NBA DFS Picks Breakdown on DraftKings (Friday, October 25)

After a tasty two-game appetizer on Tuesday, the NBA returns in earnest on Wednesday night. There’s a 10-game main slate for DFS purposes starting at 7 p.m. ET.

Let’s dive into some of the top plays on the slate using the FantasyLabs tools and projections.

Also, don’t forget that for large-field tournaments, you can utilize our Lineup Optimizer to effortlessly create up to 300 lineups or use our Lineup Builder if you like to hand-build your lineups.

You can also use our SimLabs Lineup Generator, a tool that creates the most user-friendly lineup generation process.

Note: Projections and Leverages Scores/Ratings may change throughout the day after this article is posted. The NBA DFS landscape changes quickly. 

Consult the NBA Player Models directly for any updates as we get closer to lock.

Stud

LaMelo Ball is coming off a monster performance in his first game of the season. He racked up 34 points, 11 assists, and eight rebounds, good for 67.0 DraftKings points.

Ball is no stranger to big fantasy outings. He averaged 1.47 DraftKings points per minute last season, which is the top mark among Friday’s point guards.

The big issue with Ball for his career has been health. He played just 22 games last year and just 36 the year prior, but as long as he can stay on the floor, the fantasy production should follow.

Ball also draws a solid matchup Friday vs. the Hawks, who were 27th in defensive efficiency and sixth in pace last season. Atlanta played at the fifth-fastest pace in their first game of the year, so they figure to be a friendly matchup once again.

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Value

On the other side of that matchup, Dyson Daniels stands out as an elite source of value on Friday’s slate. He was acquired by the Hawks this offseason as part of the Dejounte Murray trade, and he started at shooting guard in their first game of the year. Daniels finished with 34.5 minutes in that outing and did a little bit of everything, racking up 15 points, five rebounds, two assists, five steals, and a block. Overall, he averaged 1.06 DraftKings points per minute.

Daniels is projected for another 32 minutes Friday vs. the Hornets, and he’s historically averaged a Plus/Minus of +4.86 when projected for at least that much playing time (per the Trends tool). It’s a small five-game sample size, but Daniels is simply too cheap given his current role for Atlanta. He leads all PGs in terms of projected DraftKings Plus/Minus.

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Fast Break

Trae Young is another potential option in the Hawks’ backcourt. After sharing the offense with Murray for the past two years, Young should be free to return to his previous ways. He had 30 points and 12 assists in his first game of the season, and he averaged 1.62 DraftKings points per minute. Young was routinely among the league leaders in assist and usage rate in the pre-Murray days, so he could be poised for a big year.

Miles McBride was the first man off the Knicks’ bench in their first game of the season, and he should fill a similar role all year. He’s projected for 28 minutes vs. the Pacers in our NBA Models, and he averaged 1.03 DraftKings points per minute in his first outing. The Pacers are an elite matchup, playing at the second-fastest pace last season, and the Knicks are implied for the fourth-most points on Friday’s slate.

Jalen Suggs was limited to just 13 minutes in his first game of the year. He sat for most of the first half after picking up three quick fouls, and he didn’t play in the fourth quarter of a blowout win. However, he was very impactful when on the court, averaging 1.72 DraftKings points per minute. That’s more than what you should expect going forward, but Suggs is projected for closer to 30 minutes on Friday. He’s significantly underpriced at $4,800, especially in a strong matchup vs. the Nets.

Don’t forget to check out our NBA SimLabs Lineup Generator to create advanced DFS lineups using the power of simulation:

NBA DFS Shooting Guard Picks

Stud

It’s unclear how much time Zach LaVine will spend with the Bulls this season, but as long as he’s there, expect him to produce at a high level. He’s always been an excellent scorer, averaging at least 24.4 points per game in four straight seasons before last year. He dipped to just 19.5 points per game last season, but he was limited to just 25 games due to injury.

LaVine appears fully healthy at the moment, and he’s going to be the team’s clear top option with DeMar DeRozan now in Sacramento. He posted a 31.0% usage rate in his first game of the season, which puts him on pace for his best mark since 2020-21.

He’s projected for 35 minutes Friday vs. the Bucks, which makes him too cheap at $7,000. He’s historically had a comparable salary and minute projection in 79 games, and he’s averaged 38.09 DraftKings points and a +3.11 Plus/Minus.

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Value

Gradey Dick had an uninspiring rookie season, but he showed some potential over the final few months. He was the No. 13 pick in the draft, and he should have the opportunity to play much more for the Raptors in his sophomore campaign. That’s particularly true while R.J. Barrett is out of the lineup with a shoulder injury.

Dick played just under 30 minutes in his first game of the year, and he saw a significant uptick in fantasy production. He averaged 0.85 DraftKings points per minute after struggling to just 0.69 in his rookie season.

The Raptors are also expected to be without Immanuel Quickley on Friday, which makes them even thinner in the backcourt. As a result, Dick is projected for 35 minutes vs. the 76ers. He could also see a slight usage uptick, making him a very appealing option at just $5,000.

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Fast Break

C.J. McCollum is another potential pay-up option at the position. Murray suffered a fractured hand in the team’s first contest this season, leaving McCollum as their top backcourt option. He was extremely efficient on opening night, racking up 39.5 DraftKings points in less than 30 minutes, and he should be the team’s top facilitator moving forward.

Tre Mann looks like he could be a big part of the Hornets’ rotation this season. He posted some huge usage rates during the preseason, and he followed that up with a 30.5% usage rate in his first regular season contest. He’s only projected for 26 minutes on Friday, but he could definitely average better than a fantasy point per minute if his elevated usage continues.

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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks

Stud

The King stays the king. LeBron James was quiet in his first game of the year, outside of his history-making moment with his son. He finished with just 16 points, five rebounds, and four assists, good for 31.75 DraftKings points in 34.7 minutes.

LeBron has played more minutes than anyone in NBA history, so it’s possible that he’s finally on the decline. That said, we’re going to need more than one game’s worth of evidence to make that assumption. He certainly didn’t look old while leading Team USA to a gold medal this summer, and he still averaged 1.43 DraftKings points per minute last year. That’s easily the top mark among Friday’s small forwards; no other player was above 1.24.

LeBron is down to $8,900 for Friday’s matchup vs. the Suns, and that’s simply not a price tag we’re used to seeing. LeBron has had a comparable salary on just 36 previous occasions, and he’s unsurprisingly posted an average Plus/Minus of +5.31.

He leads the position in median and ceiling projection by a comfortable margin, and he’s a good bet for a bounceback performance.

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Value

Kelly Oubre did what he does best in his first game of the season: score the basketball. He scored 21 points in just under 30.5 minutes, and he was second on the team with a 28.5% usage rate. With Joel Embiid and Paul George out of the lineup, the 76ers are going to need his scoring to stay competitive on most nights.

The rest of Oubre’s stats left a lot to be desired, but he averaged more than a fantasy point per minute with Embiid and Tobias Harris off the floor last season. He should be able to improve upon his average of 0.82 DraftKings points per minute from opening night moving forward.

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Fast Break

Lauri Markkanen remains one of the most underrated players in basketball, and he dropped more than 50 DraftKings points in his first game of the year. He’s priced at just $7,500 for Friday’s matchup vs. the Warriors, and he’s averaged a Plus/Minus of +3.51 with a comparable price tag as a member of the Jazz.

De’Andre Hunter is going to have to contend with No. 1 pick Zacchaire Risacher for minutes this season, but he holds the edge for the time being. He played just under 26 minutes on opening night and responded with 26.0 DraftKings points. Hunter is a respectable per-minute producer – he averaged 0.84 DraftKings points per minute last season – so he’s a solid source of value at just $4,700.

NBA DFS Power Forward Picks

Stud

Could Paolo Banchero take another step forward this season? It’s certainly possible. He’s entering his third professional season, and he posted a 34.5% usage rate in his first game of the new season. That would represent a significant increase from his 29.7% mark from last year if he can sustain it.

Banchero ultimately racked up 58.75 DraftKings points in just 31.2 minutes, good for an average of 1.88 DraftKings points per minute. That number is clearly unsustainable, but he could definitely improve upon last year’s 1.21 mark with increased opportunities.

Banchero’s price tag has yet to adjust to a potentially increased role. He’s just $8,700 on DraftKings, which is too cheap for an excellent matchup vs. the Nets. Banchero is projected for more points than any PF not named Giannis Antetokounmpo, and he stands out as one of the top pay-up options on the slate.

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Value

PF is also an elite spot to save some money on Friday. Caleb Martin owns the top Plus/Minus projection regardless of position after playing nearly 37.5 minutes for the shorthanded 76ers. He shouldn’t play quite as much vs. the Raptors – assuming the game doesn’t turn into a blowout – but he’s still projected for a healthy 32 minutes off the bench. Players with comparable salaries and minute projections have historically averaged a Plus/Minus of +2.39, and the Raptors stand out as an excellent matchup. They were 26th in defensive efficiency last season, and they’re 29th after their first game this year.

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Fast Break

Giannis did typical Giannis things in his first game of the season, dropping 55.0 DraftKings points seemingly without breaking a sweat. He remains the top player in fantasy, especially on slates without Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic.

Santi Aldama had a big game for the Grizzlies in his first outing this season, finishing with 37.75 DraftKings points in 31.5 minutes. That doesn’t stand out as particularly fluky. Aldama averaged just under a fantasy point per minute last year, so he’s simply too cheap at $5,100 if he’s going to continue to play 30+ minutes a night.

NBA DFS Center Picks

Stud

Karl-Anthony Towns’ Knicks debut went about as poorly as possible. They were run out of the building by the Celtics, who tied an NBA record for the most 3-pointers made in a single game.

Thankfully, the Knicks aren’t going to have to play the Celtics every night. They’re the best team in the league, and the Knicks still figure to be a really good team. They finished with the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference last season, and they’re vastly improved on paper for 2024-25.

Towns was limited to just 23.6 minutes in the blowout loss, so he has the potential to play significantly more moving forward. Towns was one of the best centers in fantasy before the Timberwolves acquired Rudy Gobert, so moving from Minnesota to New York should be a huge plus for his fantasy value overall. It’s a great spot to buy low on a really talented player.

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Value

The Warriors are trying to inject a bit of youth into their franchise this season. Klay Thompson is gone, while guys like Jonathan Kuminga and Trayce Jackson-Davis should take on bigger roles moving forward.

TJD started at center for the Warriors on opening night, and he ultimately finished with 24.0 DraftKings points in 24.6 minutes. That kind of production makes him worth rostering at just $4,500, but there’s a chance for Jackson-Davis to be even better moving forward. He averaged 1.12 DraftKings points per minute as a rookie, so his 0.97 mark in his first game of the year was actually a bit disappointing.

Jackson-Davis leads all centers in projected Plus/Minus, so he’s a strong value option.

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Fast Break

Let’s go with one more option for the shorthanded 76ers. Guerschon Yabusele was acquired this offseason after an outstanding showing with the French National Team, and he played 25.3 minutes in their first outing. Yabusele is capable of doing a little bit of everything, and he averaged 0.96 DraftKings points per minute in his first contest. His price has increased from $3,000 to $4,000, but he’s still underpriced with Embiid and George sidelined.

Zion Williamson missed the Pelicans first game with an illness, but he’s probable to suit up on Friday. He’s another player who could sneakily benefit from the absence of Murray. Williamson handled the rock plenty last season, averaging a career-best 5.0 assists per game, and his scoring prowess is well-documented. He has more upside than his $8,100 salary suggests in a juicy matchup.