Fantasy Basketball Picks: Top DraftKings NBA DFS Targets, Values for March 13

We have less than one full month in the NBA regular season. Time really does fly when you’re having fun. There are seven games to choose from on Monday’s slate, and the action on DraftKings gets underway at 7 p.m. ET.

Let’s dive into some of my favorite plays at each position.

Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $350K Fadeaway [$100K to 1st]

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Guard

Studs

Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks vs. Minnesota Timberwolves ($9,400) – Young has played some of his best basketball of the season recently. He’s scored at least 49.5 DKFP in three straight games, culminating with 60.25 DKFP Saturday vs. the Celtics. He posted a 40.3% usage rate in that contest, and he finished with 35 points and 13 assists. Overall, Young has increased his production to 1.50 DKFP per minute over the past month, which is the top mark among Monday’s backcourt options.

Young’s matchup on Monday is also a good one. The Timberwolves rank sixth in pace this season, and there are tons of points expected in this contest. The total currently sits at 245.0 points, while the Hawks’ implied team total of 125.25 ranks first on the slate. Minnesota has also allowed the seventh-most fantasy points per game to opposing point guards, so Young is in a great spot to continue his recent hot streak.

Killian Hayes, Detroit Pistons vs. Indiana Pacers ($5,700) – Monday’s matchup between the Pistons and Pacers is going to feature prominently in this article. Both teams are clearly focused on the future, which means landing as many ping-pong balls as possible in the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes. The Pistons are currently in pole position in that race, while the Pacers are tied for the sixth-worst record in basketball with the Wizards and Blazers.

Both of these teams are going to be without several key players in this matchup. On the Detroit side, Cade Cunningham, Bojan Bogdanovic, Hamidou Diallo, and Isaiah Stewart all remain out with long-term injuries, and they’ll be joined on the sidelines by Jaden Ivey, Marvin Bagley, and Alec Burks. That doesn’t leave the team with many viable options, particularly when it comes to facilitators.

Expect Hayes to be extremely busy at point guard. He was in a similar spot Saturday vs. the Pacers and responded with 17 points, 13 assists, and six rebounds in 36.9 minutes. He racked up 49.0 DKFP, and similar production is possible in Monday’s rematch. Hayes has averaged 1.06 DKFP per minute over the past month, and that number could be significantly higher given all the team’s absences.

Other Options – Devin Booker ($10,100), Desmond Bane ($8,400)

Value

Andrew Nembhard, Indiana Pacers at Detroit Pistons ($5,000) – Not to be outdone, the Pacers are going to be without Tyrese Haliburton, Myles Turner, Bennedict Mathurin, and T.J. McConnell. Buddy Hield is also questionable, so they’re another team with tons of minutes and usage available.

Nembhard is someone who has had some monster games this season with Haliburton sidelined, and the absence of McConnell should only help. Nembhard has increased his usage rate by +7.0% and his assist rate by +21.7% with both players off the floor this season, resulting in an average of 0.98 DKFP per minute. He should see as many minutes as he can handle in this spot against a dreadful Pistons’ defense. They rank 28th in defensive efficiency, and Nembhard has the potential to be the best value on the entire slate.

Other Options – R.J. Hampton ($3,300), Luke Kennard ($3,100)

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Forward

Studs

Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics at Houston Rockets ($10,900) – With all the value available in Pacers-Pistons, we’re going to be able to spend up for whoever we want. Unfortunately, there aren’t a ton of “mega studs” to choose from. Luka Doncic is out, and Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kyrie Irving are questionable, leaving Tatum as the clear top choice.

Fortunately, Tatum is a pretty darn good play. He’s seen an uptick in production over the past month, increasing his fantasy output to 1.49 DKFP per minute. He’s also coming off a huge performance in his last contest, racking up 67.25 DKFP on 34 points and 15 rebounds. The 15 boards were his second-highest mark of the year, and he could continue to be a bit more active than usual on the glass with Robert Williams sidelined.

Tatum also has plenty of scoring potential vs. the Rockets. They rank 29th in defensive efficiency for the year, and the Celtics’ implied team total of 122.0 ranks third on the slate. There is some blowout risk here – the Celtics are favored by 12.5 points on the road – but Tatum has excellent upside if this game stays competitive.

Isaiah Livers, Detroit Pistons vs. Indiana Pacers ($5,300) – Livers has been a non-factor for the Pistons for most of the year, but he took on a primary scoring role in their last contest. He led the team with 37.7 minutes and 20 field goal attempts in their last contest, including 10 3-pointers. His 39.5 DKFP was buoyed by four steals and two blocks, but he shot just 7-20 from the field. Some better shooting numbers could help offset a likely reduction in those categories on Monday.

Ultimately, Livers is too cheap for his projected role in a strong matchup vs. the Pacers, who rank seventh in pace and 26th in defensive efficiency.

Other Options – Jimmy Butler ($8,700), Al Horford ($5,600)

Value

Chris Duarte, Indiana Pacers at Detroit Pistons ($4,200) – Duarte burst onto the scene as a rookie in 2021-22, averaging 17.7 points per game across his first seven professional contests. Unfortunately, he has not been able to reach those heights since then. He’s been an afterthought for the Pacers when at full strength this season, limiting him to an average of just 19.7 minutes per game.

However, Duarte moved into the team’s starting lineup in their last contest, and he racked up 32.8 minutes. He was dreadful as a scorer, shooting just 2-11 from the field and 1-6 from 3-point range, but he has the chance for a bounce-back performance on Monday. Duarte has averaged 0.77 DKFP per minute this season, and he should be locked in for 30+ minutes vs. the Pistons.

Other Options – Harrison Barnes ($5,000), Eugene Omoruyi ($3,800)

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Center

Stud

Deandre Ayton, Phoenix Suns at Golden State Warriors ($7,500) – Ayton is the ultimate luxury item for the Suns. They very rarely need him to carry a large offensive workload, especially now that they’ve added Kevin Durant to the mix.

That said, Ayton is more than capable of racking up points when given the opportunity. He’s coming off 22 points and 44.0 DKFP in his last contest, and he should be a bit busier than usual with Durant sidelined. Ayton played more than 37 minutes in the team’s last game, which represents a massive increase from his average of 30.4 for the year. With Durant out of the lineup and Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson in Brooklyn, the Suns don’t have nearly as much depth as they did at the beginning of the year.

Other Options – Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,900; questionable), Domantas Sabonis ($9,800)

Value

Isaiah Jackson, Indiana Pacers at Detroit Pistons ($4,600) – Jackson rounds out the Pacers-Pistons value options, and he’s one of the best. He moved into the starting lineup in place of Turner in their last game and responded with 43.75 DKFP in 25.7 minutes. That’s not an outlier. Jackson has historically been one of the best per-minute producers in fantasy, so he’s capable of taking advantage of additional playing time. He’s played more than 25 minutes in 10 career games, and he’s averaged 35.08 DKFP in those contests. As long as he remains in the starting lineup, he’s very tough to fade against the same team he torched two nights ago.

Other Options – Jalen Duren ($4,900), Onyeka Okongwu ($3,900)

Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $350K Fadeaway [$100K to 1st]

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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.