Wednesday features a seven-game slate starting at 7:00 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.
Consult the NBA Player Models directly for any updates as we get closer to lock.
NBA DFS Point Guard Picks
Stud
Tyrese Maxey got into early foul trouble last game with three fouls in the first quarter and never found his rhythm. Looking to get back on track, Maxey draws a juicy matchup against the Warriors. Since the start of the calendar year, the Warriors rank 28th in defensive rating at 121.0. In their 15 games played, they have a 7-8 record and are allowing 122.6 points per game.
With the news that Joel Embiid is out for the next 6-8 weeks, the 76ers need Maxey to play at his All-Star caliber level on a nightly basis. Maxey does have boom or bust tendencies, but his ceiling is always worth getting exposure to. With Embiid off the floor this season, Maxey has a team-high +5.42% usage rate. He has attempted 22.2 field goals per game with Embiid out of the lineup. Projected for less than 5% ownership on both sites, Maxey is a strong pay-up contrarian option tonight.
Maxey did pop up on the injury report with an illness, so make sure to monitor his status.
Value
Tre Jones has recorded a positive Plus/Minus in eight of his last 10 games. During that time, he is averaging a near double-double with 11.5 points and 8.2 assists per game. The four-year point guard leads the Spurs in assists and is shooting a career-best 49.7% from the field. Jones has also shown upside defensively, with five games of three steals in his last 11 contests. He can stuff the stat sheet, which makes his floor quite high. He is one of the best guard values on the slate.
Shockingly, the Spurs are only eight-point road underdogs against the Heat, who are playing the second leg of a back-to-back. The Spurs still have a slate-low 108.75-point implied team total, but the cheap price tag on him negates some of the matchup risk. It won’t take much for Jones to exceed his salary, especially when he is projected to play around 32 minutes.
Fast Break
The most popular point guard on DraftKings and the second-most popular on FanDuel is Immanuel Quickley. He struggled in a difficult matchup against the Pelicans last game, but he is in a fantastic spot against the Hornets tonight. The Hornets have the worst defensive rating in the league at 121.2, while opponents are shooting a league-high 50.5% from the field and 39.6% from deep. Priced in the mid-range, Quickley is a great way to get exposure to the Raptors offense implied for 116.75 points.
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
Donovan Mitchell continues to play incredible basketball lately. Over his last five games, he is averaging 31.6 points, 7.8 assists, and 55.4 DraftKings points per game while shooting 55.2% from the field. In his second year with the Cavaliers, Mitchell is averaging a career-high in rebounds and assists per game while still averaging 28.2 points per game. He is tied for a slate-high 12 Pro Trends on both DraftKings and FanDuel tonight.
Mitchell will draw one of the best matchups an opposing guard can get. The Wizards rank 28th in both defensive rating and net rating this season while playing at the fastest pace in the league at 103.23. The Cavaliers are double-digit road favorites looking for their 15th win in their last 16 games. They are the hottest team in the league, and Mitchell is the main reason why.
Value
Since returning from a minor ankle injury, Kevin Huerter has been a valuable part of the Kings offense. In his last 11 games, Huerter is averaging over 15 points per game while shooting 52.3% from the field and 44.9% from behind the arc. He has posted a positive Plus/Minus in seven of those 11 contests and has the highest projected Plus/Minus at the shooting guard position on DraftKings and third-highest on FanDuel. Priced under $6,000 on both sites, Huerter is a value in all formats.
Most of Huerter’s production comes from his perimeter shooting, which bodes well for his matchup tonight. The Pistons are allowing opponents to shoot 38.1% from downtown while allowing 122.3 points per game. The Kings have the highest total on the slate by a comfortable margin at 127.5 points. Huerter is a cheap way to get exposure to this electric Kings offense.
Fast Break
Klay Thompson has looked terrible recently, shooting 35.6% from the field and 30% from behind the arc in his last seven games. However, Thompson is not afraid to let it fly. During those seven games, Thompson had a 25.9% usage rate and attempted 18.9 field goals and 11.4 3-pointers per game. It is only a matter of time until Thompson finds his shooting stroke. The 76ers defensive rating drops from 112.6 to 120.9 without Joel Embiid, making this a bounce-back spot for Thompson.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
Getting exposure to someone on the Celtics is always a beneficial strategy, especially when they draw an elite matchup against the Hawks. Jayson Tatum is the best of the bunch, with him leading the team in usage rate, points, and rebounds this season. Jrue Holiday is questionable to play, which would boost the production for Tatum if he were to sit. Make sure to monitor his status. Tatum has a +3.11% usage rate and a +4.1 DraftKings Plus/Minus with Holiday off the floor this season.
The Celtics are double-digit home favorites in the best game environment on the slate. The total has risen to 244.5 points, with the Hawks ranking 27th in defensive rating. In his only game against the Hawks this season, Tatum scored 34 points while grabbing nine rebounds. He has been the Celtics’ leading scorer in seven straight games and is impossible to ignore.
Value
Caleb Martin hasn’t quite resurrected himself from his remarkable playoff run last season. However, he is averaging a career-high 10.2 points per game. Martin has scored double-digit points in seven of his last 11 games. Priced at $4,600 on FanDuel and $3,800 on DraftKings, Martin is arguably the best pure value on the slate. He is a staple in cash games due to his 50% projected ownership on FanDuel and 34% on DraftKings. Martin trails only Huerter in popularity on this slate.
The Spurs are one of six teams in the league who are allowing over 120 points per game this season. They rank fifth in pace and 25th in defensive rating. Projected to play around 30 minutes in this matchup, Martin is simply priced too cheap across the industry. He has small forward and power forward eligibility, making it easy to fit Martin into all lineup builds tonight.
Fast Break
Similar to his teammate Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett looks like a fantastic play in the mid-range. In his 14 games with the Raptors, Barrett is averaging a career and team-high 21.1 points per game while shooting an impressive 55.1% from the floor. He has also added 7.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game, which are also career-bests. Given the matchup against the Hornets and how well he has played recently, Barrett is a phenomenal option on both DraftKings and FanDuel tonight.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
Getting Victor Wembanyama under $9,000 on DraftKings feels like a steal. For comparison, he is $10,300 on FanDuel, which is the second-highest-priced player on the slate. Wembanyama has a positive Plus/Minus on DraftKings in 14 of his last 15 games, with nine double-doubles and one triple-double during that time. Even when his playing time is down, the ceiling is considerably high. Wembanyama ranks fourth in the league with 1.63 DraftKings points per minute this season.
This is a difficult matchup for him against a stout Heat interior defense. However, in his only game against the Heat, he still recorded a double-double with 18 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists. Despite being projected to play only 30 minutes, Wembanyama has the second-highest projected Plus/Minus on DraftKings. The price tag doesn’t make sense.
Value
Priced near the stone minimum on DraftKings, Kings forward Trey Lyles is one of the best ways to fit in the studs on this seven-game slate. Lyles has recorded a positive Plus/Minus in four consecutive games and doesn’t need to do much to pay off his $3,200 DraftKings salary. Most of Lyles’ production comes from his long-range shooting. The sniper has connected on a career-high 40.1% of his 3-point attempts this year. Nearly 75% of his field goal attempts are coming from behind the arc.
As previously discussed with Kevin Huerter, the Pistons struggle defending the 3-point arc. If Lyles can cash in on a couple of long-range attempts, he can pay off his salary and then some. He also has averaged four rebounds per game in his last four contests. Lyles even exceeded his price tag in his last game despite going 0-for-3 from downtown. He is a great value.
Fast Break
Kristaps Porzingis is another way to get exposure to the Celtics’ elite matchup against the Hawks. With Clint Capela out for the Hawks, that will open the floodgates on the glass. Porzingis is second on the team in rebounds behind Jayson Tatum. This is Porzingis’ first meeting with the Hawks this season, but he did dominate this matchup last season, scoring 32.5 points per game in his two meetings. Shooting a career-high 52.2% from the field, he is a worthy pay-up option in all formats.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
Domantas Sabonis continues to put up big game after big game. He is coming off his third triple-double in his last four games. Despite only scoring 12 points on 6-for-9 from the floor, Sabonis grabbed 19 rebounds and dished out a season-high 15 assists. He leads the slate with the highest projected ceiling on both DraftKings and FanDuel in our model. Sabonis has the highest projected Plus/Minus on both sites, which goes to show how great of a play he is tonight.
The Pistons rank 29th in defensive rating this season and can be beaten in a plethora of ways, which bodes well for the versatile center. They struggle defending the paint, allowing 55.6 points per game, which is the third-highest in the league. Jalen Duren has been an impressive second-year center for the Pistons, but he will have his hands full with Sabonis.
Value
Even with Evan Mobley back in the mix, Jarrett Allen has continued to put up massive rebounding numbers for the Cavaliers. Allen is averaging a double-double for the third season in the last five years with 15.6 points and 10.6 rebounds per game. He has recorded double-digit rebounds in 17 of his last 19 games and is averaging 13.5 per game during that time. Most of those came with Mobley injured, but he is still working his way back and is projected for only 26 minutes.
The Wizards are the ideal matchup for Jarrett Allen. They rank last in rebounding percentage at 45.2% and have allowed the second-most points in the paint at 58.1 per game. In his two games against the Wizards this season, Allen is averaging a massive double-double with 14.5 points, 15.5 rebounds, and five assists per game while shooting 70.6% from the field.
Fast Break
Opposite of Jarrett Allen in this matchup is Wizards center Daniel Gafford. Finally taking on the lead role at the center position for the Wizards, Gafford is averaging a career-high 10.8 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game. He is a career 70.4% shooter from the field and is a strong value play on tonight’s slate. Despite the difficult matchup against the Cavaliers frontcourt, Gafford is so cheap and is playing well enough to deserve consideration at this weak position tonight.
