NBA DFS: Top Daily Fantasy Expert Picks for DraftKings, FanDuel (3/22/24)

There are eight games scheduled to be played across the NBA on Friday. DraftKings has included all eight of them in their main slate, while FanDuel is only rolling with the first five games of the evening in their main slate.

The key to being successful in NBA DFS comes down to making adjustments during the day as injury information becomes available. But it's always really important to have a game plan, and the best players and spots circled first before making those adjustments. To keep up with all the latest developments and get access to updated projections, grab an NBA season pass and also gain access to our RotoBaller Premium Discord, where @chiefjustice6 is talking about the slate up until lineups lock!

This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 3/22/24. Remember to monitor NBA injury news and our awesome NBA injuries report tool, as the slate can completely change before lineups lock at 7:00 p.m. EDT on FanDuel and DraftKings. Good luck RotoBallers!

Today's NBA DFS Core Picks

Let's first take a look at our matchup rankings to see who we want to target for our top spend-ups tonight.

Despite an underwhelming shooting performance against the Mavericks on Tuesday, Victor Wembanyama still finished with 12 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, six blocks, and one steal over 32 minutes. Over his last 14 games, he is averaging a staggering 5.0 blocks. The Grizzlies continue to roll out a compromised depth chart because of injuries, so look for Wembanyama to produce another valuable all-around stat line.

Tyrese Haliburton was only needed to play 29 minutes in the Pacers’ win over the Pistons on Wednesday. Still, he registered 20 points, nine assists, and four steals. In what should be a closer battle with the Warriors, Haliburton has another great opportunity to record plenty of points and assists.

The Heat are going to be shorthanded again on Friday with Tyler Herro (foot), Duncan Robinson (back), and Kevin Love (heel) all out. Bam Adebayo (back) is listed as questionable, so his potential absence could really put the Heat in a tough spot. Expect this to be a busy night for Jimmy Butler, who has averaged 22.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 1.8 steals across his last 11 games.

1. Victor Wembanyama, SA vs. MEM – C ($10,600 DK; $11,300 FD)
2. Tyrese Haliburton, IND at GS – PG ($9,000 DK; NA FD)
3. Jimmy Butler, MIA vs. NO – SF ($8,200 DK; $8,700 FD)

Today's NBA DFS Value Picks

Brandon Ingram suffered what could be a significant knee injury Thursday against the Magic. With the quick turnaround, he likely won’t be playing against the Heat. That should lead to an expanded role for Trey Murphy III, who scored 21 points over 29 minutes with Ingram going down early against the Magic.

Trayce Jackson-Davis has averaged 23 minutes over the last nine games for the Warriors. Across their last five games, he even logged at least 25 minutes four times. With an increase in opportunities, he has averaged 11.9 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.9 blocks over the last nine games. That could make him well worth the risk at his cheap salary on DraftKings.

Reinforcements aren’t coming for the Cavaliers. They have continued to play thin up front, with Evan Mobley (ankle) and Dean Wade (knee) both currently sidelined. Georges Niang has started eight straight games because of their injuries, averaging 14.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.0 assists during that run. The Timberwolves are a tough foe, but the combination of a significant role and cheap salaries still makes Niang a viable option.

Top Value Plays:

1. Trey Murphy III, NO at MIA – SG/SF ($6,000 DK; $6,100 FD)
2. Trayce Jackson-Davis, GS vs. IND – C ($5,000 DK; NA FD)
3. Georges Niang, CLE at MIN – SF/PF ($4,600 DK; $4,800 FD)

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Today's NBA DFS Picks: Point Guard

Working our way down from Haliburton, don’t sleep on Tre Jones. He scored 22 points against the Mavericks on Tuesday, while also dishing out nine assists. Over the last 12 games, he has averaged 10.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, 7.7 assists, and 1.1 steals for the Spurs.

Another cheap point guard option is Dalano Banton, who will be taking on the Clippers. This is more about opportunity than a matchup for Banton. With the Trail Blazers not having their full complement of players, Banton has averaged 16.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.4 assists over their last 12 games.

Top PG Options:

1. Tyrese Haliburton at GS, ($9,000 DK; NA FD)
2. Tre Jones vs. MEM, ($5,800 DK; $6,000 FD)
3. Dalano Banton vs. LAC, ($5,600 DK; $5,100 FD)

Today's NBA DFS Picks: Shooting Guard

Despite a rough matchup against the Timberwolves, Caris LeVert is a viable DFS target. In addition to their losses at power forward, Donovan Mitchell (nose) and Max Strus (knee) are also sidelined for the Cavaliers. Enter LeVert, who has averaged 13.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 8.8 assists, and 1.6 steals over his last 12 games.

In addition to Murphy, Gary Trent Jr. has a higher upside because of injuries to his teammates. It has become so bad for the Raptors that four of their five starters won’t take the floor Friday. With so few viable scoring options around him, Trent has averaged 21.4 points and 4.0 three-pointers across his last seven games.

Top SG Options:

1. Caris LeVert at MIN, ($7,400 DK; $7,800 FD)
2. Gary Trent Jr. vs. OKC, ($6,200 DK; $6,400 FD)
3. Trey Murphy III at MIA, ($6,000 DK; $6,100 FD)

Today's NBA DFS Picks: Small Forward

LeBron James (ankle) is listed as questionable for the Lakers again. He has found himself with that designation often, but he has appeared in 11 of the last 12 games. During that stretch, he has averaged 28.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 9.5 assists, and 1.1 steals. As long as he plays, his floor is tremendously high.

LeBron James gets to the cup and throws it down with authority!

LAL-SAC Live on ESPN pic.twitter.com/j0Uzm8Yvlq

— NBA (@NBA) March 14, 2024

Kelly Oubre Jr. is not shy about jacking up shots. The 76ers need more offense from him with Joel Embiid (knee), so Oubre has responded by averaging 20.4 points and 17.8 shot attempts over the last ten games. That’s despite some tough matchups that included facing the Knicks twice. Look for him to remain busy against the Lakers.

Top SF Options:

1. LeBron James vs. PHI, ($10,200 DK; NA FD)
2. Jimmy Butler vs. NO, ($8,200 DK; $8,700 FD)
3. Kelly Oubre Jr. at LAL, ($6,500 DK; NA FD)

Today's NBA DFS Picks: Power Forward

The Pacers only needed Pascal Siakam to play 27 minutes in their win over the Pistons on Wednesday, yet he still produced 25 points, eight rebounds, and four assists. He has three double-doubles over his last five games and has scored at least 20 points in four of his last seven games. As Haliburton’s main running mate, he is one of the safer power forward options for the slate.

The Grizzlies have turned to GG Jackson II for added production with their depth chart missing numerous key players. The result has been him averaging 25.2 points and 4.7 rebounds over the last six games. Desmond Bane (back) is expected to sit again after playing in three straight games, which will only help Jackson’s cause to produce another valuable stat line.

Top PF Options:

1. Pascal Siakam at GS, ($7,800 DK; NA FD)
2. GG Jackson II at SA, ($6,200 DK; $8,600 FD)
3. Georges Niang at MIN, ($4,600 DK; $4,800 FD)

Today's NBA DFS Picks: Center

We’ve already touched on two appealing centers in Wembanyama and Jackson-Davis. Another top-tier option to consider is Anthony Davis, who will be taking on the 76ers. Without Embiid, that will leave Mo Bamba and Paul Reed to try and slow down Davis. Good luck with that.

Starters with 1+ SPG, 1+ BPG and 55+ FG% this season (minimum 30 games):

— Anthony Davis
— Isaiah Hartenstein

That's it. pic.twitter.com/BpYzDopZOq

— StatMuse (@statmuse) March 17, 2024

Top C Options:

1. Victor Wembanyama vs. MEM, ($10,600 DK; $11,300 FD)
2. Anthony Davis vs. PHI, ($10,300 DK; NA FD)
3. Trayce Jackson-Davis vs. IND, ($5,000 DK; NA FD)

Today's Top NBA DFS Game Stacks

1. Pacers at Warriors (240.5 total)
2. Thunder at Raptors (230.5 total)
3. 76ers at Lakers (224 total)

Today's Top NBA DFS Avoids

1. Jonas Valanciunas has only averaged 18 minutes over the last seven games for the Pelicans. Limited playing time against a good defensive team in the Heat makes him someone to avoid.
2. The Raptors have been getting blown out because of all of their injuries, so if the Thunder race out to a big lead early, we might not see much of their starters in the second half. That makes them risky options that might only be worth considering in tournament play.

My Favorite NBA DFS Picks for Today

Here is where I leave you with some of my favorites.

• My favorite overall play on the slate: Tyrese Haliburton
• My favorite CASH play on the slate: Victor Wembanyama
• My favorite GPP play on the slate: Pascal Siakam
• My favorite value play: Trey Murphy III

NBA DFS News and Injury Alerts

More DFS Lineup Picks and Analysis