Saturday features a six-game main slate starting at 8 p.m. ET.
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 was a major disappointment yesterday, finishing with just 36.5 FanDuel points over 34.9 minutes. Still, Doncic posted a usage rate of 40.4% in that contest, and he has been a nice source of production recently. He’s posted a positive Plus/Minus on FanDuel in six of his past eight games.
He’ll get a chance to redeem himself Saturday vs. the Grizzlies. It’s an excellent matchup, with the Grizzlies ranking dead last in defensive efficiency. The Mavericks are currently implied for 112.25 points, which is tied for the second-highest mark on the slate.
Doncic could also post another higher usage rate than usual if Kristaps Porzingis is ruled out. He missed yesterday’s contest, but his status for Saturday is still TBD.
Value
Dennis Smith Jr. should be one of the highest-owned players on Saturday’s slate. Not only is starting point guard Damian Lillard out of the lineup, but backup Anfernee Simons is also dealing with an injury. That should leave plenty of playing time for DSJ, who has historically been an excellent per-minute producer. He’s currently projected for 24 minutes in our NBA Models, and Smith has historically averaged a Plus/Minus of +7.14 when projected for at least 20 minutes with a comparable salary (per the Trends tool).
Fast Break
Jrue Holiday will also be a popular target on Saturday. The Bucks are expected to be without Giannis Antetokounmpo for the second-straight game, and Holiday is one of the biggest beneficiaries with him off the court. He’s averaged a team-high 1.34 DraftKings points per minute in that situation dating back to the start of last season.
I’m going to go out on a limb and say that the Grizzlies won’t win Saturday’s matchup vs. the Mavericks by 70+ points. That should be a positive for the entire team from a fantasy perspective, including De’Anthony Melton. He stands out as one of the better pure values at the position on DraftKings given his Bargain Rating of 86%, and he should continue to benefit from the absence of Ja Morant.
Shooting Guard
Stud
Paul George has been priced down to $9,100 on FanDuel, and he has plenty of appeal at that price tag. It results in a Bargain Rating of 96%, and his 10 Pro Trends are tied for the most at the position. George has struggled a bit recently – his fantasy production is down to 1.14 FanDuel points per minute over the past month – but he’s shot just 38.2% from the field and 23.0% from 3-point range over his past seven games. He remains one of the highest usage players in basketball, and his fantasy numbers should bounce back when his shooting numbers do.
George is in an excellent spot Saturday vs. the Kings, who rank 28th in defensive efficiency.
Value
Jaylen Brown missed the Celtics last game, and his status for Saturday is still unknown. If he’s forced to miss another game, Dennis Schroder will be an elite option on FanDuel. He’s priced at just $5,200, and Schroder has averaged 0.87 FanDuel points per minute with Brown off the court this season. Schroder logged 38.8 minutes yesterday, so that’s more than enough production to pay off his current salary.
Fast Break
Ben McLemore is another potential source of value for the Blazers. He’s priced at the absolute minimum on DraftKings, and he’s coming off 27.4 minutes in his last game. He’s scored at least 21.5 DraftKings points in back-to-back games, and he’s averaged 0.88 DraftKings points per minute over the past month.
C.J. McCollum will be worth additional consideration for as long as Lillard is sidelined. He’s increased his usage rate by +4.8% with Lillard off the court this season, and he’s increased his usage rate by +9.5% without Lillard and Simons.
Small Forward
Stud
Khris Middleton is another member of the Bucks who would benefit from Antetokounmpo’s absence. He hasn’t been quite as good as Holiday on a per-minute basis, but he’s still averaged 1.32 DraftKings points per minute with Antetokounmpo off the court. He posted a usage rate of 31.6% with Antetokounmpo out of the lineup on Thursday, which was his highest mark over the past nine games.
Value
The Spurs should have plenty of minutes available on the wing on Saturday. Devin Vassel and Doug McDermott are both doubtful, and they’ve combined for 50.2 minutes per game.
Keldon Johnson should absorb a few of those minutes, making him an appealing option. He’s averaged 0.88 FanDuel points per minute this season, and he’s currently projected for 34 minutes in our NBA Models. He’s underpriced at just $5,300 on FanDuel, resulting in a Bargain Rating of 76%.
Fast Break
Norman Powell is yet another potential option for the Blazers. He was able to suit up in the Blazers’ last game despite a questionable designation, and he’s been removed from the injury report on Saturday. That means he should return to his usual workload, and he will benefit from the absence of Lillard. He’s increased his usage rate to 28.0% with Lillard and Simons off the court this season, so he carries more upside than usual.
Terence Davis played a season-high 29.9 minutes in his last contest, and he responded with a season-high 38.0 DraftKings points. He’s priced at just $3,500 on DraftKings, resulting in a Bargain Rating of 99%. Davis should see another slightly larger workload than usual with Harrison Barnes and Moe Harkless out of the lineup, making him an appealing value.
Power Forward
Stud
Kevin Durant continues to stand out as underpriced on FanDuel, where his $10,800 salary comes with a Bargain Rating of 89%. He’s been excellent this season, averaging 1.30 FanDuel points per minute, and he routinely carries one of the largest workloads in the league. He’s played at least 37.1 minutes in six straight games, and he’s logged at least 39 minutes in three of them. Durant is projected for 37 minutes in our NBA Models, which is the top mark at the position.
Value
The Grizzlies have provided plenty of fantasy value recently, and they could provide even more on Saturday. Kyle Anderson has already been ruled out, while Brandon Clarke is questionable. Add those two injuries to Morant, and the team could be without three key contributors vs. the Mavericks.
That could open up some additional playing time for Santi “Claus” Aldama. He’s averaged a stout 1.03 DraftKings points per minute this season, and he dominates our NBA Models in terms of value at the position. He owns the top mark in Plus/Minus projection and points-per-dollar projection, and he’s coming off 40.5 DraftKings points over 28.5 minutes in his last outing.
Fast Break
Jaren Jackson Jr. is also in play for the Grizzlies. He’s been an absolute monster on a per-minute basis recently, averaging 1.26 FanDuel points per minute. He’s one of the few players who’s capable of racking up multiple made 3-pointers and blocked shots in the same game, giving him massive upside. He was red hot in the Grizzlies last game, finishing with 43.1 FanDuel points over just 20.3 minutes.
LaMarcus Aldridge has been a huge part of the Nets’ success this season. He’s averaged 1.11 FanDuel points per minute, and he’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in five of his past seven games. His production has been a bit down recently, but he played 34.4 minutes in the Nets’ last game. If he continues to see that much playing time, he’s a steal at just $5,600.
Center
Stud
Center is typically one of the strongest positions in DFS, but that’s not the case on Saturday. Only one player is priced above $7,600 on DraftKings, and that’s Nikola Vucevic. He’s struggled at times this year, but he’s been rolling recently. He scored 30 points two games ago, resulting in 62.5 DraftKings points, and he followed that up with a 27-point performance vs. the Knicks. He wasn’t quite as good from a fantasy perspective in that matchup, but his rebounding numbers were weaker than usual. Vucevic owns the top ceiling at the position, so he’s the clear option if you’re paying up.
Value
Richaun Holmes has been underpriced all year on DraftKings, and Saturday is no exception. His $6,000 salary comes with a Bargain Rating of 86%, and he’s scored at least 35.75 DraftKings points in his past two games. Holmes has averaged 1.12 DraftKings points per minute this season, and he’s currently projected for 32 minutes in our NBA Models.
Fast Break
Serge Ibaka is back for the Clippers, and he’s coming off a season-high 29 minutes in his last outing. If he’s going to continue to play that much moving forward, he’s going to provide excellent value at just $3,600 on DraftKings. Ibaka also owns one of the better individual matchups at the position, resulting in an Opponent Plus/Minus of +1.17.
Al Horford got off to a torrid start this season, but he has cooled down a bit recently. However, he bounced back in a big way in the Celtics’ last game, finishing with 46.7 FanDuel points over 34.4 minutes. He would be a nice option if Brown is ruled out again.
