FanDuel NBA DFS players have a massive nine-game Wednesday slate loaded with exploitable matchups and injury-driven value. Multiple teams are severely shorthanded—the Lakers without Luka Doncic, Minnesota missing Anthony Edwards for two weeks, and Indiana's depleted frontcourt—creating numerous leverage opportunities. Elite plays like Austin Reaves ($9,300) and Anthony Davis ($10,700) anchor lineups, while mid-range options including Lauri Markkanen and Jrue Holiday offer bankroll relief. Brooklyn-Atlanta's high total and Sacramento-Chicago's pace-up environment provide game-stacking potential. Let's identify the optimal FanDuel NBA DFS picks to help you cash in GPPs and cash games alike.
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SLATE OVERVIEW
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Tonight's biggest surprise for me was how poorly Orlando registered after crunching the numbers. I don't doubt their production in a close matchup against Detroit, but their salaries are getting too exorbitant and hard to sustain. Spend up there if you must, but none of them made my final list. Brooklyn and Atlanta win the total race tonight, followed closely by the SAC/CHI matchup. I was also light on the Kings tonight, but higher salaries combined with other exploitable options kept me from them for Wednesday's article.
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INJURIES
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report. Below are some of the most recent and relevant injuries for Wednesday. Keep in mind that this is not a complete list. Use your best judgment when evaluating ongoing injury scenarios elsewhere on the slate.
CLE Sam Merrill (hip) - OUT
CLE Darius Garland (toe) -OUT
Garland received a G League assignment two days ago, so his return is getting closer. His replacement is out, so Jaylon Tyson ($3,800) will take over.
DET Ausar Thompson (illness) - QUESTIONABLE
With a few other long-term injuries thinning out the bench, Ronald Holland ($4,900) would be my pick to see more minutes if Thompson can't make it.
IND Bennedict Mathurin (toe) - OUT
IND Obi Toppin (foot) - OUT
IND Andrew Nembhard (shoulder) - OUT
Jay Huff's ($3,700) stock will rise a bit in this scenario, and Ben Sheppard ($4,500) will remain Indiana's top play at point guard until Nembhard returns. Additional options are making a dent, but they're not productive enough to consider at the moment.
DAL Dereck Lively (knee) - DOUBTFUL
DAL Daniel Gafford (ankle) - DOUBTFUL
The Mavs will be thin behind Anthony Davis tonight, so Dwight Powell ($3,500) may start at center. In the Value section of the article, I'll mention one other option for this spot.
DEN Cameron Johnson (shoulder) - QUESTIONABLE
If Johnson can't play, we should see an increase for Tim Hardaway ($3,900), and possibly a bit more from Bruce Brown ($4,100).
NOP Zion Williamson (foot) - QUESTIONABLE
Zion missed Monday's game, but the injury isn't considered serious. He could be back for Wednesday's game, but Saddiq Bey ($4,200) would get more usage if he misses.
MIN Anthony Edwards (hamstring) - OUT
Edwards is out for a couple of weeks, so the T-Wolves will settle into an adjusted rotation for around six games. It's too soon to see how the missed production will be filled, but Donte DiVincenzo ($5,600) is expected to get most of the starts in his absence.
PHX Jalen Green (hamstring) - QUESTIONABLE
PHX Dillon Brooks (groin) - OUT
Green could make his debut tonight, but Grayson Allen ($5,700) will keep the role filled if he can't make it. We're also seeing Royce O'Neale ($4,900) in the starting lineup with Brooks out, and he put up a nice double-double Monday night.
LAL Luka Doncic (finger/leg) - OUT
LAL Marcus Smart (quad) - QUESTIONABLE
LAL Jaxson Hayes (knee) - QUESTIONABLE
LAL Gabe Vincent (ankle) - OUT
We'll talk more about the Lakers in a moment, but Jake LaRavia ($4,300) will step into a starting role if Smart can't make it.
ELITE PLAYERS
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We have two big men atop the player pool with five-figure salaries for Wednesday. Nikola Jokic ($12,100) and Anthony Davis ($10,700) both have persuasive arguments for inclusion. Jokic will deal with a Pelicans interior that may be a step slow without Williamson, and Davis will face an injury-riddled Indiana team and a slimmer list of backups behind him. To break the tie, I would have to go with Davis' dual eligibility and $1,400 more to play with elsewhere. Neither player is an absolute requirement, however.
The $9k range is interesting, and the most glaring addition is Austin Reaves ($9,300). Can we trust him at this salary? The numbers certainly seem to line up. He's averaging 62.5 FDFP per game and 1.6 FDFP per minute currently. A possible knock would be excessive popularity, given the favorable production. They'll also get a defensive break without Anthony Edwards in the lineup. I'll endorse him, but it leans toward a cash-game play for me. Pascal Siakam ($9,200) is another guy you must consider, given Indiana's current injury woes. Toppin's absence will certainly mean more usage for Siakam for the next few weeks.
We have 11 players to analyze in the $8k range, and I'm most persuaded by Jamal Murray at $8,100. He'll have a larger role if Johnson misses, and I think his salary is too low relative to his current production. I'll also roll with Evan Mobley ($8,600), who's reasonably priced and has a good history against the Celtics.
Also consider: Trae Young, ATL ($8,600) @ BKN
EXPECTED CHALK AND MID-RANGE OPTIONS
Lauri Markkanen, UTA ($7,400) vs. POR
I usually shy away from a player after he has a career night, but the combination of the 71-FDFP Monday performance, the opponent, and the lack of viable fantasy options in Utah will persuade me to consider him. Portland's defense at his position is good but not great, and I don't anticipate much of a dip after he tore up the court Monday night. We won't get 70 FDFPs, but I would be fine with 50.
Jrue Holiday, POR ($6,500) @ UTA
Holiday is quietly racking up production in Portland, and his 46- FDFP performance against the Lakers Monday night has certainly put him on everyone's radar. His salary will inevitably rise if he continues this tear, but we can still get him at this salary point and be confident in the choice.
P.J. Washington, DAL ($6,200) vs. IND
The thinned-out roster should help out Washington, and we've already mentioned how a lack of frontcourt support for Siakam is a good spot for the Mavericks. Washington's floor has been reliable so far, and while we'd like some upside to show up, he's a safe bet to match at least 5x value tonight.
Tre Jones, CHI ($6,100) vs. SAC
Jones is playing well enough to keep the job once Coby White returns. His salary is still conspicuously low considering how he's maximizing his opportunity, but you'll hear no argument from me. He also has dual eligibility, which Holiday cannot give us.
Also consider: Keyonte George, UTA ($6,600) vs. POR
VALUE PLAYS
You'll find plenty of cheap options in the injury report, but there are also additional budget plays that you don't want to miss.
Jaden McDaniels, MIN ($5,800) vs. LAL
You can make a case for others to excel in Edwards' absence, but I think McDaniels is in the best spot to take advantage. He was Minnesota's leading scorer Monday night, and that's a trend that could easily continue while Edwards is out. The Lakers are also snake-bit with injuries and will be vulnerable against his position.
Jalen Duren, DET ($5,700) vs. ORL
Duren is easily one of the most underrated centers in the league, and although he rarely gets the fantasy love he deserves, he's hard to resist below $6,000. If there's a spot to exploit against Orlando, it's up front.
Cedric Coward, MEM ($4,700) @ PHX
Memphis' 2025 first-round pick is starting to make some noise, and I think his potential upside puts him on the cusp of fantasy viability moving forward. There's considerable traffic above him on the depth chart, but he's versatile enough to fill a few different roles and will become a more consistent player with the second unit.
