Tuesday presents a five-game slate. Below, I dive into three of my favorite DFS options to consider for this slate.
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C, Wendell Carter Jr., Orlando Magic at Toronto Raptors, $5,900
With Goga Bitadze (concussion) out for the last three games, Carter Jr. has been the primary beneficiary for the Magic. The veteran has been Orlando’s starting center during this stretch and produced 37.7 FPTS in 33.1 minutes per game, which is a huge increase from the 25.2 minutes per game Carter Jr. is averaging this season. All of these past three games have been blowout losses for the Magic, with them losing by an average of 23 PPG, but that clearly hasn’t affected Carter’s playing time, as the 33.1 minutes per game he has seen during this span has been the highest on the team by four minutes.
While the other Magic starters have sat at the end of these lopsided affairs, Carter Jr. has played most of the fourth quarter in all three of these games. With the NBA trade deadline fast approaching, one certainly could presume the Magic are showcasing Carter Jr. right now and no matter the outcome of tonight’s matchup with the Raptors, the big man is guaranteed to see 30-35 minutes of work, giving him more than enough time to beat his salary against this Toronto team that ranks seventh in pace and 25th in defensive efficiency. In addition to Bitadze, the Magic will remain without Franz Wagner (oblique) and Jalen Suggs (back) tonight, and with these three players off the floor this season, Carter Jr. is amassing 1.0 FPTS per minute with an 18.8% usage rate, which is a 3.3 percentage point lift from his average.
SF, RJ Barrett, Toronto Raptors vs. Orlando Magic, $7,700
Barrett is one of the best spends on the board tonight. Immanuel Quickley (hip) remains sidelined and with the guard inactive this season, Barrett has generated 43.7 FPTS per game (27 games). With Quickley off the court this season, Barrett is leading the Raptors with 1.3 FPTS per minute, which is attributed to all his rates seeing slight increases. Barrett is facing a Magic team that ranks second in defensive efficiency for the season, but due to many key injuries, most specifically Suggs, Orlando’s defense has been a shell of itself as of late, ranking 24th in efficiency over their last three games.
The Magic have given up 118.7 PPG during this three-game stretch and not having to deal with Suggs’ elite perimeter defense is great news for Barrett. To put a cherry on top, the Raptors will be at home tonight, where Barrett has been excellent. This season, the wing is scoring 45 FPTS per game on his home floor, which is a huge upgrade from the 39.1 FPTS per game Barrett is averaging on the road.
PG/SG, D’Angelo Russell, Brooklyn Nets vs. New York Knicks, $5,800
After being listed as questionable with a hamstring injury, Russell has been upgraded to probable, while Cam Thomas (hamstring) and Ben Simmons (illness) are out for the Nets. Russell should draw his second straight start and approach 30 minutes with a large usage rate tonight. Since being traded to the Nets a few weeks ago, Russell has played 107 minutes with both Thomas and Simmons off the court, and Russell has been brilliant with 1.6 FPTS per minute in this situation, thanks to a 28.6% usage rate and a 53.4% assist percentage.
Going against a Knicks team that is playing their second game in two nights and ranks 23rd in defensive efficiency over their last three games, Russell has a ceiling over 40 FPTS and is a core play for this five-game slate.
