Buckle up for a massive night of basketball. Wednesday features a 13-game main slate starting at 7:00 p.m. ET, so there are plenty of DFS options to choose from.
Let’s dive into some of my favorite plays at each position.
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Guard
Studs
Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers at Sacramento Kings ($9,500) – The Pacers were expected to be in contention for a top lottery spot this season, but they’re currently in fourth place in the Eastern Conference. It seems unlikely they can hold on to a guaranteed playoff spot, but Haliburton is doing everything possible to keep the team competitive. He’s averaging 19.9 points, 11.3 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game, good for an average of 48.43 DKFP. He’s averaged 1.40 DKFP per minute over the past month, which trails only Ja Morant ($10,900) among Wednesday’s backcourt options.
Haliburton draws a matchup against his former team on Wednesday. The Kings are another team that has exceeded expectations this season, but they remain a fantastic fantasy matchup. They rank seventh in pace and 27th in defensive efficiency, and this game leads the slate with a total of 242.5. No other contest is above 231.5, so this is clearly a game to get some exposure to.
D’Angelo Russell, Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Memphis Grizzlies ($6,400) – The big news on this slate involves the injury to Karl-Anthony Towns. He’s expected to miss four-to-six weeks with a calf strain, which is going to open up plenty of offensive opportunities for the rest of the roster. Towns hasn’t been quite as active offensively as he has been in years past, but his 24.6% usage rate still ranks second among the team’s starters.
Russell is someone who should see a boost in value. He averaged 1.08 DKFP per minute with Towns off the floor last season, and he averaged 42.88 DKFP in two games with the star big man out of the lineup. Russell is as cheap as he’s been all season at $6.4K, giving him plenty of appeal against the Grizzlies.
Other Options – Anthony Edwards ($8,000)
Value
Jaylen Nowell, Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Memphis Grizzlies ($3,900) – Sticking with the Timberwolves, Nowell is another potential beneficiary. He has been extremely efficient on a per-minute basis this season, averaging 1.07 DKFP per minute, and his minutes should be much more secure with Towns out of the picture. He’s played at least 24.2 minutes in back-to-back games, and he’s scored at least 28.25 DKFP in both. Expect him to see a similar workload on Wednesday, making him one of the best value options on the slate.
Other Options – Malik Monk ($4,900), Tre Mann ($3,300)
Forward
Studs
Editor’s Note: Celtics SG/SF Jaylen Brown (neck) will be available to play tonight vs. the Heat.
Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics vs. Miami Heat ($10,800) – Tatum got a rare breather on Sunday, and it seems like Jaylen Brown ($8,400; neck) could get the same treatment today. Such is the life of a team with a 17-4 record. Tatum and Brown routinely carry monster workloads and getting them a break from time-to-time is a luxury the Celtics can afford. Brown is officially questionable, but it would not be a surprise if he ends up getting the night off.
If Brown sits, Tatum will be asked to carry the offense. Tatum does plenty of the scoring for the Celtics even when Brown is active, but he’s increased his usage rate by 3.2 percentage points with his star teammate off the floor. He’s been phenomenal of late, averaging 1.46 DKFP per minute over the past month, and he would have the potential for an even bigger performance if Brown is inactive.
Jerami Grant, Portland Trail Blazers at Los Angeles Lakers ($7,100) – The Blazers are coming off a tough loss to the Clippers on Tuesday, blowing an 18-point second-half lead, but don’t blame Grant. He turned in another fantastic performance, racking up 48.25 DKFP thanks to 32 points, three rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks.
Grant is one of the most underrated players in the league, and he’s been asked to do much more scoring than usual with Damian Lillard sidelined. He’s posted a usage rate of at least 30.4% in three straight games, but it has done very little to impact his efficiency. Grant is in another excellent spot Wednesday vs. the Lakers, who have played at the second-fastest pace this season.
Other Options – Zion Williamson ($8,600), Keldon Johnson ($7,100)
Value
Kyle Anderson, Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Memphis Grizzlies ($3,800) – Anderson is the favorite to move into the starting lineup for Towns, and he has the potential to see 30-plus minutes against his former team. That makes him tough to pass up at $3.8K. Anderson has always been a solid fantasy producer, and he’s averaged 0.88 DKFP per minute this season.
Other Options – Justise Winslow ($4,600), Joe Harris ($3,800)
Center
Stud
Jusuf Nurkic, Portland Trail Blazers at Los Angeles Lakers ($6,900) – Nurkic is another player to consider for the Blazers on Wednesday. He has long been one of the best per-minute producers at the position, and he’s averaged 1.16 DKFP per minute this season. The bigger issue for Nurkic is consistent playing time, but that hasn’t been much of a challenge recently. He’s racked up at least 31.8 minutes in three straight games, and he’s unsurprisingly responded with at least 42.0 DKFP in each of them. Nurkic has also increased his usage rate by 1.9 percentage points with Lillard off the floor this season, so he carries a bit more upside than usual.
Other Options – Nikola Jokic ($11,700), Deandre Ayton ($7,800)
Value
Nic Claxton, Brooklyn Nets vs. Washington Wizards ($5,800) – Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but the Nets are going to be without Ben Simmons on Wednesday. He exited Monday’s game early due to left knee soreness, which is the same injury that sidelined him earlier in the year. Right as Simmons started to remind us about his ability on the floor, it appears he’s headed for another stint on the sidelines.
Simmons’ loss should be Claxton’s gain. Claxton logged 36.3 minutes on Monday, and he responded with 41.75 DKFP. Claxton has increased his production to 1.15 DKFP per minute over the past month, and he should be locked in for at least 30 minutes as the team’s top center. The Wizards aren’t quite as good a matchup as they’ve been in the past, but this is simply too cheap of a price tag to pass up.
Other Options – Zach Collins ($4,500), Naz Reid ($3,200)
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is mlamarca) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.