After a lighter Monday night schedule, the NBA is busy this Tuesday with 11 games on the schedule. The first nine of those games make up the main DFS fantasy basketball slate for the evening, leaving out the pair of games that start at 10:00 p.m. ET. Of the 18 teams on the main slate, the Nets, Pistons and Knicks are the second night of back-to-back games. The Bulls, Cavaliers, Mavericks, Timberwolves and Pelicans are on the front half of their back-to-back games and will each be back in action on Wednesday.
At this point of the season, monitoring the latest injury news throughout the day is extremely important. As updates are released, be sure to refresh the NBA Models for the latest updates and adjustments.
Let’s dive into some of the top plays on the slate using the FantasyLabs tools and projections.
Also, don’t forget that for large-field tournaments, you can utilize our Lineup Optimizer to effortlessly create up to 300 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 NBA Player Models directly for any updates as we get closer to lock.
NBA DFS Point Guard Picks
Stud
With Trae Young (finger) sidelined, it’s Dejounte Murray’s time to shine for the Hawks. Murray has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all players on the slate on both DraftKings and FanDuel in what should be a great spot for him against the Jazz on Tuesday night. He has the second-highest median and ceiling projections of all point guards on both DraftKings and FanDuel, but he comes at a very affordable salary of $8,900 on both sites.
Murray had 25 points, 11 assists, and nine rebounds on Sunday in his first game without Young due to this injury. He also exceeded salary-based expectations on both DraftKings and FanDuel on Friday in the game in which Young sustained the injury. With Trae off the court this season, Murray has a team-high 28.2% usage rate and has produced 1.32 DraftKings points and 1.28 FanDuel points per minute. In his six games this season without Young, Murray has averaged 51.8 DraftKings points and 49.4 FanDuel points while playing 37.5 minutes per game.
The Jazz are a great matchup for Murray, and he should be an outstanding piece to build around with a very high ceiling as he takes over the helm for the Hawks and tries to keep them in the playoff race.
Value
One of the breakout players in the first two months of 2024 has been Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu. Dosunmu has stepped up for Chicago and will look to continue his emergence on Tuesday night in a favorable home matchup against the Pistons. Dosunmu has an 84% Bargain Rating on DraftKings, where he has the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus at point guard and the highest at shooting guard. On FanDuel, his salary has climbed over $6,000, but he is still in the top five in Projected Plus/Minus at both positions.
Dosunmu has scored double-digit points in 16 of his last 17 games, averaging 15.8 points in 33.3 minutes per game. He has added strong non-scoring numbers to that production as well, averaging 0.86 DraftKings points and 0.84 FanDuel points per minute. He has exceeded salary-based expectations in four of his last five games, including three games of at least 19 points.
The Pistons are coming off a very tough loss last night, and the Bulls will look to pile on to their misery. It should be a good spot to grab at least one or two players from the Bulls, and Dosunmu has proven to be a great place to start.
Fast Break
Luka Doncic continues to put up massive numbers and is always a strong play to build around. He has produced a ridiculous 1.80 DraftKings points and 1.70 FanDuel points per minute over his 12 games the last month with a 35.3% usage rate. Even with Kyrie Irving in the mix, Luka’s ceiling remains sky-high in Tuesday’s matchup with the Cavs. He has the highest ceiling, median, and floor projection of all point guards and the second-highest projections in those categories on the entire slate, behind only Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Maybe his All-Star Game MVP will be the start of a big finish to the season for Damian Lillard. The superstar point guard has the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus at the position on FanDuel and the seventh-highest on DraftKings. He has exceeded salary-based expectations in each of his two games since the break while helping Milwaukee to wins over the Timberwolves and 76ers. Against Charlotte, he should be in a smash spot Tuesday night.
If you’re looking to save salary at point guard, Vasilije Micic is one of the bargain plays that jumps out. He has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all point guards under $5,000 on both DraftKings and FanDuel. He has an 84% Bargain Rating on DraftKings, where his salary is only $4,000, and he brings the fourth-highest Projected Plus/Minus of all point guards. Since joining the Hornets in the Gordon Hayward trade, Micic has scored double-digit points in three of four games, producing 0.97 DraftKings points and 0.9 FanDuel points per minute in 21.5 minutes per game.
Don’t forget to check out our NBA SimLabs Lineup Generator to create advanced DFS lineups using the power of simulation:
NBA DFS Shooting Guard Picks
Stud
As the Timberwolves host the Spurs, Anthony Edwards is in position for a huge Tuesday night. He has the second-highest median and ceiling projections at shooting guard on DraftKings and the third-highest on FanDuel. The Spurs have been a great matchup for opposing guards all season long, and Edwards had 32 points and 12 assists the last time the two teams met, as the Spurs pulled off the one-point upset. The Wolves will look to avenge that loss exactly one month later in this rematch.
Edwards has been playing at an elite level all season, but he has found another gear over his last eight games. He has exceeded salary-based expectations in each of those eight games on both DraftKings and FanDuel. During that span, he has an Average Plus/Minus of +9.3 DraftKings points and +10.4 FanDuel points and produced 1.16 DraftKings points and 1.12 FanDuel points per minute.
With elite numbers coming into a cushy matchup, Edwards is a strong pay-up option at shooting guard who brings both a high floor and a high ceiling. His Timberwolves have the third-highest implied team total on the slate this Tuesday.
Value
While Dejounte Murray has the best Projected Plus/Minus on the slate, he’s not the only player on the Hawks who will get a chance to step up while Young is sidelined. Bogdan Bogdanovic will move into the starting lineup and should also be a good play against the Jazz on Tuesday night. Bogdanovic has the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus at shooting guard and small forward on FanDuel and the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus at shooting guard on DraftKings as well.
Bogdanovic has exceeded salary-based expectations in three of his last four games overall, including a solid 17-point performance against the Magic in his most recent contest on Sunday. In the six games he has played without Young this season, he has averaged 28.1 DraftKings points and 26.1 FanDuel points in 34.9 minutes per game.
Fast Break
Donovan Mitchell has the highest ceiling, median, and floor projection of all shooting guards on DraftKings and the second-highest in those categories on FanDuel, behind only Dejounte Murray. Mitchell has been outstanding for the Cavs all season but missed the first two games after the All-Star break with an illness. He eased back into the rotation on Sunday against the Wizards but played 36 minutes. With the Cavs healthier in general, he should be able to share the load more, but he still brings a great ceiling in Tuesday’s fun showdown with Luka and the Mavs.
As a midrange option on the salary structure, Collin Sexton continues to stand out as a strong play for the Jazz. He has scored at least 16 points in six straight games and produced 1.25 DraftKings points and 1.19 FanDuel points per minute over that span. He added 10 assists and four steals on Sunday against the Spurs and flashed his high ceiling with a 35-point outburst against the Warriors just before the break.
The Wizards are dealing with multiple injuries on the wing, but someone should emerge as a good value once we know who’s in and who’s out. Landry Shamet (neck) stepped up with 15 points in 37 minutes on Sunday against the Cavs and would be a good bargain play if he plays through his questionable tag. Bilal Coulibaly (pelvis) is out, while Deni Avdija (heel) and Corey Kispert (illness) are also questionable, leaving the situation very up in the air.
Be sure to check out all the pick’ems Sleeper has to offer with Sleeper Fantasy promo code LABS1 for a $500 deposit match.
NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
With Zach LaVine (foot) missing most of the season, Demar DeRozan has been carrying the Bulls and continues to be a great option for fantasy since he has a high ceiling compared to his salary. DeRozan has the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus on the entire slate on both DraftKings and FanDuel this Tuesday, behind only Dejounte Murray. He and the Bulls catch the Pistons on the second night of a back-to-back and should be in a favorable matchup as a result.
DeRozan has scored at least 18 points in eight straight games and 14 of his last 15, dating back to just over a month ago. In those 15 games, he has averaged 1.04 DraftKings points and 1.04 FanDuel points per minute while playing a massive 39.3 minutes per game with a 25.4% usage rate. He has exceeded salary-based expectations in 10 of those 15 games on DraftKings and 11 on FanDuel.
He also exceeded salary-based expectations in each of his two games this season against the Pistons, including a 29-point performance in their most recent meeting in mid-November. Since he’s playing so many minutes, DeRozan is relatively low-risk and still brings a great ceiling from under $8,000 on both sites.
Value
The Warriors have the highest implied team total on the board this Tuesday night for their matchup with the Wizards, and their rotation will be fascinating to watch with Chris Paul available to re-enter the mix. While that does bring an element of the unknown, Andrew Wiggins is still a very strong value at small forward. He has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all small forwards under $6,000 on FanDuel and also ranks in the top 10 overall in Projected Plus/Minus at the position on DraftKings.
Wiggins has exceeded salary-based expectations on FanDuel in eight of his last nine games, averaging 0.99 DraftKings points and 1.01 FanDuel points per minute in 26.8 minutes per game over that stretch. He had 20 points against the Lakers on Thursday after the break and 14 points on both Saturday and Sunday in Golden State’s back-to-back.
He and Brandin Podziemski seemed to be settling into solid roles and good production over the last couple of weeks, but now CP3’s return could put them in a bit of a logjam for playing time. While that is a concern going forward, Paul hasn’t played in so long that Wiggins should be a good value in this matchup while Paul eases back in.
Fast Break
The Celtics have come out of the All-Star Break looking absolutely dominant. Jayson Tatum continues to lead the way but is also getting plenty of help. Boston has the second-highest implied team total on the night in their home matchup against the 76ers, and Tatum offers the highest median, ceiling, and floor projection at small forward on both DraftKings and FanDuel. He also had the third-highest Projected Plus/Minus at small forward on both sites.
In addition to his teammates DeRozan and Dosunmu (discussed above), Alex Caruso is a solid value play for the Bulls. He’s a point guard and shooting guard on FanDuel, ranking in the top six in Projected Plus/Minus at each position, and on DraftKings, he can move over to small forward, where he has the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus behind only DeRozan.
As a punt play at small forward, Julian Champagnie continues to get good playing time for the Spurs. He has exceeded salary-based expectations in seven of his last nine games on DraftKings, where his salary is still under $4,000. On FanDuel, his salary is $4,100, but he has exceeded salary-based expectations in seven of his last 10 games. He’s not a high-usage player, but he continues to start and get enough minutes to be a strong bargain option if you opt to go extremely cheap at small forward.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
On the entire 18-team slate, no player has a higher floor, median or ceiling projection than Giannis Antetokounmpo on both DraftKings and FanDuel. Giannis is priced up on both sites but still brings an elite upside to what should be an awesome matchup for him at home against the Hornets.
In each of his two games since the All-Star break, Giannis has posted 30-point double-doubles while leading the Bucks to road wins over the Timberwolves and 76ers. He fell just one assist short of a triple-double in Sunday’s win in Philadelphia. He has scored at least 30 points in four of his last five games and has six straight double-doubles. On the season, he has produced an impressive 1.69 DraftKings points and 1.64 FanDuel points per minute while playing a heavy workload of 35.1 minutes per game.
For as long as Khris Middleton is sidelined, Giannis and Dame will continue to operate their effective two-man game for the Bucks. The Hornets are unlikely to have any answers for the superstar duo on Tuesday, with the only real risk being that the matchup turns into a blowout before Giannis can rack up huge numbers. Our projections don’t indicate that will happen, though, with Giannis projected for 31.9% usage in 35.8 minutes.
Value
The Jazz traded Kelly Olynyk at the trade deadline, opening up playing time and usage for John Collins and their first-round pick, Taylor Hendricks. Hendricks has the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus of all power forwards on FanDuel, and Collins ranks fifth at the position. Both Collins and Hendricks rank in the top seven in Projected Plus/Minus at the position on DraftKings as well.
Collins has exceeded salary-based expectations in 13 of his last 14 games on both DraftKings and FanDuel, producing 1.25 DraftKings points and 1.24 FanDuel points per minute over that span in 28.6 minutes per game. He is a great midrange play under $7,000 on both sites in this matchup with the Hawks.
Hendricks is an even cheaper option and has averaged 6.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 20.6 minutes over his last five games. He moved into the starting lineup in each of his two games since the All-Star break and played over 25 minutes, producing 0.79 DraftKings points and 0.77 FanDuel points per minute in that small sample size.
Fast Break
Zion Williamson always seems to flourish at Madison Square Garden, where he and the Pelicans catch the Knicks on the second night of a back-to-back this Tuesday. Williamson has exceeded salary-based expectations in eight of his last 10 games on both DraftKings and FanDuel, averaging 1.36 DraftKings points and 1.37 FanDuel points per minute over that stretch. Especially with the Knicks dealing with injuries in the frontcourt, Williamson could break through for a big game Tuesday night.
For the Celtics, Kristaps Porzingis has been a beautiful fit this season. He has a 91% Bargain Rating on DraftKings for Tuesday’s matchup with the Sixers and ranks fourth at power forward and third at center in Projected Plus/Minus on that site. Over the last month, he has averaged 1.34 DraftKings points and 1.33 FanDuel points per minute.
Aside from Hendricks, there aren’t many awesome power forward bargains. Jaden McDaniels is a low-usage, high-minutes option for the Timberwolves, and P.J. Washington is fitting in nicely with the Mavs. They are the top two options behind Hendricks in Projected Plus/Minus with salaries under $5,000 on FanDuel. Simone Fontecchio also sneaks into that category on DraftKings with his $4,900 salary.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
It has been so much fun to watch the emergence of Victor Wembanyama as a fantasy force this season. The hyped rookie has always had a high fantasy salary, but he has been living up to it recently with multiple jaw-dropping stat lines. Wemby has the highest ceiling, median, and floor projection at center on FanDuel and ranks only behind Giannis in those categories on DraftKings. He has an 88% Bargain Rating on DraftKings, where his salary is still just under $10,000.
Building on a strong season already, his last five games have been nothing short of spectacular. He exceeded salary-based expectations on DraftKings in each of those contests, averaging 2.18 DraftKings points and 2.30 FanDuel points per minute while playing 30.8 minutes per game over that short sample size. During those five games, he has a 10-block performance, along with at least five blocks in four of those games and four double-doubles.
He and Karl-Anthony Towns have had a fun back-and-forth matchup a few times this season, and Wemby will look to stay rolling in their rematch this Tuesday in Minnesota. He’s by no means a cheap option, but his ceiling is incredibly high in so many ways that he’s worth paying up for if possible.
Value
Draymond Green is still very affordable, especially on DraftKings, and he is a strong mid-salary option to build around in this very favorable matchup against the Wizards. Green has the highest Projected Plus/Minus at center on DraftKings and the second-highest at power forward. He is a little more expensive on FanDuel, but he still ranks in the top seven in projected Plus/Minus at both positions.
Green doesn’t usually score many points but does chip in good numbers in multiple other categories. His overall production has resulted in 1.21 DraftKings points and 1.21 FanDuel points per minute in his last 10 games. He’s flashed a higher ceiling if his scoring gets going but brings a high floor; however, this matchup plays out.
Fast Break
In his good matchup against the Pistons, Nikola Vucevic has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all centers on FanDuel and the second-highest on DraftKings. He has exceeded salary-based expectations in eight of his last nine games on both DraftKings and FanDuel by averaging 1.18 DraftKings points and 1.14 FanDuel points per minute and logging a huge workload of just under 37 minutes per game.
John Collins (discussed above) is a strong mid-range option at center, along with Brook Lopez of the Bucks and Marvin Bagley of the Wizards. Bagley has shown good upside and remains under $6,000 on DraftKings, although he will have to contend with Draymond in Tuesday’s matchup, making Lopez a little safer play even though his ceiling is a little lower.
If you need to go cheap at center, Bruno Fernando stands out as one of the best options. Clint Capela is still ramping back up after his injury, and now Onyeka Okongwu (toe) is sidelined for multiple weeks. Fernando has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all centers with salaries under $5,000 on FanDuel and DraftKings. His salary is only $3,800 on DraftKings, where he brings a strong 88% Bargain Rating.
