Wednesday features a nine-game slate starting at 7 p.m. ET.
Let’s dive into some of the top plays 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 150 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 Player Models directly for any updates as we get closer to lock.
Point Guard
Stud
Point guard is a loaded position on Wednesday, with seven players priced at $9,400 or more on DraftKings. However, Dejounte Murray stands out as the best bet at the position. Murray has been outstanding for most of the year, and he’s increased his production to 1.49 DraftKings points per minute over the past month. He should also continue to benefit from the absence of some of the Spurs’ key rotation players, including Derrick White, Keldon Johnson, and Devin Vassell.
Murray also has one of the best matchups of the day vs. the Rockets. They rank second in pace and dead last in defensive efficiency, and the Spurs’ implied team total of 118.5 ranks first on the slate.
Value
The Celtics will be without Marcus Smart on Wednesday, which opens up a few additional minutes for Dennis Schroder. He’s averaged 0.90 DraftKings points per minute this season, and he’s currently projected for 30 minutes in our NBA Models. Schroder racked up more than 42 minutes in his only full game without Smart this season.
Schroder’s price tag has also come way down recently. He’s priced at just $4,800 on DraftKings, which represents a decrease of -$1,500 over the past month.
Fast Break
Bradley Beal entered health and safety protocols on Tuesday, so he is not expected to suit up Wednesday for the Wizards. That makes Spencer Dinwiddie an elite option. He thrived in Beal’s absence in their last game, racking up 46.75 DraftKings points over 33.6 minutes. That doesn’t stand out as an outlier either: Dinwiddie has averaged 45.54 DraftKings points in seven games without Beal this season.
Jalen Brunson owns one of the largest pricing discrepancies between DraftKings and FanDuel. His $5,800 salary on FanDuel comes with a Bargain Rating of 98%, and he’s still provided excellent value even with Luka Doncic back in the lineup. He racked up 29.8 FanDuel points in just 27.9 minutes in his last outing, and he should see a few additional minutes Wednesday vs. the Knicks.
Shooting Guard
Stud
LaMelo Ball has eligibility at shooting guard on DraftKings, and that’s where he’s most valuable. Shooting guard isn’t nearly as deep as point guard, so the ability to use him at that spot greatly increases his appeal. Ball’s playing time is also on the rise. He racked up 35.4 minutes in his last outing, which was his top mark in his past 11 games. His salary has decreased by -$1,400 over the past month on DraftKings, so he has some legit buy-low appeal.
You have to use Ball at point guard on FanDuel, but he’s an even better value on that site. His $8,000 salary comes with a Bargain Rating of 92%, and his 10 Pro Trends are tied for first at the position.
Value
The Spurs stand out as one of the best sources of value on Wednesday’s slate. Their entire roster is very affordable outside of Murray, and they should all benefit from their matchup vs. the Rockets.
Lonnie Walker IV stands out as one of their strongest options. He’s been extremely effective recently, averaging 1.01 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, and he’s averaged 30 minutes of playing time in his past two contests.
Fast Break
Josh Primo and Bryn Forbes are even cheaper than Walker, and both players also warrant consideration for the Spurs. Primo owns the top minute’s projection among the Spurs’ value options, while Forbes is dirt cheap at just $3,600. Loading up multiple players for the Spurs is a viable strategy on Wednesday’s slate.
Zach LaVine continues to get cheaper and cheaper on FanDuel. He’s down to just $7,200, resulting in a Bargain Rating of 98%, and it’s hard not to like him at that price tag. LaVine hasn’t been pricy that cheaply very often as a member of the Bulls, but he’s posted an average Plus/Minus of +4.10 in those contests (per the Trends tool).
Small Forward
Stud
The Lakers have had a disappointing season, but it certainly hasn’t been due to LeBron James. The King continues to dominate in his 19th NBA season, and he’s scored at least 61.75 DraftKings points in six of his past nine games. He’s increased his production to 1.62 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, which trails only Joel Embiid’s mark of 1.71 among Wednesday’s players.
LeBron has the potential for another big game vs. the Kings. The Kings rank ninth in pace and 26th in defensive efficiency, and the Lakers’ implied team total of 117.0 ranks third on the slate.
Value
Keita Bates-Diop is another potential value option to consider for the Spurs. He’s averaged 0.85 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, and he’s played as many as 37 minutes for the Spurs recently. He’s currently projected for 28 minutes in our NBA Models, and players with comparable salaries and minute projections have historically averaged a Plus/Minus of +3.10.
Fast Break
If you’re going to load up on the Spurs, it makes sense to correlate your lineups with someone from the Rockets. After all, the Spurs’ players are not going to reach the full value unless this game stays competitive. Kevin Porter Jr. is my favorite candidate for the Rockets. He’s averaged 0.92 FanDuel points per minute this season, and his $5,900 salary is very reasonable.
Caleb Martin should continue to play a large role for the Heat with Jimmy Butler sidelined. He’s logged at least 33.1 minutes in four of his past five games, and the lone exception came in a blowout win. That’s a lot of potential playing time for someone who costs just $4,400 on DraftKings.
Power Forward
Stud
The Nets have listed James Harden and Kyrie Irving and questionable, and their statuses will obviously be vital on Wednesday’s slate. If both players are ruled out, Kevin Durant is going to be asked to carry a monster workload. He’s increased his usage rate to 36.6% in three games without both players this season, and he’s averaged nearly 43 minutes in those contests. Overall, he’s averaged an insane 66.92 DraftKings points in that situation. This game doesn’t tip off until 10 p.m. ET on Wednesday, so make sure to leave yourself some flexibility to get to Durant if the Nets are shorthanded.
Value
The Hawks are expected to be without Clint Capela vs. the Heat – he’s currently doubtful – so Onyeka Okongwu should see a nice spike in playing time. He’s currently projected for 26 minutes in our NBA Models, and he’s averaged an excellent 0.95 DraftKings points per minute. His matchup vs. the Heat is far from ideal, but Okongwu is simply too cheap to pass up if he enters the starting lineup.
Fast Break
Chuma Okeke is another potential value option. He’s played well recently, increasing his fantasy production to 0.90 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, and he’s coming off 34.1 minutes in his last outing. He responded with 31.5 DraftKings points in that contest, and he’s capable of racking up fantasy points in a variety of ways. The Magic have already ruled out Wendell Carter Jr. and Mo Bamba, so Okeke should be looking at another sizable workload.
Christian Wood has been priced down to $7,000 on FanDuel, and he has the potential to destroy that price tag. He’s averaged 1.15 FanDuel points per minute this season, and his matchup with the Spurs results in an Opponent Plus/Minus of +2.26.
Center
Stud
The 76ers have won seven straight games, largely due to the play of Embiid. He’s scored at least 31 points in each of those contests, and he’s been a dominant fantasy producer during that stretch. He racked up 55 DraftKings points in his last outing, and he did it in just 26.4 minutes.
Embiid should see significantly more playing time if today’s game is competitive, and he can do some serious damage vs. the Hornets. They’ve played at the fastest pace in the league this season, and they rank just 28th in defensive efficiency.
Value
Hassan Whiteside has gotten significantly more expensive recently, but he still stands out as one of the best values of the day. He’s one of the best producers in the league on a per-minute basis – he’s averaged 1.25 DraftKings points per minute this season – and he’s seen a nice spike in playing time with Rudy Gobert out of the lineup. He played more than 33.8 minutes in his last game and responded with 51.0 DraftKings points. The Jazz are going to need his size vs. the Cavaliers, so fire him up with confidence.
Fast Break
Jakob Poeltl is also in play for the Spurs. He’s scored at least 33.0 DraftKings points in back-to-back games, despite playing just 24.1 minutes in his last outing. He should see closer to 30 minutes Wednesday vs. the Rockets, and Poeltl has averaged 1.10 DraftKings points per minute this season.
Omer Yurtseven continues to absolutely smash for the Heat. He’s posted an average Plus/Minus of +11.79 over his past 10 games on FanDuel, and he shows no real signs of slowing down. He’s racked up at least 41.2 FanDuel points in three of his past four games, so he remains reasonably priced at $6,800.
