It’s a jam-packed NBA slate on Wednesday, with eleven games set to tip off across the association. That means plenty of big names are expected to take the floor, including LaMelo Ball, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Nikola Jokic. With so many stars in action, narrowing down a select group to start in season-long fantasy and DFS formats is a difficult task. Here are the three forwards at the top of tonight’s fantasy basketball rankings:
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $300K Fadeaway [$100K to 1st]
1. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks vs. ORL ($11,600)
Even on the second leg of a back-to-back, Giannis Antetokounmpo is the top dog tonight at forward. Milwaukee’s face of the franchise has enjoyed another terrific campaign, to absolutely no one’s surprise. This season, the superstar is averaging a league-leading 31.4 points, along with 11.9 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.5 blocks. Those numbers, combined with a 59.8% field goal percentage, make it nearly impossible to slow down the two-way forward.
If any team has a shot at limiting Giannis, it’s Orlando. This season, the Magic have given up the second-fewest points to opponents (103.2) and the fewest DK fantasy points to power forwards. Still, when these teams met on January 10th, Antetokounmpo tallied 41 points, 14 rebounds and 4 assists (74.5 FPTS). There’s no doubt that the three-time MVP is the best forward available; is he the most cost-effective option? That might not be the case against a stingy defense.
2. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics at TOR ($10,200)
With a record of 28-11, the Celtics continue to dominate the Eastern Conference. As always, Jayson Tatum has led the way for Boston. This season, the five-time All-Star is averaging 28.1 points, 9.4 rebounds and 5.3 assists on 46.2% shooting from the field. Most recently, the forward produced a 38-point performance vs. the Pelicans on Sunday.
If there’s one thing the defending champions have excelled at this season, it’s beating bad teams. While the Raptors are better than their eight wins suggest, there’s a massive talent disparity in tonight’s contest. When these two teams met on December 31st, Tatum recorded 40 DK fantasy points in 29 minutes of play. If Toronto keeps things closer this time, Boston’s young star could have an even better outing.
3. Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic at MIL ($9,100)
There’s new life in Orlando now that Paolo Banchero is back. The Magic went over two months without their best player, sidelined due to an oblique injury. When the former Rookie of the Year is healthy, he’s immediately one of the top options at forward. The Duke alum has recorded 27.0 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists since returning on January 10th. While it’s a small two-game sample size, those numbers have come despite playing an average of just 27 minutes.
Banchero will have his hands full tonight against the smothering defense of Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks. Milwaukee has allowed the fifth-fewest DK fantasy points to power forwards this season. However, when these teams met on January 10th, Paolo notched 34 points, seven rebounds and three assists (54.25 FPTS). Entering this game on two days of rest, Orlando could give its budding star an uptick in minutes. That makes Banchero a nice pivot for those looking at slightly cheaper options for their fantasy lineups.
