If you're new to daily fantasy basketball -- maybe you started your DFS journey during the MLB or NFL seasons, or maybe basketball is your sport and this will be your first year giving it a shot -- you're in for a treat. The NBA scene changes on a week-to-week, day-to-day, and -- depending on injury news -- even a minute-to-minute basis, making every slate a unique one that requires an ever-changing approach.
With so much changing so quickly, we're here with plenty of tools to help you out. We have daily projections, a matchup heat map, a lineup optimizer, and a bunch of other great resources to help give you an edge.
Daily fantasy basketball is very reliant on a player's opportunity, so you'll need to make sure that you're up-to-date with key injuries. Our projections update up until tip-off to reflect current news, we have player news updates, and the FanDuel Scout app will send push notifications for pressing updates regarding your players.
We'll also be coming at you with this primer every day, breaking down a few of the day's top plays at each position.
Let's break down today's main slate on FanDuel.
| Team | Opp | O/U | Spread | Implied Total | Injuries |
| CHI | MIA | 218 | 3.5 | 107.25 | Caruso probable |
| MIN | TOR | 227 | 9 | 109 | Edwards, Gobert, Rivers, Reid questionable / Nowell doubtful |
| MIA | CHI | 218 | -3.5 | 110.75 | Lowry questionable |
| UTAH | BOS | 231.5 | 4.5 | 113.5 | Clarkson questionable |
| IND | PHI | 234 | 6.5 | 113.75 | Haliburton, Mathurin, Duarte OUT |
| GS | MEM | 236.5 | 4.5 | 116 | Green available |
| WSH | SAC | 236 | 2.5 | 116.75 | |
| BOS | UTAH | 231.5 | -4.5 | 118 | |
| TOR | MIN | 227 | -9 | 118 | |
| SAC | WSH | 236 | -2.5 | 119.25 | Huerter, Lyles, Holmes questionable |
| PHI | IND | 234 | -6.5 | 120.25 | Tucker, McDaniels questionable |
| MEM | GS | 236.5 | -4.5 | 120.5 |
Guards
Stephen Curry ($10,200): Since Wednesday's 50 real-life point outing, Curry's FanDuel salary has increased 4.0% while averaging 1.39 FanDuel points per minute and a 35.9% usage rate. In a matchup against a Memphis Grizzlies' defense allowing points guards to score 22.5 real-life points and 46.3 FanDuel points per game, Curry is ranked sixth overall with 43.9 expected FanDuel points.
James Harden ($10,100): Despite averaging 0.53 real-life points per minute in his last four games, Harden has produced 1.29 FanDuel points, 0,19 rebounds, and 0.31 assists per minute with a 25.2% usage rate. "The Beard" is numberFire's top rated guard with a 44.7 fantasy projection versus an Indiana Pacers' ranked 13th in FanDuel points allowed (47.2) allowed to his position.
De'Aaron Fox ($9,600): At his second highest salary this month, Sacramento's leading scorer is third among guards with 41.9 expected FanDuel points against a Washington Wizards ranked 19th in defensive rating and points allowed in the paint. In his previous meeting in this matchup, Fox accounted for 26.0 real-life points and 43.9 fantasy points on 16 shot attempts.
Bradley Beal ($9,100): In 319.4 minutes during March, Beal is second on his team in fantasy production (1.22 FanDuel points per minute) and first in usage (32.3%) while his FanDuel salary has decreased by 3.1% since the start of the month.
Fred VanVleet ($8,800): At his highest salary this month, Toronto's point guard has a favorable matchup on Saturday versus a Minnesota Timberwolves' unit ranked 23rd in FanDuel points allowed (49.3) to his position. The 29-year old is averaging 1.14 FanDuel points and a 16.9% usage rate in 162.7 minutes with today's projected starting lineup this season.
Desmond Bane ($8,100): After a 3.5% decline, Bane's FanDuel salary stands at third lowest point in March against a Golden State Warriors' team ranked 18th in defensive rating and 19th in opposing three point percentage. In three prior encounters, the Grizzlies' shooting guard is averaging 26.8 FanDuel points and 16.7 real-life points on 15.3 shot attempts.
Klay Thompson ($7,300): Despite scoring 44.7 fantasy points on Friday night, the 33-year old's FanDuel salary has moved down to his lowest point this month versus a Memphis defense ranked second in opposing true shooting percentage and 20th in fantasy production allowed (42.7 FanDuel points) allowed to his position.
Tyus Jones ($6,500): In the past week, the Grizzlies' point guard has seen his salary drop by 14.4% while producing 0.92 FanDuel points per minute and a 18.2% usage rate. At his third lowest salary point during March, Jones is fourth among guards in value with a 5.27 rating and a 34.2 fantasy projection against a Warriors' team allowing 50.0 FanDuel points to his position.
T.J. McConnell ($5,900) / Andrew Nembhard ($5,900): Even at his highest salary point this month, McConnell is ranked first overall in value with 6.04 rating and a 35.6 fantasy projection while Nembhard is producing 0.89 FanDuel points per minute with a 20.9% usage rate in 148.3 minutes with today's current inactives.
Mike Conley ($5,800) / Nickeil Alexander-Walker ($4,200): If Anthony Edwards is unable to suit up on Saturday, Conley's fantasy output is boosted by 0.17 to 1.03 FanDuel points per minute with a 17.4% usage rate while Alexander-Walker currently is second overall in value with a 5.69 rating and a 23.9 fantasy projection in a potential increased offensive role.
Forwards
Jayson Tatum ($10,800): At his second lowest salary in March, Tatum is third overall with 48.1 expected FanDuel points against a Jazz team ranked tenth in fantasy production allowed (43.4) to his position. In 303.9 minutes this month, Tatum is averaging 1.38 FanDuel points per minute and a 33.1% usage rate.
Domantas Sabonis ($10,500): Sacramento's All-Star has been displayed great form in the past week, recording a robust 1.42 FanDuel points per minute with a 21.4% usage rate while his salary has moved up 3.9% to his highest point in 2023. In their last matchup, Sabonis accounted for a monster performance with a 52 fantasy point triple-double in 34 minutes.
Jimmy Butler ($9,700): Since March 6th, Butler has been on a roll offensively, producing at least 23 real-life points per game and 1.48 FanDuel points per minute. At his second highest salary point in March, the 33-year old is sixth among forwards with 41.6 expected FanDuel points versus a Chicago Bulls' defense allowing 39.6 to the three position.
Jaylen Brown ($9,500): Boston's star is having his best month this season, averaging 28.0 real-life points per game and 1.17 FanDuel points per minute while salary has moved up 7.9% to his highest point this season since the start of March.
Kristaps Porzingis ($9,000): In a favorable opportunity versus a Sacramento Kings' unit ranked 25th in defensive rating and 27th in points allowed in the paint, Porzingis is fifth overall with a 43.9 fantasy projection at his second lowest salary this month.
Pascal Siakam ($8,600): Toronto's big man is seventh among forwards in value with a 4.9 rating and a 42.1 fantasy expectation at his third lowest salary in March against a Minnesota team allowing power forwards to score 22.8 real-life points and 45.0 FanDuel points per game.
Jaren Jackson Jr. ($8,500): In 395.9 minutes with Saturday's current rotation, Jackson Jr. is ranked first among his team in fantasy production (1.27 FanDuel points per minute) and usage (28.0%). The 23-year old has somewhat struggled versus Golden State this season, producing 16.3 real-life points and 28.3 FanDuel points on 10.3 average shot attempts.
Kyle Kuzma (7,600): At his lowest salary this month, Kuzma is eleventh among forwards in value with a 4.76 rating and a 36.2 fantasy projection in a great matchup versus a Kings' defense allowing the second most fantasy points (43.1) per game to his position.
Kyle Anderson ($7,500 / Jaden McDaniels ($5,500): "Slow-Mo" would see a noticeable 0.15 boost in his fantasy average to 1.12 FanDuel points while McDaniels' output stands at 0.70 FanDuel points per minute if Anthony Edwards is inactive on Saturday.
Xavier Tillman ($5,200): In an appealing spot against a Warriors' team ranked 23rd in total opposing rebounds per game, Tillman is fourth overall in value with a 5.63 rating and a 29.3 fantasy projection. The Grizzlies' third-year player is producing 1.11 FanDuel points, 0.24 rebounds, and 0.10 assists per minute in 104.6 minutes with Saturday's expected starting five.
Taurean Prince ($4,000): Minnesota's forward is another lower salary option to consider if Edwards sits on Saturday, averaging 0.57 FanDuel points per minute and a 20.5% in a 202.3 minutes sample size with Saturday's expected inactives.
Centers
Joel Embiid ($12,000): In hot pursuit for his first MVP award, "The Process" is Saturday's top option with 58.5 expected FanDuel points against a Pacers' team allowing centers to produce 25.0 real-life points and 56.8 fantasy points per game. Philadelphia's star center has performed well in this matchup, averaging 34.0 real-life points and 50.7 FanDuel points on 14.5 shot attempts in two previous meetings.
Bam Adebayo ($8,100): At his second lowest salary in March, Miami's versatile big man is second among centers in value with a 5.22 rating and a 42.3 fantasy projection versus a Bulls' unit ranked seventh in fantasy production allowed (50.3 per game) to the five position.
Rudy Gobert ($7,700): "The Stifle Tower" would see a 0.10 increase to 1.26 FanDuel points per minute with a 19.9% if Anthony Edwards is ruled out.