NBA DFS Picks Breakdown on DraftKings (Thursday, October 22)

On the heels of a high-scoring and blowout-filled 11-game slate on Wednesday, we’re back tonight with just two games on the NBA schedule. The Cavs and Nuggets will make their respective season debuts, while we’ll see the Sixers and Thunder for the second time on the young campaign.

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 Leverage 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.

NBA DFS Point Guard Picks

Stud

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($9,900)

It’s a small slate with no shortage of superstars, though we could still see relatively limited ownership on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. All the two-time reigning league MVP did in the demolition of the Spurs on opening night was put up 32 points, six rebounds, four assists, and three steals on 13-for-27 shooting in 36 minutes of action. SGA’s 35.4% usage rate in that one was in line with the 33.7% mark he posted a season ago.

The return of Jalen Williams means I’ll likely take the under on that 35% usage moving forward for Shai, but there is enough cheap value to make an SGA-Nikola Jokic lineup come together pretty easily if you’re so inclined. In three meetings against Jokic’s Nuggets last season, Gilgeous-Alexander torched Denver to the tune of 67.4 DraftKings points per game.

Value

Ajay Mitchell ($4,400)

If you’d rather not pay all the way up for SGA, his backup, Ajay Mitchell, is a fine alternative. He averaged a productive 1.03 DraftKings points-per-minute last season, and he was thrust into a larger offensive role when J-Dub was battling injuries. OKC still has plenty of depth in the backcourt despite offloading a few players over the summer, yet Mitchell is still projected to crack 24 minutes off the bench tonight against Denver.

The Nuggets ranked a middling 21st in defensive efficiency last season, and losing Peyton Watson in the offseason likely won’t help their chances of keeping the Thunder’s high-usage perimeter players in check. It’s also worth noting that Mitchell’s DK salary fell by $700 from opening night, and he’s currently the best-projected Thunder player by Plus/Minus.

Fast Break

Tyrese Maxey ($8,000) – The new-look Sixers came roaring out of the gates with an impressive win over the champs at MSG on opening night, and they’re listed as 3.5-point favorites over the Cavs in tonight’s home opener. At least for one game, the additions of LeBron James and Jaylen Brown didn’t hamper Tyrese Maxey’s offensive role at all. In 39 minutes against New York, Maxey led the Sixers in usage rate (28%) and DK fantasy points-per-minute (1.42). The $8,000 salary is an underpay in a matchup here against a Cleveland team with some questionable one-on-one defenders in the backcourt.

James Harden ($7,100) – Harden turned 37 over the summer, but he hasn’t shown many signs of slowing down. He’s not the scoring machine he was during his Houston days, but Harden still ranked second in usage (25%) and led the Cavs in assist rate (32.3%) after coming over in a trade from the Clippers halfway through last season. He’s projected for 33 minutes tonight, with room for growth beyond that if the game is competitive.

NBA DFS Shooting Guard Picks

Stud

Donovan Mitchell ($8,200)

Shooting guard is generally a thin position, and that’s especially the case on a 2-game slate. Donovan Mitchell is the top overall option by default, as he’s priced $2,500 over the next-most-expensive SG. Mitchell still led Cleveland in usage (31.1%) after the team swapped Darius Garland for Harden last year, which was about a 1% dip from his pre-trade mark.

With worthy studs like Jokic and Gilgeous-Alexander on this slate, much of the field is likely to save salary at this position rather than spend up for Mitchell. He’s currently projected for around 28% ownership, and playing him at the expense of one of the other stars is one way to make your build more unique from the field. Mitchell is a particularly intriguing alternative to Maxey, who figures to be the more popular option for just $200 less.

Value

DeMar DeRozan ($4,900)

DeRozan has spent the last few seasons languishing in Sacramento, but he comes to Denver hoping to vie for an elusive championship. Depth certainly isn’t one of the Nuggets’ strengths at this point, so DeRozan should have a role as a source of usage with the second unit. The veteran is still an efficient offensive presence, as he posted a usage rate north of 23% alongside a solid 0.99 DK FP/minute average in 2025-26.

There is, admittedly, some uncertainty in projecting a new face in a new place, but DeRozan is likely to see 24-26 minutes off of the Denver bench tonight. The matchup against the Thunder isn’t necessarily fantasy-friendly, though the departure of Lu Dort over the summer does take one of OKC’s more renowned perimeter defenders out of the mix.

Fast Break

VJ Edgecombe ($5,700) – Edgecombe was one of the NBA’s more impressive rookies last season, though his offensive role figures to shrink now that he’s starting next to Maxey, James, Brown, and Joel Embiid. He’s projected for just a 16% usage rate tonight, but a high minutes projection (34) keeps him in play for GPPs at a thin shooting guard position.

Jared McCain ($3,800) – Between SGA, Mitchell, Cason Wallace, Alex Caruso, and Jared McCain, OKC isn’t lacking options in the backcourt. Still, McCain was one of the more impressive aspects of the Thunder’s big win over San Antonio on opening night. The ex-Sixer poured in 20 points on blistering 7-for-9 shooting from the floor, including 6-of-8 from three-point range. McCain is still just $3,800 and is projected for 21 minutes off the bench tonight against Denver.

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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks

Stud

Jaylen Brown ($7,600)

Small forward isn’t much better than shooting guard, as Brown checks in at $1,200 more than any other option. While his Sixers debut may have been overshadowed, Brown still stuffed the stat sheet in an impressive all-around effort. In 35 minutes against the Knicks, the former Celtic piled up 19 points, eight rebounds, six assists, a steal, and a block.

Brown simply won’t have the same high-usage role he played last season with Jayson Tatum out for most of the year thanks to the Sixers’ star-studded rotation, so he’ll have to find other ways to contribute. Averaging 1.19 DK points per minute on limited 21% usage – as he did in the opener – is no easy task.

Value

Peyton Watson ($4,700)

The Cavs’ big offseason swing was to bring Watson over from Denver, where he’ll replace Max Strus as the starting small forward. Watson’s 2025-26 season was cut short by injury, but he still managed to parlay a strong showing into a lucrative new contract with Cleveland. In a career-best 29.6 minutes per game, Watson averaged 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and over three combined blocks/steals. He also converted on better than 41% of his looks from deep.

Just like with the Nuggets, Watson likely won’t be a significant source of usage in Cleveland, but they didn’t pay him $88 million to sit on the bench. Watson is projected for 30.5 minutes in his team debut tonight, and he’ll be tasked with trying to slow down the Sixers’ high-usage perimeter players. $4,700 is just too cheap. He’s one of the best point-per-dollar value options at any position.

Fast Break

Jalen Williams ($6,400) – J-Dub was another player who dealt with a rash of injuries last season, and he played just under 30 minutes in the opening-night win over the Spurs. His 23.2% usage rate in that one was still the second-highest on the team behind SGA, but he converted on just five of his 16 attempts from the field. Even an average showing in the shooting department should lead to a bounce-back performance tonight.

NBA DFS Power Forward Picks

Stud

LeBron James ($7,000)

It’s crazy that LeBron is in Year 23, and it’s probably crazier that he’s still producing at such a consistently high level. In his first game as a 76er, James produced one of his usual all-around efforts, finishing with 14 points, nine rebounds, seven assists, a steal, and a block in nearly 34 minutes. He shot just 5-for-13 from the field and missed all three of his three-point attempts, but he still looks like the same guy going out there and hunting triple-doubles every night.

The Cavs are quite capable defensively up front, and the addition of Watson to the Jarrett Allen-Evan Mobley frontcourt could make them even more formidable. Still, LeBron’s ability to contribute in a variety of categories is his most useful asset as a fantasy player, and his affordable $7,000 DK salary is difficult to ignore.

Value

Aaron Gordon ($5,500)

Whether Gordon’s hamstrings are still capable of holding up over the course of an 82-game season remains to be seen, but he was still quite productive when healthy last year. The 16.2 points per game Gordon averaged ranked among his most prolific scoring seasons ever, while he added around six rebounds a night and shot a hair under 39% from three-point distance. Unfortunately, he only appeared in 36 games and averaged just 27 minutes in those contests.

Gordon is projected for 30 minutes tonight against Oklahoma City. The Nuggets would presumably prefer to limit his minutes as much as possible, though their lack of depth could make that challenging. The Thunder are a three-point funnel defensively, as they allowed their opponents to take the eighth-most of any team a season ago. Small sample, but Gordon contributed one of his best games of the season (23 points, 10 rebounds) in his lone appearance vs. OKC last year.

Fast Break

Chet Holmgren ($5,800) – Holmgren took much of the blame for the Thunder’s loss to the Spurs in the Western Conference Finals last season, but he reportedly hit the gym over the summer and added a whopping two pounds to his slight frame. While most may remember his playoff shortcomings, we shouldn’t forget that Holmgren was a productive fantasy commodity as well, averaging a stellar 1.26 DK FP-per-minute in 2025-26. He projects for the third-best Plus/Minus of any power forward-eligible player on DK, trailing only Watson and James.

Evan Mobley ($7,900) – It’s difficult to find lower-owned plays on a two-game slate, but Mobley is projected for just 15% ownership at a fairly deep position. Cleveland’s twin-towered frontcourt could also present some matchup issues for Philly’s smaller frontline, and Mobley is likely to have a size advantage against James, Brown, or whoever the Sixers try to throw at him. Similar to Donovan Mitchell, paying up for Mobley when most of the field is paying less at power forward is a way to get a more unique roster construction in GPPs.

NBA DFS Center Picks

Stud

Nikola Jokic ($10,900)

Who else did you expect to see here? The $10,900 Jokic is the most expensive player on the slate, yet his median projection is more than 9 points better than the next-best option in our Player Models. Denver’s relative lack of success was the only reason Jokic didn’t win another MVP last season, as he averaged a robust 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 10.7 assists across 65 regular-season outings.

While OKC is stout defensively, matchups generally don’t mean much when it comes to Jokic. He still averaged a triple-double in 3 meetings with the Thunder last season. While you can argue that just about everyone is underpriced on this slate, Jokic’s salary looks particularly affordable compared to where it’ll wind up by season’s end. Any player capable of putting 90 fantasy points on the board is a scary fade.

Value

Isaiah Hartenstein ($4,800)

The man whose primary task will be to defend Jokic, Isaiah Hartenstein, grades out as one of the slate’s better cheap centers. Production generally isn’t an issue with Hartenstein, who averaged 1.21 DK FP-per-minute last season. It’s a matter of whether he’ll get the minutes. Despite starting, the veteran big man logged just 17 minutes in the opener against Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs.

You can argue there isn’t a player on earth who profiles well defensively against either Jokic or Wemby, but Hartenstein’s size makes him the Thunder’s best chance at keeping the Joker (relatively) in check. Hartenstein averaged 23.5 minutes per game across a couple of matchups against the Nuggets a season ago.

Fast Break

Joel Embiid ($7,700) – There are several new faces in Philly, but Embiid will remain the hub of the Sixers’ offense while he’s on the floor. In 33 minutes on opening night, the new slimmed-down version of Embiid contributed 13 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, three blocks, and two steals in a tough matchup against the Knicks. That he still finished with 46 DK points despite shooting a woeful 4-for-15 from the field tells you all you need to know about his high floor.

Pictured: Joel Embiid
Photo Credit: Imagn