Fantasy Basketball Picks: Top DraftKings NBA DFS Targets, Values for February 5

The NFL might have the week off, but there is always a Sunday NBA DFS slate waiting for you. These slates are not very big, so the research process can be light. Let’s get ahead by digging into the four-game evening slate that starts at 6 p.m. ET.

Delay the work week a few more hours. Get in on some NBA DFS action, and start by enjoying another colorful weekend edition of the NBA Targets.

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Guard

Studs

James Harden, Philadelphia 76ers at New York Knicks, $9,700 — Much to the chagrin of Charles Barkley, modern NBA players do not like to work the weekends. This Sunday’s slate consists of only four games but the injury report is an absolute minefield. Harden is healthy and Joel Embiid is questionable, again. However, it would not shock anyone if Harden ends up missing the game and Embiid plays (Harden exited Friday’s game with an injury but returned in the second half). Welcome to NBA DFS. Follow @DKLive to keep up with lineup changes and late scratches on Sunday. Where it stands now, Harden is one of the few stars on the slate without an injury designation. If Embiid sits, then Harden’s Usage Rate will sky rocket and he’ll be the top play on Sunday. Also, never overlook the “stars in the Garden” narrative.

Desmond Bane, Memphis Grizzlies vs. Toronto Raptors, $7,400 — The Grizzlies have eight players on the injury report and this includes multiple starters. If Ja Morant ($10,200) plays, then he should hit season highs in usage (35% Usage Rate) and minutes (low 30s). If he sits, then Memphis has few options but Bane. His Usage Rate is 26.7% on a normal night. If Morant is out then Bane will get nearly 40 minutes and his usage should easily top 30%. For Bane, the story is always the same — will his shots fall? The Grizzlies have lost six of their last seven and desperately need Bane to have a good game.

Value

Davion Mitchell, Sacramento Kings at New Orleans Pelicans, $3,300 — Goldfish memory is important in DFS. Mitchell started and busted on Friday night. The Kings bench played well, and that was that. The Kings are a good team. Their bench is solid. They could play well again and are worth a look, but one thing is for sure, in a tougher matchup after a bust, very few will go back to Mitchell. If this value pick could have worked Friday, then it could work tonight.

Christian Braun, Denver Nuggets at Minnesota Timberwolves, $3,000 — The weekend NBA DFS targets article has favorites. SG Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (only at home) is one of them. KCP got injured on Saturday. That opens the door for another favorite — Christian Braun. The rookie, first-round pick’s season has been well documented and hyped in the targets article every weekend. On Saturday, Braun played a season-high 32 minutes and scored 26.25 DKFP for an 8.5x return. Denver will likely be short-handed on the back-end of the back-to-back, so 30 minutes — up-tempo minutes (Minnesota is sixth in Pace) — should be expected on Sunday.

Forward

Studs

Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Denver Nuggets, $9,900 — Just like every other team on this slate, Minnesota could be playing short-handed. Edwards carries this team when they’re healthy, so a short-handed T-wolves should mean a lot of Anthony Edwards. After a very hot six game stretch, Edwards has cooled down — mainly due to poor 3-point shooting. This is the NBA. Players live and die by the three. Edwards would not be a star in this league if he were incapable of making long-range shots. The three will again fall, but at the very least, he’s still firing. Edwards’ 36.7 MPG is the third-most on this slate, and his 29.2% Usage Rate ranks fifth.

Julius Randle, New York Knicks vs. Philadelphia 76ers, $10,000 — This pick is dependent on the final injury report. If Embiid sits, then Randle is a great play. Nikola Jokic ($11,400) is also on the slate but Jokic was questionable on Saturday. He played, but it is unlikely that he’ll play on the second leg of the back-to-back after being listed questionable on the front end. Randle is a star, and he’s the only healthy PF/C star on this slate.

Value

Harrison Barnes, Sacramento Kings at New Orleans Pelicans, $5,500 — The safe play might be the best option on this slate. The Kings are surprisingly deep from an offensive perspective, and Barnes is quietly having a solid season. He’s averaging 32.8 MPG with a decent 17.2% Usage Rate. Even with De’Aaron Fox out on Friday, Barnes’ Usage Rate was only 18.2% but he scored 35.25 DKFP. He likely won’t explode but he wont implode either. He’ll make enough shots and add plenty of peripheral stats as a do-it-all player — a winner — with a high floor. Depending on who gets hot for the Kings, PF/C Trey Lyles ($3,300), SG/SF Kevin Huerter ($5,500), SG Malik Monk ($5,200) and SG/SF Terence Davis ($3,200) are all excellent GPP options. They each split minutes and usage, and on a full slate it is not wise to attempt to predict who will be the king of the Kings. On a four-game slate with Fox out, DFS players are going to have to spin the wheel.

John Konchar, Memphis Grizzlies vs. Toronto Raptors, $3,500 — Whenever Memphis is thin, John Kon pops on the radar. Between Jan. 2 and Feb. 1, Konchar did nothing. Memphis was healthy. On Friday, Konchar played 28 minutes and scored 21.75 DKFP for a 7.3x return (despite a 7.5% Usage Rate). Back when he was needed at the end of the calendar year, Bane crushed value in three straight — 7.0x, 6.6x and 8.3x. He never played more than 28 minutes and his Usage Rate was around 15%, but at a low salary, Konchar just needed to be on the floor.

Center

Studs

Domantas Sabonis, Sacramento Kings at New Orleans Pelicans, $10,500 — The late night hammer falls at 7 p.m. ET. The Sunday slates are the best. De’Aaron Fox is out again. This is Sabonis’ team on Sunday. He didn’t completely disappoint on Friday, but most expected more in a revenge game vs. the Pacers with Fox sitting out. Here we go again. No Fox on Sunday means bonus Sabonis. The big man produces 1.4 FPPM despite a 21.1% Usage Rate. His usage should move closer to 30% on Sunday.

Pascal Siakam, Toronto Raptors at Memphis Grizzlies, $9,000 — The Grizzlies are not at full strength and they are especially weak in the front court at the moment. The Raptors’ road trip has not gone well for Siakam. This is their seventh road game in a row and their 10th in the last 12. Siakam has been okay and the Raptors have split their road games, but he has not been an elite DFS option. His mediocrity will turn most away, but this is a great spot for Siakam to turn things around. Memphis will push the pace and, as losers of six of their last seven games, their defense should be lacking due to injuries.

Value

Santi Aldama, Memphis Grizzlies vs. Toronto Raptors, $4,100 — This feels like chasing. Aldama has busted in seven of his last 10 games. However, he started and scored 39 DKFP in 34 minutes of work against a strong Cleveland frontcourt on Thursday. Memphis is banged up, so Aldama will likely get plenty of run on Sunday.

Isaiah Hartenstein, New York Kicks vs. Philadelphia 76ers, $4,000 — Saturday didn’t turn out to be a massive revenge game vs. his old team, but it was another good game for a quality player. As mentioned in yesterday’s NBA DFS targets article, coach Tibs is giving Hartenstein minutes, and the backup center is producing. Over the last six games, Hartenstein is averaging 25.7 DKFP across 26.8 MPG for a return of 7.1x.

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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is greenflagradio2) 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.