Friday features a nine-game main slate starting at 7 p.m. ET.
Let’s dive into some of the top plays 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 150 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. Consult the Player Models directly for any updates as we get closer to lock.
Point Guard
Stud
Luka Doncic is coming off another disappointing performance in his last outing, finishing with just 40.1 FanDuel points over nearly 36 minutes. That said, his numbers were actually solid – 26 points, eight rebounds, seven assists – but he was plagued by a season-high nine turnovers.
Doncic continues to stand out as underpriced at just $9,900 on FanDuel. It results in a Bargain Rating of 96%, and Doncic has historically averaged a Plus/Minus of +3.34 with a comparable salary (per the Trends tool).
Value
Devonte’ Graham is coming off 38.1 minutes in his last outing, which is a ton of playing time considering his salary. He responded with just 25.1 FanDuel points, but he shot just 4-13 from the field. The fact that he still returned value despite such poor shooting numbers gives him some optimism on Friday’s slate. He’s averaged 0.82 FanDuel points per minute this season, so he should be able to improve with that much playing time moving forward.
Graham also benefits from an elite matchup vs. the Pistons, resulting in an Opponent Plus/Minus of +3.99 on FanDuel.
Fast Break
Armoni Brooks moved into the Rockets’ starting lineup in their last game, a 10-point win over the Nets. He was excellent in that contest, providing 30.25 DraftKings points in 29.4 minutes. It’s possible he earns another start on Friday, and if he does, he’s almost certainly underpriced across the industry. Brooks has been solid on a per-minute basis this season, averaging 0.83 DraftKings points per minute.
Chris Duarte has moved back into the Pacers’ starting lineup, and he’s posted a positive Plus/Minus on DraftKings in each of his past three games. That includes a monster performance in his last outing, finishing with 38.25 DraftKings points over 30.2 minutes. He stands out as one of the best pure values at the position on DraftKings given his Bargain Rating of 95%.
Shooting Guard
Stud
Shooting guard doesn’t really seem like a position where you need to pay up on Friday. One possible exception would be Kelly Oubre Jr. on FanDuel. The Hornets are providing a ton of value on this slate, with LaMelo Ball, Terry Rozier, Mason Plumlee, and Ish Smith all still out of the lineup.
Tsunami Papi has been an incredible source of value recently, posting an average Plus/Minus of +10.12 over his past 10 games on FanDuel. His price tag has increased pretty drastically, but Oubre still seems underpriced. He’s logged at least 38.9 minutes in each of his past three games, and he’s averaged 1.05 FanDuel points per minute with Ball and Rozier off the court.
Value
Sticking with the Hornets, Cody Martin seems like an even better source of value at shooting guard. He’s significantly cheaper, and his $5,000 salary on FanDuel comes with a Bargain Rating of 92%. Martin has logged at least 42 minutes in back-to-back games, and he’s conservatively projected for 38 minutes in our NBA Models. Historically, players with comparable salaries and minute projections have averaged a Plus/Minus of +5.23.
Fast Break
Terence Davis stands out as one of the best sources of value at the position on DraftKings. He’s priced at just $4,000, resulting in a Bargain Rating of 98%, and he’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in each of his past six games. He’s logged at least 28.5 minutes in each of his past three, and Davis has averaged 1.11 DraftKings points per minute over the past month.
Caris LeVert is another strong option across the industry. He’s had a quiet start to the year, but he’s started to turn things around of late. He’s scored at least 30.0 DraftKings points in three straight games, even though he was limited to just 27.5 minutes in a blowout win on Wednesday. He should return to his usual workload on Friday, so he has the potential for another quality performance.
Small Forward
Stud
Sticking with the Hornets, this feels like a good time to buy low on Miles Bridges. He’s struggled in back-to-back games, finishing with 28.5 and 30.2 FanDuel points, but he’s played at least 43 minutes in both contests. Bridges has averaged 1.03 FanDuel points per minute this season, so there’s no reason he should continue to struggle with that much playing time.
Additionally, this game between the Hornets and Kings stands out as the best of the day from a fantasy perspective. The total currently sits at a slate-high 231.5 points, and the Hornets’ implied team total of 116.0 ranks second on the slate.
Value
Josh Hart missed three straight games for the Pelicans, but he returned to the lineup in their last contest. He wasted little time making an impact, finishing with 12 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists over 42.5 minutes. Hart has averaged 0.89 DraftKings points per minute this season, and he’s currently projected for 35 minutes in our NBA Models. That makes him a strong option at just $5,000.
Fast Break
Harrison Barnes returned to the Kings’ lineup in his last game, and he’s a massive value at just $5,300 on DraftKings. He was priced as high as $7,600 before getting injured, and he poured in 29.75 DraftKings points over 29.6 minutes in his last outing. His playing time should only increase as he gets further removed from his injury, so this might be our last chance to take advantage of this discount.
Don’t forget about Gordon Hayward for the Hornets. He led the team in their last outing, finishing with 31 points and 50.75 FanDuel points over nearly 41 minutes. You really can’t go wrong with three or even four members of the Hornets in your cash game lineups on Friday.
Power Forward
Stud
Giannis Antetokounmpo hasn’t delivered a massive game in a while, which has caused his price tag to dip to just $10,900 on DraftKings. He’s an interesting option at that price. He’s been priced closer to $12,000 for much of the season, but Giannis has averaged a Plus/Minus of +1.60 in eight games with a comparable salary. The Bucks also lead the slate with an implied team total of 118.0 points, and his ownership could be lower than usual. That makes him a strong option for tournaments.
Value
It’s easy to write off Marvin Bagley. The former No. 2 overall pick will carry the unfortunate distinction of being the guy drafted ahead of Doncic, but he’s actually a solid fantasy producer when given the chance to play. He’s averaged 0.91 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, and he’s racked up at least 22.5 DraftKings points in back-to-back games. He should see around 20 minutes on Friday with Richaun Holmes out of the lineup, so Bagley has appeal at just $3,700.
Fast Break
Anthony Davis is coming off just 37.1 FanDuel points yesterday vs. the Grizzlies, but he had scored at least 48.9 in each of his five previous games. He should be able to get back on track in an elite spot vs. the Thunder. They’ve been dreadful against opposing big men this season, giving Davis an Opponent Plus/Minus of +4.28.
On the other side of that matchup, Darius Bazley stands out as one of the better values at the position on DraftKings. He’s priced at just $4,100, resulting in a Bargain Rating of 96%, and Bazley has scored at least 26.0 DraftKings points in back-to-back games. He’s played at least 29.2 minutes in both of those contests, and he’s averaged 0.82 DraftKings points per minute this season.
Center
Stud
Jonas Valanciunas has been priced down to just $7,500 on FanDuel, which is simply too cheap for his level of production. He’s averaged 1.26 FanDuel points per minute this season, which is one of the best marks at the position. He also continues to log big minutes in games where the Pelicans are competitive, and he’s coming off 50.7 FanDuel points over 39.2 minutes in his last outing. He should be able to do some damage vs. the Pistons, who rank just 23rd in defensive efficiency.
Value
Precious Achiuwa missed the Raptors’ last game, and he’s questionable for Friday with a shoulder injury. However, he should be looking at a massive workload if he’s able to suit up. OG Anunoby and Khem Birch remain out of the lineup, and Achiuwa played at least 29.1 minutes in five straight games before his absence. He’s averaged 0.85 FanDuel points per minute this season, so he’s underpriced across the industry.
Fast Break
Alex Len is another member of the Kings who could see a slight boost in value with Holmes sidelined. He played 17 minutes in his last game and responded with 16.0 DraftKings points. That’s not a ton of raw production, but it was still good enough for a positive Plus/Minus at his current salary.
Myles Turner is worth some consideration at $6,100 on DraftKings. He’s scored at least 33.5 DraftKings points in three of his past four games, and he’s averaged 1.06 DraftKings points per minute this season. Turner has also displayed GPP-winning upside in the past.
