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.
You can also use our SimLabs Lineup Generator, a tool that creates the most user-friendly lineup generation process.
Note: Projections and Leverage 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
Four of the top six players leading the way in ceiling projections are point guards. Choosing the right point guard on this four-game slate is critical to success tonight. James Harden is my preferred pay-up guard. With Kawhi Leonard still nursing an injury and Paul George out of town, Harden has been great. To start the season, he ranks second in the league in assists per game and fourth in usage rate at 33.8%.
Harden has recorded a double-double in every game this season and is averaging 23.5 points, 11.3 assists, and 7.5 rebounds per game. He is only shooting 35.5% from the field and 27% from behind the arc, so there is plenty of room for Harden to increase his 52.4 DraftKings points per game. Harden has the second-highest projected ceiling and Plus/Minus at the point guard position proving he is a great play.
Value
It has been a rough start shooting the ball for second-year pro, Keyonte George. The Jazz starting point guard is shooting 26.2% from the field and 22.6% from downtown but leads the team with 15.3 field goal attempts per game. George’s salary has been kept in check due to his poor shooting, but he has still recorded a positive Plus/Minus in back-to-back games. George is a strong value play in all lineup builds.
This matchup against the Spurs defense sets up perfectly for opposing guards. To no surprise, with Victor Wembanyama in the middle, the Spurs are leading the league, allowing only 29 points per game in the paint this season. They have been susceptible to perimeter shooting, allowing 39.3% from deep, which is the fourth-highest in the league. If his shot starts falling, George is easily going to pay off his price tag.
Fast Break
Luka Doncic has posted back-to-back mediocre games but is always a threat to break the slate. He continues to lead the league with a 34.4% usage rate and has the highest projected ceiling on this four-game slate. Due to the poor recent play, high price tag, and a relatively difficult matchup against the Rockets, Doncic is drawing only 17% projected ownership. He is a fantastic contrarian pay-up option.
Damian Lillard and Ja Morant will duel in the highest game total on the slate at 232.5 points. Both Lillard and Morant have displayed ceiling games, but Lillard has the slight edge in our projections and is $200 cheaper. It helps that Lillard will continue to play without Khris Middleton. Without Middleton last season, Lillard led the Bucks with a +2.23% usage rate and a +2.72 Plus/Minus (per our Trends tool).
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
Kyrie Irving is the preferred Mavericks guard to play on tonight’s slate. Despite being significantly cheaper than Doncic, Irving has outscored him in DraftKings points in back-to-back games. During that two-game stretch, Irving is shooting 56.8% from the field and 64.3% from behind the arc and has posted a double-digit Plus/Minus in both games. At $7,500 with dual-guard eligibility, Irving is an incredible play.
Irving is projected for the highest ceiling at the shooting guard position and has the third-highest projected Plus/Minus on the slate. His 11 Pro Trends are also tied for the second-highest. Irving’s price tag is simply way too low for his projected output. He is a cheaper way to get exposure to the Mavericks’ offense that is projected to score 116.25 points, the second-highest. Irving is impossible to ignore tonight.
Value
Similar to James Harden, Norman Powell has stepped up in a massive way for the Clippers. The veteran shooting guard is averaging a team and career-high 26 points per game and is shooting a blistering 51.4% from the field and 42.9% from long distance. His peripherals are lacking like a true shooting guard normally does, but Powell has been a scoring machine with two 30+ point games in his last three outings.
With shooting guard and small forward eligibility, Powell is one of the best value plays on the slate. His $5,600 salary is the lowest it has been all season, which makes no sense based on how well he has played recently. The Clippers have the lowest implied team total at 108.5 points and are 4.5-point home underdogs to the Suns tonight. Even with that projection, Powell and Harden are phenomenal options.
Fast Break
Devin Booker is coming off his best game of the season against the Lakers, scoring 33 points and connecting on 11 field goals. Booker is also the cheapest price he has been all season and he has the second-highest projected ceiling behind Kyrie Irving at the shooting guard position. Drawing less than 10% ownership, Booker is an easy way to differentiate lineups. His outlook would look even better if Bradley Beal (questionable with an elbow injury) was unable to play. Keep an eye on his status tonight.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
The small forward position is the weakest on the slate. It is flooded with injuries at the top of the pricing tier. Even Lauri Markkanen, who is popping in our projection models with the highest ceiling at the position is questionable with a back injury. He left last game with back spasms after only playing 17 minutes. If he is unable to play, rookie Kyle Filipowski will be one of the best values on the slate tonight.
Whether it is Markkanen or Filipowski, both can stretch the floor and benefit from the Spurs lack of perimeter defense. Their rebounding and points in the paint totals may be down in this matchup, but these two versatile big men can provide a scoring punch from the perimeter as well. If Markkanen is able to go, he is a strong pay-up option at $7,800. He is even drawing close to 20% projected ownership.
Value
Gary Trent Jr. has started at the small forward position for Khris Middleton in all four Bucks’ games to start the season. He is averaging 33.5 minutes per game but has yet to return value at his $5,000 price tag. Trent Jr. has scored double-digit points in all but one game, but his peripherals have been nonexistent, and his usage rate is only 12.4%. However, on such a small slate, it is tough to ignore how valuable he is at this salary range and a depleted position. He is projected for over 20% ownership.
Over 70% of Trent Jr.’s field goal attempts have come from behind the arc this season. For his career, over half of his attempts are from distance. Playing alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo will provide many open looks from the perimeter. This matchup against the Grizzlies will set him up for success. They are allowing opponents to shoot 39.8% from deep and attempt 42.2 3-pointers per game. It’s a great spot for Trent Jr.
Fast Break
Priced near the bare minimum at $3,100, Clippers forward Amir Coffey is another value play that is worth getting exposure to. Especially in a “stars and scrubs” lineup build, Coffey is projected to play 24 minutes and has the third-highest projected Plus/Minus at the small forward position. Coffey will likely have a low usage rate, but he is shooting 52.4% from the field and 44.4% from distance when given the opportunity.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
Giannis Antetokounmpo has displayed consistency to start the season, but we have yet to see that true breakout game. There is a chance we see that tonight, with the Bucks leading the slate with the highest projected team total at 119.25 points. Giannis has been dealing with a minor knee injury but has not missed any time or slowed him down. He still has posted a double-double in every game this season.
The Grizzlies have a healthy frontcourt but still rank 22nd in rebounding percentage at 48.8%. Giannis is a near-lock for a double-double in this matchup. He is averaging 28.8 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game. Giannis will also benefit from Khris Middleton still being out. It is only a matter of time until he erupts for a ceiling performance. At 22% projected ownership, Giannis is another solid pay-up option.
Value
The best play on this four-game slate by a wide margin is Spurs’ forward Jeremy Sochan. The third-year pro is leading the Spurs in scoring with a career-high 18.5 points per game. He is also averaging nine rebounds and 35.9 DraftKings points per game. Sochan has the highest projected Plus/Minus and ownership at 36%. Priced just below $6,000, Sochan will be a staple in cash games and tournaments.
Not only are the Jazz potentially without their starting forward in Lauri Markkanen, but they also rank 26th in defensive rating at 117.2. They have also been an average rebounding team, so Sochan will likely flirt with another double-double in this matchup. He has averaged over a +10 Plus/Minus this season, and even with his salary coming up to $5,800, this is a great spot to get exposure to the Spurs’ forward.
Fast Break
At 36 years old with an injury history, it is amazing what Kevin Durant is still able to do on the basketball floor. He is averaging a team-high 29 points per game while shooting 53.3% from the field and 45.5% from downtown. Durant also leads the team in blocks and is averaging seven rebounds per game. He has recorded three straight games, scoring 30+ points. The Clippers have had a strong defense to start the season, but Durant is matchup-proof. Priced at $8,600, Durant is a good play in all formats tonight.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
Victor Wembanyama is coming off arguably the worst game of his career last night. The versatile big man only shot the ball five times, scoring six points. He played 27 minutes with the Spurs losing by 12 points on the road to the Thunder. Looking to bounce back tonight, the Spurs are two-point road underdogs against the Jazz. Wembanyama still has the second-highest projected ceiling on this four-game slate.
Outside of James Harden, Wembanyama has the highest projected ownership among the pay-up options. After leading the league in blocks per game last season, Wembanyama has picked up right where he left off. He will have a block fest in this matchup with the Jazz allowing the most blocks at 8.0 per game. There are several pay-up options who have a chance to hit their ceiling. Wembanyama is my favorite.
Value
Another extremely popular value play is Clippers’ center Ivica Zubac. Playing time has spiked for Zubac, which has been beneficial to his production. Zubac is averaging a league and career-high 13.5 rebounds and 18.5 points per game. He scored 20+ points in every game, but his last, where he only managed six points against the Trail Blazers. Zubac has the second-highest projected Plus/Minus on the slate tonight.
The Suns have been a below average rebounding and interior defensive team to start the season. This matchup sets up well for Zubac who already has one game over 50 and another over 60 DraftKings points this season. At $6,500, Zubac has a 73% bargain rating and eight Pro Trends. He has also posted a career-high 22.4% usage rate through his first four games. Zubac is the best center option to target on the slate.
Fast Break
Alperen Sengun is a boom-or-bust fantasy option. In his first game of the season, he posted a massive 25-point, 18-rebound double-double, recording 66 DraftKings points. However, Sengun had fewer than 20 DraftKings points two games ago. His inconsistency is what makes Sengun a fantastic contrarian option. He is projected for nearly 5% ownership, which is crazy for a four-game slate. The Mavericks rank 25th in rebounding percentage, so there is a strong chance that he records his fourth double-double this season.
