We have a quintet of blue-chip players and a massive player pool available for Wednesday's 11-game slate, and we have a lot of ground to cover! Some key values will make it possible to reach for one of those elite players tonight, so buckle up and join me as we ride through my favorite FanDuel selections for the evening.
For up-to-the-minute updates on injuries, lineups, roster changes and more, head to RotoWire's NBA News or follow @RotoWireNBA on X.
SLATE OVERVIEW
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.
With slates of this size, it's sometimes prudent to fade entire games that hold minimal DFS interest, and I did that with HOU/MEM. Exploiting Indiana's roster was a key part of my strategy, and my best elite came from the SAS/LAL nightcap. Teams that deserve additional scrutiny outside of my selections are Philly, New York, Denver and Minnesota.
Visit RotoWire's NBA Daily Starting Lineups to find out starters for every game on the schedule!
INJURIES
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.
CLE Darius Garland (toe) - QUESTIONABLE
CLE Jarrett Allen (finger) - QUESTIONABLE
CLE Sam Merrill (hip) - QUESTIONABLE
Garland's report has been upgraded, so we may finally see his debut Wednesday evening. His minutes will likely be limited, and it muddies the guard picture for the Cavs, but we can use Larry Nance ($3,800) as a pivot if Allen is sidelined again.
DET Tobias Harris (ankle) - OUT
Isaiah Stewart ($5,000) has played exceptionally well so far, and he'll make his first start of the season in place of Harris.
UTA Walker Kessler (shoulder) - OUT
Kessler remains out with an uncertain timetable for recovery, so Jusuf Nurkic ($5,500) will continue as the starter.
IND Several absences
The Pacers' bench is a mess with eight injuries, and recent usage suggests that Aaron Nesmith ($6,000) and Jarace Walker ($5,600) have been the primary beneficiaries. It goes without saying that Pascal Siakam ($9,600) is also carrying a heavy load.
MIN Anthony Edwards (hamstring) - QUESTIONABLE
Edwards' status has been upgraded, which could signal a return for Wednesday's game. I would stay away from the spot unless you're prepared to swap on short notice.
NOP Yves Missi (illness) - QUESTIONABLE
NOP Zion Williamson (hamstring) - OUT
Missi was out on Tuesday and could be out again. Saddiq Bey ($4,200) remains the best overall pivot in this spot, and center usage will be too spread out to justify an additional pivot.
LAL Austin Reaves (groin) - QUESTIONABLE
Reaves joins a bevy of continued injuries on this roster, and Jake LaRavia ($5,500) will take on a larger role if he can't make it.
OKC Luguentz Dort (shoulder) - QUESTIONABLE
Dort was forced to exit Tuesday's game, and it was Isaiah Joe ($4,000) who experienced the best boost. If Dort is out, look to Joe again.
SAC Domantas Sabonis (ribs) - QUESTIONABLE
SAC Zach LaVine (back) - QUESTIONABLE
Look to Drew Eubanks ($3,700) if Sabonis is out. LaVine has played through his injury, so I won't use a pivot for him.
GSW Stephen Curry (illness) - OUT
GSW Jimmy Butler (back) - DOUBTFUL
Brandin Podziemski ($5,400) is projected to be back in the starting lineup, and Moses Moody's role will increase if Butler misses again.
ELITE PLAYERS
We have five players atop the pool with five-figure salaries tonight, so we must make some tough decisions. In terms of overall value, Cade Cunningham ($10,300) probably tops the list, but his bad hit rate for value earlier in the season makes me pause. He's fared much better over the past week, so it may be worthwhile to catch him at this number. I'm not thrilled with many of the frontcourt options available to us, so I'm tempted to take Victor Wembanyama ($12,700) over Cunningham in a marquee matchup against the Lakers.
The $9k tier is surprisingly sparse, and the aforementioned Pascal Siakam ($9,600) is probably your best guarantee considering his slate-leading usage. I would also consider Evan Mobley ($9,000) against the Sixers.
We have 11 players to choose from in the 8k range. Karl-Anthony Towns ($8,700) has been a mainstay in my lineups, and I have no problem going there again in what should be a fun mini-revenge matchup against his former team. I also like Jaylen Brown's ($8,500) chances against the Wizards.
Also consider: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC ($11,400) @ POR
Try our FanDuel NBA Lineup Optimizer to discover more expert recommendations, customize the player pool, set exposure percentage and mass-enter DFS lineups.
EXPECTED CHALK AND MID-RANGE TARGETS
Cam Thomas, BKN ($6,700) @ IND
Is it time to give Thomas some love? Against the snake-bit Pacers, it might be the right moment. The Pacers are struggling to field a healthy lineup, and the offensive engine for the Nets has come close to beating 5x value in most of his contests. The weak matchup could yield more production, so I'll take a shot with him if my salary cap allows it.
Cooper Flagg, DAL ($6,500) vs. NOP
I haven't called Flagg's number yet, but I think this is a great opportunity for the rookie to shine against the worst team in the Western Conference. It's a good shot for many Mavs to excel, but Flagg's high usage, positional versatility and upside potential compel me to greenlight him.
Russell Westbrook, SAC ($6,400) vs. GSW
Westbrook has a knack for getting into a first unit regardless of whom he's playing for. It wouldn't surprise me to see him running the point with the new Seattle Supersonics or the Las Vegas Gamblers (or Spheres? Buffets?) when he's 50. He's done it again with Sacramento, sneaking past Malik Monk for quality minutes at the off-guard spot. It may be too early to use him in this back-to-back, but he'd be very valuable if Zach LaVine ends up taking a seat tonight.
Aaron Nesmith, IND ($6,000) vs. BKN
We already mentioned Nesmith in the injury report, but I anticipate using one of the team's only healthy starters liberally at this salary point. He's averaged 24.0 points and 6.5 rebounds over the past two games, and should be a worthwhile addition to my lineup builds.
Also consider: Deni Avdija, POR ($7,900) vs. OKC, Andrew Wiggins, MIA ($6,200) @ DEN
VALUE PLAYS
We have several viable budget options in the injury report, but here's a list of players below $6k who are certainly worth considering to offset salary cap concerns.
- SG/SF Kelly Oubre, PHI ($5,900)
- C Rudy Gobert, MIN ($5,700)
- SF/PF Josh Minott, BOS ($4,900)
- PF/C Santi Aldama, MEM ($4,900)
