Wednesday features a 14-game main slate starting at 7 p.m. ET.
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
It’s the penultimate slate before NBA All-Star weekend, so nearly every team is going to be in action. As a result, we’ve got tons of choices for each position.
Cade Cunningham stands out as one of the top pay-up options at point guard. The Pistons will square off with the Bulls for the second straight evening, and they blew the doors off Chicago on Tuesday. Wednesday’s rematch will hopefully be a bit more competitive, and Cunningham has massive upside if it is. The Pistons are currently implied for 121.5 points, which represents a significant increase from their regular season average (113.3).
Cunningham has been a fantasy stud all season. He’s averaged 1.44 DraftKings points per minute, and he’s increased that figure to 1.48 over the past month. He managed just 40.5 DraftKings points in Tuesday’s blowout win, but he scored at least 52.25 DraftKings points in each of his prior six outings. As long as he picks up a few additional minutes on Wednesday, he’s in a great position to bounce back vs. the Bulls. Chicago ranks third in pace and 27th in defensive efficiency, so it doesn’t get much better from a matchup standpoint.
Value
Immanuel Quickley continues to trend in the right direction. He played limited minutes in his return to the lineup, but he’s now logged 30.3 and 33.8 minutes in his last two games.
If he’s going to continue to play that much moving forward, he’s undoubtedly underpriced at $6,200. He’s averaged 1.08 DraftKings points per minute for the year, and he’s also seen a boost in value with R.J. Barrett out of the lineup. He’s increased his assist rate by a team-best +7.54% with Barrett off the floor this season, resulting in an average of 1.18 DraftKings points per minute.
Fast Break
The Blazers are currently dealing with some injuries, with Scoot Henderson and Deandre Ayton already ruled out and Jerami Grant listed as questionable. That makes Dalano Banton an interesting value option. He’s coming off more than 28 minutes in his last outing, and he responded with 34.75 DraftKings points. Banton is projected for 23 minutes in our NBA Models, and he’s averaged a stout 1.08 DraftKings points per minute for the year.
Jalen Brunson struggled with foul trouble on Tuesday, which limited him to just 22.7 minutes of playing time. He should return to his usual workload on Wednesday, making him an interesting option at $8,400. That’s cheaper than usual – his salary comes with an 81% Bargain Rating – and Brunson has historically averaged a Plus/Minus of +1.99 with a comparable salary as a member of the Knicks (per the Trends tool). He also draws a phenomenal matchup vs. the Hawks, with the Knicks’ 123.75 implied team total ranking third on the slate.
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
The Rockets are another team that has some key injuries on Wednesday’s slate. Fred VanVleet has already been ruled out, while Alperen Sengun is listed as questionable. If Sengun is forced to sit, it’s going to open up some additional opportunities for the rest of the roster.
That makes Jalen Green an appealing target. He’s seen a team-high +1.64% bump to his usage rate with VanVleet off the floor this season, and his usage increases by +4.69% with VanVleet and Sengun both off the court.
Green has already been playing well of late. He’s increased his production to 1.06 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, and he’s scored at least 35.25 DraftKings points in three straight games. He’s a bit underpriced at $7,200, especially if the team is going to be shorthanded.
Value
It’s going to be a long end of the year for the Hornets. Brandon Miller is out for the rest of the season, and LaMelo Ball will likely be shut down at some point as well. He’s already been ruled out for Wednesday’s contest vs. the Magic, along with a host of additional players.
That opens the door for Nick Smith. He’s been a consistent producer for the team of late, posting a positive Plus/Minus in five straight games. That includes at least 30.0 DraftKings points in three of his past four. Smith is projected for another 34 minutes in our NBA Models, and players with comparable salaries and minute projections have historically averaged a Plus/Minus of +3.15. Overall, he’s an excellent combination of value and upside at just $4,500.
Fast Break
Keon Johnson stands out as one of the best pure values on DraftKings, where his $4,900 salary comes with a 93% Bargain Rating. He’s coming off a poor showing in his last outing, but he had posted a positive Plus/Minus in each of his five previous games. Johnson has averaged 0.94 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, and he’s expected to see around 27 minutes Wednesday vs. the 76ers. He’s also projected for less than 10% ownership, making him an appealing pivot off some of the chalkier value plays.
With De’Aaron Fox now in San Antonio, Malik Monk is going to handle more of the point guard responsibilities for Sacramento. That gives him a bit more upside for fantasy purposes. He’s played as many as 40 minutes a night in recent outings, and he has plenty of ceiling against a Pelicans squad that ranks dead last in defensive efficiency.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
Things do not look pretty for the Mavericks at the moment. They traded away one of the best players in basketball, and the centerpiece of their return—Anthony Davis—will miss at least the next few weeks. The team is also without Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II, so they’re hurting for offense at the moment.
P.J. Washington is also banged up, and he’s officially listed as questionable for Wednesday’s matchup vs. the Warriors. However, he should be a focal point of their offense if he’s able to suit up. He’s already been an excellent contributor this season, and he’s increased his production to 1.20 DraftKings points per minute over the past month. He’s seen a +4.84% bump to his usage rate with Doncic, Gafford, and Lively off the floor this season, and he’s averaged 1.21 DraftKings points per minute in that split.
Ultimately, this is a situation worth monitoring. If Washington is able to go, he stands out as one of the strongest pay-up options at small forward. If he’s out, there should be plenty of strong value options to consider in Dallas.
Value
Moses Moody has struggled to find consistent playing time for his entire Warriors’ tenure, but he appears locked into a decent role at the moment. He’s coming off nearly 33 minutes in his last outing, and he’s projected for another 30 minutes on Wednesday.
That makes Moody a strong value at just $4,100. He’s a decent producer for this price range, averaging 0.84 DraftKings points per minute for the year, and players with comparable salaries and minute projections have historically averaged a Plus/Minus of +3.00. Moody has personally fit this trend on two previous occasions this season, and he’s averaged a Plus/Minus of +9.00 in that split.
Fast Break
Regardless of what happens with Washington, Max Christie is someone worth considering for the Mavericks. Between the end of his time with the Lakers and the start of his Mavs’ tenure, Christie has now scored at least 30.5 DraftKings points in four straight games. He’s coming off 34.7 minutes in his last outing, and he should see a similar workload Wednesday vs. the Warriors. His DraftKings price tag has yet to reflect his increased workload, resulting in a 90% Bargain Rating.
DeMar DeRozan is another potential option for the Kings in a juicy matchup. He hasn’t had his best fantasy season in his first year with the Kings, but he could be asked to do a bit more moving forward with Fox out of the equation. He scored 56.75 DraftKings points in his last outing, so he has a solid ceiling at his $7,000 price tag.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
The Pacers struggled Tuesday vs. the Knicks, but they’ll face a much more favorable opponent on Wednesday. They’re taking on the Wizards, who have been an elite matchup all season. They’re fourth in pace and 29th in defensive efficiency, and the Pacers’ 126.0 implied team total is the top mark on the slate.
Pascal Siakam has been putting up fantastic numbers of late. He’s increased his production to 1.29 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, and he’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in seven of his past eight outings. His salary has stayed pretty stagnant over that time frame, and he leads the position with 12 Pro Trends.
Value
Bol Bol has the potential to be one of the best values on Wednesday’s slate. The Suns are a bit shorthanded at the moment, and Bol moved into the starting lineup in their last game. He’s now logged at least 30.4 minutes in back-to-back contests, and he’s responded with at least 40.75 DraftKings points in both. Bol has averaged 1.15 DraftKings points per minute for the year, so it’s not surprising to see him produce big results with extra playing time.
Bol is projected for another 28 minutes on Wednesday, and it’s tough to pass up his potential at just $4,300. He leads the position in projected Plus/Minus, and he clearly has an elite ceiling for his price tag.
Fast Break
Matas Buzelis is an ideal tournament target on this slate. He should garner significantly less ownership after a disappointing showing on Tuesday, but he’s still averaged just under a fantasy point per minute over the past month. His playing time should return to normal if the rematch vs. the Pistons is more competitive, and he had scored at least 31.5 DraftKings points in three straight games before Tuesday’s debacle.
Like Buzelis, Tidjane Salaun is another rookie who is getting the opportunity to play a bit more down the stretch. He’s logged at least 27.1 minutes in back-to-back games, and he’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in four straight. He’s really affordable at just $3,600, so his price tag has yet to reflect his increased workload.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
There is plenty of value available on this slate, so you can certainly pay up for Nikola Jokic if you choose to. That’s almost never a poor decision, especially on nights when he’s not expected to be popular. He’s currently projected for less than 3% ownership despite the Nuggets having the fourth-highest implied team total on the slate.
The reason for the pessimism with Jokic is the matchup vs. the Blazers. Portland has not been very competitive this season, and the Nuggets are favored by 11.5 points. There’s a fair chance this game turns into a blowout, so Jokic could spend the fourth quarter on the bench.
However, we’ve seen that play out recently. The Nuggets steamrolled the Blazers on Wednesday, and Jokic still managed to get to 67.25 DraftKings points in just 30.8 minutes. He’s averaged an unreal 1.96 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, so he’s capable of doing big damage even when he doesn’t play as much as usual.
Even on a slate with nearly every team in action, Jokic stands out from a ceiling perspective. He leads all players by nearly 10 points, and Cunningham is the only player within 13. Jokic simply never deserves to be rostered at lower than a 5% clip, so don’t be afraid to take advantage.
Value
Myles Turner is currently out of action for the Pacers, meaning Thomas Bryant should take over as the team’s starting center. He filled that role for Indy on Tuesday, and he responded with 37.25 DraftKings points in 32.2 minutes.
Bryant has averaged better than a fantasy point per minute for the year, so that production doesn’t feel overly fluky. He should continue to produce with his opportunity, especially in an elite matchup.
Fast Break
With Ayton out of the lineup for Portland, Donovan Clingan should get the opportunity to play a bit more than usual. He played 21 minutes vs. the Nuggets on Monday, and he racked up 31.75 DraftKings points. He could play a bit more if the rematch is more competitive, and Clingan has averaged an elite 1.31 DraftKings points per minute over the past month. Ultimately, he has way more upside than his $4,600 salary suggests.
Karl-Anthony Towns had a huge performance on Tuesday, and there’s no reason he can’t do it again. He leads all centers with 37 projected minutes vs. the Hawks, and he’s averaged 1.47 DraftKings points per minute for the year. That’s not quite Jokic-level, but it’s the third-best mark at the position. Towns is also available at a pretty significant discount compared to Jokic and Victor Wembanyama, so he has the potential to be the best value among the stud centers.
