Written By: Ryan Humphries on Twitter/X & LineStar chat @Ryan_Humphries

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DFS Main Slate Rundown 📰

We roll into Tuesday with an intriguing five-game main slate on deck. Both DraftKings and FanDuel have elected to exclude the late 11 ET Mavs/Kings matchup, so all games on the slate will tip within a relatively tight one-hour window. We’re looking at high totals across the board, with over/unders ranging from 234.5 to 244.5 points, and the matchups are fairly competitive, with no spread wider than 7.5 points.

The injury report features a couple of notable question marks in Victor Wembanyama and Anthony Edwards, while most other impact players have already been ruled out or tagged as doubtful. All things considered, this is a clean five-gamer with plenty of offensive upside, so let’s dig in. Best of luck!

Main Slate Match-Ups w/ Game Totals & Point Spreads

Today’s Key Injuries 🚑

^{Note: NBA injury reports can be fickle and often update throughout the day. Be sure to stay up-to-date on all injury news leading up to tip-off as the list below may be a bit outdated by the time you’re reading this.}

^{Additional Note: Players who have yet to play this season will be excluded from the injury report, unless they have either a probable, questionable, or doubtful injury designation, with some amount of chance to make their season debut. Injured players who have been out for an extended period of time and/or are not expected to play for a month-plus will also be excluded.}

• Magic: F. Wagner – OUT, J. Suggs – OUT

• Wizards: K. George – OUT, C. Kispert – OUT

• Cavs: D. Mitchell – OUT, J. Allen – Probable, J. Tyson – Questionable, D. Wade – Probable

• Pacers: B. Mathurin – OUT, I. Jackson – OUT

• Spurs: V. Wembanyama – Questionable, D. Vassell – OUT

• Grizzlies: J. Morant – DOUBTFUL, Z. Edey – OUT, C. Coward – OUT, V. Williams Jr. – Probable

• Heat: J. Jaquez Jr. – OUT

• Timberwolves: A. Edwards – Questionable

• Lakers: A. Reaves – OUT, R. Hachimura – OUT, G. Vincent – DOUBTFUL

• Pelicans: S. Bey – OUT, H. Jones – Questionable

Top DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Plays

Note: NBA position designations are never going to perfectly align between the major DFS sites. For the purposes of these newsletters, positional designations will default to DraftKings.

Point Guards/Shooting Guards to Consider 🏀

PG Luka Doncic, LAL | DK: $12.2k, FD: $12.4k | vs. NOP

Luka Doncic comes in as the premier spend-up on this slate in an elite offensive environment. The Lakers carry the highest implied team total on the board (125.0 points) in a game with a slate-high 244.5 over/under. And with Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura both sidelined, Doncic’s role remains massive -- his usage rate jumps to 37.3% with both off the floor this season and has climbed to 38.2% over his last five games. New Orleans checks in at 27th in DEFRTG and has struggled to contain opposing ball handlers, ranking 29th in DvP versus starting point guards over their last five games. Luka always brings slate-breaking upside, and while I hate saying a player is “due” for anything, it does seem like we’re due to see a monster game from Doncic sooner rather than later… and this is an excellent spot for that to happen. Regardless, on smaller slates like this one, players that provide elite raw fantasy scores become more valuable and no other player on the slate has a higher floor than Luka does tonight.

PG Andrew Nembhard, IND | DK: $6.8k, FD: $6.9k | vs. CLE

Andrew Nembhard continues to offer a strong combination of role and consistency, clearing 35.5 DKFP in five of his last six games. He’s been notably more efficient at home, where he’s shooting 47.5% from the field and 40.9% from three, compared to much lower marks on the road (40.3% FG%, 30.3% 3P%). Bennedict Mathurin remains out, and Nembhard has averaged 36.0 DKFP in the six games he’s played without him available this season. Cleveland has also been vulnerable to opposing starting point guards, allowing the sixth-most FPPG to the position over their last 20 games.

PG Craig Porter Jr., CLE | DK: $3.6k, FD: $4.2k | at IND

Craig Porter Jr. steps into a much larger opportunity with Donovan Mitchell sidelined, and the minutes should be there immediately. He’s projected for around 24 minutes in this spot and has averaged a steady 0.98 FPPM with Mitchell off the floor this season, with that rate climbing to 1.08 FPPM if Jaylon Tyson (illness/questionable) is also unavailable. Porter has already been productive in limited run, averaging over 21 DKFP across his last four games despite Cleveland being relatively healthy. Indiana represents a favorable matchup, as they continue to play fast and rank toward the bottom of the league defensively. The Pacers have also ranked 25th in DvP versus bench guards this season. At these price tags, Porter profiles as one of the cleaner value options on the slate if the rotation shakes out as expected.

Other Guards to Consider

SG Anthony Edwards, MIN vs. MIA (Currently questionable)

SG/SF Desmond Bane, ORL at WAS

PG/SG Anthony Black, ORL at WAS

PG Darius Garland, CLE at IND

SG Trey Murphy III, NOP at LAL

PG/SG Cam Spencer, MEM vs. SAS

PG Donte DiVincenzo, MIN vs. MIA (Preferred if Edwards is out)

PG Jeremiah Fears, NOP at LAL

SG/SF Marcus Smart, LAL vs. NOP

PG TJ McConnell, IND vs. CLE

SG Ben Sheppard, IND vs. CLE

PG/SG Jase Richardson, ORL at WAS

Small Forwards/Power Forwards to Consider 🏀

PF Paolo Banchero, ORL | DK: $9.2k, FD: $10.4k | at WAS

Paolo Banchero has looked much more like himself lately, posting at least 53.0 DKFP in four straight games while averaging an excellent 1.57 FPPM over that span. With Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs both sidelined, Banchero’s usage climbs to 29.2%, and the offense continues to run through him. This is a strong matchup against a Wizards team that plays fast and ranks near the bottom of the league defensively, and Banchero has averaged 58.4 DKFP/gm in his last three meetings with Washington. The main concern is potential minute suppression with Orlando (-7.5) sitting as the heaviest favorite on the slate while playing on the front end of a back-to-back. However, they do have another very winnable game lined up tomorrow against the Nets, so they may not be too concerned about giving their starters their usual run even in a light blowout. Banchero profiles better on DraftKings, where the price hasn’t fully caught up to the recent production, unlike how it has on FanDuel.

SF Jake LaRavia, LAL | DK: $5.5k, FD: $5.9k | vs. NOP

Jake LaRavia has taken on a more significant starting role with Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura sidelined, posting back-to-back 42.25 DKFP performances. He’s averaging 35.2 minutes per game and 1.01 FPPM over his last five games as a starter and continues to see stable usage in the Lakers’ shortened rotation. The matchup also lines up well, as New Orleans has allowed the third-most FPPG to starting small forwards over their last 20 games. If the minutes hold in the mid-30s again, LaRavia profiles as a strong option at sub-$6k price points on both sites.

PF/C Micah Potter, IND | DK: $4.1k, FD: $4.7k | vs. CLE

Micah Potter has started at center in each of the Pacers’ last two games and has been productive in that new role, posting 29.5 and 30.0 DKFP against the Spurs and Magic – two solid interior defenses. He’s played at least 28 minutes in both games as a starter and has been efficient, shooting 54% from the field over that span. The ability to roster Potter at PF or C on both sites is especially useful on a five-game slate, assuming he remains in the starting lineup. At these price tags, the minutes and positional flexibility make him one of the stronger forward-eligible value options available.

Other Forwards to Consider

PF LeBron James, LAL vs. NOP

PF Zion Williamson, NOP at LAL

PF Julius Randle, MIN vs. MIA (Boost if Edwards is out)

PF/C Evan Mobley, CLE at IND

PF/C Naz Reid, MIN vs. MIA (Boost if Edwards is out)

SF/SG Julian Champagnie, SAS at MEM (Boost if Wemby is out)

SF Aaron Nesmith, IND vs. CLE

SF Bilal Coulibaly, WAS vs. ORL

PF Gregory Jackson, MEM vs. SAS

Centers to Consider 🏀

C Wendell Carter Jr., ORL | DK: $5.5k, FD: $5.6k | at WAS

Victor Wembanyama is the only stud center available today, and he’s officially questionable – even if he does play, he’s likely going to be capped at around 24 minutes. So, we don’t need to force a pricey guy in here and Wendell Carter Jr. makes a ton of sense at these mid-$5k salaries. WCJ continues to benefit from an expanded role with Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs sidelined, and his minutes have stabilized in the low-30s recently. He’s already shown upside in this matchup, posting 37.5 DKFP against Washington earlier this season in just 28 minutes. The Wizards play fast and struggle defensively, particularly in the interior where they rank dead last in DvP versus starting centers. The combination of minutes security and matchup makes Carter one of the most reliable center options on the slate.

C Goga Bitadze, ORL | DK: $3.5k, FD: $4k | at WAS

The aforementioned Wendell Carter Jr. will be a popular option on this slate, so if you’re looking to pivot for leverage, punting with his direct backup, Goga Bitadze, makes for an intriguing alternative. Barring injury or foul trouble for Carter, Bitadze is typically capped in the 16–20-minute range off the bench, but he’s a strong per-minute producer, averaging 1.10 FPPM over his last 20 games. While the bench role keeps his floor volatile, he’s capable of stuffing the stat sheet quickly, especially against a softer defense like Washington’s. Bitadze went for 31.0 DKFP in 20 minutes against the Wizards earlier this season, and if he picks up even a few extra minutes tonight, he has a clear path to strong point-per-dollar value at likely single-digit ownership.

Other Centers to Consider

C Bam Adebayo, MIA at MIN

C Alex Sarr, WAS vs. ORL

C Rudy Gobert, MIN vs. MIA

C Deandre Ayton, LAL vs. NOP

C Luke Kornet, SAS at MEM (Only if Wemby is out)

C Jock Landale, MEM vs. SAS (Only if starting again)

C Marvin Bagley III, WAS vs. ORL

🔥 Props AI 🔥

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That will wrap us up with today’s “Daily Dribble” edition! Once again, you can find me on Twitter/X or in LineStar chat @Ryan_Humphries. Good luck everyone!