Sunday features a three-game main slate starting at 6 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
De’Aaron Fox ($8,100) just faced the Rockets on Friday and went for 49.5 DraftKings points. Both the Kings and Rockets are top ten in offensive pace while being bottom five in defensive efficiency. That’s a recipe for fantasy goodies galore. The cherry on top and the frosting on the cake is that Houston boosts the FPPM to point guards by 14.61%.
Value
Jordan Poole ($5,400) should start and play a ton of minutes with Stephen Curry out. In 268 minutes with Curry off the court this season, Poole has a 32.2% usage rate, an increase of 6.8%. Granted, Klay Thompson wasn’t playing then, but Poole should still have a huge role on Sunday. Minnesota plays at the second-fastest pace in the league.
Fast Break
Jordan Clarkson ($5,500) is the microwave for the Jazz and has gone for over 30 DKFP in the last two games. He won’t contribute much outside of points and steals, but he’s chucked up at least 10 shots in 10 straight games with a high of 21. Can he score in the teens? Sure, but he also has 40-DraftKings-points upside.
Shooting Guard
Stud
Tyrese Haliburton ($7,800) isn’t a high-usage player (18.0%), but he’s dished out 12 and 10 assists over the last two games. He’s gone for at least 34 DraftKings points in five of the last six games with two above 40. This game environment is a juicy one, so there should be plenty of opportunities for fantasy goodies.
Value
Eric Gordon ($5,100) only averages 0.83 DraftKings points per minute, but he still has moments of scoring brilliance; he went for 31 points two games ago. He will normally score in the teens and land in the 20-DraftKings-point range, but the game environment will be a fantasy-friendly one and Gordon can still access a ceiling game.
Fast Break
Buddy Hield ($5,700) is another shooter who doesn’t provide much outside of points, but it’s a three-game slate, so options aren’t plentiful. Hield went for 32 DraftKings points against the Rockets on Friday, and a similar outcome could be in the works Sunday.
Small Forward
Stud
Andrew Wiggins ($6,600) seems underpriced for his role. With no Curry on the court, he sees a 4.6% usage bump to 28.6%. Minnesota is second in pace and boosts the FPPM to small forwards by 5.47%.
Value
Jeff Green ($3,800) got the start last game and produced 29.3 DraftKings points in 30 minutes. He only averages 0.7 DraftKings points per minute, so the floor/ceiling combo isn’t great, but he should get another start and play 30 minutes. Hey, he’s sub-$4,000!
Fast Break
Harrison Barnes ($6,100) has scored over 35 DraftKings points in the last two games with 35.8 against the Rockets on Friday. He’s played 38 minutes in the last two games. Barnes averages 0.89 DraftKings points per minute, but the playing time he should see with the advantageous game environment increases the probabilities of a ceiling game.
Power Forward
Stud
Jae’Sean Tate ($6,300) isn’t a high usage player but he contributes in every statistical category. Against the Kings on Friday, he contributed 17 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists, one block, and two steals in 31 minutes. That was good for 49 DraftKings points. He thrives in up-tempo environments, and this should be another one.
Value
Marvin Bagley ($5,300) has started the last 11 games. In nine games, he did not play over 30 minutes once, languished in the 20-DraftKings-point range, and scored fewer than 20 two times. Over the last two games, though, he’s played 31 and 33 minutes, going for 31.25 and 48.75 DraftKings points.
Fast Break
Otto Porter Jr. ($5,400) started last game with Draymond Green out, and Green won’t play Sunday. Porter only played 19 minutes in that start, but that was because the Warriors won by 42 points. Despite that, he put up 37.3 DraftKings points. He should play closer to 30 minutes in this one, and he went for 47.8 DraftKings points eight games ago.
Center
Stud
Nikola Jokic ($12,200) is expensive, so it will come down to projected ownership and roster construction. He averages a ridiculous 1.73 DraftKings points per minute and has one of the highest floor/ceiling combos on the slate. He’s gone for at least 70 DraftKings points seven times this season.
Value
Kevon Looney ($4,800) averages 0.96 DraftKings points per minute, but there’s volatility in his production. Over the last four games, he’s gone for 32.5, 19.25, 16.5 and 41.5 DraftKings points. His size will be needed against Karl-Anthony Towns, and the last time these teams met early in the season, Looney played 29 minutes and put up 40.75 DraftKings points.
Fast Break
Christian Wood ($8,000) has gone for at least 40 DraftKings points in each of the last two games. On Friday, he put up 43 against the Kings. I’ve talked about the game environment, but from a matchup perspective, the Kings boost the FPPM to centers by 18.04%, second-most in the league.
