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

NBA DFS Show & Props w/ Tyler Wiemann

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DFS Main Slate Rundown 📰

Following a chaotic 12-game Thursday schedule, we’re back down to a smaller set of games this Friday evening – four games on DraftKings and five games on FanDuel, with the addition of the late OKC at MIN contest. The matchups themselves also look solid – we’ve got some high totals, and no spread is wider than 7.5 points. As far as injuries go, pending further additions, there are really only three impact players – Donovan Mitchell, Anthony Edwards (FD slate only), and Andrew Wiggins – who carry “questionable” designations. It’s a huge sports weekend ahead, so let’s get the ball rolling with a profitable NBA Friday! 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 Be sure to stay up-to-date on all injury news leading up to tip-off as the list below may be a bit outdated by the time you’re reading this.}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.}

• Heat: T. Herro - OUT, A. Wiggins - Questionable, D. Mitchell - Probable, P. Larsson - OUT, N. Jovic - OUT

• Celtics: None

• 76ers: J. Embiid - OUT, K. Oubre Jr. - OUT, T. Watford - OUT

• Knicks: K. Towns - Probable, J. Hart - Probable, M. McBride - OUT, L. Shamet - OUT

• Spurs: None

• Hawks: T. Young - OUT, K. Porzingis - OUT

• Bulls: A. Dosunmu - Probable, T. Jones - Probable, Z. Collins - Probable

• Cavs: D. Mitchell - Questionable, E. Mobley - OUT, S. Merrill - OUT, C. Porter Jr. - Questionable, L. Nance Jr. - OUT

FanDuel Main Slate Only

• Thunder: A. Wiggins - Questionable, Jay. Williams - OUT

• Timberwolves: A. Edwards - Questionable, M. Conley - OUT, J. Clark - 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 Josh Giddey, CHI | DK: $9.1k, FD: $9.6k | at CLE

Josh Giddey just posted a 23/11/11 triple-double against Cleveland on Wednesday, producing 64.75 DKFP in 33.5 minutes, and despite some output fluctuations in recent games, he still remains an exceptionally high ceiling player. The volatility is real, but when his efficiency is there, his ability to rack up huge peripherals allows him to hit/exceed value without needing a spike in scoring alone. Cleveland has been more vulnerable to opposing point guards of late, ranking 24th in DvP versus the position over their last 20 games. At these sub-$10 salaries, Giddey is best viewed as a ceiling-driven option, particularly if the game stays competitive and his minutes push into the mid-30s again.

PG/SG Derrick White, BOS | DK: $7.5k, FD: $7.5k | vs. MIA

Derrick White has taken on a larger offensive role and continues to benefit from increased shot volume and responsibility with Jayson Tatum sidelined for the year. Boston draws the largest possible pace boost on the slate – the Celtics rank dead last in pace, while Miami sits 1st – creating a meaningful jump in possession count. White’s expanded role has translated into tangible DFS production, as he’s cleared 44.5 DKFP in three of his last five games after a slow start to the season. The matchup also sets up nicely, with Miami ranking 25th in DvP versus starting guards this year. White’s PG/SG eligibility adds useful roster flexibility, particularly on DraftKings, where dual-position players have become more scarce. At $7,500 on both sites, he profiles as one of the steadier backcourt options on the slate, combining role stability with an improved game environment.

PG/SG Dylan Harper, SAS | DK: $4.8k, FD: $5.4k | at ATL

San Antonio lands in a strong game environment, owning the second-highest implied team total on the slate (120.5) in a matchup with Atlanta, who plays at the sixth-fastest pace in the league and is on the second leg of a back-to-back. The Spurs are also playing for the second straight night, but their key players logged limited minutes in yesterday’s 25-point blowout win over the Wizards, keeping the rotation relatively fresh. Harper continues to provide a major spark off the Spurs’ bench, producing 1.16 FPPM over his last five games while averaging 24.4 minutes with a healthy 27.1% usage rate. That per-minute profile gives him room to outperform modest playing time, especially in a pace-up spot like this. He’s also another guy whose PG/SG dual-eligibility adds flexibility across roster builds, and if his minutes push into the mid-20s again, Harper is well-positioned to return solid value at these price points.

Other Guards to Consider

PG Tyrese Maxey, PHI at NYK

PG Jalen Brunson, NYK vs. PHI

SG Stephon Castle, SAS at ATL

PG Darius Garland, CLE vs. CHI (Significant boost if Mitchell is out)

PG/SG Dyson Daniels, ATL vs. SAS

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

PG/SG Lonzo Ball, CLE vs. CHI (Preferred if Mitchell is out)

PG Dru Smith, MIA at BOS

PG Craig Porter Jr., CLE vs. CHI (Currently questionable - Preferred if Mitchell is out)

FanDuel Main Slate Only

PG Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC at MIN

PG/SG Donte DiVincenzo, MIN vs. OKC (Preferred if Edwards is out)

PG/SG Ajay Mitchell, OKC at MIN

Small Forwards/Power Forwards to Consider 🏀

SF Jaylen Brown, BOS | DK: $9.5k, FD: $9.9k | vs. MIA

Without Tatum in the picture, Jaylen Brown has taken on a true No. 1 role this season and continues to operate with massive volume. Since Nov. 23, he’s scored at least 51.5 DKFP in eight of nine games while averaging 1.40 FPPM with an absurd 37.4% usage rate, highlighting just how central he’s become to Boston’s offense. As discussed in Derrick White’s spotlight, the matchup sets up well from a game-environment standpoint, as Boston receives the largest pace boost on the slate with Miami ranking first in pace. Miami has also struggled defensively against the position, ranking 23rd in DvP versus starting small forwards this season. Brown’s minutes remain secure in competitive games, and his scoring-driven profile is now supported by strong peripheral production. His DFS salaries continue to climb, but he remains a great option for as long as he comes in under $10k.

PF Paul George, PHI | DK: $6.9k, FD: $7.3k | at NYK

Paul George has started to find his footing as his minutes restriction fades, topping 36.75 DKFP in four of his last six games and coming off a season-high 49.0 DKFP effort in the last game. He’s now playing a near-full workload, logging 30+ minutes in four straight games and hitting 33 minutes in each of the last two. The 76ers also haven’t played in five days, so George and the rest of the (healthy) starters should be fresh heading into this big matchup versus the Knicks. For the season, George is producing 1.25 FPPM, and his efficiency has been noticeably better on the road, where he’s averaging 1.36 FPPM compared to 1.18 at home. If he lands in the low-30s minutes range again, there’s plenty of room for him to beat these price points – especially with Philly playing without Joel Embiid and a couple other role players tonight.

SF Devin Vassell, SAS | DK: $5.3k, FD: $5.9k | at ATL

There is not a ton of clear value at the forward positions, at least until we get further injury news, so we won’t dip too low for the final forward spotlight. Devin Vassell can get a bit lost in the shuffle with how deep this Spurs roster is, but his role remains quietly solid. He’s averaging 0.88 FPPM on the season and has shown a slight uptick recently, producing 0.95 FPPM over his last five games. Vassell is projected for around 32 minutes tonight, which gives him a stable path to volume in a strong matchup against Atlanta. The Hawks rank 26th in DvP versus starting small forwards over their last 20 games and are allowing 1.07 FPPM to the position, so this is a friendly spot for him to score above his usual pace. Vassell also produced 30.75 DKFP in the only prior meeting with Atlanta this season. The $5,300 price tag makes him particularly appealing on DraftKings, though he remains viable on FanDuel as a secondary option.

Other Forwards to Consider

PF Jalen Johnson, ATL vs. SAS

PF OG Anunoby, NYK vs. PHI

SF/SG Jaylon Tyson, CLE vs. CHI (Boost if Mitchell is out)

SF/SG Jaime Jaquez Jr., MIA at BOS (Preferred if Wiggins is out)

PF Jordan Walsh, BOS vs. MIA

SF/PF Simone Fontecchio, MIA at BOS (Preferred if Wiggins is out)

SF/SG Vit Krejci, ATL vs. SAS

PF/C Asa Newell, ATL vs. SAS

FanDuel Main Slate Only

PF/C Chet Holmgren, OKC at MIN

PF/C Naz Reid, MIN vs. OKC

SF/SG Alex Caruso, OKC at MIN (Boost if Wiggins is out)

Centers to Consider 🏀

C Jarrett Allen, CLE | DK: $6.2k, FD: $6.1k | vs. CHI

Jarrett Allen didn’t explode on Wednesday, but he still delivered a respectable 31.0 DKFP in 28 minutes, which likely represents close to his floor in this same matchup with Chicago tonight. His per-minute production has jumped significantly with Evan Mobley (calf/out) off the floor, rising from 0.87 FPPM to 1.23 FPPM this season, and Allen is again projected for around 28 minutes. While he isn’t a high-usage player by default, owning a 20.4% usage rate on the year, that number spikes to 27.9% when both Mobley and Donovan Mitchell (illness/questionable) are sidelined. If Mitchell ultimately sits, Allen’s ceiling becomes much more attainable. The matchup also remains excellent, as Chicago ranks 29th versus starting centers over their last 20 games and has allowed 1.37 FPPM to the position in that span.

C Neemias Queta, BOS | DK: $5.5k, FD: $5.6k | vs. MIA

Neemias Queta isn’t always the most consistent option, but his per-minute production has been solid, averaging 1.09 FPPM over his last 20 starts. His minutes have trended up recently, reaching 34 minutes in two of his last three games. With Miami potentially starting both Bam Adebayo and Kel’el Ware, Queta’s size could again be necessary for Boston, giving him a path to 30+ minutes tonight. The matchup is also very manageable, as the Heat rank 28th in DvP versus centers on the season and have allowed 1.18 FPPM to the position. If the minutes cooperate, Queta brings legitimate double-double upside along with some added value from blocks and steals.

Other Centers to Consider

C Onyeka Okongwu, ATL vs. SAS

C Nikola Vucevic, CHI at CLE

C Kel’el Ware, MIA at BOS (Preferred if starting again)

C Zach Collins, CHI at CLE

FanDuel Main Slate Only

C Rudy Gobert, MIN vs. OKC

🔥 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!