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The NBA season keeps rolling right along, and we’ve got a six-game slate on tap for Wednesday. The action gets underway with three games starting at 7:30 p.m. ET and wraps up with a matchup between the Clippers and Blazers at 10:00 p.m. ET.
Let’s break down some of the top studs and values at each position to help you build your DraftKings lineups.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $1M Shootaround Special [$200K to 1st]
Point Guard
Stud
Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks vs. Charlotte Hornets, $10,700 – Doncic has not gotten off to the best start this season. He’s averaged just 47.1 DKFP despite the fact that he averaged 55.4 DKFP last season. He’s also playing without stud teammate Kristaps Porzingis, which makes his decline in production even more disappointing.
That said, there’s no reason to expect his struggles to continue. He’s actually on pace for a new career-high in usage rate, and his mark of 38.5% is the highest mark in the league so far this season. The only thing that has kept his production down has been poor shooting numbers, particularly his 12.5% mark from 3-point range. With some better shooting luck, he has the potential to smash this price tag in a pace-up spot vs. the Hornets.
Other Options – Trae Young ($9,600), Kyrie Irving ($8,900)
Value
Tyus Jones, Memphis Grizzlies at Boston Celtics, $5,200 – The Grizzlies are going to be without Ja Morant for the foreseeable future, which leaves the team with a massive hole at PG. D’Anthony Melton will also miss his third straight game due to the league’s COVID-19 protocols, which leaves Jones is the only real option at the position. He played 35 minutes off the bench after Morant got hurt in their last game, and he will likely handle a similar workload vs. the Celtics.
Jones has always been the type of player who performs well in an expanded role. He’s seen at least 30 minutes of playing time in 29 games as a professional, and he’s averaged 29.91 DKFP in those contests. That would be more than enough at his current salary.
Other Options – Goran Dragic ($5,500), Jalen Brunson ($3,200)
Shooting Guard
Stud
Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics vs. Memphis Grizzlies, $7,300 – Brown has been a reliable investment so far this season. He’s scored at least 31.0 DraftKings points in all four games, and he’s scored at least 42.5 DKFP in two of them. He’s on pace to shatter his previous career-high in usage, which is not surprising with Kemba Walker sidelined and Gordon Hayward in Charlotte.
Brown and the Celtics are in an excellent spot Wednesday vs. the Grizzlies. They rank eighth in pace and 21st in defensive efficiency to start the season, and they’re allowing the 27th most fantasy points to the shooting guard position.
Other Options – Paul George ($8,500), Dennis Schroder ($6,200)
Value
Lonnie Walker IV, San Antonio Spurs vs. Los Angeles Lakers, $4,400 – Walker has averaged 25.8 DKFP through his first three games this season, and he should continue to see an expanded workload with Derrick White out of the lineup. He’s played at least 34 minutes in two of his first three games, and he averaged 0.81 DKFP per minute with White off the court last season. He does have a tough matchup vs. the Lakers, but he’s simply too cheap given his current role.
Other Options – Tyler Herro ($5,400), Bogdan Bogdanovic ($4,800)
Small Forward
Stud
Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics vs. Memphis Grizzlies, $8,600 – Tatum has been the other half of the dynamic duo for the Celtics this season. He’s always been a gifted scorer, but he’s elevated his production in the peripheral categories this season. He’s grabbed at least seven rebounds in all four games this season, and he’s handed out at least four assists in each of his past two. If he can continue to produce in those categories, he has a chance to join the truly elite from a fantasy perspective.
Other Options – Kawhi Leonard ($9,300), Khris Middleton ($7,400)
Value
Kyle Anderson, Memphis Grizzlies at Boston Celtics, $6,000 – Anderson has been awesome over his past two games, scoring at least 41.25 DKFP in each contest, and he has a chance to carry a larger portion of the offense with Morant out of the lineup. Anderson is best described as a “point forward”, meaning he is very comfortable operating with the ball in his hands. Unsurprisingly, he’s increased his usage rate by +6.9% and his assist rate by +8.0% with Morant off the court this season, so he has the potential to put up huge numbers in his absence.
Other Options – Keldon Johnson ($5,700), Cam Reddish ($4,400)
Power Forward
Stud
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks at Miami Heat, $10,800 – Giannis didn’t even have to break a sweat on Tuesday vs. the Heat. They won the game by nearly 50 points, and Giannis finished with just nine points, six rebounds, and three assists in 24 minutes. These are the types of performances that can happen with the Bucks because they’re so dominant during the regular season.
If Wednesday’s game is more competitive – and it would help if Jimmy Butler is able to return to the lineup – Giannis will offer arguably the highest ceiling on the slate. He hasn’t had a true dominant performance yet this season, but no one is capable of matching his production on a per-minute basis.
Other Options – Anthony Davis ($9,700), Kevin Durant ($8,400)
Value
P.J. Washington, Charlotte Hornets at Dallas Mavericks, $5,400 – Washington has posted at least 39.0 DKFP in back-to-back games, and he has solidified his role in the Hornets’ rotation. Cody Zeller is going to miss at least the next four weeks, which leaves the team without a ton of viable options in the frontcourt. Washington is starting at PF alongside Bismack Biyombo, but Washington has also seen some minutes as the backup center. That’s given him a bit more rebounding upside, and he’s recorded at least eight boards in each of his past two games.
Other Options – Danilo Gallinari ($5,000), James Johnson ($3,500)
Center
Stud
Jonas Valanciunas, Memphis Grizzlies at Boston Celtics, $7,700 – Valanciunas has always been one of the best producers in fantasy on a per-minute basis, and he’s getting the opportunity to play more for the Grizzlies this season. Jaren Jackson Jr. continues to recover from a knee injury, which has opened the door for a few extra minutes per game for Valanciunas. He’s averaged a career-high 33 minutes per game through his first three contests, and he’s responded with an average of 40.55 DKFP per game.
Valanciunas has a chance to be even more involved offensively with Morant out of the lineup. Morant ranks first on the team with a usage rate of 36%, and Valanciunas is one of the most obvious candidates to see more shot attempts in his absence.
Other Options – Bam Adebayo ($7,600), Montrezl Harrell ($7,000)
Value
Bismack Biyombo, Charlotte Hornets at Dallas Mavericks, $4,800 – Biyombo hasn’t flashed massive upside this season, but he’s finished with at least 22.5 DKFP in back-to-back starts. That would be enough for him to return value at his current price tag, but he definitely has room for improvement moving forward. Biyombo averaged just under 1.00 DKFP per minute last season, and he’s played at least 30 minutes in each of his past two games. I like his chances of getting closer to 30 DKFP Wednesday vs. the Mavericks.
Other Options – Brandon Clarke ($5,100), Enes Kanter ($4,400)
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $1M Shootaround Special [$200K to 1st]
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