NBA

3 NBA DraftKings Studs to Target on 2/26/20

Brett Oswalt  —  @bRo14thekid Feb 26th, 2020
Luka Doncic is primed for a monster night against the in-state rival Spurs. Which other players are likely to pop off on Wednesday night?

While building a daily fantasy basketball lineup, it's important to make sure you find the right studs to anchor your team. As the most expensive players in your lineup, they need big-time production to match their high price tag.

You may find it hard to fit some of these guys in while staying under the salary cap, but you can check out our projections to find value players for your rosters. Let's take a look at the top high-priced DraftKings plays of the day.

James Harden, PG/SG, Houston Rockets

DraftKings Price: $11,300

James Harden is a top option on just about every night. He's averaging 60.4 DraftKings points per game, and despite a consistently high price tag, he's managed to turn in five-time value with great frequency, particularly of late. On his most recent streak of monster performances, the Bearded One has averaged 63.4 DK points while bringing back 5.63 points for every $1,000 of salary.

As if Harden couldn't look like more of a lock, his Houston Rockets are taking on the Memphis Grizzlies on their home floor, which is a recipe for disaster for the visiting squad. In two games against Memphis, the Beard is accounting for 42.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 6.0 assists for a total of 67.5 fantasy points per contest -- and that's with him shooting just 38.5% from the floor and 34.3% from three. At home, Harden's shot 44.2% on the year, meaning we could be in for a 70-plus burger if Memphis can keep it close enough throughout.

With the post-deadline Grizz now shorter on defenders to throw Harden's way, we project him for 59.3 DK points, but with a ceiling for much, much more in this advantageous spot.

Luka Doncic, PG, Dallas Mavericks

DraftKings Price: $10,300

As with Harden and the Grizzlies, Luka Doncic has owned Wednesday's opponent in a similar fashion. The Dallas Mavericks star is putting up 57.2 DK points across his 46 appearances, however, he's upped that to 64.6 in a pair of matchups with his in-state rivals. The San Antonio Spurs have allowed him to shoot 46.0% from the floor with a triple-double average on a massive 43.5% usage, according to NBA.com.

The style of game should lend itself to some big fantasy numbers, as the two teams rank 17th and 24th in defense, and have allowed more than 112 points per 100 possessions for the month of February. And in their first game of the year, in which Doncic yielded 78.25(!) DK points, they combined for 227 points.

Doncic was limited to 25 minutes in Monday's win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, but he didn't come out from that one any worse for wear, and the 16-point win contributed to his low minutes. We expect him to play closer to his usual workload, projecting Luka for 55.4 DK points in 33.2 minutes.

DeMar DeRozan, SG/SF, San Antonio Spurs

DraftKings Price: $7,000

If you need a cheaper second stud to slot in alongside Harden or Doncic, look no further than that lone-star state showdown and DeMar DeRozan. He is really outside the usual price range we consider for the purposes of this article, yet his production is that of a player priced closer to $8,000. He averages 39.0 DK points per game and is not far removed from a scorching hot January. In 15 games, he had averaged 26.9 points (on 56.1% shooting) on his way to 44.6 DK points a night.

This month, DeRozan's shooting has dropped to 49.1%, and his points (20.3) have followed. He's still above 35 DK points a game, while his usage has actually increased by a hair (from 27.7% to 27.9%). Without a doubt, that will reach another level in the absence of the injured LaMarcus Aldridge. According to NBA Wowy, DDR's usage jumps to 33.5% en route to 1.35 DK points per minute over a 408-minute sample wihtout Aldridge.

DeRozan has relished the opportunity to face Luka and the Mavs, as well. He has shot 62.9% from the floor with 28.5 points and 43.9 DK points per game in two previous meetings. Why should we expect that to stop with him as the lone focal point of the San Antonio offense?


Brett Oswalt is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Brett Oswalt also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username BrettOswalt__14. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his/her personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in his articles are the author’s alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.