This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We have an eight-game ledger Friday night with one of the most star-laden injury reports in recent memory. Some of the elite players are already confirmed out while others have at least a 50/50 chance of playing. With all the potential absences, it's especially important to keep up with late-breaking news on RotoWire and be aware of what value plays could benefit from taking the floor without some of their talented teammates.
Slate Overview
For the latest spreads and over-unders, visit RotoWire's NBA Odds page. There, you can also find player props, futures, picks articles and sportsbook bonus codes.
While spreads could be very subject to change leading up to tip-off as injury statuses are clarified, there's encouragingly only game with a line larger than 7.5 points as of early Friday and four with spreads of five points or fewer.
Meanwhile, we have one massive projected total of 247.5 points for Warriors-Hawks, but only two other matchups list figures above 230.
Injury Situations to Monitor
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report.
Luka Doncic, DAL (thigh): OUT
In Doncic's continued absence Friday, Jaden Hardy and Josh Green are likely to remain in the starting five.
Jayson Tatum, BOS (hip): QUESTIONABLE
If Tatum were unable to play, Jaylen Brown's usage would especially go through the roof while Grant Williams or Derrick White could potentially start.
Stephen Curry, GSW (thumb): QUESTIONABLE
Head coach Steve Kerr has said he expects Curry to be available, but if that were to change, Jordan Poole could be in for a start at point guard.
Kyrie Irving, DAL (foot): QUESTIONABLE
If Irving still can't go Friday, Hardy and Green could be primary beneficiaries.
Draymond Green, GSW (suspension): OUT
Without Green, Jonathan Kuminga could potentially draw a start.
Other notable injuries:
Zion Williamson, NOP (hamstring): OUT
LeBron James, LAL (foot): OUT
Ja Morant, MEM (suspension): OUT
Karl-Anthony Towns, MIN (calf): OUT
Jarrett Allen, CLE (eye): OUT
Andrew Wiggins, GSW (personal): OUT
Steven Adams, MEM (knee): OUT
Rudy Gobert, MIN (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
Jerami Grant, POR (quadriceps): QUESTIONABLE
Damian Lillard, POR (calf): PROBABLE
Anthony Davis, LAL (foot): PROBABLE
Elite Players
We have six players with five-figure salaries that have a chance to play on Friday's slate – Joel Embiid ($12,000), Anthony Davis ($11,400), Jayson Tatum ($10,800), Damian Lillard ($10,500), James Harden ($10,100) and Stephen Curry ($10,000).
Embiid's salary bump is well-deserved, as he's scored at least 62.4 FD points in four straight games and hasn't gone under 52.2 FD points over his last six.
Davis has produced between 50 to 61.6 FD points in five of the last six outings and is expected to play through his foot issue.
Tatum will have to clear his questionable designation, but if he's able to suit up, he'll look to build on a stretch where he's posted over 60 FD points in three of seven games.
Lillard has already registered a pair of 60 FD-point tallies during March and just went off for 52.9 FD points against the Knicks last time out.
Harden has been somewhat overshadowed by Embiid, but he's managed at least 50 FD points in three of his last five games - including one over 60.
Curry is expected to go and will be heavily involved in the matchup with the night's highest projected total.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Trae Young, ATL ($9,900)
Young will be an integral part of what should be a high-scoring game and checks in with over 51 FD points in three of the last four appearances.
Anthony Edwards, MIN ($9,700)
Edwards has scored between 47.5 to 55.2 FD points over the last three and should remain highly popular at his salary Friday.
Donovan Mitchell, CLE ($9,300)
Mitchell has posted over 50 FD points in four of the last eight games and should continue to see a slight bump in usage with Jarrett Allen (eye) out.
Jaylen Brown, BOS ($9,200)
Brown's roster rate would skyrocket if Jayson Tatum is out, but he should be popular under any circumstance after dropping between 45.5 to 60.1 FD points in six of the last seven.
Bradley Beal, WAS ($9,000)
Beal is on a tear that's seen him average 44.3 FD points and shoot 50.3 percent over his last nine games, including a tally of 59.7 FD points against the Pistons on Tuesday.
Key Values
Herbert Jones, NOP at HOU ($6,200)
Jones has averaged 30.1 FD points across his last six games, and that includes a clunker of 5.9 FD points across 18 minutes three games ago against the Thunder. He bounced back to score over 30 FD points in each of the subsequent two games, and he's shot an impressive 53.6 percent over the entire stretch. The Rockets could facilitate another strong return, considering they've allowed the sixth-highest offensive efficiency rating to power forwards (27.5) and 47.8 percent shooting to the position. Houston has also allowed an NBA-high 8.8 steals per contest, while Jones is averaging 1.9 steals in his last 18 outings.
Josh Green, DAL at LAL ($6,200)
Green will take the floor without Luka Doncic and could well also be operating minus Kyrie Irving and Tim Hardaway (calf). Under such conditions, he's posted between 35.5 and 36.1 FD points in the last three games while shooting a blistering 57.1 percent, including 47.1 percent from behind the arc. The 2020 first-rounder now faces a Lakers team he shot 50.0 percent off the bench against in one prior game this season and that's allowing 40 FD points per game to small forwards in the last seven contests with LeBron James out of action.
Patrick Beverley, CHI vs. MIN ($4,900)
Beverley has gone off for some spike performances in his current Bulls tenure, producing between 24.4 to 46 FD points in four of his first nine appearances. Two of those tallies have come in the last pair of games when he compiled 37.5 and 28.7 FD points against the Rockets and Kings, respectively. Friday's matchup also shapes up favorably, as the T-Wolves are surrendering the eighth-highest offensive efficiency rating to point guards (27.8), along with 50 FD points to the position over the last 15 games. Minnesota has also allowed a bottom-10 figure of 37.0 percent three-point shooting and has given up the third-most steals per contest (8.2), giving Beverley two more paths to fantasy production.
ALSO CONSIDER: Jaden Hardy, DAL at LAL ($6,400); Austin Reaves, LAL vs. DAL ($6,100); Jonathan Kuminga, GSW at ATL ($5,400)
