Wednesday features a nine-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 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.
Stud
No game on Wednesday’s slate stands out more than the Bulls vs. the Hawks. Both teams have played at a top-three pace this season, and both teams have struggled on defense. That’s a combination that should lead to a ton of scoring, and the game leads the slate with a 244.5-point total. The Bulls’ 122.75 implied team total is the top mark on the slate, while the Hawks’ 120.75 mark ranks fourth. Ultimately, both teams should be able to provide some fantasy value.
Josh Giddey stands out for the Bulls at point guard. Giddey had a tumultuous third season with the Thunder, but he has found new life in Chicago. He’s taken things to another level of late, averaging 1.33 DraftKings points per minute over the past month. He’s not doing a ton of scoring, but his production in the peripheral categories has been absolutely elite. As a result, Giddey has posted a positive Plus/Minus in nine of his past 12 outings, and he’s coming off 52.25 DraftKings points in his last game.
Giddey ultimately stands out as a nice combination of ceiling and value on this slate. He owns the sixth-highest ceiling projection at point guard despite his modest $7,500 salary, and he also ranks fifth in projected Plus/Minus.
Value
Stephon Castle was the No. 4 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, but his minutes with the Spurs have been inconsistent for most of the year. He’s been productive when on the floor – he’s averaged 0.85 DraftKings points per minute – but he’s been unable to carve out a significant role on a nightly basis.
However, Castle is coming off 35.7 minutes in his last outing, and he’s projected for another 30 minutes on Wednesday’s slate. The Spurs are currently playing without Jeremy Sochan, which makes his role a bit more secure than usual.
He stands out as one of the top value options on the slate at just $4,000. Historically, players with comparable salaries and minute projections have averaged a Plus/Minus of +3.25 (per the Trends tool). Castle is coming off 33.0 minutes in his last outing, and he’s more productive on a per-minute basis than the typical player in this price range. If he can get back to 30+ minutes, he has the potential to do serious damage.
Fast Break
Trae Young boasts the top ceiling projection at the position, and he’s certainly viable in an elite matchup. He’s gone for more than 60 DraftKings points in two of his past three games, and he’s capable of putting up massive production as a scorer or a distributor. He’s gone for 43 points and 20 assists in two of his past three games, so he has multiple paths to a big number vs. the Bulls.
Editor’s note: Young has been ruled out, check the Player Models for updates.
The Jazz might get a bit healthier on Wednesday, with Keyonte George questionable to return to the lineup. However, they’re still going to be without Lauri Markkanen, Collin Sexton, John Collins, and Jordan Clarkson at a minimum. That leaves plenty of playing time for Isaiah Collier, who took full advantage in his last outing. He racked up 44.75 DraftKings points in 37.2 minutes, giving him plenty of upside at his current salary.
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 Magic continue to play without a few of their best players. They have gotten Paolo Banchero back recently, but Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs remain out of the lineup. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Goga Bitadze are also questionable for Wednesday’s matchup vs. the Bucks, so they could be even thinner than usual.
That makes Cole Anthony an appealing option. His salary has come up to $6,200, but that still stands out as too cheap. He’s increased his production to 1.16 DraftKings points per minute with Wagner and Suggs off the floor this season, and he’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in five of his past six outings. That includes at least 36.25 DraftKings points in three of his past four.
Anthony is projected for another 32 minutes on Wednesday, so he’s a good bet to return value once again.
Value
The Hawks are another team that is dealing with some key absences at the moment. We’re still waiting on their official injury report on the second leg of a back-to-back, but they were without Jalen Johnson, D’Andre Hunter, and a few others on Tuesday.
That has allowed Vic Krejci to move into the starting lineup of late. Krejci has been an excellent source of value over that time frame, posting a positive Plus/Minus in seven straight games. He’s increased his production to 0.86 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, and he’s projected for 29 minutes in Wednesday’s matchup vs. the Bulls.
His price tag has jumped up slightly to $4,000, but that still stands out as a massive bargain. He’s scored at least 27.75 DraftKings points in back-to-back games, including 35.75 on Tuesday.
Fast Break
Devin Vassell has taken on a more prominent role for the Spurs of late, and he’s been awesome for DFS purposes. He’s scored at least 32.0 DraftKings points in six of his past eight games, and the two exceptions were blowouts. He’s coming off 42.0 DraftKings points in his last outing, so he provides a nice combination of floor and ceiling at a $6,000 price tag.
Coby White is another potential option for the Bulls. He hasn’t been quite as effective as Giddey on a per-minute basis, but he’s a bit cheaper at $6,500. That represents a slight decrease from his peak, so he provides a bit more upside than usual. He’s also one of the Bulls’ top scoring threats, giving him a decent ceiling in a game where they’re expected to score more than usual.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
The Pelicans have had a disastrous start to the year, thanks in no small part to the copious amount of injuries they’ve had to deal with. Zion Williamson just recently returned to the lineup, while Brandon Ingram is currently sidelined with an ankle injury.
The one positive development in New Orleans is the progression of Trey Murphy. He has blossomed into a legit scoring threat for the Pelicans, and he’s provided big fantasy value of late. He’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in nine of his past 10 outings, and he’s averaged a Plus/Minus of +7.35 over that time frame. That includes at least 43.0 DraftKings points in four of his past five outings, including 54.5 yesterday vs. the Bulls.
Despite his elite production, Murphy’s salary has actually decreased to $7,400 for Wednesday’s matchup vs. the Mavericks. There’s a chance that Williamson rests on the second leg of a back-to-back, but even if he doesn’t, that’s simply too cheap for what Murphy has done recently. He’s averaged 1.19 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, and he’s currently projected for 36 minutes in our NBA Models.
Value
Keldon Johnson stands out as another potential option for the Spurs in a pace-up spot vs. the Grizzlies. This contest is the only game on the slate that can rival Bulls-Hawks, with the total currently sitting at 239.0. Memphis has played at the fastest pace in the league this season, giving the Spurs significantly more upside than usual.
Johnson once looked like a potential star for San Antonio, but he has taken on more of a sixth-man role in 2024-25. He’s played that part well, averaging 0.94 DraftKings points per minute, and he’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in seven of his past eight games.
Johnson stands out as one of the better pure values at the position on DraftKings, where his $4,300 salary comes with a Bargain Rating of 81%. He’s also displayed a ceiling of more than 40 DraftKings points of late, so he’s a solid option in all formats.
Fast Break
Javonte Green is an even better value than Johnson on DraftKings. He’s priced at just $3,300, resulting in a Bargain Rating of 93%. He’s scored at least 20.0 DraftKings points in four straight games, and he could pick up a few additional minutes if Williamson is out of the lineup. He doesn’t have the highest ceiling, but he’s another strong bet to return value.
Zach LaVine is up to $8,600 on DraftKings, but he has been scoring the ball at an elite rate recently. He has at least 25 points in seven straight games, and he’s had at least 31 points in six of them. Unsurprisingly, he’s turned in some big fantasy performances during that stretch, and he has one of the top ceilings at the position in an elite matchup.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
Julius Randle has started to heat up a bit for the Timberwolves. It’s taken him some time to adjust to his new squad, but he’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in three straight games. He’s still not quite producing like he did with the Knicks over the past few seasons, but his average of 1.1 DraftKings points per minute over the past month is still strong. He has the potential to return value with a median performance at his current price tag, and if he hits his ceiling, he could be a tournament winner. He’s projected for less than 15% ownership vs. the Warriors, making him an intriguing GPP option.
Value
Jonathan Isaac has long been a favorite of mine. Injuries have kept him off the court a lot throughout his NBA career, but he’s always been super productive when available. He’s averaged better than a fantasy point per minute so far this season, and he’s capable of contributing in nearly every category across the board.
The Magic have limited Isaac’s minutes in an effort to keep him healthy, but they’ve loosened the reins on him a bit of late. He’s coming off 27.1 minutes in his last outing, and he responded with 41.75 DraftKings points.
Isaac is projected for another 26 minutes on Wednesday, and if he gets to that threshold, he has the potential to be the best pure value on the slate. He’s priced at just $3,800 on DraftKings, resulting in a 92% Bargain Rating.
Fast Break
Brice Sensabaugh is another potential value option. He’s seen more opportunities thanks to the Jazz’s injury situation, and he’s taken full advantage. He’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in three straight games, including a massive 51.75 DraftKings points last week vs. the Heat. Sensabaugh has increased his production to 1.08 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, and he should see mid-20s minutes once again on Wednesday.
Paying up for Giannis Antetokounmpo is always a viable option, especially on a slate with plenty of value. Antetokounmpo remains one of the top producers in fantasy, averaging 1.72 DraftKings points per minute for the year. He’s gone off for at least 73.25 DraftKings points in two of his past three games, and while his matchup vs. the Magic isn’t ideal, he still has one of the top ceiling projections on the slate.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
It’s extremely rare for Nikola Jokic to be available and not have the highest ceiling projection at center, but that’s the case on Wednesday. He’s slightly edged out by Victor Wembanyama, who has lived up to even the loftiest expectations through his first 1.5 professional seasons. He’s increased his production to 1.72 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, and he should have more opportunities than usual to rack up fantasy points vs. the Grizzlies. Wembanyama has one of the most diverse skill sets in the entire league, so paying up for him in a massive pace-up spot is definitely viable.
Value
Dereck Lively II exited yesterday’s contest with an ankle injury, putting his status in jeopardy on the second leg of a back-to-back. If he’s unable to go, Daniel Gafford would become an elite value at center. Gafford has been an excellent producer all season, averaging 1.20 DraftKings points per minute, but he’s been forced to split the playing time. His minutes have taken a hit as the year has progressed, which has caused his salary to dip to $4,300 for Wednesday’s matchup vs. the Pelicans.
That would make him an immense value if his playing time were to tick up. We currently have him conservatively projected for 25 minutes, and he still has the top projected Plus/Minus at the position. The Pelicans are a solid matchup as well, giving Gafford an Opponent Plus/Minus of +0.99.
Fast Break
Onyeka Okongwu absolutely erupted on Tuesday, finishing with 22 points, 21 rebounds, and 52.75 DraftKings points vs. the Suns. That’s clearly an outlier performance, but he’s now posted a positive Plus/Minus in six of his past seven contests. He’s averaged an elite 1.28 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, so he’s definitely in play at $4,800 in an outstanding matchup.
Jokic draws a tough matchup Wednesday vs. the Rockets, but he’s currently projected for less than 5% ownership. Jokic is capable of breaking a slate regardless of his opponent, so anytime he’s expected to fly under the radar, he’s someone you should be considering.
