Wednesday features an 11-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
Dejounte Murray has had an incredible season for the Spurs, but he’s coming off back-to-back subpar games. He finished with just 38.75 DraftKings points Thursday vs. the Pelicans and followed that up with 38.5 DraftKings points Sunday vs. the Warriors.
That said, the Blazers are the perfect spot for him to bounce back. They’ve been one of the worst defensive teams in basketball this season, ranking 29th in defensive efficiency, and the Spurs are currently implied for 120.25 points. That’s the second-highest mark on the slate.
Value
Ja Morant has been ruled out for the Grizzlies, which means Tyus Jones will almost certainly move into the starting lineup. He’s started in place of Morant in two of the Grizzlies’ past three games, and he’s provided at least 28.5 DraftKings points in both contests. Overall, Jones has averaged 26.69 DraftKings points in 16 games without Morant this season, so there’s no reason he can’t pay off his current salary vs. the Nets.
Fast Break
Patrick Beverley stands out as another strong value at the position. He’s averaged 1.10 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, and he’s currently projected for 29 minutes in our NBA Models. The Suns don’t stand out as a great matchup on paper, but their defense is far less intimidating for point guards with Chris Paul out of the lineup. Beverley is also one of the best pure values at the position on DraftKings given his Bargain Rating of 83%.
D’Angelo Russell is another potential option for the Timberwolves. His 11 Pro Trends are tied for the top mark at the position on FanDuel, where his $6,200 salary comes with a Bargain Rating of 95%. That’s a nearly unprecedented salary for Russell, who has been priced below $6,700 on just one previous occurrence this season (per the Trends tool). Karl-Anthony Towns is also questionable, and Russell would get a significant boost if he’s ultimately ruled out.
Shooting Guard
Stud
Spencer Dinwiddie is not priced like a true stud, but he has the potential for stud-like production. Luka Doncic has been ruled out vs. the Rockets, and Dinwiddie has seen a substantial boost in value with Doncic off the floor. Since joining the Mavericks, Dinwiddie has seen a +10.9% usage bump in that situation, resulting in an average of 1.29 DraftKings points per minute. The Rockets are also arguably the best matchup in fantasy, ranking second in pace and dead last in defensive efficiency. Dinwiddie can do serious damage in this spot.
Value
The injuries at point guard on Wednesday are plentiful. De’Aaron Fox is another player who is not expected to suit up, leaving Mitchell to run the show vs. the Pacers. He thrived in that role on Monday, leading the team with a 27.9% usage rate and piling up 46.75 DraftKings points over 46.2 minutes. That game went to overtime, but Mitchell still has a chance to play 40+ minutes in an outstanding matchup vs. the Pacers.
Debating between all the guard options on Wednesday’s slate is tough, but Dinwiddie, Jones, and Mitchell stand out as elite values. Plugging all three into your lineup is very doable thanks to the multi-position eligibility, and that should be the default strategy in cash games.
Fast Break
Don’t forget about Jalen Brunson for the Mavericks. He has historically been the biggest beneficiary when Doncic has been out of the lineup, and he still figures to see a bump in value on Wednesday. Brunson is also priced at a massive discount on FanDuel, where his $5,300 salary comes with a Bargain Rating of 97%.
You probably don’t need to consider Joshua Primo on Wednesday – there’s more than enough value in the backcourt – but he’s another viable source of savings. He’s racked up at least 32.5 minutes in back-to-back games, and he’s projected for another 32 minutes in our NBA Models. Historically, players with comparable salaries and minute projections have averaged a Plus/Minus of +4.99, and he should carry much lower ownership than most of the other value guards.
Small Forward
Stud
Harrison Barnes is another player who warrants attention for the Kings. He hasn’t been quite as impactful as Mitchell on a per-minute basis of late, but he should also see a monster workload. He’s coming off 41.1 minutes in their last outing, and that was with Domantas Sabonis logging 31 minutes of his own. Sabonis is out on Wednesday, so Barnes should be extremely busy.
Value
Reggie Bullock has played an important role for the Mavericks of late, and he’s coming off 34.75 DraftKings points over 36.5 minutes in his last outing. He doesn’t figure to see nearly the same boost as Dinwiddie or Brunson with Doncic out of the lineup, but he should continue to play huge minutes at a very reasonable price tag. That’s always appealing.
Fast Break
Small forward doesn’t stand out as a great spot to spend up, but Kevin Durant is always worthy of consideration. He will have to share the court with Kyrie Irving since this game is in Memphis, but the Nets’ implied team total of 119.5 ranks third on the slate. Thank means there should be enough scoring to go around.
Justise Winslow is back for the Blazers, and he logged 30.4 minutes in his last outing. That makes him very appealing at just $5,300 on FanDuel. Winslow has averaged 1.06 FanDuel points per minute over the past month, so he can pile up fantasy points with significant playing time.
Power Forward
Stud
We’ve saved plenty of money in the backcourt, which is going to allow us to splurge a bit in the frontcourt. Paying up for LeBron James is one possibility, and he has played some of his best basketball recently. The Lakers have needed LeBron to deliver monster performances just to stay competitive, and he’s responded with at least 61.25 DraftKings points in six of his past nine games. That includes 76.75 DraftKings points in his last outing thanks to a 38-point triple-double.
Unfortunately, LeBron has a brutal matchup vs. the 76ers on Wednesday. They’ve played at the second-slowest pace in the league this season, and they also rank 10th in defensive efficiency. LeBron is capable of going off against anyone, but this game environment is not expected to be fantasy-friendly. If you are going to pay up for LeBron, you’re best of doing it on FanDuel given his Bargain Rating of 87%.
Value
The Warriors continue to play without Steph Curry, and things have been ugly in his absence. They suffered a two-point defeat vs. the Spurs on Sunday, and they managed just 90 points in Tuesday’s loss vs. the lowly Magic. They’ve fallen two games behind the Grizzlies in the standings, and they could slip further if they’re not careful.
Still, the absence of Curry does give their other players more fantasy upside. Jonathan Kuminga has seen a +1.9% usage bump with Curry off the court this season, resulting in an average of 1.01 DraftKings points per minute. His playing time has waned with Draymond Green back in the lineup, but he should see enough minutes to pay off his minimal salary vs. the Heat.
Fast Break
Chimezie Metu is another potential value option for the Kings. They’re even more shorthanded in the frontcourt than they are in the backcourt, and Metu is projected for 25 minutes in our NBA Models. He’s averaged 0.95 DraftKings points per minute this season, and he has been an awesome source of value when given the opportunity to play. Metu has historically been projected for a comparable workload in 17 previous games, and he’s averaged 22.96 DraftKings points in those outings. You’ll gladly take that production at just $3,400.
Isaiah Roby is coming off a poor performance in his last outing, but he still racked up more than 26 minutes. As long as he’s going to continue to play that much, he’s massively underpriced at $3,900 on FanDuel. He’s averaged 0.96 FanDuel points per minute this season, and he scored more than 40 fantasy points with a comparable workload two games ago.
Center
Stud
Joel Embiid stands out as the best pay-up option on this slate. While the 76ers are a terrible matchup for the Lakers, the Lakers are a great matchup for Philly. They’ve played at the sixth-fastest pace this season, and they’ve also been subpar defensively. The 76ers’ implied team total of 118.75 ranks fifth on Wednesday’s slate.
Embiid also rested in the 76ers’ last contest, so he should be fresh vs. the Lakers. His production has decreased slightly with James Harden joining the rotation, but he’s still averaged a stout 1.60 DraftKings points per minute over the past month. That’s the top mark among Wednesday’s players.
Value
On a slate loaded with value, Damian Jones stands out as arguably the best. The Kings are going to be without Sabonis and Richaun Holmes on Wednesday, leaving the team without their top two center options. Jones figures to step into the starting lineup and play heavy minutes, and he’s averaged 0.92 DraftKings per minute this season. The Pacers are also an outstanding matchup for centers, so Jones checks all the boxes.
Fast Break
Bam Adebayo is down to $7,900 on DraftKings, and that’s an appealing price tag for the talented big man. He’s averaged 1.36 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, and he draws an exploitable matchup vs. the Warriors’ frontcourt.
Mo Bamba hasn’t displayed a ton of upside recently, but he’s posted an average Plus/Minus of +6.16 over his past 10 games on FanDuel. That said, his price tag has stayed very reasonable at $4,500, resulting in a Bargain Rating of 96%. Bamba also draws a strong matchup vs. the Thunder, giving him an Opponent Plus/Minus of +3.87.
