Wednesday delivers a six-game NBA slate. DraftKings continues to offer huge contests for DFS players and below, I break down some of my favorite options at each position.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $300k Fadeaway [100k to 1st]
Guard
Stud
Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks at Milwaukee Bucks – $8,800
Young is a great value at this season-low salary. The guard leads the league in assists, resulting in 1.3 FPTS per minute for Young. The veteran is amassing 46.9 FPTS per game, which is right over five-times value for his current price tag. While the Bucks have improved after their terrible start to the season, Milwaukee still ranks 16th in defensive efficiency and they are playing their second game in two nights.
Young exposed the Bucks for 51 FPTS per game in two matchups last season and is a compelling spend for all formats at this price point.
Other Options: Cade Cunningham ($9,700), James Harden ($9,400)
Value
Payton Pritchard, Boston Celtics vs. Detroit Pistons, $5,500
Pritchard is the clear frontrunner for the Sixth Man of the Year award, and if either of Jayson Tatum (questionable, knee) or Jrue Holiday (questionable, knee) sit Wednesday, Pritchard will be unlocked as one of the best values on the slate. At least one Boston starter has been out for each of their last two games and Pritchard has thrived with an expanded role, scoring 42.7 FPTS in 34.5 minutes per game off the bench. The 26-year-old is shooting a career-best 48% from the field and has knocked down the fifth-most three pointers in the NBA (78).
The Oregon product is producing 1.0 FPTS per minute and will be in line for over 30 minutes of work if either Tatum or Holiday are out, giving Pritchard a tremendous ceiling relative to his salary in that situation.
Other Options: Derrick White ($6,600, if Tatum or Holiday are out), Norman Powell ($6,100), D’Angelo Russell ($4,900, if Austin Reaves is out), Keon Johnson ($4,500, if Ben Simmons or Cameron Johnson are out), Bogdan Bogdanovic ($4,400)
Forward
Stud
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks vs. Atlanta Hawks, $12,100
Antetokounmpo has been sensational this season, amassing 1.8 FPTS per minute with the second-highest usage rate in the league (36%). Atlanta is an elite spot for the forward, with the club ranking third in pace and 19th in defensive efficiency. Antetokounmpo recorded at least 68 DraftKings fantasy points in both of his matchups with the Hawks last season.
Plus, Antetokounmpo gets the advantage of playing on his home floor Wednesday, where he has been a whopping 10.7 FPTS per game better than on the road this season. Antetokounmpo is the clear best option for this six-game slate, so having some shares of the former MVP is a must Wednesday.
Other Options: Franz Wagner ($9,800), Jaylen Brown ($8,200, boost if either Tatum or Holiday is out)
Value
De’Andre Hunter, Atlanta Hawks at Milwaukee Bucks, $4,900
Hunter has been a terrific spark off the bench for the Hawks this season, generating 27.6 FPTS per game. The wing ranks second only to Young in usage for the Hawks, and his 23.1% usage rate is a career-high for the former lottery pick. Furthermore, Hunter is hitting 2.5 three-pointers per game while shooting 42% from beyond the arc, both of which are also career-highs for the veteran.
Hunter should exceed five-times value in this potential shootout with the Bucks as this game carries a high 237-point total on the DraftKings Sportsbook. He will likely come with low ownership given he comes off the bench.
Other Options: Wendell Carter Jr. ($5,100), Jaime Jaquez Jr. ($5,000, if Jimmy Butler is out), Haywood Highsmith ($3,700, if Butler is out)
Center
Stud
Kristaps Porzingis, Boston Celtics vs. Detroit Pistons, $7,000
Porzingis sat out Monday’s win over the Heat, but the big man has been removed from the Celtics’ injury report and will play Wednesday. Ever since making his season debut last week, Porzingis has seen his role grow in each of his first three games. His minutes have increased all the way up to 32 minutes this past Sunday vs. the Cavs, which translated into for 41.5 FPTS for the center. Three days removed from this start, Porzingis should approach 35 minutes Wednesday and is vastly underpriced for this type of workload.
Over the last two seasons, Porzingis is contributing 1.3 FPTS per minute with a 25.4% usage rate. The 29-year-old is a great target no matter what, but if either Tatum or Holiday are sidelined Wednesday, Porzingis will see a notable boost and will be a difficult fade for all formats.
Other Options: LeBron James ($9,500), Bam Adebayo ($8,000, if Butler is out),
Value
Clint Capela, Atlanta Hawks at Milwaukee Bucks, $5,200
Capela is another strong value play from the Hawks. The center has been a beast on the glass with at least 13 rebounds in three-straight starts, resulting in 34.3 FPTS per game during this stretch. The veteran is an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season and looking to prove his worth. Capela has been effective with 1.2 FPTS per minute this season.
As noted above, this matchup with the Bucks sports a high 237-point total on the DraftKings Sportsbook. In totals of at least 235 points the last two seasons, Capela has supplied 30.8 FPTS per game in 42 contests.
Other Options: Brook Lopez ($6,300), Mortiz Wagner ($4,400, if Goga Bitadze is out), Day’Ron Sharpe ($3,500)
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All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is Hunta512) 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 skills 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.
