Wednesday's FanDuel NBA main slate features seven games packed with DFS opportunity. With the regular season winding down, injury management and last-minute scratches make late swaps more important than ever. Using RotoWire's NBA DFS projections, we've identified the best plays at every salary tier — from elite options like Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid to value picks that can help you stay under the salary cap. We've also broken down the most impactful injuries across the slate, including key absences in Indiana, Washington, and Memphis. Here's everything you need to build a winning FanDuel lineup tonight.
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FanDuel Main Slate NBA Games Today
The IND/CHI matchup is the clear winner of the projected total race. We should have given Chicago more attention, but we identified an Indiana elite as one of our best options tonight. We also identified Atlanta, New York and Philly as prime sources of production tonight.
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.
NBA Injuries Today
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report. Below are some of the most recent and relevant injuries for Wednesday. Keep in mind that this is not a complete list. Use your best judgment when evaluating ongoing injury scenarios elsewhere on the slate.
WAS Trae Young (quad) - OUT
WAS Kyshawn George (elbow) - OUT
WAS Alex Sarr (toe) - QUESTIONABLE
WAS Bilal Coulibaly (heel) – QUESTIONABLE
WAS Tre Johnson (foot) - QUESTIONABLE
Washington's injury outlook remains unclear, though Sarr's upgrade is a sign that he may return against the 76ers. Coulibaly and Johnson are less certain, but opting for Will Riley ($6,100) is a good alternative in this scenario.
MIA Norman Powell (illness) - OUT
MIA Andrew Wiggins (toe) - QUESTIONABLE
Although opting for the elites is your best remedy, Pelle Larsson ($5,000) has excelled with some solid totals recently and should be considered, especially if Wiggins sits.
MEM Ty Jerome (ankle) - OUT
MEM Taylor Hendricks (finger) - DOUBTFUL
MEM Taj Gibson (foot) - QUESTIONABLE
The Grizzlies' injury report has cleared up a bit. Javon Small ($5,200) will remain at point guard in place of Jerome, but the position could see a platoon with other guards involved.
IND Andrew Nembhard (back) - OUT
IND Jarace Walker (back) - OUT
IND Aaron Nesmith (neck) - OUT
IND T.J. McConnell (hamstring) - OUT
The Pacers are still woefully short-handed. Although Pascal Siakam and Obi Toppin are probable, we'll likely see plenty of Quenton Jackson ($3,700) in this scenario. I don't trust the assortment of guards enough to make a recommendation.
MIL Giannis Antetokounmpo ( knee) - DOUBTFUL
MIL Bobby Portis (wrist) - QUESTIONABLE
MIL Gary Harris (personal) - QUESTIONABLE
I'll refrain from selecting a pivot here, as Portis' return will bring the Bucks' lineup back to some semblance of normalcy despite the many absences.
SAC Russell Westbrook (toe) - OUT
SAC Keegan Murray (ankle) - OUT
Although Devin Carter ($6,100) and Nique Clifford ($6,000) appear to be fine as pivots for the backcourt, we should probably take note of Malik Monk's ($5,700) return as well.
TOR Immanuel Quickley (foot) - QUESTIONABLE
Quickley could return to the lineup tonight, so I'll refrain from making any pivots as the Raptors return to full health.
Elite Players
We have a trio of players with $10k-plus salaries at the top of the player pool for Wednesday. All of them are fairly priced, but I'm likely to take Tyrese Maxey ($10,300) over Jalen Johnson ($10,500) and Scottie Barnes ($10,000). Maxey has the best matchup of the trio, but a triple-double in one of Johnson's games against Orlando might be enough for me to consider him. While I don't doubt a good number from Barnes against the Kings, the Raptors are fully healthy and will have all of their weapons available for production.
The $9k tier offers nine options, and I am interested in a second Sixer. Joel Embiid ($9,200) looks like a good play against the Wizards, and I will upgrade him if Sarr remains out. Although Jayson Tatum ($9,700) is sitting back-to-backs, he'll be good to go against Miami in what should result in a productive night.
The $8k tier has only three players to choose from, and Amen Thompson's ($8,800) matchup against the Bucks is probably your best bet of the trio.
Expected Chalk and Midrange Options
Pascal Siakam, IND ($7,700) @ CHI
The Pacers have nothing to play for, but it probably won't stop Siakam from posting a solid number. He'll have to do most of the heavy lifting due to several key absences, and the Bulls are still figuring things out up front without Jalen Smith. Nick Richards could also be out or limited, so it seems like an ideal spot for Indiana's best player.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker, ATL ($7,100) @ ORL
Alexander-Walker continues to show low ownership on most slates, and I'm encouraged by his numbers on paper. He's a consistent source of upside and has the potential to exceed 5x at this salary point nightly. The Magic are also running a bit short-handed, which should play in Alexander-Walker's favor.
OG Anunoby, NYK ($6,700) @ MEM
While it's difficult to guess who will ball out for the Knicks against Memphis, I'll put my money on Anunoby. It should be a productive night for most of New York's elites, but I'll single out Anunoby as a quality interior option against a Memphis frontcourt that's severely depleted. Karl-Anthony Towns' ($8,900) salary was too high to consider tonight, but Anunoby is priced just right.
DeMar DeRozan, SAC ($6,700) @ TOR
If you're a fan of the intangibles, you have to like DeRozan hitting a familiar floor as he takes on his former team. Granted, he's had stints with Chicago and San Antonio since leaving the Raptors, but the veteran enjoyed some of his best seasons with Toronto and always seems to show up against them. He's also tasked with a heavy load as the Kings limp to the end of the season with injuries across the board.
Jabari Smith, HOU ($6,600) vs. MIL
I'm not a big fan of the elevated salaries for most of Houston's elites, but a soft Milwaukee interior should play into Smith's hands. Although he isn't on the injury report currently, Myles Turner routinely sits in back-to-backs, and the Bucks are in that scenario tonight. Even if Turner plays, Smith is a fine option as the Bucks will be focused on neutralizing Alperen Sengun.
Value Plays
Per usual, we have some great values to ponder in the injury section. Here are two additional value options to consider as you contend with FanDuel's salary cap.
Cedric Coward, MEM ($5,500) vs. NYK
While the Grizzlies have an uphill battle in store against the Knicks, production has to come from somewhere. Coward had a decent night off the bench in the last tangle with New York, but he's now a full-fledged starter and will have more opportunity to post a value-beating number.
Davion Mitchell, MIA ($4,700) vs. BOS
As I hunted for value, some numbers on Mitchell's sheet caught my eye. He's become a full-time starter alongside Tyler Herro, and while the offense mainly flows through his counterpart, Mitchell occasionally gets his share of the action. The Celtics will key on Herro, and Mitchell could sneak through and beat value at this salary. He logged a 13/2/6 line in his only game against Boston, and that's certainly enough production to consider him at $4,700.
