This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We're set for a second straight seven-game main slate Saturday night, one that appears poised to only have a handful of noteworthy short-term injuries. Point spreads imply we should have a solid chance at a competitive night as well, teeing up what could be a fun night of DFS play.
Slate Overview
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As of early Saturday morning, we have only one double-digit spread on the board, and all other games sport lines of 7.5 points or less. What's more, we have four games with spreads of three points or fewer, which should really catch our eye in our quest for competitive scenarios.
In terms of projected totals, all but one game has a figure of at least 228.5 points, and three games check in with over 230 projected points.
Injury Situations to Monitor
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report.
Trae Young, ATL (illness): GTD
If Young sits out again Saturday, Dejounte Murray should remain in the primary ball-handling role and Bogdan Bogdanovic could remain in the starting five
Victor Wembanyama, SAN (rest): GTD
If Wemby returns after sitting out the first game of the back-to-back set, he'll be locked into a premium matchup against the Wizards' highly porous frontcourt.
Zach LaVine, CHI (ankle): OUT
With LaVine out, Dalen Terry could draw a start at small forward, while the remainder of the starting five should see elevated bumps in usage.
Other notable injuries:
Darius Garland, CLE (jaw): OUT
Evan Mobley, CLE (knee): OUT
Jakob Poeltl, SAN (ankle): OUT
Mark Williams, CHA (back): OUT
De'Anthony Melton, PHI (back): OUT
Caris LeVert, CLE (wrist): DOUBTFUL
Daniel Gafford, WAS (concussion): QUESTIONABLE
Nick Richards, CHA (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
Elite Players
We have five players with five-figure salaries that have a chance to play on Saturday's slate – Joel Embiid ($12,500), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($11,000), Donovan Mitchell ($10,600), Trae Young ($10,200) and Victor Wembanyama ($10,200).
Embiid hasn't scored fewer than 58.4 FD points in his first three games back from a knee injury, but he will be on the second game of a back-to-back set Saturday.
SGA went off for 49.2 FD points against the Jazz in his most recent game Thursday, and although the T-Wolves present a tough matchup on paper, Gilgeous-Alexander recorded 60.7 FD points against them over 33 minutes back on Dec. 26.
Mitchell has scored 52.1 to 73.4 FD points in his last three games and will be playing with two full days of rest versus a Hawks team that could be shorthanded in the backcourt once again without Trae Young (illness).
It remains to be seen if Young can play through his questionable tag, and considering he's dealing with an illness, he may not be at full strength even if he does suit up against the Cavs.
Wembanyama is likely to play after getting Friday night off for rest and would be particularly appealing while facing a Wizards team that has been the league's worst at defending centers all season.
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
LaMelo Ball, CHA ($9,600)
Ball has scored 46.2 to 48.1 FD points in his first four games back from his extended absence due to an ankle injury, which should keep him very popular Saturday.
Lauri Markkanen, UTA ($9,300)
Markkanen has flashed a floor of 46 FD points in six of the last seven games, which should keep him in plenty of lineups Saturday.
Tyrese Maxey, PHI ($9,200)
Maxey has scored 53.1 FD points in just 33 minutes against the Magic on Friday and has recorded at least 42.6 in six of his last seven games.
Jalen Brunson, NYK ($9,100)
Brunson's 65.6 FD-point breakout against the Wizards on Thursday will undoubtedly be fresh on DFS players' minds and keep Brunson highly rostered Saturday.
DeMar DeRozan, CHI ($8,100)
DeRozan will be taking the floor without Zach LaVine (ankle), a circumstance in which he's thrived frequently this season and averages 41 FD points per 36 minutes in.
Key Values
Jeremy Sochan, SAN at WAS ($6,500)
Sochan was one of several Spurs to take advantage of Wemby's absence Friday, scoring 35.6 FD points while putting up an impressively well-balanced line of 11 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, one steal and one block across 34 minutes. However, Sochan has been delivering strong performances even with his rookie teammate on the floor, averaging 30.9 FD points per contest in the last eight games. With the opposing Wizards playing at a very fast pace, allowing the seventh-highest offensive efficiency rating to power forwards (29.5) and giving up 48.9 FD points per contest to the position in the last 30 games, the versatile Sochan is in a good spot again Saturday, even on the second night of a back-to-back set
OG Anunoby, NYK vs. TOR ($6,500)
Anunoby should have no shortage of incentive as he faces his old Raptors squad for the first time since his late-December trade to the Big Apple. The talented seven-year pro has adapted well to nis new Knicks digs, averaging 28.4 FD points per game over his first 10 contests while shooting 51.9 percent, including 43.5 percent from three-point range. Anunoby has been even hotter of late while scoring between 33.9 and 38 FD points in three of the last four games, and the Raps are now allowing an NBA-high 28.5 offensive efficiency rating to small forwards, along with the third-most FD points per game to the position in the last seven (49.4).
Alex Caruso, CHI vs. MEM ($5,800)
Caruso is one of the several members of the Bulls that should be in position to benefit from Zach LaVine's multi-game absence, and the veteran guard checks in with an average of 31.6 FD points per 36 minutes with the latter off the food this season. Caruso is already averaging a career-high 9.8 points on career-best 49.4 percent shooting, and he's clocked 28.7 FD points per contest in the last seven. The short-handed Grizzlies should make for good targets, considering Desmond Bane (ankle) remains sidelined and Memphis surrenders the fifth-highest three-point shooting percentage in the league (38.4).
ALSO CONSIDER: Vince Williams, MEM at CHI ($6,700)
