Saturday features a five-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
Cole Anthony returned to the Magic’s lineup in their last game, and he wasted little time making an impact. He was limited to just 25.7 minutes, but that didn’t stop him from racking up 26 points, five rebounds, and seven assists. He also posted a 39.7% usage rate and finished with 45.75 DraftKings points.
Anthony is currently questionable with an ankle injury, but he has one of the best matchups on the slate if he’s able to suit up. He’s taking on the Pistons, who rank 22nd in defensive efficiency, and Anthony’s Opponent Plus/Minus of +1.81 ranks first at the position.
Anthony is an outstanding option on FanDuel, where his $7,400 salary comes with a Bargain Rating of 92%.
Value
Killian Hayes isn’t a particularly exciting DFS option, but he’s underpriced at just $3,400 on DraftKings. He’s coming off 29.8 minutes in his last game, and that’s a lot of playing time for someone with such a minimal salary. Hayes hasn’t been great on a per-minute basis this season – he’s averaged 0.71 DraftKings points per minute – but he should be able to pay off his salary with a comparable workload on Saturday.
Fast Break
We’re still waiting on the Jazz’s injury report, and it’s going to be extremely important on Saturday’s slate. The team was without arguably their top eight players on Friday, but only Joe Ingles and Rudy Gobert are definitely out on Saturday. There’s a chance that Mike Conley can return to the lineup, and he would be a strong option at $5,800. He’s increased his production to 1.09 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, and he would get a boost if any of the other regulars are ruled out.
LaMelo Ball continues to stand out as an excellent buy-low option on FanDuel. His price tag is down to just $8,600, resulting in a Bargain Rating of 95%, and he leads the position with 10 Pro Trends. The Hornets also lead the slate with an implied team total of 118.25 points.
Shooting Guard
Stud
Alec Burks hasn’t been very productive recently, but he’s back to playing big minutes for the Knicks. He’s logged at least 35.6 minutes in back-to-back games, including 37.5 minutes in their last contest. He finished with 27.25 DraftKings points despite shooting just 1-10 from the field, so he obviously has the potential for a better performance on Saturday.
Value
Jimmy Butler is currently questionable for the Heat, and Max Strus would be very appealing if he’s ultimately ruled out. Strus returned to the lineup in the Heat’s last game, and he racked up 31.1 minutes in his first game following a five-game absence. He was one of the Heat’s go-to scoring threats in that contest, posting a usage rate of 26.5% and finishing with 43.0 DraftKings points. Overall, Strus has increased his usage rate by +2.5% in 16 games without Butler this season – tied for the highest mark on the team – and he’s averaged 0.93 DraftKings points per minute in those contests.
Fast Break
Do you buy the Evan Fournier #RevengeGame narrative? It’s probably just a coincidence, but Fournier has absolutely torched the Celtics in their first three meetings this season. He’s averaged a Plus/Minus of -2.99 in general this season, but that figure jumps to a ridiculous +31.34 in his three games vs. his former team. Overall, he’s averaged 55.75 DraftKings points in those games, and he’s scored at least 48.75 DraftKings points in all three outings (per the Trends tool).
If Donovan Mitchell returns to the lineup for the Jazz, he’s definitely in play at just $8,200 on FanDuel. His price tag comes with a Bargain Rating of 97%, and Mitchell has posted an average Plus/Minus of +5.08 with a comparable salary since the start of last season.
Small Forward
Stud
Miles Bridges continues to stand out as underpriced on DraftKings at just $7,300. He was limited to just 25.7 minutes in his last game, but the Hornets won that game by nearly 30 points. He logged more than 41.6 minutes in his previous contest and racked up 58.5 DraftKings points. Bridges should return to his usual workload if today’s game is more competitive – he’s currently projected for 35 minutes in our NBA Models – and Bridges has averaged 1.14 DraftKings points per minute over the past month.
Value
The Bucks are still dealing with a host of absences at the moment. Five players remain in health and safety protocols – including point guard Jrue Holiday – while Brook Lopez remains sidelined with a long-term injury.
With all those players out of the lineup, the Bucks have had to turn to some unlikely sources. Wes Matthews is one of them. He’s racked up at least 28.6 minutes in back-to-back games, and he’s projected for a similar workload on Saturday. Historically, players with comparable salaries and minute projections have averaged a Plus/Minus of +3.99 on DraftKings.
Fast Break
Like Bridges, Gordon Hayward is also underpriced for the Hornets. He’s averaged 1.01 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, and he’s scored at least 34.5 DraftKings points in back-to-back games. He also erupted for 48.0 DraftKings points two games ago, so he has plenty of upside at that price tag.
Tyler Herro struggled in his last game, finishing with just 27.5 FanDuel points over 36 minutes, but he did post a 33.8% usage rate. That makes him a prime bounce-back candidate if Butler is out of the lineup once again. His matchup vs. the Suns is a tough one, but his $6,300 salary on FanDuel comes with a Bargain Rating of 95%.
Power Forward
Stud
The Bucks are on the second leg of a back-to-back, and this is a potential letdown spot after a big win over the Nets on Friday. However, Giannis Antetokounmpo was only needed for 26.8 minutes vs. the Nets, so he should be ready to go on Saturday.
The Hornets also represent a fantastic matchup for Giannis. They’ve played at the fastest pace in the league this season, and they also rank 28th in defensive efficiency.
Of course, Giannis doesn’t need a great matchup to do damage. He’s averaged a stout 1.72 DraftKings points per minute this season, and he’s increased that figure to 1.77 over the past month. He stands out as the clear top stud on a slate that is lacking for star power.
Value
Sticking with the Bucks, Jordan Nwora is another potential option. He’s seen a nice spike in playing time given all their absences, logging at least 30.8 minutes in back-to-back games. Nwora struggled in his last contest, finishing with just 17.0 DraftKings points, but he’s averaged 0.95 DraftKings points per minute over the past month. He’s projected for another 30 minutes on Saturday, making him an excellent bounce-back candidate.
Fast Break
A third member of the Bucks? Don’t mind if I do. Bobby Portis is arguably the top PF on the entire FanDuel slate at just $5,500. His salary comes with a Bargain Rating of 95%, and he’s averaged a dominant 1.14 FanDuel points per minute this season. He’s coming off 32 minutes yesterday vs. the Nets, which he parlayed into 44.4 FanDuel points. If he can do that vs. the Nets, he should have no problem returning value vs. the Hornets.
Trey Lyles is a nice value option on FanDuel, where his $4,700 salary comes with a Bargain Rating of 83%. His minutes have decreased as the team has gotten a bit healthier, but Lyles is capable of racking up fantasy points quickly. He’s averaged 1.01 FanDuel points per minute over the past month, and he’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in six straight games.
Center
Stud
Mo Bamba isn’t priced like a stud, but he has the potential to return stud-like production on Saturday’s slate. He’s been excellent this season, averaging 1.05 DraftKings points per minute, and his playing time is slowly trending upwards following a lengthy absence. He racked up 38.5 DraftKings points over 28.1 minutes in his last outing, and he could crack the 30-minute threshold on Saturday. If that happens, he’s undoubtedly underpriced across the industry.
Value
Hassan Whiteside is tough to ignore at just $3,500 on DraftKings. His production in place of Gobert on Friday was mediocre – he finished with just 20.75 DraftKings points – but he played more than 30.4 minutes. Whiteside has averaged 1.26 DraftKings points per minute this season, so he has the potential for a much bigger game on Saturday. If he can combine the increased workload with his typical per-minute efficiency, he’s going to destroy his current salary.
Fast Break
Omer Yurtseven continues to get the job done for fantasy owners. He’s posted an average Plus/Minus of +8.93 over his past 10 games on DraftKings, and he continues to pay off his increasing price tag. He’s up to a season-high $6,800 for Saturday’s matchup vs. the Suns, but Yurtseven has averaged 1.21 DraftKings points per minute over the past month. Yurtseven is projected for 32 minutes in our NBA Models, so he still seems underpriced across the industry.
Domantas Sabonis has been excellent recently, scoring at least 50.1 FanDuel points in four of his past five games. He’s taken full advantage of the absences of Malcolm Brogdon and Caris LeVert, and both players could be sidelined once again. If that happens, Sabonis will be an interesting pivot off Giannis in tournaments, who figures to command massive ownership.
