Indiana Pacers guard Malcolm Brogdon (7) dribbles the ball up the court against the Golden State Warriors during the first half of an NBA basketball game in San Francisco, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Thursday is an off day because of Thanksgiving, and it leaves us with one of the largest slates of the season here. We have 13 games making up this Wednesday card, with all but four teams in action. That's going to lead to a chaotic player pool, especially with so many guys sidelined. There's a lot to discuss with this slate, though, so let's go ahead and get into it!
Head on over for your chance to get DFSR PRO, which will give you access to our NBA FanDuel and DraftKings optimizer, our MLB Optimizer, and NHL Projections as well. Plus, our new player lab! Get started for free by clicking the button below.
First time with NBA or NFL? Be sure to read our free NBA and NFL Ebooks on building lineups, general strategy, and more. We've got you completely covered.
Opponent - LAL
Proj Pts FD - 40.04 DK - 41.51
This guy has been one of the most underrated players in the NBA throughout his career, and it's hard to understand why. Brogdon has scored at least 31 DraftKings points in 12 of his 14 games, averaging 41 DK points per game across 36 minutes a night in those outings. That's usually what you see from a $9K player, and it's strange that these sites overlook a player with such a monster role. All of that makes him enticing against anyone, but facing the Lakers is a pristine matchup. In fact, Los Angeles is surrendering the most fantasy points to opposing point guards this season. In his last two meetings with LA, Brogdon is averaging 26.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game.
Opponent - POR
Proj Pts FD - 40.86 DK - 41.54
Fox has really struggled by his standards, but it's just a matter of time before he gets rolling. The firing of Luke Walton is hopefully the spark he needs because that should help increase this team's pace. That's what we want for the fastest player in the NBA, playing at a $9K level throughout the second half of last season. It's not like he's been terrible anyway, scoring at least 25 DK points in 17 of 18 games this season, en route to a 35-point average. That's really all you can ask for from a player in this price range, and we truly believe he's got 50-point potential on this slate. The likelihood of that goes up here, with Portland ranked 25th in defensive efficiency ratings. That was clear in his final two meetings with the Trail Blazers last season, averaging over 56 DK points per game.
Damian Lillard is starting to find his shot and remains below $10K on both sites.
Opponent - UTA
Proj Pts FD - 30.98 DK - 31.63
No, that's not my senior picture! That's Josh Giddey, and this dude is a beast on the basketball court! The 19-year-old had a lot of question marks coming into the season, but he's essentially been the Thunder's point guard through the first month. In fact, Giddey is averaging 10.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game. Those stat-stuffing ways have allowed him to reach at least 33 DraftKings points in five-straight games, flirting with triple-doubles on a nightly basis. That alone makes it hard to understand why he remains below $7K, but he should be asked to do even more here with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ruled out. That's nearly 30 percent of the team's usage out the door, and it's expected that Giddey takes over primary ball-handling duties in his absence.
Opponent - WAS
Proj Pts FD - 31.1 DK - 31.72
This guy has never been a fantasy beast, but he just always seems to linger around and stay fantasy-relevant. What makes him so good is his rebounding, grabbing eight boards a night last season and 6.1 per game this year. That pairs nicely with his solid scoring and decent distributing, averaging 28.4 DK points per game since the opener. That's a stupendous total from a sub-$6K player, and it's clear that he's being asked to do more with Zion Williamson and DeVonte' Graham sidelined. The most recent Graham injury has allowed Hart to score at least 37 fantasy points in four of the last five games as well.
Caris LeVert has dropped below $6K on both sites and is too talented to be that cheap.
Opponent - HOU
Proj Pts FD - 43.25 DK - 43.63
This is the third-straight article I've written up DeRozan, and it seems to always work. The former Raptor has played at an All-Star level all season long, averaging 26.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game. His role is what we really love, playing at least 34 minutes and taking at least 16 shots in all but two games this season. That has led to DD scoring at least 30 DK points in 17 of 18 games, averaging over 40 DraftKings points per game. Facing the Rockets is fantastic, too, with Houston ranked first in pace and 27th in total defense. If Houston can just hang around in this game, DeRozan should be a lock for 40 fantasy points.
Opponent - SA
Proj Pts FD - 23.84 DK - 25.29
Big Red made a lot of fans in last year's postseason, but his early-season form had him looking like the player we anticipate when looking at his headshot. The good news is that he appears to have recaptured that playoff form, starting in the absence of De'Andre Hunter. That has allowed Huerter to score at least 27 DraftKings points in three straight games, playing at least 30 minutes in six of his last seven games. All of that is tough to find from a player below $5,000, and it appears these sites have forgotten about him for whatever reason. The matchup against San Antonio is sensational, too, with the Spurs ranked fifth in pace and 24th in total defense.
LeBron James is expected to return here, and he should be asked to do a lot with Anthony Davis possibly resting in the second half of a B2B set.
Opponent - DET
Proj Pts FD - 62.34 DK - 63.61
There will be a ton of value on this slate with 26 teams in action, so take the guaranteed 50-60 fantasy points from Giannis. It feels crazy to say that 60 DraftKings points are guaranteed, but Giannis is averaging over 58 DK points per game. He's been even better recently, scoring at least 62 fantasy points in six of his last eight games. That's scary since he's been doing that damage in somewhat limited minutes, playing 54 combined minutes over the previous two games. Antetokounmpo showed that he could destroy Detroit in limited playing time anyway, dropping 59.5 DK points on them across just 27 minutes earlier in the year.
Opponent - UTA
Proj Pts FD - 25.04 DK - 25.58
We already talked about how Oklahoma City has a ton of usage on the table with SGA out, which should be beneficial for a guy like Robinson-Earl. This dude has been doing work with hardly any usage anyway, scoring at least 25 DraftKings points in four of his last five games. That recent surge has earned him a starting job, playing 28 minutes a night in that span. Oklahoma City will also need his big body in a matchup like this, with Utah owning one of the most potent frontcourts in the NBA. The $5,400 price tag on FD is a tough sell but paying $4,300 for him on DraftKings is one of the steals of the day.
Pascal Siakam has scored at least 37 DK points in four of his last five games and should do that again versus the worst defense in the NBA.
Opponent - POR
Proj Pts FD - 35.06 DK - 36.18
The only thing slowing down Holmes was Luke Walton. Now that he's out of the picture, it seems likely that he'll be a full-time player. Richaun was already doing damage despite Walton, averaging 31 DK points per game across 27 minutes a night. We expect that minute total to get above 30 with Walton gone, which means his fantasy total could approach the 40-point mark. He's definitely shown that ability, averaging 35.4 DK points per game in the 10 outings he's played at least 29 minutes. A matchup with Portland only adds to his intrigue, with the Trail Blazers playing at the fifth-fastest pace in the NBA while ranked 25th in total defense. Dating back to last season, Holmes has scored at least 39 DK points in all three meetings with Portland.
Opponent - CHA
Proj Pts FD - 36.58 DK - 36.63
That terrible Mo Bamba song made me hate this guy in college, but this dude has been a beast this season. The lengthy center was averaging 34 DraftKings points per game before a dud on Monday, but Orlando rested their starters in the second half of that game after trailing by nearly 40 points in the first half. The big man had at least 21 DK points in every game before that, showing 50-point upside on multiple occasions this season. The reason that upside seems possible here is this matchup, with Charlotte ranked third in pace and 28th in total defense. That was on full display when Bamba dropped 37 DK points on them in their one meeting a few weeks back, despite taking just nine shots.
Jonas Valanciunas is having a breakout year and should provide his usual 40 fantasy points against Washington.
image sources
Week 12 DraftKings and FanDuel cash game NFL plays.
DraftKings and FanDuel Week 11 cash game NFL plays
Week 10 NFL cash game picks for DraftKings and FanDuel
Daily Fantasy DraftKings and FanDuel NBA Picks & Projections Playing NBA DFS Nightly? Join one…
Week 9 NFL DFS plays for DraftKings and FanDuel
Packed slate of NBA action on FanDuel and DraftKings
