Friday features an 11-game slate starting at 7 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.
Consult the NBA Player Models directly for any updates as we get closer to lock.
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NBA DFS Point Guard Picks
Stud
After a slow start to the season working his way back from an ankle injury, LaMelo Ball has turned it on recently. Over his last five games, Ball has averaged 29.8 points, 8.6 assists, 6.6 rebounds, and 56.1 DraftKings points per game. During that time, he has a 31.7% usage rate while shooting 50% from the field and 44.4% from behind the arc. Injuries have taken a toll on the Hornets as Terry Rozier is out, while Gordon Hayward and Brandon Miller are listed as questionable tonight.
With Rozier off the floor, Ball has a +2.22% usage rate and a +6.51% DraftKings Plus/Minus while playing a team-high 212 minutes. Both of those numbers increase significantly when Hayward and Miller are also off the floor. With both the Hornets and Bucks being in the top 10 in Pace, this game environment has a slate-high 238 points. The Bucks have made a few offseason changes, which has hurt their defense. They rank 24th in Defensive Rating while allowing 117.7 points per game.
Value
Collin Sexton played a season-high 28 minutes last game and stuffed the stat sheet with 13 points, seven assists, four rebounds, two steals, and one block. Playing off the bench, Sexton has a 25.9% usage rate this season, which ranks second on the team. At his $4,100 salary on DraftKings, Sexton has the highest projected Plus/Minus at the point guard position. His point guard and shooting guard eligibility on DraftKings makes him easy to fit into all lineup builds tonight.
This matchup against the Suns is another game with over a 235-point projected total. With Walker Kessler out, the Jazz have played at the fifth-fastest Pace in the league over the last 10 days. There will be plenty of opportunity for fantasy points in this expected up-tempo matchup. Prioritize Sexton on DraftKings with his 75% Bargain Rating and positional flexibility.
Fast Break
The point guard position is loaded, especially if Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid are unable to play. With Giannis out last game, Damian Lillard erupted for a 37-point, 13-assist double-double, finishing with 67 DraftKings points. Playing against the Hornets who rank last in Defensive Rating, Lillard would look incredible if Giannis is unable to play again tonight.
Tyrese Maxey is currently the leading vote-getter for Most Improved Player by a wide margin. Maxey is averaging a career-high in points, rebounds, and assists, with a 50-point game already to his name. With Embiid off the floor this season, Maxey has a team-high +9.93% usage rate. Monitor the status of both Embiid and Giannis, as it will change the slate entirely.
NBA DFS Shooting Guard Picks
Stud
Devin Booker picked up right where he left off after taking two weeks to rehab his calf injury. He only played 26 minutes in the last game but scored 31 points while shooting 12-for-22 from the field. Booker was on pace to play more minutes, but the Suns led the Timberwolves by 28 points going into the fourth quarter. Booker’s backcourt mate Bradley Beal is doubtful to play tonight, which should lead to more field goal attempts. In each of his three games, Booker scored over 30 points.
The Suns are 5.5-point road favorites against the Jazz who rank 26th in Defensive Rating this season. Opponents are shooting 48.5% from the field while scoring 119.5 points per game. It’s only been three games, but Booker is also averaging 8.7 assists per game. Projected for basically no ownership, Booker is a great way to get different on this 11-game slate.
Value
With Devin Vassell out and Tre Jones doubtful, the Spurs are searching for any guards at this point. Enter second-year pro Malaki Branham, who has started in both games that Vassell has missed. In those two starts, Branham scored 24 total points while shooting 11-for-15 from the field. His minutes have been sporadic, but Branham is projected to play 30 minutes tonight and has the highest projected Plus/Minus on DraftKings. Branham also has a slate-high 50% projected ownership.
The Spurs are 7.5-point home underdogs, but this matchup against the Kings will be a track meet. The total in this game has risen to 237.5 points as the Spurs rank fifth in Pace this season. Branham has scored double-digit points in four of his last six games, with his usage rate climbing. If Jones is ruled out, Branham at sub-$4,000 on DraftKings is simply way too cheap.
Fast Break
Scoot Henderson, Anfernee Simons, and Malcolm Brogdon all remain out for the Trail Blazers, opening the door for maximum usage for Shaedon Sharpe. Even though Sharpe is shooting an inefficient 40.6% from the field, he is averaging 18.7 points per game and has scored double-digit points in each game. He has shooting guard and small forward eligibility on both sites and is at a reasonable price tag. Someone has to score for the Trail Blazers, and Sharpe has taken on that role.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
Another player whose ownership could skyrocket if a few teammates are ruled out is Jayson Tatum. Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis are both listed as questionable after missing the last game. It was a tough matchup for Tatum against the 76ers as he shot 10-for-23 from the field, but he did finish with 29 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. Another difficult matchup awaits with the Raptors, but if Tatum is going to get this much usage without Brown and Porzingis, he is impossible to ignore.
Tatum continues to lead the Celtics in points, rebounds, steals, and usage rate while shooting a career-high 51.6% from the field. With so many injuries to the top players on this slate, Tatum could end up being the second-most expensive option. Tatum looks like a good contrarian play right now, but it could look even better if Brown and Porzingis are both ruled out.
Value
With his shooting guard and small forward eligibility on FanDuel, Kevin Huerter is one of the better values on the slate. Huerter has a positive Plus/Minus in four straight games while absolutely shooting the lights out. He has made six 3-pointers in back-to-back games and has shot a remarkable 60.9% from the field and 53.3% from behind the arc in his last three games. Priced at $5,700 on FanDuel, Huerter is projected for around 30% ownership and has an 86% Bargain Rating.
Playing against the Spurs is a shooter’s dream. They rank fifth in Pace and 29th in both Defensive Rating and 3-point percentage allowed at 40.3%. Given how well Huerter has shot the ball recently, it would be shocking if he slowed down in this matchup. The Kings are implied for a slate-high 122.75 points, so expect Huerter to let it fly against the Spurs defense.
Fast Break
After five straight fantastic games, Michael Porter Jr. was terrible in his last game. He scored 10 points and had five rebounds as he looked disengaged all night with a 19.1% usage rate. Porter Jr. averaged a 25% usage rate and 23 points per game in his previous five games. He is a catch-and-shoot perimeter threat who sets up perfectly in this spot against the Pelicans. They allow 40 3-point attempts per game, which is the most in the league. Great matchup to get back on track.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
With Giannis Antetokounmpo’s status in jeopardy, Kevin Durant is the best pay-up power forward. Priced under $10,000 on DraftKings and FanDuel, Durant is too cheap, considering the Suns are likely without Bradley Beal again tonight. Similar to Devin Booker, Durant gets a significant boost without Beal on the floor. At 35 years old, Durant hasn’t slowed down one bit, averaging over 30 points per game while shooting 51.4% from the field and a career-high 45.5% from behind the arc.
Without Walker Kessler, the Jazz defense drops considerably. Durant can score at all three levels, but the Jazz are allowing 53.5 points per game in the paint this season, which ranks 24th in the league. Averaging 49.2 DraftKings points per game this season, Durant has been one of the most consistent players. He looks like an awesome pay-up option on both sites.
Value
After failing miserably in his first start with the 76ers, Robert Covington bounced back in a big way with 16 points and six rebounds in 37 minutes. Covington is projected to play 34 minutes tonight, but that could increase if Joel Embiid is ruled out. Even at that projected playing time, Covington is projected to be the highest-owned power forward and center on DraftKings. Priced under $5,000 on DraftKings and FanDuel, Covington is a great source of value that could look even better tonight.
The Hawks have allowed the fifth-most points in the paint and 13 made 3-pointers per game this season. Covington is a typical 3-and-D player, as 70% of his field goal attempts this season have come from downtown. The rest of his attempts come at the rim, making this a good matchup for the power forward. It could be a rollercoaster ride, but he is a great value.
Fast Break
Jerami Grant is another power forward who looks much better on FanDuel than he does on DraftKings. He is second on the slate in projected ownership and Plus/Minus behind John Collins. At his $6,800 salary, Grant has a positive Plus/Minus in five of his last six games. With the Trail Blazers injuries, Grant and Shaedon Sharpe are the combos to target. Grant leads the team in scoring with a career-high 22.5 points per game. On FanDuel, he has 13 Pro Trends and a 92% Bargain Rating.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
With Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo questionable, the clear-cut pay-up option is Nikola Jokic. Despite shooting a season-low 8-for-23 from the field last game, Jokic still recorded a near triple-double with 32 points, 16 rebounds, and nine assists. Jamal Murray is out again, which makes Jokic look even better. In the last four games without Murray, Jokic has averaged 34.5 points, 16 rebounds, 9.3 assists, and 24.3 field goal attempts per game with a monstrous 38.3% usage rate.
Leading the league in rebounds with a career-high 13.9 per game, Jokic will dominate the glass in this matchup. Through 11 games, the Pelicans rank 27th in Rebounding Percentage, allowing 48.3 rebounds per game. They also rank eighth in Pace while giving up the fifth-most field goal attempts at 91.9 per game. There is a lot of opportunity for Jokic to feast against the Pelicans.
Value
John Collins has one of the biggest pricing discrepancies on the slate as he is only $5,300 on FanDuel and $6,200 on DraftKings. He has by far the highest projected Plus/Minus on FanDuel with his 96% Bargain Rating. Collins is a near-lock in cash games. He is coming off his best game of the season with 14 points, 10 rebounds, and three blocks. Collins finished with a season-high 40 FanDuel points, so his salary tonight makes no sense.
With Walker Kessler out, more usage and production will continue to be flooded to the Jazz big men. Collins has stepped up his defense significantly, averaging 2.3 blocks per game with Kessler out of the lineup. The Suns have allowed the sixth-most points per game in the paint and are an average rebounding team. A second-straight double-double is on the table.
Fast Break
Domantas Sabonis has been dominating recently and will now get the best matchup on the slate. Over his last four games, Sabonis is averaging a near triple-double with 24 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 9.8 assists per game. Now he gets a cupcake matchup against the Spurs, who rank 29th in Defensive Rating and in the bottom 10 in Rebounding Percentage and points allowed in the paint. Projected for around 15% ownership on DraftKings and FanDuel, Sabonis is a great pay-up option.
Anthony Davis was pitiful on the second leg of the Lakers’ back-to-back, scoring only nine points with five turnovers. He will look to bounce back against the Trail Blazers as LeBron James is questionable with a calf injury. Davis can post a ceiling on any slate but it would look much better without James on the floor. In his one game this season without James, Davis had a massive 30-point, 13-rebound double-double with a 28.2% usage rate. Expect a bounce-back performance from Davis.
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