The main slate on Thursday, 10/29 is three games: CLE @ ATL, SAC @ NOP and MEM @ POR. Lock is 8:00 p.m. ET (5:00 p.m. PT), and the $50,000 salary cap on DraftKings classic will force some choices on a board this small.
Domantas Sabonis (SAC) at $9,200 carries the highest ceiling among our model's top plays at 75.3, with a DraftKings average of 44.5. Jalen Johnson (ATL) costs $9,500, with a 59.6 ceiling and a 45.9 average, the highest average of the group. Donovan Mitchell (CLE) at $8,600 sits at 58.9 and 39.1. Deni Avdija (POR) is the best mid-priced option at $7,800, with a 65.8 ceiling and a 40.6 average.
The value plays are where this slate gets interesting. Jrue Holiday (POR) at $5,100 has a 53.6 ceiling and a 24.8 average. Jeremiah Fears (NOP) is only $5,000 but carries a 59.6 ceiling, a figure that rivals players priced well above him. Zach Edey (MEM) at $5,900 brings a 51.0 ceiling and a 22.2 average. Ja Morant (POR) at $6,400 sits between the value tier and the stars, with a 59.9 ceiling and a 31.7 average.
Several injury tags will shape the pool. DraftKings lists Keegan Murray (SAC), Maxime Raynaud (SAC) and Dylan Cardwell (SAC) as OUT, along with Yves Missi (NOP), Shaedon Sharpe (POR) and Mouhamed Gueye (ATL). Jordan Poole (NOP) and Chris Youngblood (POR) are tagged Q. The fact sheet carries no ownership data, so we can't say where the crowd will land.
Our model's top lineup uses $49,600 of the $50,000 cap. It pairs Sabonis at C ($9,200) and Johnson at F ($9,500) with CJ McCollum at PG ($5,600), Luguentz Dort at SG ($4,800), Peyton Watson at SF ($5,500), Saddiq Bey at PF ($5,400), Jaylon Tyson at G ($4,000) and Onyeka Okongwu at UTIL ($5,600). Locking in the two stars and spreading the rest across mid-priced options is the build our model likes.
Lineups lock Thursday at 8:00 p.m. ET.
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