Sunday's NBA slate presents plenty of opportunities for DFS players, with injuries and shifting rotations opening the door for value across multiple teams. Finding the right mix of elite producers and affordable upside will be key when building competitive DraftKings lineups.
RotoWire expert Joel Bartilotta breaks down the top DraftKings NBA DFS picks, including elite players, expected chalk, mid-range targets and value plays to consider for today's slate.
This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
Slate Overview
WAS at NOP: The Pelicans have won seven of eight games in this series.
ORL at MIL: These teams have split their two matchups this year.
HOU at SAS: The Rockets have won seven of their last 10 games over the Spurs.
IND at POR: These teams split their two-game set last season.
CHI at SAC: The Bulls have won two straight against the Kings.
For the latest spreads and over/unders, visit RotoWire's NBA Odds page. There you can also find player props, futures, picks, articles and sportsbook bonus codes.
Injuries to Monitor
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report.
NOP - Dejounte Murray
WAS - Anthony Davis, Kyshawn George, Alex Sarr, Tristan Vukcevic
ORL - Franz Wagner, Anthony Black
MIL - Kevin Porter
HOU - Fred VanVleet, Steven Adams
SAS - Harrison Barnes
IND - Pascal Siakam, Andrew Nembhard, Tyrese Haliburton, Aaron Nesmith, Ivica Zubac
POR - Deni Avdija, Shaedon Sharpe, Damian Lillard
CHI - Josh Giddey, Matas Buzelis, Anfernee Simons, Jalen Smith
SAC - Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine, De'Andre Hunter, Keegan Murray
CHA - NONE
PHX - Dillon Brooks, Mark Williams, Jordan Goodwin
Elite Players
Guards
Jrue Holiday, Trail Blazers ($7,600) vs. Pacers
Holiday has been one of the best veterans in the NBA for years, and he finds himself amid his best stretch in Portland. The former All-Star has at least 33 DraftKings points in 11 of his last 14 fixtures while posting a 36-point average in that span. He's also scored at least 38 fantasy points in four-straight outings after dropping a season-high 64 fantasy points just two days ago. It's no surprise since he's being asked to do more in the absence of Avdija and Sharpe. That production and role make Holiday an easy option against an Indiana team that allows the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing PGs.
De'Aaron Fox, Spurs ($7,100) vs. Rockets
I saw Fox dip to $6,500 on DraftKings on Thursday, and that was the eye-opening moment. All DFS managers know how much Fox has been struggling recently, but this guy hasn't been $6,500 since his rookie season. We're talking about a former All-Star who's hovered between $8-$9K throughout his career, and it's just a matter of time before he figures things out in San Antonio. He definitely found something when he scored 47 DK points in that game on Thursday, and he's still got a 36-point average despite a poor month. Not to mention, Fox has scored at least 36 fantasy points in eight of his last 10 matchups with Houston.
Forwards/Centers
Victor Wembanyama, Spurs ($10,800) vs. Rockets
It was tempting to put Wemby in the chalk section, but his ownership percentage will be lower because of his salary. That's why he's a safe option in this section because there's not a safer pick on the board. The Frenchman had 74 DK points against Detroit just two days ago and now has his average at nearly 50 fantasy points. That's hard to overlook against Houston since Wembanyama had 66 DK points in their most recent meeting.
Donovan Clingan, Trail Blazers ($7,400) vs. Pacers
We already talked about how Holiday has done more with Avdija and Sharpe, but it's also led to the best stretch of Clingan's career. The Blazers' big man has at least 27 DraftKings points in 17 of his last 20 outings. He's also got a 43-point average across his last eight outings, despite dropping 29 DK points across 12 minutes earlier this week (ejection). That tells us he was in line for another monster night, and that's the case against here since Indiana ranks 24th in points allowed and defensive efficiency.
Expected Chalk
Paolo Banchero, Magic ($9,800) at Bucks
There was some negative talk surrounding Banchero during the All-Star break, but he's taken his game to another level recently. The 2022 No. 1 overall pick has at least 36 DraftKings points in nine straight games. He's also cracked 40 fantasy points in eight of those while showcasing a 60-point ceiling multiple times. That will likely have him rostered everywhere below $10K, especially since Milwaukee ranks 23rd in defensive efficiency ratings.
Mid-Range Money
Precious Achiuwa, Kings ($6,100) vs. Bulls
It's hard to believe, but Precious is the best player in Sacramento right now. That's not exactly a great thing for the Kings, but it's been a massive bump for DFS managers. Achiuwa has stepped into the starting lineup since the Sabonis, Murray, Hunter and LaVine injuries, scoring at least 26 DraftKings points in seven of his last eight outings. More importantly, he has at least 35 fantasy points in five of those and has 60 DK points in two of those. It's hard to overlook a stretch like that in a 32-minute role, especially since Chicago sits 26th in total defense while surrendering the second-most fantasy points to opposing power forwards.
Tre Jones, Bulls ($5,100) at Kings
Jones has always been a reliable option in DFS when given the opportunity. All he needs is 25-30 minutes as the starting PG, and he should be a $7K player with that opportunity. If you look at the 25 games Jones has played over 26 minutes, he's averaging 32 DK points per game. He's also scored at least 27 DK points in all but five of those. That seems like a guarantee since Ayo Dosunmu and Coby White are out of the picture, while Giddey is currently nicked up. The icing on the cake is the matchup with the Kings, who sit 28th in points allowed and defensive efficiency.
Value Picks
Guerschon Yabusele, Bulls ($5,000) at Kings
The Bulls made a ton of trades at the deadline, but signing Yabusele was a sneaky one. He's been one of their best big men since the Nikola Vucevic trade and Smith injury, with Yabu starting at center. The Frenchman has scored at least 31 fantasy points in five of seven games since earning that role. He's also got a 37-point average across his last three fixtures while playing 37 minutes in his most recent outing. That's a robust role for such an affordable player, and we love that Sacramento surrenders the second-most fantasy points to opposing big men.
Jevon Carter, Magic ($3,700) at Bucks
This is a total punt play, but there are numerous variables in Carter's favor. Many of them are external, but that's critical when finding a player this cheap. The Black injury on Saturday is the most impactful reason Carter is viable, as it could make him the starting point guard in this game. We also have Orlando playing the second half of a back-to-back set, and that could mean Jalen Suggs rests as well. If both of those things happen, Carter will be locked into 30 minutes, but is guaranteed close to 20-25 minutes even with just Black sidelined. We've seen Carter play 30 minutes in two of his last four fixtures, while scoring at least 24 fantasy points four times over the last three weeks. Even 24 DK points from someone this cheap is a godsend, but that could be his floor if both guards are out.
