Tuesday features a five-game slate starting at 7 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 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
The first week or so of the NBA season was great, but we’re starting to get into the thick of things. There are plenty of big names on the injury report, so there’s plenty to monitor heading into lineup lock.
LeBron James is currently listed as questionable, and while he’s been able to play in the past two games, there’s always a chance he could sit. The Lakers are taking on the Rockets on Tuesday, so this seems like a particularly good matchup for him to miss.
If that happens, Russell Westbrook becomes an elite option. He’s increased his usage rate by 6.5% in two games without LeBron this season, resulting in an average of 56.13 DraftKings points per game.
Value
The Bucks are playing extremely shorthanded at the moment. Khris Middleton, Jrue Holiday, and Brook Lopez are all out of the lineup, opening up plenty of minutes and shot attempts for the rest of the roster.
George Hill has been one of the biggest beneficiaries. He’s played at least 30.4 minutes in three straight games, and he’s scored at least 22.25 DraftKings points in all three. He’s projected for a similar workload vs. the Pistons, and his $3,800 salary comes with a Bargain Rating of 86%.
Fast Break
Kevin Porter Jr. is an interesting buy-low option at the position. He hasn’t been as dominant this year as he was down the stretch last season, but he’s still averaged a respectable 0.83 FanDuel points per minute. He’s coming off more than 36 minutes in his last contest, and his matchup vs. the Lakers results in an Opponent Plus/Minus of +5.56.
Mike Conley also seems underpriced at $5,500 on FanDuel. The Jazz have been careful with Conley’s minutes to start the year, but he’s historically averaged a Plus/Minus of +4.85 with a comparable salary (per the Trends tool). The Jazz also lead the slate with an implied team total of 115.25 points.
Shooting Guard
Stud
Donovan Mitchell is another potential option for the Jazz. His price tag has dropped by -$1,000 since the start of the year on FanDuel, and his $8,000 salary comes with a Bargain Rating of 94%. Historically, Mitchell has averaged a Plus/Minus of +2.95 with a comparable price tag.
Mitchell’s numbers are down to start the year, but there’s no real cause for concern. He’s actually on pace to set a new career-high in usage, and his assist and rebound rates are in line with his marks from last season. His shooting numbers haven’t been great through his first six games – he’s shot just 40.3% from the field and 31.0% from 3-point range – so he’s a strong bet for improvement moving forward.
Value
Grayson Allen should also provide some value for the Bucks. He’s coming off 31.3 minutes in his last game, and he posted a season-high 22.6% usage rate. He’s a viable option vs. the Pistons, who rank 21st in defensive efficiency.
Fast Break
Eric Gordon is coming off a season-high 30.5 minutes in his last contest, and he’s currently projected for around 27 minutes in our NBA Models. That makes him an interesting option at his price tag across the industry. Gordon is one of the Rockets’ offensive focal points when he enters the game, so he’s capable of racking up fantasy points quickly.
Luka Doncic has SG eligibility on FanDuel, which is where he’s most viable on Tuesday. He leads the position with 11 Pro Trends, and his $10,400 salary comes with a Bargain Rating of 92%. His per-minute production is down a bit to start the year – he’s averaged 1.31 FanDuel points per minute – but he remains one of the best players in fantasy. He’s historically averaged a Plus/Minus of +3.34 with a comparable salary, so this is a nice buy-low opportunity.
Small Forward
Stud
Jimmy Butler has been insanely good to start the year. He’s scored at least 49.75 DraftKings points in each of his past four games, and he’s racked up fantasy points in a variety of ways. Overall, he’s averaged 1.41 DraftKings points per minute, which is the top mark at a position that includes Luka and LeBron.
Butler’s salary has increased over that time frame, but he remains priced at a discount on DraftKings. His $9,100 salary comes with a Bargain Rating of 88%, and he’s a full -$2,000 cheaper than Doncic. This game between the Heat and Mavericks isn’t all that appealing for fantasy – the total sits at just 210 points – but Butler still warrants heavy consideration.
Value
Jordan Nwora let down a lot of people on Sunday. He checked in with massive ownership for the short-handed Bucks, but he ultimately finished with just 7.25 DraftKings points. That should make his ownership a bit more reasonable on Tuesday, but Nwora still figures to play a larger role for the short-handed Bucks. He’s averaged 0.79 DraftKings points per minute to start the year, and he doesn’t need to do much to pay off his current salary.
Fast Break
Nickiel Alexander-Walker is one of the best pure values at the position on FanDuel, where his $6,100 salary comes with a Bargain Rating of 91%. He’s been excellent to start the year, posting an average Plus/Minus of +3.97, and he would see a boost in value if Brandon Ingram is sidelined. Ingram is currently questionable, and NAW has increased his usage rate by +13.1% with Ingram off the court this season.
Bojan Bogdanovic should command minimal ownership for the Jazz, but he owns the same elite matchup as Conley and Mitchell. He’s scored at least 29.0 DraftKings points in two of his past three games, making him a solid option at $5,000.
Power Forward
Stud
Giannis Antetokounmpo struggled without his star running mate in his last game, but he’s still arguably the biggest stud in fantasy. He’s averaged 1.74 DraftKings points per minute this season, and he’s playing a bit more than usual given the team’s injury situation. He’s logged at least 34.1 minutes in four straight games after averaging 33.0 minutes or less in three straight seasons. A “bad” game for Giannis is around 50 fantasy points, so he’s the safest option in DFS.
Value
Very rarely is the brother stack a recommended fantasy play, but it’s extremely viable Tuesday on DraftKings. Thanasis Antetokounmpo is priced at just $3,100, and he’s coming off an awesome performance in his last outing. He finished with 31.75 DraftKings points over 32.1 minutes, and he’s projected for a similar workload on Tuesday.
Overall, stacking the Antetokounmpo brothers costs just $14,700, but that combination could easily give you 90+ fantasy points.
Fast Break
Christian Wood remains an excellent value on FanDuel. Not only is he underpriced – his $7,900 salary comes with a Bargain Rating of 87% — but his PF/C eligibility makes him easier to fit into your lineups. His matchup vs. the Lakers also grades out favorably, resulting in an Opponent Plus/Minus of +3.06.
Bobby Portis is yet another potential Bucks’ value. His playing time inched up to 19.2 minutes in his last game, and Portis has historically been awesome on a per-minute basis. He’s at just 0.87 FanDuel points per minute to start the year, but he was well over 1.00 in that department last season.
Center
Stud
Rudy Gobert’s start to the season has been underappreciated. He has been dominating on the interior on a nightly basis, averaging 16.3 points, 17.2 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game. He’s averaged a career-high 43.44 FanDuel points through his first six games, and he’s averaged 1.40 FanDuel points per minute.
He’s in a potential smash spot Tuesday vs. the Kings. They’ve struggled against opposing centers to start the year, giving Gobert an Opponent Plus/Minus of +5.59. He’s also underpriced at just $8,200 on FanDuel, resulting in a Bargain Rating of 73%.
Value
Dwight Powell has been starting at center for the Mavericks this season, but his per-minute production has been disappointing. That said, he’s coming off a season-high 33 minutes in his last game, and he finished with 12 points, eight rebounds, one assist, one steal, and one block. You’ll definitely take that kind of production at $4,000 on DraftKings. The Mavericks will be without Maxi Kleber once again on Tuesday, and Kristaps Porzingis is also questionable. That means Powell should be looking at another increased workload.
Fast Break
Bam Adebayo sat out the Heat’s last game, and he’s currently questionable vs. the Mavericks. That said, he’s underpriced on DraftKings if he suits up. He’s priced at just $7,500, resulting in a Bargain Rating of 93%, and he’s averaged an excellent 1.37 DraftKings points per minute this season.
Richaun Holmes is going to have his hands full with Gobert on Tuesday, but he continues to be underpriced on DraftKings. His $6,300 salary comes with a Bargain Rating of 93%, and he’s coming off a monster performance in his last outing. He played just 26.6 minutes, but that didn’t stop him from 43.75 DraftKings points.
