Since it's much simpler to predict than baseball or football, basketball daily fantasy would get plenty of votes as the best sport to play on FanDuel. Players usually stick to the same minutes and produce at roughly the same rate. Sounds easy, right?

Well, as a result, NBA daily fantasy is extremely 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.

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.

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.

Also, be sure to enter DiGIORNO's Friday Night Hoops Contest to compete for a share of $10,000 in cash. The higher up the leaderboard you finish, the larger share of cash you'll win.

But that's not all. With your entry into DiGIORNO's Friday Night Hoops Contest, you will be entered to win a trip to an NBA game of your choice, courtesy of DiGIORNO!

Let's break down today's main slate on FanDuel.

The Slate and Key Injuries

Friday's injury report is on fire.

The 76ers have it worst. They'll be without James Harden (foot) for quite some time, and Joel Embiid (illness) is questionable to miss a third straight. They'd be incredibly shorthanded hosting the Knicks.

Yesterday, the Nets suspended Kyrie Irving for comments made in the media. Ben Simmons (knee) and Seth Curry (ankle) are also out for their trip to Washington D.C.

Both Donovan Mitchell (ankle) and Darius Garland (knee) are questionable for the Cavaliers in Detroit. Given their opposition, I'd consider both a real risk to play. Backup Raul Neto (ankle) is also questionable. Yikes.

We know Jimmy Butler (hip) won't play on Friday for the Heat. Bam Adebayo (knee) is also a question mark -- and a big one -- against the tanking Pacers.

The Hornets' injury bug bit Gordon Hayward (shoulder), and he'll sit on Friday. LaMelo Ball (ankle) will still be out, and Terry Rozier (ankle) and Cody Martin (quad) are likely to join them.

Kawhi Leonard (knee) and Robert Covington (illness) with miss another game for the Clippers in San Antonio.

The Raptors haven't yet ruled out Fred VanVleet (back) to return from a two-game absence, so that's a notable situation to watch in Dallas.

Brandon Ingram (concussion) is in the same boat as VanVleet for New Orleans. He's potentially in line to return tonight against Golden State.

The Blazers are still without Damian Lillard (calf), but they might also be short Anfernee Simons (foot) on Friday. They're in Phoenix, and the Suns are in line to get Deandre Ayton (ankle) back tonight.

Finally, both Rudy Gobert and Anthony Edwards are questionable for the Timberwolves tonight as they battle Milwaukee. They're under the weather.

**Editor's Note: After publishing, the Golden State Warriors ruled out four starters for Friday's game. Check numberFire's projections for updated optimal value plays on the slate.**

Guards

I've really got to see Luka Doncic ($11,800) truly have a path to failure to not lead with him here anytime he's on the main slate.

Doncic turned it over a season-high five times, collected just five boards, and still eclipsed salary-based value with 58.3 FanDuel points on Wednesday. He's posted over 30 real-life points in every game this year on a continually-absurd 40.2% usage rate.

I see a path to failure for Ja Morant ($9,900), though. It's an 11-point spread against a Charlotte team running out of bodies to score the basketball. I'd be shocked if Memphis doesn't win in a blowout tonight.

In the mid-range, I've got an immense interest in D'Angelo Russell ($7,500) if Ant Edwards is indeed too sick to play. There's a perfect pivot at the same lock time to the fairly-salaried Chris Paul ($7,400) if it's announced Ant will play, too.

This is the best position to target value today. Edmond Sumner ($3,600) should slide into the starting lineup for Brooklyn in place of Kyrie, and he's posted a decent 0.73 FanDuel points in relief this year. Our projections also believe Yuta Watanabe ($3,800) will also benefit.

Gabe Vincent ($4,200) and Shaedon Sharpe ($4,200) also have sizable roles with Miami and Portland for the salary, and both could get larger with additional injury news. Raul Neto ($3,600) joins that group if he ends up playing through his ankle injury and one of Mitchell or Garland sits.

Wings

I said on Wednesday that there wasn't enough value to realistically get to Luka and Giannis Antetokounmpo ($12,000) together. This injury-plagued Friday is a different story.

Giannis did Giannis things in that revenge game with Detroit, posting 72.4 FanDuel points in 29 minutes. He'll continue to have a gigantic chunk of the scoring pie (37.4% usage rate) as long as Khris Middleton is out -- in addition to all else he does well.

Given Kyrie's absence, Kevin Durant ($10,400) makes plenty of sense, but I'm also worried about Brooklyn's offensive efficiency tanking without two of their best three players. It's already just okay (111.6 offensive rating).

Marcus Morris' scoring outburst quelled Paul George ($8,800) on Wednesday, but he still had a team-best 35.1% usage rate. His role is pristine entering a great matchup with the Spurs, and Keldon Johnson ($7,500) and Devin Vassell ($6,500) are healthy on the other side of this one as stacking partners.

Tobias Harris ($7,400), Tyler Herro ($7,000), and Kelly Oubre ($6,900) should all be lead scoring options for their injured squads tonight, but as mentioned with Ja, I'm worried about Oubre's offense keeping pace with Memphis.

Like Herro, Caleb Martin ($4,700) should benefit from Jimmy Butler's absence, and he heads a loaded group of value wings in numberFire's projections today, including RJ Barrett ($5,800), Saddiq Bey ($5,200), Patrick Williams ($4,100), Chris Duarte ($4,000), and Joe Harris ($4,000) from the new-look Nets.

Bigs

If Joel Embiid ($10,000) is up to play through his illness tonight, he's the clear top guy by a mile.

Embiid had a 38.5% usage rate with Harden off the floor last season, so his presence would be enough to -- mercifully -- dwarf Harris and Tyrese Maxey ($8,200) at undesirable salaries.

Like Russell in the backcourt, Karl-Anthony Towns ($9,000) could be a steal if he's not sharing the frontcourt with Rudy Gobert tonight. He's posted a monstrous 1.47 FanDuel points per minute with Gobert off the floor this season.

Zion Williamson ($8,300) returned to consecutive 40-FanDuel-point games from injury against the Clippers and Lakers, and the Warriors' shoddy road defense could keep it rolling. Golden State's 122.4 defensive rating away from home is the worst mark in the league.

Evan Mobley ($6,000) could see his best scoring and/or playmaking game of the year if either of his ball-dominant guards ends up sitting tonight. Without Garland or Mitchell (in Utah, obviously) on the floor last year, Mobley had a team-best 34.3% usage rate and dished out 3.52 assists per 36 minutes.

The salary for Jalen McDaniels ($5,300) is a little higher than I'd hope for in a game where I'm concerned about a blowout. He's still a worthy consideration at the top of numberFire's projections amongst big men today.

Behind McDaniels, Jalen Smith ($5,600), Kelly Olynyk ($5,500), and Al Horford ($5,400) are grading out well, too.