Wednesday features a 10-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
The Nets are on the second leg of a back-to-back on Wednesday, and they will once again be playing in Brooklyn. That means no Kyrie Irving in addition to no Kevin Durant.
James Harden will be asked to carry a monster workload in their absence. He’s increased his usage rate by 7% in games without Durant and Irving this season, and he’s averaged 63.63 DraftKings points in those contests. That includes a massive outing on Tuesday, finishing with 73.0 DraftKings points thanks to 33 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists. Harden owns a tough matchup vs. the Nuggets, but he is as matchup-proof as it gets for fantasy purposes.
Value
Derrick White is coming off a disappointing 16.0 DraftKings points in his last outing, but he simply wasn’t needed in that contest. The Spurs cruised to a 30-point victory over the Rockets, which limited White to just 23.3 minutes.
He should return to his usual workload Wednesday vs. the Grizzlies. He’s currently projected for 32 minutes in our NBA Models, and White has averaged 1.08 DraftKings points per minute over the past month. That makes him a solid bet to pay off his $5,900 price tag.
Fast Break
Jalen Suggs is another strong option on DraftKings, where his $5,800 salary comes with a Bargain Rating of 88%. Suggs has had an up-and-down rookie season, but he’s put together three straight excellent fantasy performances. He’s scored at least 35.75 DraftKings points in each of those contests, and he’s increased his production to a stellar 1.14 DraftKings points per minute over the past month.
The Hawks own the best matchup of the day vs. the Kings. They rank eighth in pace and 28th in defensive efficiency, and the Hawks’ implied team total of 120.5 ranks first on the slate by a sizable margin. That makes Trae Young a viable option, especially on FanDuel given his Bargain Rating of 95%.
Shooting Guard
Stud
It has not been a pretty stretch for LaMelo Ball recently. He’s posted an average Plus/Minus of -6.75 over his past 10 games on DraftKings, and he’s failed to crack 40 DraftKings points in five of his past seven games. His playing time is down – he’s averaged just 31.9 minutes over his past nine contests – and his production has dipped to 1.27 DraftKings points per minute over the past month.
That’s caused his salary to drop drastically across the industry, making him an appealing buy-low target. He leads the position with nine Pro Trends on DraftKings, he draws a solid matchup vs. the Pacers. They rank just 21st in defensive efficiency, and the Hornets implied team total of 114.75 ranks third on the slate.
Value
Jalen Brunson is another player who has struggled recently. He’s posted a negative Plus/Minus in six straight games on DraftKings, and he’s scored 27.0 DraftKings points or fewer in each of his past four. That’s caused his salary to drop to just $5,700 for Wednesday’s matchup vs. the Blazers. Brunson continues to play big minutes for the Mavericks – he’s currently projected for 33 minutes in our NBA Models – so he has the potential to pay off this reduced price tag. The Blazers are also a fantastic matchup, ranking 29th in defensive efficiency.
Fast Break
Cole Anthony has been a bit overshadowed by Suggs recently, which has caused his price tag to plummet to just $5,300 on FanDuel. He was priced at $7,500 just three games ago, so that’s a massive reduction. Anthony has still averaged 0.99 FanDuel points per minute over the past month, so he’s an excellent buy-low target vs. the Clippers.
De’Aaron Fox’s status for the Kings is still to be determined, but he’s missed the past two games with an ankle injury. Tyrese Haliburton would deserve heavy consideration if he’s ruled out again. Haliburton was limited to just 27.5 FanDuel points over 27.3 minutes sans Fox on Tuesday, but he’s still averaged 42.77 FanDuel points in six games without Fox this season.
Small Forward
Stud
Jimmy Butler has been in and out of the lineup for the Heat this season, but his results have been stellar when he’s been on the court. He’s recorded two triple-doubles in his past four games, including a 61.0 DraftKings point performance in his last outing.
Butler draws a subpar matchup Wednesday vs. the Knicks, but his $8,500 salary on DraftKings is simply too cheap. He’s owned a comparable salary in eight previous contests this season, and he’s averaged a Plus/Minus of +6.70 (per the Trends tool).
Value
The Suns are going to be significantly shorthanded vs. the Jazz. Deandre Ayton, JaVale McGee, and Jae Crowder have all been ruled out, leaving the team particularly thin in the frontcourt.
Cam Johnson is someone who should be asked to pick up the slack. He’s been a solid fantasy producer recently, averaging 0.88 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, and he’s currently projected for 35 minutes in our NBA Models. He’s one of the best values of the day across the industry, particularly on DraftKings given his Bargain Rating of 83%.
Fast Break
Patty Mills was a disappointment for the Nets on Tuesday, but he continues to stand out in games without Irving and Durant. He’s averaged 34.5 minutes in six games without his star teammates, and he’s responded with an average of 32.0 DraftKings points per game.
The Raptors were without both Scottie Barnes and Fred VanVleet on Tuesday, and their statuses for Wednesday have yet to be determined. If both players are out once again, OG Anunoby would warrant heavy consideration at $6,800 on FanDuel. He’s racked up at least 42.1 FanDuel points in back-to-back games, and he’s played at least 41.5 minutes in three of his past four contests.
Power Forward
Stud
Giannis Antetokounmpo missed the Bucks’ last game, but he’s probable for Wednesday’s matchup vs. the Cavaliers. Antetokounmpo has played some of his best basketball recently, increasing his fantasy production to 1.84 DraftKings points per minute over the past month. He should be a slightly contrarian target on this slate given the presence of Harden and Nikola Jokic, and grabbing Giannis at reduced ownership is always appealing in tournaments.
Value
We’re going to need some value if we want to roster a true superstar on Wednesday, and Dean Wade fits the bill. The Cavaliers were without both Lauri Markkanen and Jarrett Allen in their last contest, and Wade responded with 26.75 DraftKings points over 35 minutes. Allen is currently questionable, and Wade would become an elite source of value if he’s ruled out vs. the Bucks. Wade is priced at just $3,100 on DraftKings, and it’s hard to pass up players priced near the minimum with that much playing time upside.
Fast Break
The Hornets will be another team to monitor on Wednesday. They’ve been without Gordon Hayward and Jalen McDaniels in their past two games, which has opened up a few additional minutes in the frontcourt. P.J. Washington figures to benefit if both players are out once again. He was ejected after just 3.6 minutes in their last contest, but Washington logged more than 31.2 minutes in his previous game. Washington has averaged 0.99 DraftKings points per minute this season, so he’s capable of taking advantage of a few additional minutes.
Bobby Portis has cooled off a bit recently, but he still stands out as an excellent option at $6,300 on FanDuel. He’s seen plenty of playing time this season with Brook Lopez sidelined, and he’s averaged 1.09 FanDuel points per minute. Overall, Portis has averaged a Plus/Minus of +5.36 with a comparable salary and minute projection this season.
Center
Stud
Nikola Jokic continues to be the safest investment in DFS. The only thing that can stop him is a lack of playing time in blowouts. That hasn’t been an issue recently, with Jokic scoring at least 62.25 DraftKings points in five straight games. He’s eclipsed 70 DraftKings points in three of those contests, and he went for 93.0 vs. the Clippers last Wednesday. Overall, Jokic has averaged 1.82 DraftKings points per minute this season and 1.83 DraftKings points per minute over the past month.
The only issue with Jokic is that he is very pricy. He’s up to $12,400 on DraftKings, so he costs nearly a full quarter of your cap space. Still, he leads all players in our NBA Models in median and ceiling projection. He’s a worthwhile investment if you can fit him.
Value
Bismack Biyombo is one of the strongest options on Wednesday’s slate. He’s been awesome since signing with the Suns, averaging 1.24 DraftKings points per minute, and he should see all the minutes he can handle with Ayton and McGee sidelined. He draws a tough matchup vs. the Jazz, but Biyombo racked up 37.25 DraftKings points over 31.3 minutes in his last meeting vs. Utah. He’s very hard to pass up at $5,500.
Fast Break
Speaking of the Jazz, they’re going to be without Rudy Gobert for the second straight game, so Hassan Whiteside should draw another start. He was slightly disappointing in his last outing, finishing with 28.8 FanDuel points over 32.8 minutes, but Whiteside has averaged 1.25 FanDuel points per minute this season. If he sees a comparable workload on Wednesday, his upside is sky-high.
Don’t forget about Goga Bitadze on FanDuel. His $5,500 salary comes with a Bargain Rating of 95%, and he should continue to handle most of the center minutes with Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner sidelined. He struggled in his last contest, but he racked up at least 32.3 FanDuel points in his two previous games.
