wednesday’s slate. Players with comparable salaries and minute projections have historically averaged a Plus/Minus of +2.62.
Ausar Thompson is one of the best pure athletes in the NBA, and he’s getting the opportunity to play a bit more this season. He’s projected for 31.5 minutes in an excellent spot vs. the Jazz, and he’s averaged 1.13 DraftKings points per minute this season. He has two games with more than 40 DraftKings points in his last five, giving him an excellent ceiling at just $6,100.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
Pascal Siakam has been thrust into a starring role for the Pacers this season. He’s one of the last men standing from last year’s squad, and as a result, he’s increased his usage rate from 24.7% in 2024-25 to 30.4% to start the year. It’s even been slightly higher of late, with Siakam sitting at 31.6% over his past five games.
Siakam has responded with excellent fantasy production. He’s averaged 1.38 DraftKings points per minute, and he’s had at least 52.25 DraftKings points in three of his past five. Siakam’s price tag has taken a jump, but he still stands out as undervalued at $9,500. His ceiling projection is tops at the position by nearly 10 points.
Value
The Hornets made a head-scratching decision during the NBA Draft when trading up for Derik Queen. Queen is a promising prospect, but they gave up an unprotected first-round pick in 2026 to do so. The Pelicans were expected to be one of the worst teams in the league this season, so that pick could become extremely valuable. After a 1-6 start, that decision only looks more short-sighted.
Queen has held his own this season, at least for fantasy purposes. He’s averaging 1.08 DraftKings points per minute, and he should see a bump in responsibilities with Williamson inactive. He’s projected for 25 minutes on Wednesday’s slate, and he’s increased his fantasy output to 1.21 DraftKings points per minute with Zion off the floor. That makes him an excellent value option at just $3,700.
Fast Break
Going from Denver to Brooklyn is one of the biggest possible downgrades from an NBA standpoint, and that’s what Michael Porter Jr. has had to face this season. While he’s certainly not competing for any championships with Brooklyn any time soon, he’s at least gotten way more opportunities to impact the game. Porter has posted a usage rate of at least 32.4% in back-to-back games, and he’s had at least 43.75 DraftKings points in both of them. He did that despite shooting just 1-12 from 3-point range in his last outing, so he has plenty of upside at $6,900.
Ron Holland is another player who could benefit from the Pistons’ current injury situation. He was the No. 5 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, and he’s averaged more than a fantasy point per minute so far this season. He’s playing a bit more this season, and he’s scored at least 20.5 DraftKings points in two of his past three games.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
It’s been a bit of a weird start to the season for Nikola Jokic. He has a much better supporting cast this season, and he’s taking full advantage. He’s averaging more assists (11.3) than any player in basketball, and he’s third in the league in rebounds (13.2). However, he’s doing far less scoring than he’s done in previous seasons, averaging just 22.7 points per game.
Ultimately, the results for fantasy have been largely the same. Jokic is still averaging an elite 1.87 DraftKings points per minute, and he’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in all but one game. He also still has the top ceiling in the league, which he put on display in his last outing. He scored a season-high 34 points, and he responded with 78.75 DraftKings points.
Jokic gets a matchup vs. the Heat on Wednesday, which has historically been one of the worst in basketball. However, Miami is playing a completely different style to start the year. They’re first in the league in pace, so it’s a much friendlier matchup than you might think. Jokic owns an Opponent Plus/Minus of +7.62, so he’s definitely capable of a big performance.
Value
Isaiah Stewart was the big beneficiary of Harris missing the Pistons’ last game. He moved into the starting lineup and logged just under 34 minutes, and Stewart responded with 59.5 DraftKings points.
While I wouldn’t expect a repeat, there’s no reason he can’t provide big value once again. He’s averaged 1.23 DraftKings points per minute this season, so he’s more than capable of taking advantage of an expanded role. He has the top optimal lineup rate on the slate at nearly 47%, so he should be a staple of most lineups.
Fast Break
Jusuf Nurkic is finally starting to get a bit of respect from a pricing standpoint. However, he also saw more than 31 minutes in his last outing. If that’s going to continue to be the case, he’s still far too cheap at $5,100. Nurkic has averaged 1.21 DraftKings points per minute for the year, and he’s posted a positive Plus/Minus every time he’s taken the floor. He’s another elite value option, with his optimal lineup rate checking in just behind Stewart’s.
Isaiah Jackson shouldn’t command the same ownership as some of the other elite value bigs, but he has nearly as much upside. He’s always been an elite per-minute producer, and he’s getting plenty of opportunities for the shorthanded Pacers. He’s coming off 29.3 minutes in the team’s last outing, and it resulted in 42.0 DraftKings points.
Pictured: Tyrese Maxey
Photo Credit: Imagn
