Wednesday features a nine-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 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
Tyrese Haliburton is coming off his 17th double-double of the season, by far the most of any guard in the league. He is averaging a career and league-high 12.3 assists and 26.3 points per game this season while shooting 54.1% from the field and 44.3% from behind the arc. Due to his recent stretch of great games, Haliburton is now priced at $11,100 on DraftKings, which is the highest salary he has been all season. The price tag may be a sticker shock, but it is deserving in this matchup.
Haliburton played the Bucks in the In-Season Tournament semi-finals and recorded a near triple-double with 27 points, 15 assists, and seven rebounds while shooting 11-for-19 from the field. This game has by far the highest total on the slate at 258.5 points. Getting exposure to this game environment is a necessity, and Haliburton is one of the best options to do so.
Value
Raptors point guard Dennis Schroder has the highest Projected Plus/Minus at the point guard position on DraftKings and the second-highest on FanDuel. His dip in salary on DraftKings to $6,000 comes after a 20-point, 10-assist double-double with four steals. He now gets a cupcake matchup tonight against the Hawks, who are allowing the second-most assists at 28.3 per game. In his first season with the Raptors, Schroder is leading the team with a career-high seven assists per game.
The Hawks rank 27th in defensive rating and third in pace, making this an elite matchup for Schroder. This game total has now risen to 240.5 points. The Raptors are 1.5-point home favorites, implied for 121 points. Schroder has been a volatile scorer, which has kept his salary in check. Keep Schroder’s exposure to tournaments, but he is way too cheap in this spot.
Fast Break
Jalen Brunson saw his minutes rise to 39 and posted a near double-double with 21 points and nine assists in the last game with Immanuel Quickley sidelined. He is questionable again tonight, so monitor his status the closer we get to lock. Brunson has displayed a spike game of 63+ FanDuel points in two of his last seven games and will get a great matchup against the Jazz, who rank 26th in defensive rating. He is projected to be the highest-owned point guard on FanDuel by a wide margin.
NBA DFS Shooting Guard Picks
Stud
Terry Rozier has recorded a positive Plus/Minus in five straight games. Over that time, Rozier has averaged 28 points, 10.6 assists, and 53.4 DraftKings points per game with a 28.5% usage rate. With LaMelo Ball still sidelined, Rozier is the player to target for the Hornets. They are coming off a close two-point loss against the Heat but will get an opportunity to avenge that loss in a rematch in Miami. The Hornets are eight-point road underdogs but have proven to be competitive in this spot.
Rozier erupted last game for a 34-point, 13-assist double-double while shooting 10-for-17 from the field and making a season-high eight made 3-pointers. Coming in around 5% ownership, Rozier is a strong contrarian pay-up option that is playing at a high level recently. The Heat are still playing without Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo, which hurts their defense significantly.
Value
OG Anunoby is another Raptors guard worth getting exposure to in this matchup against the Hawks. Anunoby is projected for the highest Plus/Minus on DraftKings at all positions with his sub-$6,000 salary. He is also projected for a slate-high 44% ownership, which is 10%+ more than the next closest player. Despite having inconsistent production, Anunoby is a near-lock in cash games with that type of ownership. It helps that Anunoby is coming off a season-high 29 points in his last outing.
Anunoby and Schroder can be played together in all lineup formats due to their cheap salaries across the industry. They are behind Pascal Siakam and Scottie Barnes in the pecking order, but Anunoby and Schroder are still averaging over 15 points per game this season. Against the Hawks’ pitiful defense, everyone can eat. Anunoby is deservingly popular tonight.
Fast Break
Buddy Hield continues to look like a stronger play on FanDuel than DraftKings due to his cheap $5,800 salary. Hield has a 93% Bargain Rating and is in the best game environment on the slate. The Bucks have a tough interior defense but can be beaten on the perimeter, which is where Hield thrives. Over 65% of his field goal attempts this season have come from behind the arc. Hield can get hot in a hurry and is a great value play with his dual eligibility. Prioritize Hield on FanDuel in this spot.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
Zion Williamson had one of his best games of the season on Monday night but is questionable for tonight’s game. If Williamson is ruled out, that will open the door for extra usage and production to Brandon Ingram. With Williamson off the floor this season, Ingram has a +4.19% usage rate and a +3.52 DraftKings Plus/Minus. Priced at $7,800 on both sites, Ingram is impossible to ignore, with the highest Projected Plus/Minus on FanDuel and the third-highest on DraftKings.
In the three games that Ingram has played without Williamson this season, he is averaging 26.7 points per game with a 34.8% usage rate. The Pelicans draw the best matchup on the slate, with the Wizards ranking dead last in defensive rating and second in pace. They are allowing a league-high 126.3 points per game, with opponents shooting 50.5% from the field.
Value
Austin Reaves is the value small forward to target for the second straight night after putting up 22 points, eight assists, and five rebounds last night. Reaves finished with over 40 DraftKings points for the fourth time this season. Normally a difficult position to fill, there are a plethora of mid-range small forwards that look viable on this slate. Given the matchup against the Spurs, this also could be a spot where one of LeBron James and Anthony Davis sits on the second leg of a back-to-back.
The Spurs are another brutal defensive team that ranks 25th in defensive rating and fourth in pace. The Lakers are six-point road favorites, which seems to imply one of James or Davis taking the night off. Reaves looks like a great play in this spot, regardless.
Fast Break
Jimmy Butler got back on track last game against the Hornets with 23 points, eight assists, and 43 DraftKings points. He plays the Hornets again tonight, still without Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro. One of these days, Butler is going to break the slate with a massive triple-double. This is the matchup to do so, with the Hornets ranking 29th in defensive rating. His production has been inconsistent lately, but Butler, without two of the Heat’s best players, is a great player to target tonight.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
Giannis Antetokounmpo had a slow start to the season but is firing on all cylinders right now. Over his last seven games, Giannis is averaging 32.3 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 63.9 DraftKings points per game, while shooting a ridiculous 65.6% from the field. He has also been a tenacious defender with 13 steals and 12 blocks during that time. Giannis has the third-highest usage rate in the league at 33.2% and is scoring over 30 points per game for the second consecutive season.
This matchup against the high-paced Pacers sets up perfectly for Giannis to have a ceiling game. The Pacers are allowing a league-high 63.5 points per game in the paint this season, which is where he dominates. He is averaging a career-high 61.7% shooting from the field and has taken one less 3-pointer per game.
Giannis is attacking the rim with a vengeance lately.
Value
Isaiah Stewart is playing his second straight game without Jalen Duren and Marvin Bagley. He is coming off a 13-point, seven-rebound game against the Pacers in 33 minutes. Projected to play 33 minutes again tonight. Stewart has the highest projected ownership for power forwards on FanDuel. Priced at $5,400 on FanDuel, Stewart has an 88% Bargain Rating with power forward and center eligibility. Stewart’s size will be needed against the best-scoring big man in the league tonight.
The major downside to Stewart is the Pistons flat-out stink. They have lost 20 consecutive games and are threatening the NBA record, which is currently 28 losses in a row. The Pistons are double-digit home underdogs against the 76ers, implied for only 111.25 points. It is difficult to get exposure to anyone on the Pistons, but Stewart does make sense for a value option.
Fast Break
Julius Randle leads the slate with 14 Pro Trends on FanDuel and 12 Pro Trends on DraftKings. Similar to Giannis, Randle had a slow start to the season but is coming on strong as of late. In his last seven games, Randle is averaging 28.1 points and 9.1 rebounds per game. He has flirted with a triple-double several times and will now get a matchup against a Utah Jazz frontcourt that may be without Walker Kessler and John Collins. Randle is another worthy pay-up option in all formats.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
Joel Embiid has the highest projected ceiling on the slate for both DraftKings and FanDuel tonight. He continues to lead the league in scoring with 33.4 points per game with a massive 36.5% usage rate. Embiid has scored at least 30 points in eight consecutive games and is averaging 11.5 rebounds per game over that time. Even with his price tag rising, Embiid doesn’t seem expensive enough. He has posted a positive Plus/Minus in seven of his last eight games and is an elite pay-up option.
He will battle against an undersized Pistons frontcourt that is still without Jalen Duren. In their last three games without Duren, the Pistons have allowed 62 points per game in the paint. Their rebounding numbers have also taken a massive hit. The 76ers are 12-point road favorites, but Embiid has displayed his ceiling even when only playing three quarters this year.
Value
Jonas Valanciunas would also benefit if Zion Williamson is ruled out. Valanciunas is projected for the highest Plus/Minus on FanDuel and the second-highest on DraftKings for all centers. Priced in the mid-range on both sites, Valanciunas will draw an elite matchup against the Wizards frontcourt with Daniel Gafford questionable. Gafford missed the last game, and the Wizards lost by 27 points. Even if Gafford plays, this is a fantastic matchup for the big man from Lithuania.
The Wizards have allowed the second-most points in the paint this season with 59.8 per game. They also rank last in rebounding percentage by a wide margin at 44.3%. They are allowing a league-high 49.7 rebounds per game, which is the highest by nearly three rebounds per game. Even in 30 projected minutes, Valanciunas will feast on this Wizards frontcourt.
Fast Break
Victor Wembanyama has displayed incredible upside with five straight double-doubles, averaging 18.2 points and 14.2 rebounds per game. Over that time, Wembanyama also has four or more blocks in four of his five games. His defensive upside makes him look great on FanDuel despite the $9,900 price tag. However, he also looks awesome on DraftKings at $8,800 with a 91% Bargain Rating. This is a fantastic spot for Wembanyama against the Lakers that could look even better.
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