Jayson Tatum is among the top elite players to watch on Wednesday.
The NBA has a huge 10-game slate Wednesday with plenty of intriguing players on FanDuel. The first lineup lock is at 7:00 p.m. ET for all of FanDuel’s featured contests.
Injuries
***NOTE: This is not a complete list of injuries. Ongoing and less consequential injuries are excluded. Use your best judgment for pivots in long-term situations.
IND Tyrese Haliburton (ankle) – QUESTIONABLE
Bennedict Mathurin ($5,800), who has been featured frequently in previous articles, is a possible candidate to start after a lineup shift but will get a usage boost even if he isn’t in the starting five.
ORL Paolo Banchero (ankle) – QUESTIONABLE
ORL Wendell Carter (foot) – QUESTIONABLE
Look for Mo Bamba ($4,600) and Terrence Ross ($4,000) to have increased roles amid these potential absences.
MIA Bam Adebayo (knee) – QUESTIONABLE
MIA Dewayne Dedmon (foot) – QUESTIONABLE
MIA Tyler Herro (ankle) – OUT
Almost every center, including the ones not mentioned, is questionable Wednesday. It’s best to wait and see who starts, but if the centers are a universal scratch, Caleb Martin ($4,600) will be a candidate for increased production. Gabe Vincent ($4,800) continues to work as a pivot.
TOR Fred VanVleet (illness) – QUESTIONABLE
TOR Gary Trent (hip) – QUESTIONABLE
Scottie Barnes ($7,600) will work the point, and Dalano Banton ($6,000) could start again if these absences hold.
NOP Zion Williamson (foot) – QUESTIONABLE
The start should go to Trey Murphy ($4,800) if Williamson is sidelined.
CLE Donovan Mitchell (ankle) – QUESTIONABLE
CLE Jarrett Allen (ankle) – OUT
Lamar Stevens ($3,500) and Kevin Love ($4,900) will have increased roles, and Caris LeVert ($6,300) will shift to off-guard if Mitchell misses.
MIL Jrue Holiday (ankle) – QUESTIONABLE
MIL Grayson Allen (ankle) – DOUBTFUL
Jevon Carter ($5,600) is the player to target if these absences hold.
DEN Nikola Jokic (COVID-19 protocols) – OUT
The elite big man will be sidelined, so look for Jeff Green ($3,500) and DeAndre Jordan ($4,000) to have increased involvement.
Elite Players
Our top two are all in favorable situations tonight, so you can’t go wrong with Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,800) or Jayson Tatum ($10,600) as lineup anchors. A decimated Orlando frontcourt is also favorable for Karl-Anthony Towns ($9,000) tonight.
Moving down, I like LaMelo Ball ($8,300) and Jaylen Brown ($8,200) in the 8k range, as well as Brandon Ingram ($8,000) and DeMar DeRozan ($7,900) at the very bottom of the elite category.
Also consider: Stephen Curry, GSW ($10,300) @ PHX
Expected Chalk and Other Targets
Zach LaVine, CHI ($7,400) @ NOP
LaVine has been productive recently, and he also generated 38.8 FDFP against the Pelicans last week. His three appearances after a two-game absence have all featured solid totals in multiple categories, so he is an excellent candidate to meet value at this salary.
Josh Giddey, OKC ($6,800) @ WAS
Giddey regressed a bit after his masterful triple-double, but I expect him to bounce back against a porous Washington defense.
Spencer Dinwiddie, DAL ($6,800) @ HOU
This is an excellent matchup against Houston. While Kevin Porter and Jalen Green are offensive standouts, their backcourt defense leaves a bit to be desired, and the Rockets will already have their hands full with Luka Doncic. Dinwiddie can run hot and cold as a shooter, but his volume usually gives him a decent number when you add in his decent assist totals.
D’Angelo Russell, MIN ($6,400) @ ORL
I’m moving off my usual Edwards endorsement and going with Russell this time around, mainly because I think his assist numbers against the shorthanded Magic will be too valuable. Edwards’ numbers should be just fine, but I sense that Russell’s connections inside to Towns and Gobert may be plentiful tonight.
Clint Capela, ATL ($6,200) vs. BOS
You can get other big men with dual eligibility, but Capela is a nice median value for the sole center position. He’s had decent results against the Celtics in his career, and his season totals are already littered with double-doubles.
Value Plays
There is a plethora of excellent values in the injury section, so be sure to refer back to them. I especially like DeAndre Jordan from that list.
Jalen Suggs, ORL ($5,900) vs. MIN
Orlando needs a scoring threat somewhere in its starting five, and it looks like Suggs will have little competition for volume if the injury tags hold. He had a bad game against Charlotte two nights ago, but that line was an aberration compared to his usual, which features good totals in multiple categories.
Al Horford, BOS ($5,500) @ ATL
Horford’s salary still surprises me, but I won’t complain, especially with his dual designations. I already endorsed Capela, so there will be a winner and loser in the rebound game among our endorsements, but I think both players should have totals that will meet their salary value.
MarJon Beauchamp, MIL ($3,800) vs. CLE
Khris Middleton‘s continued absence has forced the Bucks deeper into their depth chart, and the 2022 first-round pick has found some success off the bench. He’s a volatile pick who won’t always hit, but he has upside as long as his minutes stay consistent.
Also consider: Torrey Craig, PHX ($4,500) vs. GSW
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Jeff Edgerton has provided sports content for numerous sports outlets and has played fantasy sports since scores had to be tabulated via newspaper. He started working with RotoWire in 2017. Originally from South Carolina, he’s a lifelong Clemson fan now enjoying the sun in Los Angeles.
