Wednesday features an eight-game slate starting at 7:00 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
For the first time in his last nine games, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander failed to score 30+ points. Tonight is a great bounce-back matchup for him against the Trail Blazers, who continue to be an exploitable defense. Not only do the Trail Blazers rank 21st in defensive rating, but they are playing short-handed without two starters and two more questionable. Looking to get back in the winner’s circle, the Thunder are a slate-high 11.5-point road favorite, implied for 120.25 points.
Averaging over 31 points per game for the second-straight year, Gilgeous-Alexander is currently second in the NBA MVP voting. He has posted a career-high in assists, field goal percentage, usage rate, and steals. Prioritize him on FanDuel where his league-high 2.2 steals per game gives him more value. He is the highest-owned among his peers.
Value
Priced at $4,100 on DraftKings and $4,000 on FanDuel, Cameron Payne is arguably the best value on the slate. The 76ers are desperate for help with both Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey out of the lineup. Payne has started in two of his 10 games since joining the 76ers and is projected to start tonight and play around 28 minutes. In his two starts, Payne is averaging 17.5 points per game while shooting 50% from the field and 43.8% from behind the arc. He is too cheap for his projections.
He has the second-highest projected Plus/Minus on FanDuel and the third-highest on DraftKings. He will be extremely popular across the industry, making him a strong cash-game option. Despite injuries to their top two players, the 76ers are six-point home favorites against the Grizzlies, dealing with their own injury situation. Another great spot for Payne tonight.
Fast Break
With Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Max Strus out, the Cavaliers will be a great source of value on this eight-game slate. When all three are off the floor this year, Darius Garland has a team-high +6.8% usage rate and a +7.38 DraftKings Plus/Minus. Garland is coming off a 16-point, 11-assist double-double in the Cavaliers’ short-handed win against the Celtics. He has recorded a positive Plus/Minus in four consecutive games and is priced too cheap being under $8,000 on both sites.
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 shooting guard position is lacking star power on DraftKings, which is why Anfernee Simons has the highest projected ceiling by a comfortable margin despite being only $8,200. Simons is coming off his best game of the season against the league’s top defense in the Timberwolves. The Trail Blazers lost by only five points, and Simons finished with 34 points, 14 assists, five rebounds, and 63.25 DraftKings points, while shooting 13-for-26 from the field and 5-for-13 from behind the arc.
He will try to go toe-to-toe with Gilgeous-Alexander tonight. The Trail Blazers are decimated with injuries right now, especially to their backcourt. Guards Malcolm Brogdon and Scoot Henderson are out, while Deandre Ayton is doubtful and Jerami Grant is questionable. Basically, the last man standing, Simons, is going to get as much usage as he can handle.
Value
Whether it is Alex Caruso or Ayo Dosunmu, both of these value guards are great options across the industry tonight. They each rank in the top four in projected Plus/Minus at the shooting guard position. Dosunmu gets a slight nod due to having a higher ceiling. He has recorded a positive Plus/Minus in six straight games and in eight of his last nine. The third-year pro is averaging a career-high 10.8 points per game this season while shooting 49.8% from the field and 40.6% from distance.
Dosunmu has started in 20 of his 59 games played and his average jumps to 14.1 points per game during those starts. Over his last six games, Dosunmu has also averaged 6.2 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game proving that he is not a scoring dependent fantasy option. The Jazz rank 25th in defensive rating this season, making this a great spot for Dosunmu.
Fast Break
Also benefiting from the absence of Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid is Kelly Oubre Jr. who has shooting guard and small forward eligibility on both DraftKings and FanDuel. Oubre Jr. is coming off a season-high 30 points shooting 11-for-20 from the field, including two 3-pointers. He had a 31.9% usage rate, which is the second straight game in which his usage rate exceeded 30%. Priced under $6,000 on both sites, Oubre Jr. is a strong value that is easy to fit into all lineup builds tonight.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
Hovering around 10% ownership on DraftKings and FanDuel, LeBron James will be a contrarian pay-up option. Seemingly forever questionable, make sure to always keep an eye on his status the closer we get to lock. Since the start of February, the Lakers have won 10 of their last 14 games and are slowly rising in the Western Conference standings. James has been a key factor in the Lakers’ recent run. He is shooting 52.7% from the field and a career-high 40.7% from deep this year.
The Lakers are a 2.5-point home favorite against the Kings. This matchup has the highest game total on the slate at 238.5 points, with the Lakers implied for a slate-high 120 points. Over his last six games, James is stuffing the stat sheet with 28 points, 9.2 assists, and 6.5 rebounds per game while shooting 57.5% from the field. If he is playing, he is an elite option.
Value
Caris LeVert has the highest Projected Plus/Minus at the small forward position on DraftKings tonight. He is another player that will greatly benefit from the absence of Mitchell, Mobley, and Strus. Over his last four games with the increased playing time, LeVert is averaging 13.3 points, 8.5 assists, 6.8 rebounds, and 38.8 DraftKings points per game. Our model has LeVert projected for a modest 28 minutes and he still looks like a great value option. His mid-range price tag is a great selling point.
Due to being short-handed, the Cavaliers are two-point road underdogs against the Hawks, who are also still without Trae Young. The Hawks have been an exploitable defense all season long. They rank fourth in pace and 27th in defensive rating while allowing 122.4 points per game, which is the second-highest in the league. LeVert will thrive in this game environment.
Fast Break
Despite losing 15 straight games, the Wizards are only 7.5-point home underdogs against the Magic tonight. Deni Avdija continues to shine for a team that is down in the dumps. He is averaging a career-high across the board in points, rebounds, and assists while shooting 50.4% from the field and 40.2% from behind the arc. Avdija looks exceptional on FanDuel at his $6,200 discounted salary, which is resulting in a 95% Bargain Rating and 10 Pro Trends. He can fill it up in a variety of ways.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
The status of Giannis Antetokounmpo is likely the biggest on this eight-game slate. Giannis missed the last game with an injury and is questionable for tonight’s action. In the last game, he suited up, and he had a massive 46-point, 16-rebound double-double. There is a reason why he has the highest projected ceiling in our Player Model on DraftKings and the second-highest on FanDuel. When Giannis is healthy, it is critical to get exposure in all lineup builds regardless of slate size.
If Giannis is ruled out, Damian Lillard is the obvious beneficiary along with Bobby Portis and a few other Bucks value pieces. However, with the expectation that Giannis is in, he should thrive in this matchup against the Warriors. Giannis has scored 30 or more points in each of his last four games in this spot and will likely put up another 30-piece if he plays tonight.
Value
Even though Dean Wade scored a career-high 23 points and grabbed eight rebounds last game, he is still egregiously cheap across the industry. Priced at $3,200 on DraftKings, Wade has the highest projected Plus/Minus on the slate. He has the fourth-highest on FanDuel with his $4,000 price tag. Wade will be extremely popular tonight, and for good reason. He doesn’t have to do much to exceed his salary. In the last game, he shot a ridiculous 8-for-11 from the field, including six 3-pointers.
Wade is shooting 40.2% from behind the arc and is starting to get more opportunities to showcase his sharpshooting. The Hawks have been attackable on the perimeter. They are allowing opponents to shoot 38.6% from downtown, which is the third-highest in the league. This is a perfect matchup for Wade to stay hot from downtown and easily pay off his price tag.
Fast Break
Tobias Harris has a discounted salary on FanDuel of $7,400, which is resulting in a 93% Bargain Rating. He has the ceiling to find his way into the optimal build at his mid-range price tag. Over his last three games, Harris has averaged 25.7 points and 8.7 rebounds per game. With Maxey and Embiid injured and new faces on the 76ers, Harris is the most consistent option on this team. With small forward and power forward eligibility on both sites, he is a strong option in all formats tonight.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
Not only do Anthony Davis and Domantas Sabonis rate extremely close in our Player Model, but they are playing against each other tonight. Given the salary situation, it is best to deploy Sabonis on FanDuel and Davis on DraftKings. We’ll start with Davis, who is only $10,300 on DraftKings with a 94% Bargain Rating. He has recorded a double-double in nine straight games while averaging 26.1 points and 13.4 rebounds per game. Davis also has an incredible ceiling that he can tap into.
Sabonis, on the other hand, continues to lead the league with 21 triple-doubles. He has recorded a triple-double in nine of his last 15 games and has posted a positive Plus/Minus in 18 of his last 22 games on FanDuel. He leads the league in rebounds, while the Lakers rank 21st in rebounding percentage at 49.3%. Both Sabonis and Davis are fantastic options.
Value
Jarrett Allen leads the FanDuel slate with the highest projected Plus/Minus while ranking second on DraftKings behind his teammate Dean Wade. With Evan Mobley out, Allen will gobble up most of the rebounds for the Cavaliers. In his 23 games played without Mobley this season, Allen is averaging a double-double with 16.3 points and 11.8 rebounds per game. Allen’s defensive stats also get a boost with more opportunity flooded his way. Add in that Mitchell is out and Allen looks fantastic.
The Hawks have been one of the worst interior defenses this season. They rank 28th in points allowed in the paint at 55 per game and are an average rebounding team. In his three meetings with the Hawks, Allen has averaged 16.7 points and 11 rebounds per game while shooting 82.1% from the field. Expect another ceiling performance from Allen in this elite matchup.
Fast Break
Another team dealing with a plethora of injuries is the Utah Jazz, especially to their frontcourt. Lauri Markkanen and Walker Kessler continue to be out, paving the way for John Collins to dominate the glass and have freedom offensively. Similar to Sabonis, Collins has been spectacular on FanDuel at his current price tag. He has recorded a positive Plus/Minus in 16 of his last 18 games. He was all over the floor last game with 17 points, 15 rebounds, and six blocks. He is too cheap yet again.
