'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The NBA will have over two-thirds of its teams in action on Friday night, providing fantasy owners with an NBA DFS player pool containing a plethora of superstar talent.
Among the 22 teams set to take the floor tonight are Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans, who will be in action against Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks at 7:30 PM ET. Their encounter will be followed by LeBron James and the LA Lakers, who will look to continue their six-game winning streak against Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies at 10 PM ET.
Would Williamson, Doncic, or James be wise facets in your Wednesday NBA DFS lineup? With such a large variety of options in the NBA DFS player pool, it can be difficult to determine which players to start-or-sit.
Trending
Before finalizing any of the players for your NBA DFS Lineup, read below to see the top must-have NBA fantasy pickups for today's games, determined by data-driven analysis with player stats, matchup history, and previous performance.
NBA DFS Draftkings and Fanduel picks
When selecting players for your NBA DFS lineup, a strong strategy is choosing players from games with a high total. Today, the New Orleans Pelicans vs Dallas Mavericks have an over/under of 233.5, a sum that is five points higher than the average of every other NBA game in action tonight.
*When referring to a player's value rating, it is the number of fantasy points scored for every $1,000 in salary. For example, a value figure of 5.0 means they will earn 5.0 fantasy points for every $1,000 in salary*
NBA DFS: PF - Zion Williamson
FD- $8000 DK - $8000 | Opponent - Dallas Mavericks | Proj Pts FD - 36.9 DK - 34.5 | Value FD - 4.6x DK - 4.3x
Zion Williamson's play has been under a microscope ever since he entered the league. Analysts are constantly debating whether he has lost a step or still looks as explosive.
Whether he has slowed down a bit from Duke or not, what we do know is that the numbers do not lie. The 2019 first overall draft pick is averaging 23 points and seven rebounds on 60% shooting through his first 47 games in the NBA.
Look for him to outscore his season averages tonight against the Dallas Mavericks. Both teams play at a fast pace, averaging over 100 possessions per game, so expect Williamson to be able to get out and run on the break, earning easy baskets.
NBA DFS: PG - Trae Young
FD- $10100 DK - $10000 | Opponent - San Antonio Spurs | Proj Pts FD - 44.0 DK - 41.5 | Value FD - 4.4x DK - 4.1x
Trae Young is a must-have NBA DFS selection on this star-studded Thursday slate. Young will be the most expensive player on your roster, but his projected points make up for it.
This season for the Atlanta Hawks, the 22-year-old encompasses a usage rate of 32.6. In the last two games, Young has scored a combined 115.23 fantasy points.
Expect Trae Young to continue producing over 50 fantasy points against the San Antonio Spurs. Point guards see a 14.5% increase in fantasy points per minute when facing the Spurs, via rotoballer.com.
Top Value Picks in Today's NBA DFS Slate
Regardless of your daily fantasy strategy, the best NBA DFS lineups find the highest value in their selections.
Below is a list of players who are of great value and will likely put up a strong performance in their respective matchups tonight to help offset Young and Williamson's expensive price tag.
NBA DFS: SG - Jordan Clarkson
FD- $4700 DK - $5700 | Opponent - Milwaukee Bucks | Proj Pts FD - 29.0 DK - 30.1 | Value FD - 6.5x DK - 5.3x
Jordan Clarkson is a great NBA DFS value pick at the shooting guard position. Clarkson is a matchup problem for the Milwaukee Bucks. The Six-Man of the Year favorite previously scored 26 points and six rebounds on 50% shooting against the Bucks on Jan. 8th.
NBA DFS: SF - Luguentz Dort
FD- $4800 DK - $4900 | Opponent - Denver Nuggets | Proj Pts FD - 28.2 DK - 28.4 | Value FD - 5.8x DK - 5.9x
Luguentz Dort's under 5k listing price makes him an excellent NBA DFS value pick. The 21-year-old's defense against LeBron James stole the highlights, but he was also effective on the offensive end with 17 points, five rebounds, and four assists in his last outing.
Expect Dort to continue his all-round play against the Denver Nuggets tonight, who have been allowing 119.3 points per 100 possessions over the last two weeks via cleaningtheglass.com.
NBA DFS: C - Al Horford
FD- $6200 DK - $6700 | Opponent - Denver Nuggets | Proj Pts FD - 42.4 DK - 44.4 | Value FD - 6.6x DK - 6.8x
Al Horford is the value pick of the day, reaching a value score of 6.5+ for both Fanduel and Draftkings. The 34-year-old has averaged 49.2 fantasy points over his last three games.
Horford had 25 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists in his previous game. With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander still sidelined with a knee injury, expect Horford to continue his impressive performance. According to numberfire.com, the veteran center sees a 4.7% increase in his usage rate when Gilgeous-Alexander doesn't play.
Other valuable NBA DFS pickups at a low listing price:
Raul Neto - PG
FD- $3700 DK - $4200 | Proj Pts FD - 22.3 DK - 23.0 | Value FD - 6.0x DK - 5.5x
Denzel Valentine - SG/SF
FD- $4400 DK - $5400 | Proj Pts FD - 26.3 DK - 27.4 | Value FD - 6.0x DK - 5.1x
Saddiq Bey - SF/PF
FD- $3900 DK - $3400 | Proj Pts FD - 19.8 DK - 20.0 | Value FD - 5.1x DK - 5.9x
ALSO READ: 2021 NBA Mock Draft: Top 5 predicted picks
