NBA

DraftKings Daily Fantasy Basketball Helper: Wednesday 2/26/20

Will Russell Westbrook get back to his high-scoring ways after a one-game absence? Who else should you target on DraftKings tonight?

With seven games to choose from on tonight's NBA slate, let's take a look at how to utilize the DFS possibilities.

Here are some of the top plays on DraftKings. As always, good luck.

Point Guard

Russell Westbrook ($10,100) -- Since the Rockets made moves at the deadline, Westbrook's fantasy points per minute have gone down slightly, but his usage rate has increased. He's up to an absurd 39.53% usage rate over the last five games, and he's averaging 53.15 fantasy points per game, compared to 51.27 on the year. Westbrook is averaging 1.46 fantasy points per minute over his last five games, but 1.54 on the entire season. He missed the New York Knicks game because of thumb soreness and will square off tonight with the Memphis Grizzlies, who surrender the seventh-most fantasy points per game to point guards (46.79). numberFire's model projects a rested Westbrook to record 50.1 fantasy points tonight -- the third-highest projected total of the night.

Ja Morant ($7,100) -- Morant will draw the duty of guarding Westbrook tonight. It's encouraging to know that he was one of the few players refusing to quit in the blowout loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. The Grizzlies are down two big men, but that doesn't matter when facing the Rockets -- who list P.J. Tucker ($3,700) as their starting center. Morant scored a team-high 16 points in the loss to L.A., and Memphis will end their four-game road trip with the Rockets. Houston ranks 21st versus opposing point guards, allowing 48.62 fantasy points per game. Morant's usage rate has increased 7.68% over his last five games, and with two of the top-six teams in pace facing off tonight, expect Morant to fill the stat sheet.

Shooting Guard

RJ Barrett ($6,000) -- Barrett is projected to record 13.7 points, 5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists versus the Hornets -- totaling 25.8 fantasy points. Barrett is coming off his best fantasy performance in the last seven games on Monday, recording 33.5 points against the Rockets. He's averaging 0.92 fantasy points per minute in his last 10 games and recorded 30.3 fantasy points in 30.4 minutes in his first meeting with Charlotte. In his last three games, Barrett is averaging 18 points, 5 rebounds, and 1.6 assists -- with two of those contests coming against playoff teams. Without Marcus Morris, Barrett needs to step and fill the void, and this is a good spot for him to continue his solid three-game stretch.

Duncan Robinson ($5,200) -- The Heat have been bit by the injury bug, and it's forced role players to step up and fill key roles. Robinson is best known for his three-point shooting, which is has caught fire over the past two games -- going 10-for-21 (47.6%) since the All-Star break. Robinson is back at home hosting the Timberwolves, who are allowing an NBA-worst 125.2 points per game over their last 10 contests. Robinson is averaging 0.73 fantasy points per minute over his last 10 games and has exceeded his 21.6 fantasy points per game average in 6 of those 10. Tonight, he could light it up versus a Minnesota team that's been susceptible to the three-ball.

Small Forward

Caris LeVert ($7,500) -- LeVert and the Brooklyn Nets are on the road versus an ailing Washington Wizards team that keeps finding new ways to lose. LeVert is averaging 1.14 fantasy points per minute in his last 10 games, and his usage rate has increased to 29.94% during that stretch. LeVert has scored 17 or more real-life points in seven of his last eight games and is averaging 36.38 fantasy points over his last 10. His season average is 28 per game, and the Wizards allow the most fantasy points per game to shooting guards (46.16) and the sixth-most to small forwards (43.01).

Josh Jackson ($4,600) -- Jackson is averaging 1.00 fantasy points per minute over his last five games, and has played 21 or more minutes in three of his last four. The Grizzlies have an array of injuries to their frontcourt, and Jackson is being forced to play more minutes off the bench. He's recorded at least 24 fantasy points in each of his last three games and has scored double-digit real-life points in all three. The Rockets allow 42.25 fantasy points per game to small forwards (21st), which should bode well for him. Jackson has been used to playing on the road this season -- 8 of his 10 games have come away from Memphis, and he's averaged 18.7 fantasy points, compared to 12.4 at home.

Power Forward

Marcus Morris ($5,000) -- Morris is quickly seeing his usage decrease with the return of Paul George to the lineup. The good news is, they will either be resting Kawhi Leonard and George or restricting their minutes. Tonight, the Clippers won't play George for 35-plus minutes, but Morris certainly could. George played 21 minutes on Monday and totaled 20 fantasy points, while Morris played 24 and recorded 20.25. Morris' usage rate has increased to 23.59% over the last 10 games. Tonight, I expect Morris to play a lot more minutes than 24, and numberFire's model agrees -- projecting Morris to total 29.8 fantasy points in 31.96 minutes.

Miles Bridges ($6,000) -- Bridges has been on a quiet tear for the Hornets over the last 10 games. He's averaging 34.23 fantasy points over that stretch, scoring double-digit real-life points in all 10. He's also grabbed five or more rebounds in 8 of 10 games, and surpassed his 25.7 fantasy point average in all 10 contests. The Knicks are allowing 48.41 fantasy points per game to power forwards this season, which makes this an appealing matchup for Bridges. Not to mention, Bridges has seen a significant increase in usage rate (21.10%) over the last 10 games. Expect a big game from him versus New York.

Center

Julius Randle ($8,400) -- The Knicks forward has been the engine to this team after the loss of Morris. Randle meets the Hornets for the third time this year and has averaged 18 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists for 31.5 fantasy points. He's averaging 39.75 fantasy points over his last five games, and he's been consistent all season recording 1.22 fantasy points per minute for New York. His usage rate is at 28%, and it should see a bump tonight versus a weak Hornets defense. Charlotte allows the fourth-most real-life points to power forwards (23.60), the fifth-most rebounds (11.87), and fourth-most fantasy points per game (50.69). Expect Randle to surpass his averages versus Charlotte in this meeting.

Jarrett Allen ($5,300) -- Staying in-state, Allen is in a good spot to grab more rebounds than usual, given Washington's torrid pace. Allen has totaled 11 or more rebounds in each of his last three games and scored 10 or more in all three. Bringing that double-double streak into Washington versus a Wizards team that ranks 29th in fantasy points allowed (58.14) to centers could be dangerous. He recorded 44.8 fantasy points in their first meeting -- grabbing 15 rebounds and adding 13 points. He's been on fire with 1.34 fantasy points per minute in his last five games, and he's projected to total 29 fantasy points in 26:48 minutes tonight.


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