Wednesday features a six-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
Luka Doncic has the highest projected ceiling on this six-game slate by over 10 fantasy points on both DraftKings and FanDuel. The caveat is that he is questionable to play, so we need to monitor his status throughout the day. Tonight features the first leg of the Mavericks back-to-back before they go on the road to play in Minnesota tomorrow night. If Doncic plays, he is the best pay-up option by far. The Mavericks are 3.5-point home favorites against the Cavaliers, implied for 117 points.
Doncic is coming off his best game of the season with 50 points, 15 assists, six assists, four blocks, three steals and 97.5 DraftKings points. He shot a ridiculous 15-for-25 from the field, 8-for-16 from behind the arc, and made all 12 free throws.
He continues to rank second in the league in scoring and usage rate and is a top priority if he is able to suit up tonight.
Value
Dennis Schroder has been a streaky fantasy producer but finds himself in the best matchup on the slate against the Wizards. Priced in the low mid-range, he is one of the best values at the point guard position. He is projected to play 34 minutes and has displayed an upside worth getting exposure to. In his first season with the Raptors, the journeyman point guard is averaging 14.2 points and a career-high 6.8 assists per game. He has five points and assists double-doubles.
The Wizards are the best matchup for an opposing player. They lead the league in pace and rank dead last in defensive rating at 121.3. The Raptors are 6.5-point road favorites, implied for the second-highest total on the slate at 122.5 points.
Schroder is a cheap way to get exposure to the Raptors offense and is a great piece in a balanced build on both sites.
Fast Break
Tyrese Maxey has yet to have an explosion game without Joel Embiid, but he will get another opportunity tonight. With Embiid off the floor this season, Maxey has a team-high + 6.76% usage rate with it climbing to 33.5%. His production has been lacking without the reigning MVP, but it is only a matter of time. Priced under $9,000 on DraftKings and FanDuel,
Maxey will once again get the keys to the Cadillac. The monster game is on the horizon. Will it be tonight?
NBA DFS Shooting Guard Picks
Stud
Another questionable player who looks like an elite pay-up option tonight is Cavaliers’ shooting guard Donovan Mitchell. Due to an illness, Mitchell has sat out the last three games and hasn’t played since Dec. 18th. The long rest would think he is a go tonight, but make sure to check back in to see if he went through the shootaround. Before his illness, Mitchell was dominating with three consecutive games of over 50 DraftKings points and playing 40+ minutes in each game.
The Mavericks are a completely different matchup this year and years past. They rank eighth in pace and 23rd in defensive rating this season, allowing 117.8 points per game. Averaging a team-high 27.7 points per game, Mitchell can exploit this matchup with his scoring.
With 10 Pro Trends on both sites, Mitchell is worth paying up for if he is able to play tonight.
Value
De’Anthony Melton is another 76ers guard worth getting exposure to. He is much cheaper than Tyrese Maxey and has been much better with Joel Embiid not in the lineup. With Embiid off the floor this season, Melton has a team-high +11.43 DraftKings Plus/Minus and is second on the team with a +6.75% usage rate. Melton is coming off one of his best games of the season, stuffing the stat sheet with 15 points, seven rebounds, five assists, four steals, and 42.25 DraftKings points.
Projected to play around 32 minutes, Melton is one of the best values on the slate. His point guard and shooting guard dual eligibility makes him easy to fit into all lineup builds. Melton is averaging a career-high in scoring and distributing this season and can tap into his potential without Embiid on the floor.
He has a 24.6% usage rate without Embiid versus 16.3% with him.
Fast Break
Devin Booker has recorded five straight games with a negative Plus/Minus on DraftKings and FanDuel. However, Bradley Beal remains out, and a bounce-back game is inevitable. Over his last five games, Booker is shooting only 43.4% from the field. However, he has scored 20+ points in 10-straight games and is coming off a 20-point, 10-assist double-double. The upside is still attainable for Booker, especially given his 30.8% usage rate. He looks even better if Mitchell is unable to play.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
Scottie Barnes has taken his game to the next level, averaging a career-high in points, rebounds, and assists this season. Just in the month of December, Barnes is averaging 23.8 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game with five double-doubles and one triple-double. He will get a great opportunity to showcase his skillset against the Wizards, who are allowing the most points, rebounds, and assists per game. Barnes has a great chance of filling up the stat sheet in a variety of ways.
Barnes is 20% owned on FanDuel at his nearly $10,000 salary, but DraftKings is the best site to deploy him tonight. At $8,700 with point guard and small forward eligibility, Barnes has a 93% Bargain Rating and a slate-high 13 Pro Trends. He is a staple in cash games and simply too cheap not to get exposure in tournaments. The matchup is fantastic for Barnes tonight.
Value
Sticking with the Raptors, OG Anunoby is going to be one of the most popular plays on FanDuel tonight. Opposite of Barnes, Anunoby looks much better on FanDuel where he is projected for over 40%. He is priced at $5,900 on both sites, but Anunoby’s defensive upside makes him a strong play on FanDuel. Not only are the Wizards an atrocious defensive team, but they also allow 8.1 steals per game, which is tied for the eighth-highest in the league. It’s a great spot for Anunoby.
With Barnes taking a step forward this season, Anunoby, at times, is left in the rearview mirror. He is still playing a ton of minutes, but his usage rate is only 18.2%. Anunoby can have massive ceiling games, but he is best utilized in tournaments due to his inconsistent play. Prioritize Anunoby on FanDuel, where his salary and defense make him a higher priority.
Fast Break
Kelly Oubre Jr. is another value play that could pop without Joel Embiid in the lineup. He played a season-high 40 minutes last game and poured in 25 points shooting 9-for-16 from the field and 6-for-9 from behind the arc. Oubre Jr. is projected for 33 minutes tonight and looks fantastic in our NBA Model for DraftKings and FanDuel at his sub-$ $6,000 salary on both sites. In his first season with the 76ers, Oubre Jr. is shooting a career-high 48.4% from the field and 37.6% from downtown.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
After a great 32-point, 13-rebound game against the Knicks on Christmas Day, Giannis Antetokounmpo popped up on the injury report and is another star who is questionable for tonight’s slate. Giannis is right behind Doncic when it comes to projected ceiling, but is projected for 5% ownership or lower on both sites. He is a contrarian pay-up option that could look better throughout the day if he plays and other stars are unable to. He ranks fourth in both scoring and usage rate this year.
Similar to the Knicks, the Nets have been fantastic defending the paint. They rank sixth in the least amount of points allowed in the paint with 46.4 points per game, but their starting center, Nic Claxton is ruled out. In their only meeting this year, Giannis had 36 points and 12 rebounds while shooting 15-for-27 from the field. He is a way to get different on this slate if he plays.
Value
Tobias Harris has had back-to-back massive games, averaging 30 points per game while shooting 53.7% from the field and a ridiculous 9-for-16 from downtown. He has also increased his peripherals with 7.5 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game in his last two contests. Everything seems to be looking positive for Harris, who is priced in the mid-range tonight on both sites. Prioritize Harris on DraftKings, where he has the third-highest projected Plus/Minus at his pretty cheap $6,400 price tag.
The Magic have surprisingly been one of the best defensive teams in the league. They rank fourth in defensive rating and are allowing only 110.7 points per game. Without Embiid, the 76ers are two-point road underdogs, but the game total has risen to 227.5 points. The difficult matchup is negated with the extra usage rate and opportunity that Harris will get tonight.
Fast Break
Priced at $8,500 on DraftKings and FanDuel, Julius Randle looks like a safe option in cash games. He is projected between 20-30% ownership and has 12 Pro Trends on both sites. The Knicks are three-point road underdogs against the Thunder who are playing on the second leg of a back-to-back. Projected to play 37 minutes, Randle will have plenty of opportunity to dominate the Thunder on the glass. They rank 29th in rebounding percentage this season at just 47.3%.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
Alperen Sengun is proving to be one of the best young centers the league has to offer. He has recorded back-to-back massive double-doubles, averaging 33.5 points and 13.5 rebounds per game with a 33.15% usage rate. Sengun has shot over 50% from the field in six straight games and has three double-doubles in a row. Projected for just over 10% ownership on both sites, Sengun is a great contrarian option. He is a huge reason why the Rockets have a winning record this year.
After missing the past two games, Suns’ center Jusuf Nurkic is expected to be back tonight. That will make this matchup a little tougher, but given how well he has played lately, it likely won’t matter that much. Sengun’s recent spike in usage rate is correlated to the Rockets winning seven of their last 11 games.
He will continue to be a big part of the Rockets offensive.
Value
Paul Reed was disappointing chalk on Christmas Day, finishing with only four points, two rebounds, one assist, and one block. However, he got into major foul trouble which is unpredictable. If Reed can stay out of foul trouble tonight, he looks like another great value play to get exposure to. He is projected to play around 25 minutes and be 25% owned on both DraftKings and FanDuel. With Embiid off the floor this season, Reed has played a team-high 370 total minutes.
The Magic have been great at defending the paint and controlling the glass, which makes it difficult for Reed to have a ceiling game. However, his cheap salary makes him an easy player to get to in all formats. Reed has the highest projected Plus/Minus at the center position on DraftKings and second-highest on FanDuel.
Let’s go back to the Reed well in this spot.
Fast Break
Day’Ron Sharpe will likely replace Nic Claxton in the Nets starting lineup, which immediately puts him also into cash game consideration alongside Paul Reed. Sharpe has been fantastic recently, with two double-doubles in his last four games.
Over that time, Sharpe is averaging 11 points and 9.8 rebounds per game. The Bucks have been another solid interior defense, but Sharpe’s ceiling is attainable with the extra minutes with Claxton and several other Nets players not suiting up tonight.
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