NBA DFS Picks, Projections, Lineups, Injuries & More Today: Thursday Playbook

The price tag has risen to the $11,000-range, it is a brutal matchup in Minnesota, and Chet Holmgren is expected to be back in the lineup. Lots of factors working against SGA tonight, but it still wouldn't surprise me if he went for the most raw points on the slate. 

Harden is in an elite matchup and Kawhi Leonard is out for this game. Harden just torched the Jazz for 23 points and 17 assists last weekend with Kawhi in the lineup. He is too cheap for his role and upside tonight, which will make him a core play on this slate. 

Anthony Davis and PJ Washington are out again, and Kyrie has exceeded 50 FP in back-to-back games with those two inactive. It is a tougher matchup for the Mavs' lead guard, but he has as much upside as anyone on the slate.

Herro had played at least 36 minutes in four straight games before missing the Boston game with an illness. He returned and played 32 minutes against the Thunder last time out, but he should be back to full strength for this tilt against the Mavs. 

McCollum leads the Pelicans with a 31.8% usage rate when Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, and Dejounte Murray have been out of the lineup this season. He has averaged an additional 8 DK points per-36 minutes in that scenario. 

George went off for 20-7-10 against the Lakers last night. He has continued to play 30+ minutes per game despite moving to a bench role. 

Alvarado had a big game last night in 32 minutes against this Kings team, and now Zion Williamson is out. The minutes haven't been as consistent we would hope since the Murray injury, but that shouldn't be an issue tonight. 

Collier has been solid since moving into the starting lineup, flashing 40+ FP upside on multiple occasions. It is a difficult matchup tonight, but the Jazz could potentially rest some veterans also. 

Edwards ceiling has frequently accessed his 60+ FP ceiling since the injury to Julius Randle. He gets a brutal matchup against the league's top defensive unit and is questionable on the injury report. 

Monk has been consistent in his new lead guard role since the trade deadline, even if we haven't seen a huge ceiling performance. He gets an elite matchup against one of the worst defenses in the league. 

LaVine has shot under 21% from long range since joining the Kings, and that will certainly improve as he adjusts to his new team. He was shooting better than 44% with Chicago this season. The minutes and usage have been there, and the ceiling performances will come when the shots start falling. 

Green is always a tournament option for his lofty ceiling. He leads the Rockets with a 27.2% usage rate this season. 

Christie has been excellent since his arrival with the Mavs. He has doubled his scoring average since his Lakers time, and he is playing nearly 34 minutes per game. 

Dunn is not an efficient fantasy point producer, but he may be able to find some extra playing time with Kawhi Leonard resting. We will see how the injury reports play out, but there currently aren't many intriguing options under $4,500. 

Thompson went off for an 18-point triple-double last night against the Suns. The ceiling performances have occurred with great frequency since the calendar flipped to 2025. 

Murphy has seen the biggest usage bump (+6.3%) on the team with Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, and Dejounte Murray off the floor this season. He ranks second on the team with a 30.3% usage rate in those situations. 

The Kings have the highest total on the slate in an elite matchup with the Pelicans. DeRozan may not be the most likely ceiling candidate, but he needs to be in the tournament conversation. 

Powell has been excellent all season for the Clippers. Kawhi Leonard is resting and the matchup is elite against the Jazz. Powell has a great chance to outperform his mid-$7,000 price tag. 

Marshall should be locked in for upper-20s minutes with several front court members out for the Mavs. 

Svi could slide back into the starting lineup, depending on what the injury report looks like for the Jazz. He has averaged 24 minutes per game as a starter, so the upside is still limited. But we don't have a ton of great options in the $4,000 range.  

Bam went off for 27 points and 15 rebounds last night against the Thunder. Now, Andrew Wiggins is out tonight and Dallas is without multiple key pieces in the front court. Bam did pop up as questionable on the injury report himself, so this is definitely a situation to monitor. 

Chet Holmgren is expected to return and the matchup is difficult against the Wolves. These factors mean J-Dub is just a large-field tournament option, but the PF position is rather weak on this slate. 

Butler has found motivation and is filling up the stat sheet again with the change of scenery. He gets a difficult matchup against the Rockets, but he is a fine options at a weak PF position. 

Edwards, Gobert, and Conley are all questionable and Randle remains out. Naz has been excellent in the absence of Randle, and could have an even bigger role tonight depending on injury news. 

Prosper should draw the start again with Anthony Davis, PJ Washington, Daniel Gafford, Dereck Lively, and Dwight Powell all out. He played 24 minutes in a starting role last night. 

Sabonis could compete for the top raw fantasy points scorer on the slate in an excellent matchup with the Pelicans. 

Sengun has been dealing with some back issues recently, which adds some risk, but he did play 38 minutes last night. He also gets a difficult matchup with the Warriors, who have allowed the 2nd-fewest points in the paint this season. 

Zubac has played at least 32 minutes and scored over 40 FP in three straight games. Now, Kawhi Leonard is out and he gets an elite matchup against the Jazz. The Clippers big man is one of my favorite options on the slate. 

Gobert had a great game last night, with 20 points and 14 rebounds against the Bucks. He gets a tough matchup with the Thunder and popped up on the injury report. He is a large-field tournament option only if he is able to suit up. 

There should be some additional opportunities available for Missi with Zion Williamson out. He gets a slight usage and rebounding bump with Zion off the floor, and he could play a few extra minutes.