NBA DFS Picks: FanDuel Plays and Lineup Strategy for Wednesday, March 22

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Published on March 22, 2023

Wednesday's 10-game slate tips off at 7:00 p.m. ET, and highlighting FanDuel's vast of array of cash and tournament offerings, the $200,000 NBA Shot will guarantee 40k to the winner, with only a $5.55 fee to enter.

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.

The Hawks and Timberwolves have a lightning-fast pace tonight, and we should hammer for more value here than we did in our endorsements. The Heat and Knicks got no love from us, but it ranks as the one-stop uniqueness game for those who want to take risks in tournaments.

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 on today's slate. Keep in mind that this is not a complete list. Use your best judgment when evaluating ongoing injury scenarios elsewhere on the slate.

WAS Kyle Kuzma (ankle) - DOUBTFUL

I'll gladly take Deni Avdija's ($5,200) salary, but we should also see some heavy lifting from Bradley Beal ($8,700) as well.

DAL Luka Doncic (thigh) - QUESTIONABLE

DAL Kyrie Irving (foot) - QUESTIONABLE

The Mavericks once again have a frustrating injury report. Doncic's injury is a bit more serious, so I'm more inclined to think that Irving may return, but we won't know until closer to tipoff. Jaden Hardy ($6,300) is your best bet for an Irving replacement, but usage is too spread out to pinpoint a single player to replace Doncic.

IND Tyrese Haliburton (knee) - QUESTIONABLE

In the event of another Haliburton absence, Andrew Nembhard ($5,800) is an excellent budget call.

SAS Keldon Johnson (neck) - QUESTIONABLE

Johnson's injury might cause him to miss multiple games. Sandro Mamukelashvili ($5,300) came out of nowhere and posted a solid number in Johnson's absence, and I'd be willing to gamble on him if Johnson misses. The uptick was partly due to a rest night from Zach Collins, but he'll probably fly under the radar Wednesday.

PHI James Harden (Achilles) - QUESTIONABLE

I'll go with De'Anthony Melton ($5,900) if Harden is unavailable.

ATL Dejounte Murray (illness) - QUESTIONABLE

If Murray misses again, Trae Young ($10,000) will get a heavy load. Bogdan Bogdanovic ($5,800) is a solid budget add in this spot.

UTA Lauri Markkanen (back) - QUESTIONABLE

UTA Jordan Clarkson (finger ) - OUT

Kris Dunn ($6,000) remains a great value candidate for Clarkson. Kelly Olynyk ($6,600) will be the logical play if Markkanen is out.

POR Jerami Grant (quad) - OUT

POR Anfernee Simons (foot) - OUT

Trendon Watford ($5,700) is a borderline budget consideration in this spot, and Shaedon Sharpe ($4,300) is also a viable budget play, but certainly not my favorite for the evening.

PHO Deandre Ayton (hip) -OUT

Bismack Biyombo ($4,800) is your pivot. It's a shame he only has C eligibility, but I will use him to save some coin in several lineups. He is my favorite budget call for Wednesday.

ELITE PLAYERS

You'll want to load up on elite guards Wednesday, and there are plenty to choose from. Damian Lillard ($10,300), Ja Morant ($10,200) and Trae Young ($10,000) are my favorites of the bunch. You can't afford all of them, so moving down to Chris Paul ($8,000) or Jrue Holiday ($7,900) is totally doable. The makeup of the player pool favors reaching down for frontcourt value, so don't skimp at PG and SG. If you must pay up for a big man, Anthony Davis ($11,100) and his dual eligibility is where I would go.

Also consider: Stephen Curry, GSW ($9,900) @ DAL

EXPECTED CHALK AND OTHER TARGETS

Pascal Siakam, TOR ($8,700) vs. IND

I'm a bit confused about Siakam's salary - his recent production is worthy of a number north of 9k. I would definitely grab him at this salary, and I wouldn't count out OG Anunoby ($6,700) in this spot either. Don't stack them, but keep them both in mind.

Devin Vassell, SAS ($7,200) @ MIL

Vassell's injury tag may linger a bit longer, and that could drive down his rostership, but I'm all over him if Johnson is out. He missed his last game due to injury management but exploded for 47 and 40 FDFPs over the past week.

Also consider: Jamal Murray, DEN ($7,700) @ WAS

VALUE PLAYS

As I said previously, save some money and roster Bismack Biyombo.

Josh Okogie, PHO ($5,600) @ LAL

I'd be more inclined to roster Okogie if he were $500 cheaper, but you have to give him some exposure as Kevin Durant's placeholder for the Suns. Devin Booker is doing a lot of the heavy lifting, but Okogie has shown an upside as high as 43 FDFPs, and we would only need 26 FDFPs for him to match 5x value.

Xavier Tillman, MEM ($5,300) vs. HOU

Ja Morant's return will make every Grizzlies player a little bit better, and Steven Adams' continued absence solidifies Tillman's starting role. He's much less expensive than Jaren Jackson ($8,500) and a cheaper way to get involved in the soft matchup.

Saddiq Bey, ATL ($4,400) @ MIN

I wasn't expecting much from Bey in his new digs, but he showed up with a 14/11 double-double in only 20 minutes Tuesday night. That's a pretty impressive FDFPPM metric, and considering John Collins' recent up-and-down results, I'm more than willing to take a flier on him in tournaments.

Also consider: Matisse Thybulle, POR ($4,500) @ UTA

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire.