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

🏀Tyler’s NBA (and other sports) prop bets can be found on the LineStar YouTube Shorts page!🏀

DFS Main Slate Rundown 📰

A busy NBA Wednesday awaits with a dozen games on the board. DraftKings will exclude the three late games from their main slate, bringing it down to nine games, while FanDuel will offer the full menu. The eight earliest games all tip within a 30-minute window, so be prepared for a waterfall of news and starting lineups to hit all at once.

The injury report is once again loaded and includes plenty of impact players carrying questionable tags, making this one of those slates where staying plugged in matters more than usual. There’s plenty that can change between now and lock, so we’ll do our best to crack the code as things develop. 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 Be sure to stay up-to-date on all injury news leading up to tip-off as the list below may be a bit outdated by the time you’re reading this.}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.}

• Nuggets: N. Jokic – OUT, J. Murray – Probable, A. Gordon – Probable, J. Valanciunas – OUT, C. Johnson – OUT, C. Braun – Probable, T. Hardaway Jr. – Probable, J. Pickett – Probable

• Celtics: J. Minott – OUT

• Raptors: J. Poeltl – OUT

• Hornets: B. Miller – Questionable, M. Diabate – Probable, R. Kalkbrenner – OUT, T. Salaun – Probable, M. Plumlee – OUT

• Bulls: J. Giddey – OUT, M. Buzelis – Probable, C. White – OUT, J. Smith – OUT, Z. Collins – OUT

• Pistons: C. Cunningham – Questionable, J. Duren – OUT, T. Harris – OUT, D. Robinson – Probable, C. LeVert – Probable

• Wizards: CJ McCollum – OUT, K. George – OUT, K. Middleton – OUT

• 76ers: J. Embiid – Probable, K. Oubre Jr. – Probable, T. Watford – Probable

• Pelicans: T. Murphy III – Questionable, S. Bey – OUT, H. Jones – Questionable, J. Alvarado – OUT

• Hawks: T. Young – OUT, O. Okongwu – Questionable

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

• Nets: None

• Clippers: J. Harden – Probable, D. Jones Jr. – OUT, B. Bogdanovic – OUT

• Knicks: J. Hart – OUT, L. Shamet – OUT

• Suns: J. Green – OUT, J. Bouyea – OUT

• Grizzlies: J. Jackson Jr. – Probable, J. Morant – Questionable, S. Aldama – Questionable, Z. Edey – OUT, C. Coward – OUT, V. Williams Jr. – Questionable

• Jazz: A. Bailey – Questionable, K. Love – OUT

• Thunder: S. Gilgeous-Alexander – Questionable, I. Hartenstein – OUT, Jay. Williams – OUT, A. Caruso – OUT

Late Game Injury Report (FanDuel Main Slate Only)

• Lakers: L. James – Questionable, A. Reaves – OUT, R. Hachimura – OUT

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

• Bucks: None

• Warriors: D. Green – Probable, G. Payton II – Questionable

• Rockets: A. Sengun – OUT

• Trailblazers: J. Holiday – OUT, J. Grant – OUT, K. Murray – OUT

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 Tyrese Maxey, PHI | DK: $9.9k, FD: $10.5k | vs. WAS

Tyrese Maxey continues to produce elite fantasy totals even without extreme usage, carrying a 27.1% usage rate over his last five games while clearing 58.0 DKFP in four straight. He’s been making up the difference with defensive production, averaging a strong 3.8 STL+BLK per game over that span. This matchup sets up well for that trend to continue, as Washington allows the second-most opponent steals (9.7) and the third-most blocks (5.9) per game. Philadelphia looks as if they’ll be at full strength tonight as the only guys on the injury report (Embiid, Oubre, Watford) are all listed as probable. But Maxey’s role and minutes remain secure regardless. Philly carries a lofty 125.0 implied total tonight and, in a fast-paced matchup against a leaky Wizards defense, Maxey remains one of the safest high-end guard options on the slate.

PG/SG Dyson Daniels, ATL | DK: $6.8k, FD: $7.7k | vs. NOP

This Hawks–Pelicans matchup carries the highest combined pace on the slate and the top total (246.5 O/U), so grabbing exposure here makes plenty of sense. With Trae Young out once again, and potentially on the move via future trade, Dyson Daniels will continue to operate as the primary point guard. He’s coming off a clunker against a tough Raptors team (4th in DEFRTG) but still logged a massive workload (39 minutes) and was rolling in the five games prior to that outing. Over that stretch, Daniels filled the stat sheet with averages of 13.6 PPG, 9.0 APG, 6.6 RPG, and 3.0 STL+BLK/gm, good for 40.7 DKFP/gm. He now draws a much softer Pelicans defense (28th in DEFRTG) that’s on the second leg of a back-to-back and has ranked 29th in DvP versus starting PGs L5Games, allowing 46.3 FPPG, making Daniels a strong mid-range option, especially at his sub-$7k DK price point.

PG Bub Carrington, WAS | DK: $4.4k, FD: $4.4k | at PHI

The Wizards are on the second leg of a back-to-back and will indeed be sitting multiple veterans, with CJ McCollum and Khris Middleton both out, while Kyshawn George is set to miss a seventh straight game. That opens the door for Bub Carrington to take on a larger role, likely as a starter, and we already saw him log 31 minutes off the bench last night, finishing with 23.75 DKFP despite the team being relatively close to full strength. With McCollum, Middleton, and George off the floor this season, Carrington has averaged 1.07 FPPM while handling a 20.2% USG% and a 30.6% Assist Rate, sizable jumps from his season-long marks (0.78 FPPM, 16.2% USG%, 20.8% Assist Rate). He’s projected for 33 minutes tonight, and at $4.4k on both sites, Carrington remains an appealing value even as Washington sits as a heavy 14.5-point underdog.

Other Guards to Consider

PG Cade Cunningham, DET vs. CHI (Currently questionable)

PG/SG Devin Booker, PHX at MEM

PG/SG Derrick White, BOS vs. DEN

SG Brandon Ingram, TOR at CHA

SG Trey Murphy III, NOP at ATL (Currently questionable)

SG/SF Nickeil Alexander-Walker, ATL vs. NOP

SG VJ Edgecombe, PHI vs. WAS

SG Kon Knueppel, CHA vs. TOR (Boost if B. Miller is out)

PG/SG Cam Spencer, MEM vs. PHX (Boost if Morant and/or Aldama are out)

PG/SG Jordan Poole, NOP at ATL (Preferred if Murphy is out)

PG Jeremiah Fears, NOP at ATL (Boost if Murphy is out)

PG Ajay Mitchell, OKC vs. UTA (Major boost if SGA is out)

PG/SG Miles McBride, NYK vs. LAC

PG/SG Jaden Ivey, DET vs. CHI (Preferred if Cunningham is out)

PG Daniss Jenkins, DET vs. CHI (Preferred if Cunningham is out)

FanDuel Main Slate Only

PG Luka Doncic, LAL at SAS (Boost if LeBron is out)

PG/SG Amen Thompson, HOU at POR

SG/SF Marcus Smart, LAL at SAS (Boost if LeBron is out)

PG/SG De’Anthony Melton, GSW vs. MIL

Small Forwards/Power Forwards to Consider 🏀

PF/C Derik Queen, NOP | DK: $6.3k, FD: $7k | at ATL

There are some solid forward options at the top of pricing, but I don’t feel compelled to spotlight anyone specifically, so we’ll kick off this section with a mid-range play. Derik Queen continues to produce at a near-elite rate, averaging 1.32 FPPM over the past month. Playing time has been the main concern this season, but that’s trending in the right direction with Saddiq Bey out and Herb Jones questionable, and Queen logged 32 minutes in the Pelicans’ last game. He made the most of that workload, finishing with 41.75 DKFP, and his per-minute profile gives him clear 40+ DKFP upside if he pushes into the 30-minute range again. The matchup against Atlanta is favorable – Queen is mostly playing as the primary center, and the Hawks have allowed the 5th-most FPPG to starting centers over their last 20 games. Queen also went for 40.75 DKFP in 32 minutes against Atlanta earlier this season so, if he cracks that 30-minute threshold again, there is plenty of 40+ FP potential. He’s a better bargain on DraftKings, but still squarely in play at $7,000 on FanDuel.

SF RJ Barrett, TOR | DK: $6.3k, FD: $6.7k | at CHA

RJ Barrett has quietly settled back into a solid role since returning from a lengthy injury absence, logging at least 30 minutes in back-to-back games. He’s cleared 35.5 DKFP in both of those outings and has averaged 1.18 FPPM since rejoining the lineup, which is encouraging at these price points. Charlotte has been tougher than expected versus small forwards, but Barrett’s appeal comes from volume, as he’s a realistic candidate to push toward 20 shot attempts. If the minutes remain stable in the low-30s (he’s projected for 31.5 minutes tonight), he’s a reasonable mid-range option with scoring-driven upside.

SF/PF Justin Champagnie, WAS | DK: $4.6k, FD: $5k | at PHI

Champagnie is another value target for the Wizards who, as mentioned, will be without CJ McCollum, Khris Middleton, and Kyshawn George. Champagnie has averaged a respectable 1.01 FPPM with those three off the floor this season, and he could play his way into a 30+ minute workload tonight, especially if he lands in the starting lineup. He has been productive off the bench lately, securing at least 30.5 DKFP in four of his last six games – and he has done that while typically being limited to mid-20s minutes. We’ll have to be wary of the blowout (WAS +14.5) but, pending further injury news, Champagnie sets up as one of the more appealing cheap forward options.

Other Forwards to Consider

PF Jalen Johnson, ATL vs. NOP

SF Michael Porter Jr., BKN vs. ORL

PF Scottie Barnes, TOR at CHA

PF Zion Williamson, NOP at ATL (Boost if Murphy is out)

PF Chet Holmgren, OKC vs. UTA (Boost if SGA is out)

SF Jalen Williams, OKC vs. UTA (Boost if SGA is out)

SF Brandon Miller, CHA vs. TOR (Currently questionable)

PF Matas Buzelis, CHI at DET

PF/C Isaiah Stewart, DET vs. CHI (Boost if Cunningham is out)

SF Bilal Coulibaly, WAS at PHI

PF/C Collin Murray-Boyles, TOR at CHA

SF/PF Aaron Wiggins, OKC vs. UTA (Preferred if starting again)

FanDuel Main Slate Only

PF Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL at GSW

SF/PF Kevin Durant, HOU at POR

SF/PF Tari Eason, HOU at POR

SF/PF Jake LaRavia, LAL at SAS (Boost if LeBron is out)

SF/SG Julian Champagnie, SAS vs. LAL

PF/C Jarred Vanderbilt, LAL at SAS (Preferred if LeBron is out)

Centers to Consider 🏀

C Joel Embiid, PHI | DK: $9.2k, FD: $9.1k | vs. WAS

We always have to be cautious when it comes to trusting Embiid, but he just played 40 minutes in the 76ers’ last game on Monday. Granted, that game went to overtime, but the fact that the 76ers were comfortable keeping Embiid out there is a huge sign that he’s essentially past any major minutes restrictions. Over his last five games, he’s now averaging 35.8 minutes/gm and has taken on a 33.0% USG% while averaging 1.32 FPPM. His rebounding hasn’t been phenomenal and, as we mentioned earlier, the 76ers are essentially back at full strength. But Embiid is going to take his shots when he’s on the court and the matchup doesn’t get much better against a Wizards team that ranked dead last in DvP versus starting centers this season. Embiid went for 43.2 DKFP against Washington earlier this season, and that was while only playing 23 minutes. If this game stays competitive, we might see a vintage Embiid stat line by the end of the night.

C Paul Reed, DET | DK: $5k, FD: $4.9k | vs. CHI

Paul Reed continues to benefit from an expanded role with Jalen Duren out, even if the recent results as a starter have been a bit underwhelming. He’s averaged 1.31 FPPM on the season and is projected for around 25 minutes in this spot, which is still a quality workload at these price points. The matchup helps, as Chicago has ranked 27th in DvP versus centers this season and has struggled to contain opposing bigs overall. If Reed taps back into the per-minute production he’s shown throughout the year, the upside relative to his DFS salaries remains very real.

Other Centers to Consider

C Karl-Anthony Towns, NYK vs. LAC

C Alex Sarr, WAS at PHI

C Onyeka Okongwu, ATL vs. NOP (Currently questionable)

C Jusuf Nurkic, UTA at OKC

C Mark Williams, PHX vs. MEM

C Jock Landale, MEM vs. PHX

C PJ Hall, CHA vs. TOR

C Goga Bitadze, ORL at BKN

PF/C Asa Newell, ATL vs. NOP (Only if Okongwu is out)

FanDuel Main Slate Only

C Deandre Ayton, LAL at SAS (Boost if LeBron is out)

C Luke Kornet, SAS vs. LAL (Only if Wemby is out)

🔥 Props AI 🔥

In LineStar’s ongoing mission to improve, innovate, and help you reel in some cash, we have rolled out Props AI for NBA – available for LineStar Premium users! This tool can help you find value and mispriced odds on player props from sportsbooks and, more specifically, for PrizePicks, UnderDog Fantasy, and other prop apps/sites!

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!