Hello Razzball Nation! I am here to provide you with my picks and insights for this monster of a 10-game slate on Wednesday. I am hoping to do this every Wednesday for this season, so if you like these picks keep tuning in.
My number one piece of advice for NBA DFS is to be on top of injury updates. Contests are won and lost on backups becoming starters and starters getting increased usage from injuries. Especially in the NBA, random injuries happen every night, players get rested for no reason, and the tanking is rampant (looking at you Thunder and Spurs). You need to be on top of your lineups up until lock, and on some nights with questionable guys with later start times after lock. On a 10-game slate like we have here, value will open up throughout the day and early evening based on injury reports.
That being said, with our current knowledge of injury news (Tuesday night) let’s get down to it. Pricing is always (Fanduel/ Draftkings). I mostly play tournaments and my picks will always bias towards volatility and upside.
Guards
Spend ups (9k and over)
Luka Doncic ($11,800/12,300)
Luka’s price is getting really expensive. Still, he’s in a great spot against the Jazz, if you can find enough value to afford him. If you’re playing multiple lineups, it’s really difficult to fade him entirely.
Ja Morant ($9,900/$10,300)
Ja is too cheap, especially on Fanduel. Against Portland, with Anfernee Simons as his primary defender, he should be able to break 50 fantasy points on both sites, with upside for more.
Trae Young ($10,000/$9,900)
This is more of a DraftKings play with the pricing. Against the Knicks in MSG, after a horrendous Monday nigh,t he’s going to be fired up and have tremendous upside.
Paul George ($9,000/$9,800)
This is a Fanduel play for sure because of the price. He just destroyed this same Rockets squad on Monday and his price went up, but not enough. With no Kawhi, PG should be over 10k on both sites. On Fanduel, I think he’s a must play or close to it and he’s a good play on DK as well.
Middle-to-High (7k-8.9k)
Cade Cunningham ($8,400/$8,100)
Cade just had 27/6/7 in this exact same matchup on Monday.
Jrue Holiday ($8,300/$8,200)
Similarly, Jrue just had 25/7/10 in this exact same matchup.
Anfernee Simons ($7,800/$7,600)
With no Dame, Simons is #1 on this team and has terrific upside in what should be a high scoring game against Memphis.
Middle (5k-6.9k)
Jalen Green ($6,000/$6,500)
Only a tournament play, so do not play him in cash games. On Fanduel, especially, he’s just too cheap. I don’t love the matchup against the Clippers, but Green is a threat to score 30 real life points any time he touches the floor.
Value Town (Under 5k)
Davion Mitchell ($4,900/$4,200)
With De’Aaron Fox out, Davion takes over as the starting PG for the Kings and should see 30+ minutes. He will be popular and I will eat the chalk. He’s way too cheap for his ceiling.
Shaedon Sharpe ($4,200/$5,000)
This is a Fanduel only play because of the price. I don’t see huge upside for him, but he’s a good value play on Fanduel and should be able to beat that price.
Forwards
Spend ups (9k and over)
Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,600/$12,600)
I don’t love him on DK at that price, but it’s Giannis and it’s hard to fade him entirely. On Fanduel I think he has a better price for his upside. I wouldn’t go heavy on him, but if you’re playing multiple lineups in tournaments you have to have some exposure in case he breaks the slate, as Giannis tends to do.
LeBron James ($10,200/$10,900)
I like his price on Fanduel, don’t love it on DK (sensing a theme here?). Similar to Giannis, can’t fade him entirely but wouldn’t go hard.
Middle-to-High (7k-8.9k)
DeMar DeRozan ($7,900/$8,500)
With that price on Fanduel, with no LaVine against Charlotte, he’s entering must-play territory. I will be heavy on him. He’s a good play on DraftKings as well. We may be able to take advantage of LaVine resting in B2Bs with DeMar’s pricing throughout the entire season.
Middle (5k-6.9k)
Gordon Hayward ($6,500/$6,500)
This is only if Rozier is out. He has some upside as one of the top options on Charlotte.
Jerami Grant ($6,400/$6,300)
With no Dame, Grant is a bit underpriced for his upside.
Saddiq Bey ($5,200/$5,300)
Don’t love Bey, but he’s too cheap on both sites and is always a threat to get hot from 3. For me, Bey isn’t a priority; more of a price filler.
Value Town (Under 5k)
Max Strus ($4,800/$5,000)
Tyler Herro left Tuesday’s game with an eye injury. If he’s out Wednesday, look for Strus to start. I don’t love this play, but he’s viable if you need an option in this price range.
Patrick Williams ($4,100/$3,700)
This is purely a price play, as he’s a starter getting 30 mins and is too cheap for that role. That being said, playing Patrick Williams is spinning the roulette wheel. He’s currently having a good game as I type this, but he could easily give you a goose egg.
Centers
Spend ups (9k and over)
Pascal Siakam ($9,500/$9,500)
Pascal has been killing it to start the season and he’s got a nice matchup against the Spurs. I’d watch injury news for this game, though, as Keldon Johnson is questionable and Vassell has already been ruled out for the Spurs. This game already has blowout potential even with Keldon, but if Keldon is out I probably would not play Siakam due to the possibility of him sitting the 4th quarter.
Middle-to-High (7k-8.9k)
Bam Adebayo ($7,900/$7,800)
I keep waiting for Bam’s price to go above 8k and it keeps staying below. As long as he’s below 8k and in a decent matchup I’ll have some exposure.
Middle (5k-6.9k)
Evan Mobley ($6,400/$6,200)
Not a great matchup against the Celtics but similarly to Bam, low 6k is just too cheap for Mobley. I wouldn’t go crazy on him, but will probably have some exposure.
Alperen Sengun ($6,300/$5,900)
Sengun has finally been in the starting lineup recently and that should continue. He’s too cheap for his talent and minutes, especially on DraftKings.
Value Town?
I really don’t like going super cheap on this slate at Center unless some injuries open up value. Christian Koloko is playable if FVV is out and he starts again, but it’s a pretty desperate punt play.
