Friday features a seven-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
Damian Lillard has had a down season, but he’s picked up his play recently. He returned to the lineup eight games ago, and he’s posted a positive Plus/Minus on FanDuel in six of them. He’s increased his production to 1.16 FanDuel points per minute over the past month, and no one at the position is projected for more than his 39 minutes.
Lillard also owns an excellent matchup vs. the Lakers. They’ve played at the fastest pace in the league this season, and Lillard leads all point guards with an Opponent Plus/Minus of +3.34. He’s also underpriced at $9,100, resulting in a Bargain Rating of 98%.
Value
The Cavaliers are desperate at point guard. Things are so bad that the team traded for Rajon Rondo, but he’s not going to be available on Friday.
Instead, the team will have to rely on the combo of Kevin Pangos and R.J. Nembhard. Neither player was particularly impressive on Thursday, but both players saw at least 21.4 minutes. That makes them very reasonable at their current price tags.
Fast Break
Derrick White has been forced into a larger role recently with Dejounte Murray sidelined, and he has thrived from a fantasy perspective. He’s increased his production to 1.15 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, and he’s scored at least 43.5 DraftKings points in two of his past three games. He’s one of the best pure values of the day on DraftKings, where his $6,800 salary comes with a Bargain Rating of 95%.
The Heat are another team with plenty of minutes available on Friday. They have eight players currently in health and safety protocols, and another five players are out with injuries. That doesn’t even include Jimmy Butler, who’s questionable with an ankle injury.
There’s a legit chance this game is postponed, but if it isn’t, Kyle Guy should see plenty of playing time. He’s a bit of a wild card – he’s yet to suit up in any game this season – but he has the potential to be one of the best values at the position.
Shooting Guard
Stud
Sticking with the Heat, Tyler Herro should be thrust into a monster workload on Friday. He’s currently projected for 39 minutes in our NBA Models, and that’s a conservative estimate. He’s averaged 1.05 DraftKings points per minute, so he can do some damage with that much playing time.
Herro should also be a bit more productive on a per-minute basis than usual. Even if Butler suits up, the team is still without Kyle Lowry, Bam Adebayo, Duncan Robinson, and a host of their other regulars. Herro has increased his usage rate by +6.1% with Lowry, Adebayo, and Robinson off the court this season, resulting in an average of 1.22 DraftKings points per minute.
Value
Where would the Lakers be without Malik Monk? That’s a sentence I never thought I’d write in 2021, but the Lakers are in bad shape at the moment. Their old, decrepit roster hasn’t given LeBron James any help, so Monk has had to step up. He’s logged at least 31.5 minutes in three straight games, and he’s increased his production to 0.88 DraftKings points per minute over the past month. He’s a strong value at just $4,500 on DraftKings.
Fast Break
The Hawks are still a bit thin on the wing, so Cam Reddish should be looking at another expanded role. He’s currently projected for 36 minutes in our NBA Models, and his $5,400 salary on FanDuel comes with a Bargain Rating of 96%.
Desmond Bane has had a phenomenal sophomore season for the Grizzlies. He’s increased his production to 1.09 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, and he’s scored at least 41.5 DraftKings points in two of his past three games. He’s a very reasonable midrange option at $6,800 on DraftKings, and his ownership will likely be modest.
Small Forward
Stud
Butler is one of my favorite options on today’s slate if he’s able to suit up. Some might be wary of Butler given his questionable designation, but the Heat are going to have to lean on him if he’s active. It’s not like he’s coming off an extended layoff either; he was in the lineup the last time the Heat took the court. He racked up 65.1 FanDuel points over 35.6 minutes in that contest, and he’s averaged a stout 1.44 FanDuel points per minute over the past month. Factor in the elite matchup vs. the Rockets and a 95% Bargain Rating, and Butler looks like one of the top studs on the slate.
Value
If you can’t tell, the Heat are the top team target on today’s slate. Paying up for Butler makes sense on FanDuel, but going down to Caleb Martin makes the most sense on DraftKings. He’s priced at just $4,300, resulting in a Bargain Rating of 97%, and he’s currently projected for 39 minutes in our NBA Models. He’s also averaged 0.93 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, so he has excellent upside for his price tag.
Fast Break
David Nwaba is another potential source of value at the position. He’s coming off 33.2 minutes in the Rockets’ last outing, and he responded with 25.25 DraftKings points. Nwaba has averaged 0.93 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, so he has the potential for an even better performance if he sees that much playing time again on Friday.
Lauri Markkanen has posted a positive Plus/Minus in three straight games, and he racked up 30.6 FanDuel points in his last outing. The Cavaliers were blown out in that contest, which limited Markkanen to just 26.2 minutes. He should see a few additional minutes if Friday’s game is more competitive, and his $5,400 salary on FanDuel comes with a Bargain Rating of 91%.
Power Forward
Stud
The Lakers’ struggles have meant that LeBron James has had to carry a larger workload than expected. He’s done everything for them recently, which has led to some fantastic fantasy performances. He’s scored at least 61.8 FanDuel points in five of his past six games, including each of his past four. There’s no reason to expect anything different on Friday. Overall, LeBron leads the position with 11 Pro Trends on FanDuel, where his $11,200 salary comes with a Bargain Rating of 94%.
Value
Devin Vassell could be a nice source of value for the Spurs. He’s been strong on a per-minute basis this season, averaging 0.89 DraftKings points per minute, and he should see a few additional minutes with Murray out of the lineup. He’s currently projected for 28 minutes in our NBA Models, which makes him a nice option at just $4,000.
Fast Break
Kyle Anderson disappointed a lot of fantasy owners in his last game. He finished with just 16.0 DraftKings points, but there are reasons for optimism with Anderson on Friday. He did see a nice spike in playing time in his last contest – he racked up 29.9 minutes – but his per-minute production was way down. Anderson has averaged 1.03 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, so he should improve with that much playing time moving forward.
Nassir Little is another interesting bounce-back target. He’s emerged as one of the Blazers’ best secondary scorers, but he was limited to just 23.1 minutes in his last outing. He had logged at least 33.9 minutes in each of his two previous games, and he’s projected for 34 minutes on Friday. He’s averaged 0.89 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, so his fantasy production should bounce back with his minutes.
Center
Stud
Center is usually one of the most top-heavy positions in fantasy, but it’s a bit thinner than usual at the top on Friday. However, Rudy Gobert is worth some consideration at $9,100 on FanDuel. He’s been excellent recently, posting an average Plus/Minus of +5.08 over his past 10 games, and he draws a strong matchup vs. the Timberwolves. It results in an Opponent Plus/Minus of +2.61, and the Jazz lead the slate with an implied team total of 117.25 points. His 10 Pro Trends are also tied for the top mark at the position.
Value
Omer Yurtseven is the final stop on our tour of the Heat’s available players. They’ve tried a few different options at center in place of Adebayo, but Yurtseven has emerged as the best of the bunch. He’s played at least 32.5 minutes in back-to-back games, and he’s averaged 1.11 DraftKings points per minute over the past month. That makes him an elite source of value at the position.
Fast Break
Steven Adams stands out as underpriced on FanDuel. He’s priced at just $4,800, resulting in a Bargain Rating of 87%, and he’s racked up at least 34.8 FanDuel points in two of his past three games. The exception was his last contest, making him an interesting bounce-back candidate.
Serge Ibaka is back for the Clippers, but he’s still playing limited minutes. However, his minutes figure to increase moving forward, and he’s historically been an excellent producer on a per-minute basis. He’s priced at just $3,200, so any additional playing time on Friday gives him the chance to be a difference-maker on DraftKings.
