Tuesday features an eight-game main slate starting at 7 p.m. ET.
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.
Stud
On paper, it’s not a particularly good day to pay up at point guard. Most of the highest-priced options at the position are grading out as negative values in our NBA Models, and there are a bunch of elite value options to choose from.
That said, if you do want to go that route, Cade Cunningham looks like your best bet. Cunningham has been fantastic all season, and he draws one of the best possible matchups Tuesday vs. the Spurs. They’re 28th in defensive efficiency over their past 15 games, and Detroit’s 122.75 implied team total ranks second on the slate. Cunningham’s ceiling projection is virtually identical to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s, but Cunningham is available at a slight discount. Ultimately, he’s the only point guard priced above $6,400 with an optimal lineup rate of at least 9%.
However, Cunningham is currently listed as questionable, so there’s a chance that he’s not in the lineup. Make sure to monitor the injury reports if you are interested in targeting him.
Value
Scottie Pippen Jr. has been a phenomenal source of value for the Grizzlies of late. He’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in nine straight games, and he’s had at least 30.5 DraftKings points in three of his past four. That’s outstanding production for a player with a $5,000 price tag.
The best part is that Pippen did most of that damage as a reserve player. He should pick up his second consecutive start with Ja Morant sidelined for Tuesday’s matchup vs. the Jazz. Pippen has unsurprisingly seen a big uptick in value in games without Morant this season, averaging more than 30 DraftKings points in 27 contests.
The matchup vs. the Jazz is the cherry on top. Utah has been one of the worst defensive teams in basketball this season, and the Grizzlies are implied for a slate-best 125 points. Pippen ultimately leads all point guards in projected Plus/Minus, and he’s popping up in the optimal lineup simulations at a nearly 60% clip. Pippen is going to command massive ownership on this slate, but it still might not be enough.
Fast Break
Anthony Black is another excellent value option. The Magic are likely going to be without their top two point guards on Tuesday, with Jalen Suggs ruled out and Cole Anthony listed as doubtful. Black is coming off 30.3 minutes and 37.25 DraftKings points in his last outing, and he has similar upside on this slate. He’s averaged 0.92 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, and he’s conservatively projected for 26 minutes in our NBA Models.
The Jazz are another team worth monitoring from an injury standpoint. Jordan Clarkson has been in and out of the lineup recently, and he’s officially questionable vs. the Grizzlies. If he’s unable to go, Keyonte George would become an intriguing midrange option in a pace-up spot vs. the Grizzlies. He’s seen a team-high +3.45% usage bump with Clarkson, Lauri Markkanen, and John Collins off the floor this season, resulting in an average of 1.10 DraftKings points per minute.
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
Desmond Bane should also see an uptick in value with Morant sidelined for Memphis. He’s seen a bump in nearly every category across the board in games without Morant this season, increasing his usage rate (+2.23%), assist rate (+2.87%), and rebound rate (+1.27%). He’s increased his production to 1.30 DraftKings points per minute in that split, resulting in an average of more than 42 DraftKings points per game.
Bane’s price tag has increased of late, but it’s hard to say he isn’t worth an elevated salary vs. the Jazz. He owns the top ceiling projection at the position, and he also ranks third in projected Plus/Minus.
Value
Cameron Payne is the last man standing at point guard for the Knicks. Jalen Brunson and Miles McBride have both been ruled out vs. the Mavericks, so Payne should enter the starting lineup. That’s an extremely appealing proposition for DFS players. Payne has averaged 1.02 DraftKings points per minute for the year, and he’s currently projected for 30 minutes in our NBA Models. Payne has historically had a comparable salary and minute projection in 10 career contests, and he’s averaged an excellent +4.38 Plus/Minus (per the Trends tool).
The fact that Payne has dual PG/SG eligibility makes him extremely easy to fit into all lineup constructions. Pairing him with Pippen in the backcourt should be the default strategy.
Fast Break
Mikal Bridges also stands out for the Knicks. He hasn’t been utilized to his full capacity in his first year in New York, but that’s changed since Brunson went down with an injury. He’s gone for at least 36.25 DraftKings points in three of his past four games, and he’s had at least 47.0 DraftKings points in two of them. Overall, he’s averaged 0.92 DraftKings points per minute with Brunson and McBride off the floor this season, and he plays as many minutes per game as anyone in basketball.
Devin Vassell continues to stand out as underpriced for the shorthanded Spurs. His $7,000 salary comes with a 74% Bargain Rating, and he’s scored at least 43.75 DraftKings points in back-to-back games. He’s increased his production to 1.16 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, so there’s no reason he can’t duplicate that production vs. the Pistons.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
Has Deni Avdija quietly become one of the best players in all of fantasy? You can make the case. He’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in six of his past seven games, and he’s sprinkled in some monster performances in that stretch. He’s gone for at least 64.0 DraftKings points in three of those outings, and he’s increased his production to 1.32 DraftKings points per minute over the past month. That’s an elite figure, especially considering his price tag.
There’s no reason to shy away from Avdija on Tuesday. He has the third-highest optimal lineup rate at the position, and he’s No. 2 in ceiling projection. He also continues to stand out as a solid value, given his 88% Bargain Rating.
Value
Avdija also ranks No. 2 in projected Plus/Minus at small forward, trailing only Vince Williams. Williams has had an inconsistent season playing for one of the deepest teams in the league. The Grizzlies simply have too many players for everyone to eat on a nightly basis, but that problem isn’t as prevalent with Morant out of the lineup.
Williams has averaged a respectable 0.84 DraftKings points per minute for the year, and he’s projected for 20 minutes in our NBA Models. That’s not a huge figure, but it should be enough for Williams to pay off his $3,500 salary in a juicy matchup.
Fast Break
Franz Wagner has been slumping for the Magic recently, but he broke out in his last contest. He finished with 54.25 DraftKings points in a win over the Lakers, and he could continue to provide value with Suggs and Anthony sidelined. He’s seen a +2.22% usage bump with both players off the floor, resulting in an average of 1.21 DraftKings points per minute. He also draws one of the best possible matchups vs. the Hornets, leading the position with a +2.80 Opponent Plus/Minus.
OG Anunoby fits the exact same description as Bridges. Both players see a ton of minutes, and both players should see an uptick in production with Brunson and McBride sidelined. Anunoby hasn’t displayed the same ceiling as Bridges recently, but he has been the superior option on a per-minute basis this season.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
Jaren Jackson Jr. has not looked like the same player recently. He’s averaged an elite 1.28 DraftKings points per minute for the year, but he’s down to just 0.90 over the past month. That’s a massive decrease in production, and he’s finished with 32.0 DraftKings points or fewer in four straight games. That’s not going to get the job done at his current salary.
That said, this is the perfect spot for Jackson to bounce back. His usage rate has been way up recently, posting marks of 33.0% and 36.2% in his past two outings. He simply hasn’t been able to get his shots to drop. He’s just 14-42 from the field in those contests, and he should improve in that department moving forward.
Jackson should maintain an elevated usage rate sans Morant on Tuesday. He’s increased his usage rate by +3.25% in games without Morant this season, resulting in a team-high 32.2% mark. He’s averaged 1.35 DraftKings points per minute in games without his star teammate, and his price has come down -$600 over the past week. Ultimately, this is an ideal buy-low situation, and he leads the position in optimal lineup rate.
Value
How the minutes will shake out in the Spurs’ frontcourt remains one of the biggest questions on a nightly basis. Guys like Keldon Johnson, Jeremy Sochan, and Harrison Barnes all have the potential of going off if they see 30+ minutes, but all three have volatile workloads on a night-to-night basis.
That said, Johnson is the guy I’m most interested in targeting. He has the most upside of the group, averaging 1.10 DraftKings points per minute over the past month. When he does play toward the high end of his minute range, he has an excellent ceiling for his price tag. He had 39.75 DraftKings points two games ago, and his current salary comes with an 88% Bargain Rating.
Fast Break
Andrew Wiggins has been unstoppable for the Heat recently. He’s scored at least 38.25 DraftKings points in four straight games, including a massive 61.25 DraftKings points in his last outing. He shot an unsustainable 16-21 from the field in that contest, but there’s no reason he can’t provide value once again vs. the Warriors. He’s priced at just $6,300, and he’s averaged 1.18 DraftKings points per minute over the past month.
Josh Hart could be the odd man out for the Knicks from an ownership standpoint. He’s projected for less than 10% ownership on this slate, but he benefits from the same dynamics as Bridges and Anunoby. He’s not the same offensive player as those two, but he makes up for it in other areas. He had 59.75 DraftKings points just three games ago in a game where he scored just 12 points, so his limited scoring upside doesn’t cap his fantasy ceiling.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
Karl-Anthony Towns got off to a torrid start for the Knicks this season, but he’s cooled down a bit of late. He’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in just one of his past nine games, and his production has dipped to 1.15 DraftKings points per minute over the past month. That’s well below his mark of 1.42 for the season. It’s possible that all the minutes from head coach Tom Thibodeau have started to catch up to him, but it’s also possible it’s just a little slump.
He managed to turn things around in his last contest, finishing with 32 points and 11 rebounds in a win over the Wizards. He has one of the top ceilings on the slate for Tuesday’s matchup vs. the Mavericks. He’s seen a massive +9.03% usage bump with Brunson and McBride off the floor this season, resulting in an average of 1.66 DraftKings points per minute. Towns could also be catching the Mavs at the right time. They’re on the second leg of a back-to-back, and it’s very likely that Anthony Davis sits after returning to the lineup on Monday.
Ultimately, Towns is showing up in the optimal lineup simulations at the highest frequency at center. He doesn’t grade out as the best pure value in our NBA Models, but the combination of his ceiling and the elite values in the backcourt makes paying up for Towns a logical choice.
Value
Zach Edey warrants some attention in the value department. He hasn’t played a ton of minutes as a rookie, but he’s generally been productive when on the floor. He’s averaged 1.13 DraftKings points per minute for the year, and he’s projected for 21 minutes vs. the Jazz. He stands out as one of the best pure values on the slate, with his $4,500 salary coming with a 94% Bargain Rating.
Fast Break
Paying up for Evan Mobley is another viable option at center. The Cavaliers are going to be without Donovan Mitchell on Tuesday, so Mobley should be asked to do a bit more than usual offensively. He’s averaged a team-high 1.40 DraftKings points per minute with Mitchell off the floor this season, and he’s gone for at least 41.5 DraftKings points in four of his past five games with at least 30 minutes of playing time.
Kel’el Ware continues to exceed expectations in his first year in the league. He fell to the Heat at pick No. 15, but he’s produced like one of the top rookies in basketball. He’s had at least 31.5 DraftKings points in three straight games, and he’s averaged 1.05 DraftKings points per minute. Ware is locked into roughly 30+ minutes per game at this point, so he’s underpriced at $5,500.
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