Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic dribbles the ball against the Phoenix Suns during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Phoenix, Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
This is the weirdest week of NBA DFS that I've ever seen. We had every team in action on Monday, and no one playing yesterday. The NBA took the day off so people could vote, but it's leaving us with another full card here. That means the player pool is massive once again, and we have hundreds of players to pick from. There have been a ton of injuries over recent weeks, though, and that'll surely be a major theme in this article.
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 - ORL
Proj Pts FD - 63.9 DK - 66.84
I'm not so sure it's possible to fade Doncic right now. This is the best player in fantasy, scoring at least 56 DraftKings points in every game this season. To put that in perspective, only one other player has an average higher than Luka's floor! It's no surprise when you see Doncic's league-leading usage, falling just shy of a 40 percent usage rate. That led to his absurd 66-point average, making Doncic the safest play on every slate. We're certainly not worried about a matchup with the Magic, owing a 24th OPRK against opposing point guards. They have nobody to cover Luka, and we fully anticipate him flirting with another 30-point triple-double.
Opponent - HOU
Proj Pts FD - 41.27 DK - 41.27
VanVleet is my favorite play of the day. The reason we love him is this expanded role. Toronto just lost Pascal Siakam to a groin injury, and it should force FVV into a monster role. He had a usage rate just shy of 35 percent with Sia off the floor last season, averaging 1.4 DK points per minute in those circumstances. He's shown that this year, posting a 52-point average in the two games since Sia went down. The simple fact is, FVV is going to play 40 minutes, take 15-20 shots and handle the ball on every possession. That makes him especially enticing against Houston, surrendering the second-most fantasy points to opposing PGs this season.
Russell Westbrook (FD $7500 DK $7300) has at least 35 DK points in six straight games and could see more usage with Anthony Davis and LeBron James both nicked up.
Opponent - MIN
Proj Pts FD - 44.1 DK - 45.27
With Chris Paul and Cameron Johnson both getting injured in the last week, Booker should be doing everything for this offense. He averaged close to 50 fantasy points per game when CP3 was out last year and sees his minutes, usage, and ball-handling duties skyrocket in his absence. We love that when looking at DB's recent form, scoring at least 39 DraftKings points in all but one game this year. That has his season average up to 42 DK points per game, and we truly believe that's his floor in this matchup. In three meetings with Minnesota last season, Book scored at least 44 fantasy points in all of those.
Opponent - CHA
Proj Pts FD - 29.1 DK - 29.5
Hart has hovered around $6,000 all year, and I don't understand why. This is one of the best stat-stuffers in our sport, averaging 9,1 points, 8.6 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. Those might not jump off the page, but it equates to a 30-point average. It has also established an elite floor for Hart, scoring at least 21 DK points in every game this year. That's a fantastic floor from a $6K player, and we love that he dropped 37 fantasy points across 37 minutes in his most recent outing. Facing Charlotte is sensational, too, with the Hornets ranked 26th in defensive ratings last year.
Darius Garland (FD $8000 DK $6900) should never be below $7K on either site. He's averaging 47 DK points in every game he's finished this season and faces a subpar Sacramento defense here.
Opponent - LAL
Proj Pts FD - 48.44 DK - 49.82
It's hard not to get excited about what PG13 is doing. He's carried the Clippers over the last week, scoring at least 41 DraftKings points in five straight games. He's also flashed a 75-point ceiling in that span, and it's clear this All-Star is ready to run the show in the absence of Kawhi Leonard. That's leaving George with 20-25 shots and a 35 percent usage rate, which is enormous since the rest of this roster is struggling mightily. As long as he has that sort of usage, PG13 is one of the best bets on every slate. You know he'll be motivated against his crosstown rivals, with the Lakers allowing at least 114 points in four straight games.
Opponent - LAC
Proj Pts FD - 21.01 DK - 21.82
This is a total punt play, but most players on the Lakers fall in that boat. This dysfunctional franchise needs someone to play small forward in the absence of LeBron James, and it looks like Brown will be that guy. The former Wizard has started the last six games, averaging 20 DK points per game across 26 minutes a night. That might not sound like much, but it's a good total from a $4K player. Anyone playing 25-30 minutes and taking double-digit shot attempts should never be this cheap, especially when they're expected to see a boost with a usage hog like LeBron sitting on the bench.
Royce O'Neale (FD $4800 DK $5300) is averaging over 27 fantasy points per game, which is incredible from a $5K player.
Opponent - IND
Proj Pts FD - 31.21 DK - 33.02
We can't fade these Nuggets on this slate. This offense has been clicking with Jamal Murray and MPJ slowly getting back to full strength, and we know they will go nuts against Indiana. The Pacers rank 28th in defensive efficiency and points allowed, with Denver projected for 120 points in this spot. That's massive for a sharpshooter like Porter, scoring at least 23 DK points in every game this season. He's also got his season average up to 31 DraftKings points per game, and we believe he will get better as the season progresses. In his two most recent matchups with Indiana, MPJ is averaging 40 fantasy points per game!
Opponent - SAC
Proj Pts FD - 37.21 DK - 35.93
It's been a down year for this former top pick, but Monday is a sign of things to come. Mobley went off for 26 points and eight rebounds against an elite Clippers defense and now has at least 31 DK points in five of his last seven games. That's precisely where his season average sits, and it's bizarre to see such a talented youngster with such an affordable price tag. That recent resurgence should continue against Sacramento, with the Kings sitting bottom-five in points allowed and defensive efficiency last year. They're also surrendering the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing PFs this year, and we believe this is the start of a massive price bump in the coming weeks.
Giannis Antetokounmpo (FD $11600 DK $12400) is one of the safest plays on the slate behind his 60-point average. Look for his role to increase even more with Holiday and Middleton both out.
Opponent - TOR
Proj Pts FD - 35.43 DK - 35.66
Sengun has developed into one of my favorite players. This Turkish center went nuts in a limited role last year, and the Rockets finally realize this is one of their best players. He's been inserted into the starting lineup in the previous two weeks, averaging 37 DK points per game across 27 minutes a night since the opener. That's one of the best per-minute rates you'll see, and it's just a matter of time before that playing time creeps closer to 30-35 minutes. They'll need him to swallow up those minutes against this big Toronto frontcourt, making it hard to understand why he's well below $7,000.
Opponent - DEN
Proj Pts FD - 31.47 DK - 29.65
Out of all the bizarre pricing on this slate, this Turner pricing is the most egregious. We believe this kid is starting a breakout season, seeing his usage skyrocket in the absence of Domantas Sabonis. That's led to Turner posting a 38-point average, dropping 62 fantasy points in his most recent outing. That average and ceiling are more indicative of an $8K player, and we genuinely believe he'll be close to that salary in the coming months. Turner has destroyed Denver over recent years, too, averaging 37 fantasy points per game in their last three matchups. That's no surprise with Nikola Jokic's ineptitude on that end of the floor, making Myles one of the best values of the day!
Al Horford (FD $5100 DK $5500) has 34 DK points in two of his last three games and was $1,500 more on both sites this time last year. We love that since he faces a Detroit team that dons the worst defensive rating in the NBA.
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