NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer: Wednesday (11/15)

We’ve had some bizarre scheduling all season, but this is the perfect slate. The sweet spot for the number of games we love is 6-8. That’s what we have here, with eight games making up this Wednesday card. That means we have plenty of players to talk about but not too many to be overwhelmed with. We also have a ton of close matchups, so it will be an exciting slate to dissect!

View the best player prop bets for tonight’s slate with our NBA Prop Bet Cheat Sheet

NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer:

Schedule and Odds

• DAL at WAS (DAL -5.5) O/U: 242.5
• NYK at ATL (ATL -1.5) O/U: 230
• BOS at PHI (BOS -3.5) O/U: 223
• MIL at TOR (MIL -4.5) O/U: 226.5
• ORL at CHI (CHI -2.5) O/U: 216
• MIN at PHX (PHX -5.5) O/U: 227
• SAC at LAL (LAL -1) O/U: 233
• CLE at POR (CLE -9/5) O/U: 221.5

Check out our consensus game odds and the odds from each sportsbook at BettingPros.

Injury Report

• Trae Young (personal) Questionable
• LeBron James (B2B) Questionable
• Anthony Davis (B2B) Questionable
• Malcolm Brogdon (hamstring) OUT
• Devin Booker (leg) Probable
• Bradley Beal (back) Probable
• Kristaps Porzingis (knee) Questionable
• RJ Barrett (migraine) Questionable
• OG Anunoby (finger) Doubtful
• Kelly Oubre (ribs) OUT
• Wendell Carter (hand) OUT
• Markelle Fultz (knee) OUT
• Scoot Henderson (ankle) OUT
• Darius Garland (neck) OUT

Core Plays

Donovan Mitchell (PG/SG – CLE): $9,100 DraftKings, $9,700 FanDuel
Mitchell has been playing some of the best basketball of his career, and it’s scary to think how much usage he’ll see in this game. Cleveland already ruled out Darius Garland, guaranteeing Mitchell 35-40 minutes, 20 shots, and a 30 percent usage rate. He’s been going crazy with even less usage, scoring at least 37 DraftKings points every game this season. He’s also got an average just shy of 50 fantasy points per game and faces a Portland team that owns a 26th OPRK against opposing guards.

De’Aaron Fox (PG – SAC): $8,300 DraftKings, $9,300 FanDuel
It was fantastic to watch Fox return to action on Monday, and this speedy guard is back to being one of the best playmakers in the NBA. Fox has scored at least 36 DK points in all four games this season, posting a 47-point average. That’s close to what we saw last season, and it should continue against LA. In their four matchups last year, Fox averaged 49 fantasy points per outing!

Kyrie Irving (PG/SG – DAL): $8,800 DraftKings, $8,600 FanDuel
Everyone talks about Luka in Dallas, but Irving has been just as effective. The flashy guard has scored at least 35 DK points in all but one game this season, generating a 42-point average. His biggest asset is the matchup with Washington because the Wizards rank 25th in defensive efficiency and 27th in points allowed while posting a 26th OPRK against opposing guards.

Cash Game Considerations

Luka Doncic (PG – DAL): $12,100 DraftKings, $12,000 FanDuel
We just talked about Washington’s woeful defense, but that doesn’t matter for a guy like Luka. This superstar is one of the league leaders with 61 DraftKings points per game. Nikola Jokic is the only player with a higher average, but it’s no surprise since Doncic is staring at 25 shots and a 40 percent usage rate on a nightly basis. We also don’t mind that Washington allows the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing guards.

Joel Embiid (C – PHI): $11,600 DraftKings, $12,400 FanDuel
We’re not sure if Embiid will suit up in the second half of a B2B, but he’s one of the safest cash game options if he can go. The 2022 MVP has scored at least 61 DraftKings points in four of his last five games, which actually matches his season average. He’s playing better than he did in his MVP season, but that’s far from shocking since he’s seeing a usage bump with James Harden in LA. Boston is a tough matchup, but Embiid had 55 fantasy points against them earlier in the season!

Giannis Antetokounmpo (PF/C – MIL): $11,100 DraftKings, $10,900 FanDuel
Giannis hasn’t been quite as good as we’ve seen in the past, but he’s still one of the best players in fantasy. The Greek Freak is averaging over 50 fantasy points per game but is really starting to hit his stride. He’s just shy of a 60-point average over the last 10 days and is taking over with Damian Lillard nicked up. He trounced Toronto last season, too, averaging 66 DK points per game in their two matchups.

GPP Targets

Caris LeVert (SG – CLE): $6,400 DraftKings, $6,100 FanDuel
LeVert has struggled at times with Cleveland in a reserve role, but he looks like a different guy this season. Caris has scored at least 26 DraftKings points in all but one game this year, amassing a 34-point average. What we love is that he’s expected to step into the starting lineup in the absence of Garland. That role increase makes LeVert too cheap on both sites, particularly against a Portland team that owns a 26th OPRK against opposing shooting guards.

Cole Anthony (PG/SG – ORL): $5,300 DraftKings, $5,200 FanDuel
Anthony has been atrocious the last few games, but Orlando needs him to step up. They’re without Markelle Fultz for the foreseeable future, and Anthony is the best remaining point guard on this roster. He generally leads the team in usage off the bench and should be asked to do more with Fultz injured. We also saw him play 28 minutes in his most recent outing, and he’s tough to fade in that type of role with the way he’s performed in the past.

Christian Wood (PF/C – LAL): $5,900 DraftKings, $5,000 FanDuel
This is a punt play, and Wood is only worth using under one circumstance. That’s if LeBron James or Anthony Davis ends up sitting. That likelihood skyrocketed with LA playing on Tuesday, and Wood would enter the starting lineup if AD ends up resting. We all know this guy is an elite per-minute producer when given a chance, sitting near $8K when he was a starter in the past. If you hear one of those superstars is out, don’t forget Wood!

Value Plays

Jrue Holiday (PG – PHI): $6,900 DraftKings, $6,600 FanDuel
It’s strange to see Holiday below $7,000. This guy has hovered in the $8K range for most of his career and has played up to that level this season. He’s definitely taken a step back for this stacked Celtics roster, but a 34-point average is all you can ask for from a sub-$7K player. A revenge game against Philly is fantastic, too, with Jrue averaging nearly 40 fantasy points per game in their last three matchups.

Josh Hart (SG/SF – NYK): $5,700 DraftKings, $5,300 FanDuel
We might have to wait to see the status of RJ Barrett, but Hart is one of the best per-dollar plays out there if RJ has to sit. We say that because Hart got the start for him on Monday, playing a season-high 43 minutes. We know this guy can average 30-40 fantasy points per game in that type of role because Hart did that in the second half of last season when joining NY. We also don’t mind the matchup, with Atlanta owning a 22nd OPRK against opposing wings.

Daniel Gafford (C – WAS): $5,400 DraftKings, $6,300 FanDuel
Gafford has been a regular in this section, and it’s easy to understand why. This center has been a per-minute stud throughout his career, and he’s the only legitimate center in Washington right now. That makes it hard to understand why he’s playing just 25 minutes a night because he’s been one of their best players on both ends of the floor. We have to assume 30 minutes will be a regular thing as we advance, and we’ve seen Gafford average nearly 40 fantasy points per game in that type of role in the past.

Advantageous Pricing

• De’Aaron Fox (PG – SAC): $8,300 DraftKings, $9,300 FanDuel
• Daniel Gafford (C – WAS): $5,400 DraftKings, $6,300 FanDuel
• Onyeka Okongwu (C – ATL): $4,900 DraftKings, $5,800 FanDuel
• Anthony Davis (PF/C – LAL): $10,200 DraftKings, $11,500 FanDuel
• Christian Wood (PF/C – LAL) $5,900 DraftKings, $5,000 FanDuel

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