NBA DFS Picks Breakdown on DraftKings (Tuesday, October 29)

Tuesday features a four-game main slate starting at 7:30 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

Jamal Murray dealt with a string of injuries last season, but he seems fully healthy at the moment. He hit a buzzer-beater in the team’s last game to send it into overtime, and the team ultimately secured their first win of the season.

Murray’s production has been a bit down for fantasy purposes, averaging just 0.89 DraftKings points per minute through the first three games. However, he’s shooting just 36.2% from the field. Murray shot better than 48% from the field last season, so he seems poised for some improvement in that department moving forward.

Perhaps that will start Tuesday vs. the Nets. They were 20th in defensive efficiency last season, so it’s a pretty good matchup on paper. He leads all point guards in projected Plus/Minus on DraftKings.

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Value

Dennis Schroder continues to stand out as undervalued to start the season. He’s been a frequent target on nights when the Nets are in action, and he’s coming off his best game of the year on Sunday. He racked up 46.5 DraftKings points in 34.5 minutes, good for a +19.02 Plus/Minus.

For the year, Schroder has increased his fantasy production to 1.06 DraftKings points per minute after averaging 0.93 last season. He’s also seen significant bumps to his usage rate (24.0 vs. 21.8) and assist rate (31.7 vs. 28.0) compared to his time with the Nets last season.

His 10 Pro Trends are tied for the most at the position, and he stands out as a clear source of value on this slate.

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Fast Break

Luka Doncic scored 58.0 and 63.5 DraftKings points in his first two games of the season, and he continues to provide one of the top ceilings in the entire league. He stumbled in his last outing and has a tough matchup Tuesday vs. the Timberwolves, which should keep his ownership pretty reasonable. He’s not really in play for cash games, but he’s always a viable tournament option.

Mike Conley is playing limited minutes for the Timberwolves to start the year, but perhaps that will change in a repeat of last year’s Western Conference Finals. Even if it doesn’t, Conley is down to just $4,400 on DraftKings, and he averaged 0.94 DraftKings points per minute last season. He doesn’t need a ton of playing time to potentially pay off that price tag.

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

This seems like a great slate to pay down at shooting guard, with the Warriors providing outstanding value. The big news heading into this slate involves the injury to Steph Curry. He suffered an ankle injury on Sunday, which is going to sideline him for at least the next two games. Andrew Wiggins is also expected to miss Tuesday’s contest, leaving the team without two of their top scorers.

In their absence, the rest of the team is going to have to step up. Buddy Hield seems like one of the most likely candidates. Hield has only played 28 minutes without Curry this season, but he leads the team with a 30.37% usage rate in that split.

Hield has already been a fantasy monster to start the year, racking up an eye-popping 1.77 DraftKings points per minute. He had 31.75 and 46.5 DraftKings points in his first two contests despite playing 19.9 minutes or fewer in both games. He should see a spike in playing time sans Curry – we have him projected for 32 minutes in our NBA Models – making him an elite option at just $5,500. He leads the entire slate in projected Plus/Minus by a pretty comfortable margin.

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Value

Brandin Podziemski is another potential option for the Warriors. He doesn’t have the same usage upside as Hield, but he’s capable of doing a little bit of everything. He averaged 9.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game as a rookie, which secured him a spot on the All-Rookie First Team. For fantasy purposes, he averaged 0.89 DraftKings points per minute.

Podziemski has come off the bench to start the year for the Warriors, but he’s one of the favorites to move into the starting lineup on Tuesday. That should result in a few additional minutes.

Podziemski also did his best work last season without Curry. He averaged 0.97 DraftKings points per minute with Curry off the court, and that figure jumped to 1.13 in eight full games without his star teammate.

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Fast Break

Christian Braun appears poised for a career year for the Nuggets. He’s entering his third season, and he’s averaged 34.3 minutes through the team’s first three games. He’s projected for another 32 minutes on Tuesday, and he’s averaged 0.90 DraftKings points per minute so far this season. That’s a nice combination, and players with a comparable salary and minute projection have historically averaged a Plus/Minus of +2.88 (per the Trends tool).

If you are looking to spend up at SG, C.J. McCollum seems like your best bet. He’s scored at least 38.5 DraftKings points in all three games this season, including 44.5 in his most recent outing. He should continue to serve as the team’s top guard with Dejounte Murray sidelined, giving him a bit more upside than usual.

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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks

Stud

The game between the Kings and Jazz stands out Tuesday from an offensive standpoint. That game has a 234.5-point total, which is the top mark on the slate by more than 10 points. The Kings’ 120.75 implied team total is the top mark on the slate, while Utah’s 114.75 mark ranks second.

DeMar DeRozan is certainly no stranger to scoring the basketball. He’s averaged more than 20 points per game for 11 straight seasons, and he’s on pace to make it 12 in a row in his first year with the Kings. He’s scored at least 23 points in all three games, and he’s scored at least 38 DraftKings points in two of them.

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Value

Malik Monk has blossomed into one of the best Sixth Men in basketball. He’s a microwave scorer off the bench, similar to guys like Jamal Crawford and Lou Williams in their primes. He averaged a stout 1.12 DraftKings points per minute last season, and he’s at 1.03 so far this season. He’s projected for 26 minutes Tuesday vs. the Jazz, which gives him a great chance to pay off his current salary.

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Fast Break

Cameron Johnson got off to a slow start this season, posting a negative Plus/Minus in his first two contests. However, he was playing plenty of minutes, so there was optimism that he would turn things around. That’s exactly what happened in his last outing when he racked up 30.0 DraftKings points in 28.5 minutes. Johnson averaged 0.92 DraftKings points per minute last season, so he should continue to provide solid value at just $5,200 with that much playing time.

Cam Thomas’ salary continues to rise, but it’s hard to argue he hasn’t earned it. He’s averaged 30.7 points per game through his first three outings, and he’s posted a career-high 32.4% usage rate. He’s a bit of a one-trick pony – his production in the other categories leaves a lot to be desired – but his scoring prowess alone is enough to pay off his salary for the time being.

NBA DFS Power Forward Picks

Stud

Zion Williamson has yet to truly get rolling this season. He missed the team’s first game due to an illness, and he’s played less than 30 minutes in their last two. He’s also struggled from the field, shooting just 25.9% despite sitting at closer to 60% for his career.

Despite all that, Williamson still managed to score 49.25 DraftKings points in his first game of the season. With some better shooting luck moving forward, he doesn’t need to play more than 30 minutes to put up big numbers. He has the top ceiling at the position on Tuesday’s slate.

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Value

What does Jonathan Kuminga have to do to get an opportunity? He was expected to take a step forward this season, yet he’s actually taken a step back. He’s averaged just 19.7 minutes through his first three games, and it’s possible that the team will trade him before entering restricted free agency this summer.

That said, the Warriors may have no choice but to play him on Tuesday. In addition to all their other injuries, Draymond Green is officially questionable. We have Kuminga projected for 30 minutes with Green in the lineup, so that figure could skyrocket if Green is ultimately ruled out.

If Kuminga can get to 30+ minutes, he should provide big value at $5,900. He averaged better than a fantasy point per minute last season, including 1.09 DraftKings points per minute with Curry and Wiggins off the floor.

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Fast Break

Lauri Markkanen is another potential stud option at the position. He’s yet to have a monster game this season, but he’s scored between 33.5 and 40.0 DraftKings points in all three contests. In a plus matchup vs. the Kings, this could be a breakout spot.

Keegan Murray started the year with a bang, posting 43.75 DraftKings points in his first game of the year. His production is going to be inconsistent given the Kings’ volume of scoring options, but he has some upside at $5,800.

NBA DFS Center Picks

Stud

It feels almost sacrilegious to list someone other than Nikola Jokic as the top stud when the three-time MVP is available. However, Domantas Sabonis has the clear edge at the position in our projections.

Sabonis may not be Jokic, but he’s certainly no slouch. He’s led the league in rebounding in each of the past two seasons, and he’s an extremely well-balanced producer overall. He averaged 19.4 points, 13.7 rebounds, and 8.2 assists per game last season, all of which were among the best marks of his career.

Sabonis has already erupted for one triple-double this season, resulting in 67.0 DraftKings points vs. the Lakers. He’s a full -$2,000 cheaper than Jokic on this slate, and when you factor in the elite matchup vs. the Jazz, that’s simply too big of a discount.

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Value

Taylor Hendricks has averaged 25.0 minutes per game for the Jazz this season, but he went down with an injury on Monday. That’s going to open up some additional playing time in their frontcourt moving forward.

John Collins seems like one of the biggest potential beneficiaries. Collins has played limited minutes so far this season, but he’s been a beast when on the floor. He’s racked up 1.38 DraftKings points per minute, and he’s scored at least 31.75 DraftKings points in back-to-back games. He did that despite playing just 19.2 and 23.7 minutes, and he’s projected for closer to 28 on Tuesday’s slate.

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Fast Break

Even if Sabonis might get the edge over Jokic from a value standpoint, there’s no denying his ceiling. He leads all players in ceiling projection on this slate, and he’s scored at least 40 points in back-to-back games. He’s scored at least 60.0 DraftKings points in all three outings, so he’s capable of breaking every single slate.

Rudy Gobert isn’t as dynamic as Jokic or Sabonis, but he’s very good at what he does. He’s there to gobble up rebounds, block shots, and score in the paint, and he’s done that well to start the year. He has at least 36.0 DraftKings points in two of his first three games, and he should continue to benefit from Karl-Anthony Towns being shipped off this offseason.