Sunday features a 15-game main slate starting at 1:00 p.m. ET.
Let’s dive into some of the top plays on the slate using the FantasyLabs tools and metrics.
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.
Note: Projections and Leverages Scores/Ratings may change throughout the day after this article is posted. The NBA DFS landscape changes quickly.
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NBA DFS Point Guard Picks
Stud
When it comes to stud options, the players who are still fighting for playoff seeding in the Western Conference are going to hold precedence. Leading us off is Stephen Curry, who is probable to play despite dealing with a hip contusion. Curry is one of the most intriguing pay-up options given this elite matchup with the Trail Blazers, who rank 27th in defensive rating while allowing 116.7 points per game. This is the first game Curry will get the face the Trail Blazers this season.
The Warriors are nearly 20-point road favorites against the Trail Blazers in a must-win scenario. A win Sunday would lock the Warriors into a playoff spot, and they could even get the No. 5 seed if the Clippers were to lose to the Suns. Curry is shooting the lights out this season at 49.2% from the field and 42.6% from behind the arc while averaging 29.5 points per game. Even if Curry’s minutes are limited, he can put up a slate-breaking performance in this spot.
Value
Point guard Kris Dunn has taken full advantage of the extra opportunity and playing time with the Jazz resting all of their starters. Dunn is coming off a stat-stuffing game where he had 19 points, 14 assists, and eight rebounds in 37 minutes. He is projected to play 35 minutes and has the highest projected Plus/Minus for all point guards on DraftKings and FanDuel. Even at $7,500 on DraftKings and $7,000 on FanDuel, Dunn is a great value.
This is another matchup where the Lakers are 17-point favorites in a must-win game. Even though the Jazz will likely get blown out, Dunn can still provide value and upside in this up-tempo game. The Lakers rank fourth in pace this season, and their opponents are shooting a league-high 93.8 field-goal attempts per game. Dunn isn’t a major shot taker, but he has scored double-digit points in six-straight games and has shown double-double upside.
Fast Break
The front-runner for Sixth Man of the Year, Immanuel Quickley has proven he is worthy of being a starter in this league. In 20 starts this season, Quickley is averaging 22.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game. In his last game against the Pacers on Wednesday night, Quickley scored 39 points and 66.5 DraftKings points. A repeat performance is certainly on the table in this game, as Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson will continue to sit.
NBA DFS Shooting Guard Picks
Stud
The Timberwolves are playing on a back-to-back after beating the Spurs 151-131 Saturday night. Anthony Edwards scored a game-high 33 points on 13 of 25 shooting from the field. It was the third time in his last five games that Edwards scored over 30 points. Edwards has had a 40.8% usage rate average in his last three games as he tries to lead the Timberwolves into the playoffs. A victory over the Pelicans will be good enough to claim the No. 8 seed.
Playing at home has been the Timberwolves’ biggest issue as of late. They have a 1-7 record in their last home games, with losses to the Trail Blazers, Hornets, and Wizards during that time. However, they are 3.5-point favorites in a critical home game Sunday. The Pelicans rank sixth in defensive rating (112.0) this season, but Edwards has dominated this matchup, averaging 32 points per game in his two games against this difficult defense.
Value
Julian Champagnie has recorded a positive Plus/Minus in five consecutive games while averaging 29.7 DraftKings points per game over that time. His minutes have increased each game, as he played a season-high 32 Saturday night against the Timberwolves. Champagnie is projected for 28 minutes and is one of the better guard values on the slate. The rookie has shot 40.9% from behind the arc throughout his 13 games played for the Spurs this season.
With the Mavericks eliminated from the playoffs, this matchup is going to be a glorified G-League game. Champagnie has been a scoring machine recently with 24-plus points in three of his last four games. He is a great salary saver at a position that is always tough to fill. The Spurs are only four-point road underdogs, so this should be a competitive game. Champagnie is simply too cheap on DraftKings with his $4,400 salary, which is $500 cheaper than Saturday night.
Fast Break
Rookie Shaedon Sharpe has given the Trail Blazers a lot of future hope if they were to lose Damian Lillard. With all five starters off the floor this season, Sharpe is averaging a team-high +8.8% usage rate and a +7.8 DraftKings Plus/Minus. Over the last nine games, Sharpe is averaging 24.3 points per game with a 27.7% usage rate. Sharpe and the Trail Blazers will get the chance to play spoiler against the Warriors, who lead the league in pace this season.
NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
Both LeBron James and Anthony Davis are questionable Sunday for the Lakers, but in such a meaningful game it would be shocking if either decided to sit this one out. Make sure to monitor their statuses the closer we get to lock, but James is a great small forward option if he is able to play. He has recorded 53-plus DraftKings points in three of his last four games and is projected to be one of the best pay-up options on the slate in a juicy matchup against the Jazz.
It is unlikely that the Warriors lose, but if they do, the Lakers will get the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference. A loss could have them drop to the No. 8 seed, so this is a very meaningful last game of the season for them. Luckily they are playing the Jazz as 17-point favorites, as the Jazz not only rank 23rd in defensive rating, but they are sitting all of their starters. James and the Lakers can’t risk not coming to play in this matchup, even when playing at home.
Value
Simone Fontecchio finally had a great fantasy game Saturday night against the Nuggets with 15 points, six rebounds, four assists, and a season-high 30.4% usage rate. Fontecchio finished with over 30 DraftKings points, which is going to be very appealing being priced under $5,000 on both DraftKings and FanDuel. The rookie from Italy has played in 50 games for the Jazz this season, but his production has been inconsistent.
Fontecchio has a couple games scoring 20-plus points, but he will frequently bounce back with a low single-digit scoring game. His lack of consistency makes him a better tournament play, because we don’t know which Fontecchio will show up. Over 60% of his field-goal attempts come from behind the arc, which is a good sign for this matchup. The Lakers allow 36.5 3-pointers attempted per game, which is tied for the fifth-highest in the league.
Fast Break
Brandon Ingram is playing as well as anyone in the league recently with the Pelicans winning nine of their last 11 games. Over that time, Ingram is averaging 27.8 points, 8.5 assists, and 6.4 rebounds per game while shooting 50.7% from the field. He struggled in his last game against the Timberwolves, shooting 4 of 18 from the field, but he has flipped a switch and deserves consideration as one of the best pay-up forwards on the slate.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
The steady Kawhi Leonard is another stud worth paying up for, as the Clippers are playing in a meaningful game against the Suns. After their 11-point victory Saturday night, the Clippers can clinch the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference with a victory. A loss would mean they have the chance to slip all the way down to the No. 7 seed. Leonard had a team-high 27 points with eight rebounds Saturday night while only playing 29 minutes.
Paul George remains out, which really boosts the ceiling for Leonard. In 13 games without George this season, Leonard is averaging 25 points per game while shooting over 50% from the field. His usage rate also jumps +3.1%, as he is shooting 17.8 times per game. The Suns are sitting all of their starters, so Leonard will be able to take advantage of a weak opponent. Leonard’s salary has risen substantially on both sites, but it is very deserving.
Value
Kevin Knox is coming off of a massive double-double with 30 points and 11 rebounds Saturday night, as he shot 10 of 15 from the field and made five 3-pointers. Knox played 36 minutes and finished with over 50 DraftKings points. Priced at $5,500 on both sites, Knox is going to be one of the highest-owned value plays. Knox has averaged 27 points per game in back-to-back games while shooting 63.3% from the field and 57.1% from behind the arc.
This game has a 236-point total, as the Trail Blazers are heavy underdogs. They won as massive underdogs against the Timberwolves, but it is hard to see them winning on the road against the Warriors. This is a great game environment for Knox, who can provide fantasy points in a variety of ways. If he continues to shoot this well from all over the field, Knox is going to be a great mid-range value play on both DraftKings and FanDuel.
Fast Break
It is a little surprising that Evan Mobley is available despite the Cavaliers already locked into their playoff spot. The rest of the Cavaliers’ starters are out, while Jarrett Allen is questionable. If Mobley is indeed playing relatively normal minutes, he will feast on this weak Hornets frontcourt that ranks 23rd in both rebounding percentage and points allowed in the paint with 52.9 per game. Great matchup for a player with massive upside.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
Similar to LeBron James, it is difficult to imagine Anthony Davis sitting this game out Sunday with the Lakers in a prime spot against the Trail Blazers. Over the last six games, Davis is averaging a huge double-double with 28 points and 13.5 rebounds per game with at least two blocks in each game. For the first time in his four-year career with the Lakers, Davis is averaging a double-double with a career-high 12.5 rebounds per game.
The Jazz are a completely different team without Lauri Markkanen and Walker Kessler. There is no one who can guard Davis in this spot. On paper they are a great rebounding team, but that is because of how great Markkanen and Kessler have been. However, they have been torched by scoring centers, as they have allowed 53.1 points per game in the paint this season. Expect another huge game from Davis, who is an elite pay-up option.
Value
Alperen Sengun has been playing massive minutes recently and delivering in a big way. Over the last five games, Sengun is averaging 17.6 points and 14.2 rebounds per game while shooting 55.6% from the field. He has a double-digit positive Plus/Minus in each of those five games with three-straight games of over 50 DraftKings points. Playing 37.6 minutes a night recently, Sengun is easily one of the best center options on the slate.
The Rockets are already in the top three of the lottery, so they are playing with house money trying to get their young players more game experience. Sengun has been one of the best second-year players in the league, averaging nearly a double-double with 14.8 points and nine rebounds per game. The Wizards are sitting all of their best centers, so Sengun could end his great season with a potential triple-double Sunday.
Fast Break
There are three centers in arguably the biggest game on the slate between the Timberwolves and Pelicans. Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert for the Timberwolves and Jonas Valanciunas for the Pelicans. Valanciunas may be asked to play more minutes, but the Timberwolves centers have the higher ceilings. If you’re looking for consistency, play Gobert, but take a chance on Towns in tournaments, as he has back-to-back games with 48-plus DraftKings points.
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