The NBA Player Models are the base of our NBA product here at FantasyLabs. They house our projections for each player, but that’s just the beginning of what you’ll find inside. You’ll also find our Trends and On/Off tool, Vegas Dashboard, and so much more.
Let’s dive into our models for NBA DFS going position by position, looking at guys with some of the best projections and players standing out as values with our predictive Projected Plus/Minus metric.
Also, don’t forget that for large-field tournaments, you can utilize our Lineup Optimizer to effortlessly create up to 300 lineups, or use our Lineup Builder if you like to hand-build your teams.
You can also use our SimLabs Lineup Generator, a tool that creates the most user-friendly lineup generation process.
Note: Projections, Ownership projections and Leverage Scores/Ratings may change throughout the day as news comes out after this article is posted. Consult the Player Models directly for any updates.
Tyrese Maxey is seemingly the only healthy option for the 76ers right now. Joel Embiid, Paul George, Andre Drummond, Caleb Martin, and Jared McCain remain out, which provides a significant boost to Maxey’s usage rate and production. Maxey has taken full advantage of this opportunity. He has recorded four straight games with over 50 DraftKings points. During that stretch, Maxey is averaging an impressive 31.3 points, 8.3 assists, and four rebounds per game while shooting at least 50% from the field in each game.
The 76ers have the lowest implied total on the slate at 105.5 points and are 3.5-point home underdogs. There are not many 76ers players to target outside of Maxey. He has the second-highest projected usage rate on the slate at 33.5% and is projected to play a slate-high 39 minutes. He is a strong pay-up option.
Second-year pro Brandin Podziemski missed 12 consecutive games in January before returning last Thursday and playing in the Warriors’ last two contests. The break seemed to help Podziemski after a relatively disappointing start to the season. He has scored double-digit points in each of his last two games while shooting 62.5% from the field and 50% from behind the arc in only 22.5 minutes per game.
Priced under $4,000, Podziemski is an excellent way to get exposure to the Warriors’ slate-high 120.75 implied team total. They are 12-point home favorites against the Jazz, who rank 29th in defensive rating. Our model has Podziemski projected to play a modest 20 minutes, but do not be surprised if he reaches 25+. Draymond Green and Jonathan Kuminga remain out, which provides a minute boost to everyone.
Don’t forget to check out our NBA SimLabs Lineup Generator to create advanced DFS lineups using the power of simulation:
The shooting guard position is lacking star power on this small four-game slate. The two most expensive players at this position are out, leaving plenty of room for anyone to step up. Kelly Oubre is drawing the most projected ownership among shooting guards and has a legitimate ceiling. In his last two games, Oubre is averaging a double-double with 22 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 47.4 DraftKings points per game.
With many players out for the 76ers, Oubre has posted a 24% usage rate in back-to-back games while shooting 50% from the field. Oubre has been a rebounding machine recently, which sets him up perfectly for this matchup against the Lakers. Despite having LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the Lakers rank 25th in rebounding percentage at 48.8%. Oubre has a fantastic chance for a third-straight double-double.
Moses Moody is another Warriors’ backcourt player worth getting exposure to tonight. He is the same price as Brandin Podziemski but has shooting guard and small forward eligibility, making it easier to fit him into any lineup build. Moody has scored double-digit points in six straight games and has posted a positive Plus/Minus in five of them due to his assists and rebounding contributions.
In his fourth year with the Warriors, Moody is averaging a career-high 8.5 points per game while shooting a career-best 39.7% from downtown. The Jazz are allowing opponents to attempt 40 3-pointers per game, which is the second-highest mark in the league. The Warriors attempt 42.2 per game, which is the third-highest. This is a great matchup for perimeter shooters like Moody, who has been dialed in from long-distance.
Be sure to check out all the pick’ems Sleeper has to offer with Sleeper promo code LABS1.
Amen Thompson capped off his career night with a game-winning floater with 0.7 seconds to beat the defending champion Boston Celtics on the road last night. He finished with 33 points and 10 rebounds while shooting 13-for-19 from the field. In his previous game, Thompson recorded his second-career triple-double. The second-year rising star has been unbelievable in back-to-back games.
Ever since Thompson entered the starting lineup, he has quickly become the Rockets’ most consistent fantasy producer. In the 15 games that Thompson started this season, he is averaging a double-double with 18.3 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 45.2 DraftKings points per game. After dominating in back-to-back games against the Cavaliers and Celtics, Thompson will draw a much easier matchup against the Hawks.
Kentucky rookie forward Justin Edwards currently has the third-highest projected Plus/Minus on the slate. Another value player priced under $4,000, Edwards is projected to play close to 30 minutes, which is more than enough time to pay off his cheap price tag. Edwards has consistently seen his playing time ramp up recently due to the 76ers injury situation and has scored double-digit points in four of his last seven games.
Most of Edwards’ fantasy production comes from scoring the ball. Despite the mid-teens usage rate, he is getting enough playing time to be a relevant value play. Edwards has posted boom or bust outputs recently, which makes him a better tournament option. In his last seven games, Edwards has a positive Plus/Minus in four of those games with one ceiling performance of 41 DraftKings points. He also has several low fantasy outputs including one game where he failed to reach double-digit DraftKings points.
Leading this four-game slate in projected ceiling by a wide margin is Bucks’ star Giannis Antetokounmpo. The consistency that Giannis provides makes him a near necessity in cash game contests tonight. He is averaging a career-high 31.4 points and 12 rebounds per game while shooting 60.2% from the field. Giannis has avoided the 3-point line all season with just 27 3-pointers attempted, which has boosted his productivity. Giannis has posted a double-double in 16 straight games and in 33 of his 37 games played.
This matchup against the Trail Blazers sets up well for Giannis. They rank 26th in defensive rating and 24th in rebounding percentage. Deandre Ayton is questionable with a knee injury, which would make this spot even more appealing. When these two teams met in early January, Giannis erupted for 31 points and 11 rebounds while shooting 14-for-27 from the field. There is enough value to pay up for a $11,700 Giannis.
Sticking with the Bucks’ frontcourt, Taurean Prince has seen his playing time increase with Bobby Portis out of the lineup. In his last two games without Portis, Prince has stuffed the stat sheet, averaging 10 points, six assists, five rebounds and 29.5 DraftKings points per game. Projected to start and play 31 minutes, Prince is too cheap at $4,200 and is a great way to get exposure to the Bucks.
The Trail Blazers are seven games back of the last play-in playoff spot and do not feel like a team that is going to make a run. They have zero interest in playing defense, which is why the Bucks have the second-highest implied total on the slate at 117.75 points. He should be able to stuff the stat sheet again in this matchup. Projected for a little over 15% ownership, Prince is an incredible value play in all formats.
Anthony Davis is coming off his best game of the season last night in a five-point victory over the Hornets. Davis posted a massive 42-point, 23-rebound double-double while shooting 17-for-28 from the field on a 42.3% usage rate. He recorded 77.25 DraftKings points, which was his third performance of more than 65 points in his last four games. That said, this is the second leg of a back-to-back, so keep an eye on Davis’ status.
As long as he’s in the lineup, Davis’ matchup is elite. With Joel Embiid and Andre Drummond out for the 76ers, their interior defense has been nonexistent. They rank 23rd in points allowed per game in the paint and dead last in rebounding percentage at 47.2%. Ultimately, it’s a fantastic opportunity for Davis to have another ceiling performance. Prioritize Davis in all lineup builds at his $10,500 price tag.
The Hawks continue to be decimated by injuries. Trae Young, Jalen Johnson and Dyson Daniels are all likely to be out again tonight, which will provide a usage rate and production boost to their role players. In his fifth-year in the league, Onyeka Okongwu has been one of the Hawks’ biggest rising stars. He is averaging a career-high 11.7 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. Okongwu has taken over the starting center position from Clint Capela and has posted a positive Plus/Minus in nine of his last 10 games.
The Rockets are a difficult matchup for opposing big men, but Okongwu is playing too well to ignore. Even at his increased $6,600 salary, Okongwu has the highest projected Plus/Minus on the slate and is drawing close to 25% projected ownership. There are simply too many Hawks players out of the lineup, so Okonwgu will need a big game to keep them competitive.
