Thursday features a four-game 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
Kevin Durant is expected to return to the lineup on Thursday, which means James Harden could be a bit of an afterthought. He’s dominated with Durant out of the lineup recently, scoring at least 75.5 DraftKings points in each of his past two games, but his production has been mediocre when sharing the court with Durant. He averages just 1.21 DraftKings points per minute in that situation.
However, Harden still owns the top ceiling at a relatively thin position on Thursday. There’s also a chance that Durant could be limited in his return to action, so Harden could see more minutes than usual without Durant.
Value
The Magic are still dealing with a host of absences. They’re expected to be without Cole Anthony, Terrence Ross, and Chuma Okeke on Thursday, while Jalen Suggs remains out with a long-term injury.
That leaves R.J. Hampton to handle most of the point guard responsibilities. He’s increased his production to 0.83 DraftKings points per minute with Anthony, Ross, and Suggs off the court this season, and he has the potential to play much more than usual. He’s currently projected for 34 minutes in our NBA Models, making him a steal at just $3,900.
Fast Break
The 76ers are nearing a return to full strength, but they’re still going to be without Danny Green and possibly Shake Milton on Thursday. Tyrese Maxey’s price tag has come crashing back to reality on DraftKings, and his $5,600 salary represents a decrease of -$1,400 over the past month. Maxey has averaged 0.87 DraftKings points per minute this season, so he can pay off this reduced price tag.
Spencer Dinwiddie has thrived with Bradley Beal out of the lineup recently, and Beal is questionable once again on Thursday. If Beal remains out, Dinwiddie becomes one of the top options at the position. He’s arguably still in play even with Beal active on FanDuel, where his $6,300 salary comes with a Bargain Rating of 94%.
Shooting Guard
Stud
Shooting guard doesn’t stand out as a great position to spend up at on Thursday. Will Barton is probably the most appealing “stud” at $5,700 on DraftKings. He’s scored at least 30.25 DraftKings points in three straight games, and he should continue to serve as the Nuggets’ No. 2 option behind Nikola Jokic. He’s fared well in that role this season, averaging 0.94 DraftKings points per minute. His price tag has also dropped by -$1,000 on DraftKings over the past week, so he doesn’t need to do quite as much to return value.
Value
The Cavaliers are getting desperate at point guard. They’ve now lost both Collin Sexton and Ricky Rubio to season-ending injuries, and Darius Garland remains out due to health and safety protocols. That means they’re going to have to look at some unconventional options at the point on Thursday.
Isaac Okoro could be one of them. He played 30.6 minutes in his return to the lineup on Tuesday, and he was starting to come into his own before being shut down for health and safety protocols. He’s increased his production to 0.73 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, and he should see plenty of playing time vs. the Wizards.
Fast Break
If Beal is able to return to the lineup vs. the Cavaliers, he could be worth some consideration on FanDuel. He will likely garner minimal ownership, and his $8,300 salary comes with a Bargain Rating of 98%. Beal has historically provided excellent value at that price tag, posting an average Plus/Minus of +3.47 since the start of the 2019-20 season (per the Trends tool).
Kevin Pangos could also be asked to see some minutes at point guard for the Cavs. He’s not projected for quite as many minutes as Okoro in our NBA Models, but he’s been slightly more effective on a per-minute basis. He’s also cheaper at just $3,900 on FanDuel and is a more natural fit at point guard.
Small Forward
Stud
Franz Wagner continues to play well in his rookie season. He’s coming off the best game of his career on Tuesday, finishing with a career-high 38 points and 56.25 DraftKings points. That game came in a 17-point loss vs. the Bucks, and he’ll be facing the same opponent on Thursday. I wouldn’t expect a repeat performance, but he should carry another sizable workload for the shorthanded Magic. He’s averaged 1.05 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, so he should be able to pay off his $7,000 price tag.
Value
Lauri Markkanen stands out as a nice option for the shorthanded Cavaliers. In addition to all their absences in the backcourt, Jarrett Allen and Cedi Osman are also expected to miss Thursday’s matchup vs. the Wizards. That opens up a few additional minutes for Markkanen. His production has waned a bit recently, but he’s still averaged a respectable 0.86 DraftKings points per minute this season.
Fast Break
Denzel Valentine is another potential target for the Cavs. He’s displayed ability as a distributor in the past, so he could see some minutes at point guard on Thursday. He’s already grabbed a handful of minutes recently – he’s played at least 23.8 in three straight games – and he’s displayed a ceiling of nearly 40 fantasy points. Valentine is an excellent tournament option at just $3,300 on DraftKings given his Bargain Rating of 99%.
Andrew Wiggins returned to the Warriors lineup in their last game, and he wasted little time making an impact. He racked up 39.1 FanDuel points over 32 minutes, resulting in a Plus/Minus of +14.78. Wiggins has averaged 0.96 FanDuel points per minute this season, so he can definitely pay off his $6,000 price tag.
Power Forward
Stud
Giannis Antetokounmpo has suited up in each of the past two games for the Bucks, but they haven’t really needed to unleash him yet. He’s played less than 30 minutes in both contests, which obviously caps his upside.
Still, Giannis is capable of doing some serious damage in limited minutes. He racked up 63.0 DraftKings points vs. the Celtics on Christmas in less than 30 minutes, so he still has one of the highest ceilings on the slate. The Magic are a poor defensive team, ranking 26th in defensive efficiency, and the Bucks’ implied team total of 116.0 is the top mark on the slate.
Value
Dean Wade is another player worth considering for the Cavaliers. He should also see a bump in playing time in the frontcourt, and he’s extremely cheap at just $3,700 on DraftKings. He’s currently projected for 32 minutes in our NBA Models, and players with comparable salaries and minute projections have historically averaged a Plus/Minus of +4.34. Wade has also seen a nice uptick in production recently, averaging 0.79 DraftKings points per minute over the past month.
Fast Break
Franz has gotten most of the attention for the Wagner brothers this season, but Mo is also in play on Thursday. He returned to the lineup in their last game, and he has the potential to carve out a decent role. He’s currently projected for 26 minutes in our NBA Models, and while that’s probably a bit optimistic, Wagner doesn’t need that much playing time to pay off a $3,200 price tag. He’s averaged 1.00 DraftKings points per minute this season, so he can return value in less than 20 minutes.
Tobias Harris is one of the most consistent producers at the position. He’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in four straight games, culminating with 53.4 FanDuel points in his last outing. He’s priced at a massive discount on FanDuel, where his $7,400 salary comes with a Bargain Rating of 97%.
Center
Stud
Center is easily the strongest position on today’s slate. There are strong options at each level of the pricing spectrum, starting with Nikola Jokic up top. Jokic is coming off a “disappointing” 59.5 DraftKings points in his last outing, but he’s still been the clear top player in fantasy this season. He’s averaged a dominant 1.82 DraftKings points per minute, and he’s been at his best recently. Prior to his last outing, he had scored at least 61.5 DraftKings points in eight of his previous ten games. His salary has decreased by -$500 for Thursday’s rematch vs. the Warriors, so he’s an outstanding buy-low target.
Value
The Wizards have split the center minutes evenly between Daniel Gafford and Montrezl Harrell this season, but Harrell is currently out of the lineup. That means Gafford gets a massive bump in value. He logged 36.4 minutes in his last outing, and he unsurprisingly racked up 36.25 DraftKings points. Gafford has averaged 1.04 DraftKings points per minute this season, so I would expect similar production on Thursday’s slate. He’s one of the strongest options across the industry.
Fast Break
The Warriors are playing without Draymond Green at the moment, so Kevon Looney has the chance to play a few additional minutes. Looney has logged at least 26.4 minutes in back-to-back games, and he’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in both. He doesn’t possess much of a ceiling, but he’s a very safe bet to return value at just $3,600 on DraftKings.
I honestly feel a bit bad for Joel Embiid. He’s always the bridesmaid and never the bride, with Jokic commanding far more attention at the center position. However, that works to our advantage in DFS. Embiid has averaged 1.60 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, so he’s a viable pivot off Jokic in tournaments.
