Friday features an 11-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 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 NBA Player Models directly for any updates as we get closer to lock. Use our FanDuel promo to get three months of free NBA League Pass.
NBA DFS Point Guard Picks
Stud
Tyrese Haliburton is coming off a solid performance on opening night. He racked up 41.5 DraftKings points thanks to 26 points, four rebounds, and seven assists, and those types of stat lines should be the norm for Haliburton this season. He averaged 41.58 DraftKings points per game after being traded to the Pacers last year, and he combines excellent scoring efficiency while solid peripheral production. Haliburton averaged closer to 10 assists per game with the Pacers last season, so he has some room for improvement in that department moving forward.
Haliburton has been priced up a bit on DraftKings for this slate, but he remains one of the best values among the stud point guards.
Value
Tre Jones is going to have the opportunity to break out in his third professional season. He started for the Spurs at point guard in their first game of the year, and he averaged an outstanding 1.12 DraftKings points per minute. He finished with a +7.91 Plus/Minus, and the only reason it wasn’t better is that he was limited to 24.3 minutes in a blowout. The Spurs are going to play in plenty of blowouts this season, but Jones should still see closer to 28-30 minutes on most nights. That makes him a steal at just $4,900.
Fast Break
Kevin Porter Jr. went off on opening night, finishing with 21 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, and two steals en route to 43.75 DraftKings points. He averaged 1.29 DraftKings points per minute, and Porter has historically been an excellent producer in that department. He averaged 1.08 DraftKings points per minute last season, so he clearly has some upside at $7,000. KPJ leads the position with 12 Pro Trends in what should be an extremely fast-paced game vs. the Grizzlies. Both teams ranked in the top three in pace last year, and the total on this game sits at 232.5 points.
This year’s version of the Jazz barely resembles the teams that were a staple of the top of the Western Conference standings in recent years. Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert are gone, and they didn’t really bring in much to replace them. Collin Sexton came off the bench on opening night, leaving Mike Conley to run the show for most of the game. Conley is not the same player he was in his prime, but he still averaged around a fantasy point per minute last year. He’s currently projected for 32 minutes in our NBA Models, making him a strong value at just $5,400 on FanDuel.
NBA DFS Shooting Guard Picks
Stud
Desmond Bane isn’t someone you’d typically consider a stud, but he has the potential to play like one for the shorthanded Grizzlies. Jaren Jackson Jr. and Dillon Brooks are both currently sidelined, and Bane saw a +4.3% usage bump with both players off the court last season. He averaged 1.11 DraftKings points per minute in that situation, and he’s currently projected for 34 minutes vs. the Rockets.
In addition to playing fast, the Rockets also ranked dead last in defensive efficiency last season, which is the perfect combination for fantasy purposes. The Grizzlies’ implied team total of 119.5 ranks first on the slate, and most of the squad is priced reasonably. Bane is just $6,300 on FanDuel, resulting in a Bargain Rating of 91%, but he’s usable across the industry.
Value
Devin Vassell was one of the most popular players on Wednesday’s slate, but it did not go well. He finished with just 20.5 DraftKings points, resulting in a negative Plus/Minus at his $4,600 price tag.
However, there were some positives to take away from that performance. For starters, he posted a 27.6% usage rate, which represents a massive increase from his mark of 18.9% last year. Vassell was also extremely aggressive hunting his shot during the preseason, and the Spurs are going to need him to score given their current roster construction. Vassell simply didn’t make any shots in his first game, finishing just 3-15 from the field and 0-8 from 3-point range.
That makes Vassell a prime bounce-back candidate on this slate. He should be able to smash his current salary with a reasonable shooting performance, and he has a sizable ceiling if he has a hot shooting night. This game between the Pacers and Spurs is also strong matchup from a Vegas perspective given the 232.5-point total.
Fast Break
Devin Booker is coming off more than 40.6 minutes on opening night in a game that didn’t go to overtime. That may have been a bit of a statement game given how badly they lost to the Mavericks in Game 7, but it’s noteworthy nonetheless. Booker and Mikal Bridges own the top two minute projections at SG on FanDuel, making both players viable options.
Terry Rozier is going to have to do a ton of heavy lifting for the Hornets with LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges both unavailable for the time being. He posted a 31.2% usage rate in their first game and averaged an outstanding 1.43 DraftKings points per minute. He was limited to just 29.7 minutes in a blowout win, but he’s expected to see closer to 34 minutes Friday vs. the Pelicans.
NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
Zach LaVine remains out for the Bulls, which means the coast is clear for DeMar DeRozan to assume another monster workload. DeRozan is one of the top bucket-getters in the league, and he had it all working in a difficult matchup vs. the Heat on opening night. He posted a 31.0% usage rate and responded with 37 points, nine assists, six rebounds, two steals, and one block.
If anything, that 31.0% usage rate is probably a bit lower than you can expect on Friday. DeRozan posted a 36.9% usage rate in 13 games without LaVine last year, and he averaged 48.8 DraftKings points in those contests. That means that even if he isn’t quite as efficient as he was vs. the Heat, he should make up for it with increased volume. DeRozan is a fantastic stud target on DraftKings, where his $8,700 salary comes with a Bargain Rating of 93%.
Value
Cameron Johnson left the Suns first game of the year with quad cramps, but he’s not listed on the injury report for Friday. That means he should be a full go, which is good news for the Suns and fantasy players. The Suns need Johnson more than usual with Jae Crowder sidelined, and he averaged 0.91 FanDuel points per minute before exiting vs. the Mavericks. He should see a few more minutes on Friday if his quad cooperates, and his $4,300 on FanDuel comes with a Bargain Rating of 92%.
Fast Break
Josh Hart is one of my favorite players in fantasy. He’s an outstanding rebounder for his size, and he stuffed the stat sheet with 19 points, seven boards, five assists, and one steal on opening night. That’s not new for Hart, who provided 0.99 DraftKings points per minute last season. Hart is currently projected for 36 minutes in our NBA Models, and he averaged a Plus/Minus of +6.20 with a comparable salary and minute projection last year (per the Trends tool).
Michael Porter Jr. was minimally involved for the Nuggets on opening night, posting just a 19.1% usage rate. That should increase moving forward. The positive is that he was on the floor for nearly 35.4 minutes. Porter is a very efficient scorer, so he can do some damage with that much playing time.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
Jayson Tatum draws a tough matchup Friday vs. the Heat, but he’s simply too cheap at $8,800 on DraftKings. It results in a Bargain Rating of 99%, and Tatum racked up 61.0 DraftKings points in a tough matchup vs. the 76ers in his first game of the year.
Tatum is already one of the best scorers in basketball, and he should have to do a bit more work on the glass for the Celtics this season. They’re without Robert Williams, and the team doesn’t have a ton of depth in their frontcourt. Tatum pulled down 12 boards vs. the 76ers, which is fantastic news for his fantasy value.
Ultimately, Tatum owns the fourth-highest ceiling projection in our NBA Models but just the 13th-highest salary on DraftKings. That’s a nice combination.
Value
Myles Turner injured his ankle during pregame warmups on Wednesday, and he’s set to miss at least a week. If that isn’t a perfect encapsulation of Turner’s career to date, I’m not sure what is. Terry Taylor drew the start at power forward in his absence, and he racked up just over 24 minutes of playing time. He averaged 0.91 DraftKings points per minute last year, making him a viable put play at just $3,600.
Fast Break
Keldon Johnson was easily the Spurs’ best player in their first game of the year, racking up 1.54 DraftKings points per minute. He finished with 45.75 DraftKings points in less than 30 minutes, and he wasn’t even particularly efficient as a scorer. The only thing stopping him from a monster year is the fact that the Spurs are actively trying to lose games. He’s been priced up a bit for Friday’s contest vs. the Pacers, but he’s still underpriced across the industry.
There was arguably no bigger surprise on opening night than Santi Aldama. He drew a start at power forward for the Grizzlies, and he played an outstanding game. He finished with 38.7 FanDuel points, and he saw nearly 39 minutes in the overtime win. Aldama should continue to play a significant role for the Grizzlies given their injury situation, and his $4,300 salary on FanDuel comes with a Bargain Rating of 93%.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
Deandre Ayton did what he seemingly always does in his first game of the year. He played a disappointing 30.4 minutes, but that didn’t stop him from scoring 36.5 DraftKings points. Unfortunately, Ayton’s playing time is always going to be an issue, but he still stands out as underpriced across the industry. Even if he plays just 30 minutes vs. the Blazers, that should be more than enough to pay off his salary given his average of 1.17 DraftKings points per minute.
Value
I’m not sure why Alperen Sengun isn’t starting at center for the Rockets, but it makes Bruno Fernando an interesting DFS option for the time being. He averaged 1.23 DraftKings points per minute in limited playing time last year, and he racked up 1.31 DraftKings points per minute in his first game of the season. He’s expected to see around 24 minutes again on Friday, making him a nice source of value across the industry.
Fast Break
DeRozan got most of the attention for the Bulls in their first game of the year, but don’t overlook what Nikola Vucevic brought to the table. He racked up 46.75 DraftKings points, despite shooting just 5-13 from the field. He’s not going to be that inefficient very often. He’s underpriced at just $7,500 on DraftKings, and he’s currently projected for less than eight percent ownership. That makes him one of my favorite tournament options of the day.
Speaking of tournament options, this could be the rare opportunity to target Nikola Jokic at virtually no ownership. He’s coming off a dreadful performance to start the year, but he averaged 1.84 DraftKings points per minute last season. No one in fantasy can match his upside, so targeting him at sub-5% ownership is almost always a smart idea.
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