Tonight’s is a five-game slate with several strong pay-up options but not much value. As a result, the most expensive players are luxuries more than necessities as things currently stand. Using Stokastic’s NBA DFS projections, let’s break down the player pool to find the NBA DFS high-priced studs on DraftKings and FanDuel.
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NBA DFS Studs: Anthony Davis and Joel Embiid
Stud No. 1 – Joel Embiid: Philadelphia 76ers vs. Los Angeles Lakers
- DFS Salary: DraftKings $11,700; FanDuel $12,200
- Stokastic’s Point Projections: DraftKings 59.6; FanDuel 58.8
- Stokastic’s Ownership Projections: DraftKings 9.8%; FanDuel 5.8%
Embiid projects lower than Nikola Jokic, but he is also less expensive — particularly on DraftKings, where we get a $1,100 discount. He has produced 1.77 DraftKings points per minute in 34.7 minutes per game this season. Embiid has a 36.1% usage rate, 17.7% rebounding rate and 32.1% assist rate in those games. He is facing a Lakers squad that ranks in the middle of the pack in pace and top 10 in defensive rating this year. Embiid isn’t a priority, but he is a strong contrarian play if you can find the salary. His relative value will increase if Jokic (who is questionable) does not play.
Stud No. 2 – Tyrese Haliburton: Indiana Pacers vs. Portland Trail Blazers
- DFS Salary: DraftKings $11,000; FanDuel $10,600
- Stokastic’s Point Projections: DraftKings 54.4; FanDuel 52.0
- Stokastic’s Ownership Projections: DraftKings 4.3%; FanDuel 13.0%
Haliburton has been one of the best offensive players in the league this season, and his salary has increased substantially as a result. He is a much more appealing option on FanDuel at $400 less than DraftKings, but he makes for a strong contrarian option in DraftKings tournaments as well. Haliburton has produced 1.61 DraftKings points per minute in 33.4 minutes per game this year. He has a massive 49.3% assist rate but also has contributed a 26.4% usage rate. In addition to being one of the best playmakers in the league, he is also one of the most efficient scorers, making 45.4% from 3 and posting 67.3% true shooting. Indiana has a pace-down matchup against Portland, who ranks 24th in pace this season, but this game still has a slate-leading 239.5-point total.
Stud No. 3 – Anthony Davis: Los Angeles Lakers at Philadelphia 76ers
- DFS Salary: DraftKings $9,800; FanDuel $10,800
- Stokastic’s Point Projections: DraftKings 50.0; FanDuel 51.1
- Stokastic’s Ownership Projections: DraftKings 11.8%; FanDuel 10.4%
Davis is another high-upside center option, and he is available at a discount to Jokic and Embiid. He has produced 1.41 DraftKings points per minute in 35.1 minutes per game in the 15 games that he has played alongside LeBron James this year. James is questionable tonight, and Davis will look stronger if he sits. Davis is a secondary option tonight, as there is a strong group of mid-range centers that drive up the opportunity cost at the position. He has power forward eligibility on FanDuel, but he is also $1,000 more expensive than he is on DraftKings.
Stud No. 4 – LeBron James: Los Angeles Lakers at Philadelphia 76ers
- DFS Salary: DraftKings $9,700; FanDuel $10,200
- Stokastic’s Point Projections: DraftKings 50.1; FanDuel 48.9
- Stokastic’s Ownership Projections: DraftKings 20.5%; FanDuel 12.1%
James is questionable for tonight’s game against the 76ers, but he is usually questionable and he usually plays. If he is able to go, he looks like the easiest pay-up option to fit into lineups. He is the highest owned on DraftKings of the four players in this article by a wide margin, and he is only slightly behind Haliburton on FanDuel. James has produced 1.49 DraftKings points per minute in 34.3 minutes per game in the 15 games that he has played with Davis active this season. While he doesn’t project as well as most of the other players in this article, he is the least expensive and he also comes with less opportunity cost. The point guard and center positions always offer plenty of strong mid-range options to choose from, while the forward positions tend to offer significantly less.
There are five games tonight and some injury news is yet to come out, so be sure to check out Stokastic’s Deeper Dive and Live Before Lock shows.
