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Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks (10/21/17): NBA Advice for FanDuel, DraftKings

Jake Finnen's top daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for 10/21/17. Expert NBA DFS advice, sleepers & player recommendations for FanDuel and DraftKings.

You don't need to be buttered up with some, "We're a few games in..." intro nonsense. We both know why you're here. I got the goods, you want the services. Uh, that sounds bad...Maybe an intro IS the best way to start these things. Well, too late now.

It's an 11-game slate this beautiful Saturday, and is there really anything that will make your day better than seeing Russell Westbrook for below $12,000 on DraftKings AND FanDuel? Maybe C.J. McCollum for 7k? Well, tonight is the night you are going to want to spend high on either Russell Westbrook or James Harden. You can choose either, but going after both will put a lot of risk in the rest of your team.

In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 10/21/17. The DFS lineup picks will range from some of the elite players to mid-priced options and value plays on DraftKings.

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DFS Guards to Consider

J.J. Barea - DAL @ HOU (DK - $4,200, FD - $3,900)

You have to go with a Dallas Mavericks guard. They might be facing the Houston Rockets, but with limited numbers, Barea is more than capable of handling his own. He is going to touch the ball on nearly every possession and he is the type of player that produces consistently enough trust for DFS. The usual concern with Barea is injuries, but this matchup should be perfect for you to capitalize on the Mavericks shortage of guards.

Will Barton - SAC @ DEN (DK - $5,500, FD - $5,700)

Will Barton has been a bright spot for the Nuggets for some time now and his fantasy production has followed. As a mid-ranged price with plenty of upside, it's hard to pass on Barton even in a crowded backcourt. He stands out with his athletic ability and his streakiness has evolved into consistent scoring. It was only the first game but it looks like Barton picked up exactly where he left off. Scoring with ease and generating offense. Barton is going to string together good games early this season and cement himself as the Nuggets biggest offensive threat alongside Nikola Jokic.

 

DFS Forwards to Consider

Doug McDermott - DET @ NY (DK - $3,500, FD - $3,800)

This is a high-risk, high-reward option and I am banking on a great scoring night from McDermott. Last game he was slipped into the rotation after Michael Beasley sprained his ankle against the Thunder. Tonight, McDermott should be given the green light as the Knicks wing scorer and even if Beasley plays, McDermott will still get his minutes and opportunities. After a shoddy outing in the first game of the season, look for a more composed and efficient McDermott while he plays his first home game in MSG.

Kelly Olynyk - IND @ MIA  (DK - $4,800, FD - $4,400)

Kelly Olynyk is another one of those players that gets the ball and either scores, assists a teammate in some way, or misses a shot. He is not a bad scorer, its just you can sometimes tell when he is forcing production. He just signed a nice, new contract with the Heat and he is going to try and prove his worth to the team early. His last outing was skeptical of how his new role will play out, but the Indiana frontcourt is lacking size outside of Myles Turner, so expect Olynyk to find his groove.

 

DFS Centers to Consider

Pau Gasol - SA @ CHI (DK - $5,600, FD - $6,300)

Picking a San Antonio Spur and getting mad that they didn't produce like you wanted, is like getting mad at a fish for not "getting out" enough. So mind you with this pick risk is involved. That being said, Pau Gasol had a great performance last game and he didn't have to have a big scoring night to contribute for DFS. Chicago has Robin Lopez in the paint which can cause problems, but chances are he will need to focus on keeping LaMarcus Aldrige from getting to his spots, rather than locking down Gasol. Gasol should be the beneficiary of the combination of Spurs offense and Coach Gregg Popovich targeting an opponents weakness.

 

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POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

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24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Rafael Devers

Could Return to Game Action Next Week
Nick Foligno

Wild Acquire Nick Foligno
Bobby Brink

Wild Acquire Bobby Brink
Geno Smith

Raiders Release Geno Smith
Josue Briceño

Josue Briceno has Wrist Surgery, Expected to Miss Multiple Months
Jeremy Peña

Jeremy Pena Hopes to be Ready for Opening Day
Jackson Chourio

Won't Play in WBC on Friday
Carlos Correa

Scratched With Neck Injury
Brandon Woodruff

is a Risky Draft Choice
Jackson Merrill

Likely to Bounce Back in 2026
Junior Caminero

Could be Risky at Current ADP
Nic Dowd

Golden Knights Acquire Nic Dowd
Jeff Petry

Traded to Wild
Nicolas Roy

Shipped to Colorado
David Perron

Returns to Detroit
Michael Bunting

Stars Add Michael Bunting From Nashville
Conor Garland

Moves to Columbus
John Carlson

Ducks Acquire John Carlson
Owen Caissie

Off to Slow Start in Camp
Logan Henderson

Sharp in Spring Training
Robby Snelling

Punches Out Six Over Three Scoreless Frames
Bryce Eldridge

Performing Well in Cactus League
Dylan Beavers

Holding his Own in Spring Games
Chase Burns

has Uneven Command in Spring Training
Alexis Lafrenière

Alexis Lafreniere Collects Three Points in Victory
Igor Shesterkin

Picks Up Victory Against Maple Leafs
Will Cuylle

Contributes Multi-Goal Performance in Victory
Sung-Mun Song

Exits Early on Thursday With Oblique Tightness
Mathieu Olivier

Has Two-Goal Game
Vitek Vanecek

Stifles the Flyers
Grant Williams

Good to Go Friday
Ivica Zubac

to Remain Out Friday
Aaron Nesmith

Listed as Probable for Friday
Danielle Hunter

Texans, Danielle Hunter Agree to One-Year, $40.1 Million Extension
Trey Murphy III

Available Thursday Night
Zion Williamson

Cleared to Take on Kings
Andrew Nembhard

Expected to Play Against Lakers Friday
Pascal Siakam

Probable for Friday's Action
Ja Morant

to Sit Out At Least Two More Weeks
Oso Ighodaro

Moves to First Unit
Collin Sexton

Leonard Miller Will Start Thursday
Mitchell Robinson

Available Friday
Josh Hart

Iffy for Friday Night
Cameron Johnson

Won't Play Against Lakers
Kris Murray

Could Miss Another Contest Friday
Deni Avdija

Likely to Remain Out Friday
Maxi Kleber

Unavailable Thursday
Matas Buzelis

Sits Out Thursday's Game
Josh Giddey

Misses Meeting With Suns
Mark Williams

to Miss Multiple Weeks
Brandon Ingram

Receives Green Light to Play Thursday
Jabari Smith Jr.

Returns From Two-Game Absence
Spencer Strider

Shows Increased Velocity on Thursday
Jeremy Peña

Jeremy Pena has Finger Fracture, to be Re-Evaluated in Two Weeks
Cade Smith

Emerging as an Elite Source of Saves
Xavier Edwards

Exits With Calf Tightness on Thursday
Jordan Lawlar

Could Jordan Lawlar Finally Be Ready for a Breakout?
Kyle Bradish

Is Kyle Bradish Going Too High in Drafts?
DJ Moore

Bears Working to Finalize Deal to Send DJ Moore to Buffalo
Curtis Lazar

Out Four Weeks
Nick Blankenburg

Avalanche Add Nick Blankenburg From Predators
CHI

Andrew Mangiapane Traded to Blackhawks
Jason Dickinson

Oilers Bring in Jason Dickinson and Colton Dach From Chicago
Tyler Myers

Moves to Dallas
MacKenzie Weegar

Mammoth Acquire MacKenzie Weegar
Mitchell Marner

Collects Three Points on Wednesday
Stefon Diggs

Patriots Releasing Stefon Diggs
Trent McDuffie

Chiefs Sending Trent McDuffie to Rams in Blockbuster Deal
Taylor Moore

Looking to Build on Cognizant Classic Finish
Robert MacIntyre

Brings Solid Form to Bay Hill
Scottie Scheffler

the Tournament Favorite at Bay Hill
Xander Schauffele

Trending Well Ahead of API
Si Woo Kim

Looking to Return to Top Form at Bay Hill
Ben Griffin

Looking to Return to Form at Arnold Palmer Invitational
PGA

Nico Echavarria Looks to Build on Cognizant Classic Win at Arnold Palmer
Sam Burns

Searching for Consistency at Arnold Palmer Invitational
Daniel Berger

Offers Sneaky Upside at Bay Hill
Justin Thomas

Making Season Debut at API Following Lower-Back Surgery
NASCAR

Collin Morikawa Hopes To Better Last Year's Runner-Up Finish at API
Tommy Fleetwood

Isn't As Confident of a Start at Bay Hill as Previous Weeks
Kyler Murray

Will be Released
Trey Hendrickson

Bengals Not Using the Franchise Tag on Trey Hendrickson
Daniel Jones

Colts Place Transition Tag on Daniel Jones
Adam Scott

Might Endure Tough Times at Bay Hill
Aldrich Potgieter

Extremely Risky When it Comes to Bay Hill
PGA

Sungjae Im to Make Season Debut at Arnold Palmer Invitational
Jordan Spieth

an All-or-Nothing Option at Bay Hill
Harry Hall

Trying to Rebound After the Genesis Invitational
Ryan Gerard

Needs Better Start at Bay Hill
Kenneth Walker III

Won't Get the Franchise Tag
Patrick Cantlay

Still Plagued by Bad Putting Ahead of Arnold Palmer Invititational
Daniel Jones

Colts Expected to Use Transition Tag on Daniel Jones
Breece Hall

Jets Placing Franchise Tag on Breece Hall
CFB

Mark Stoops Joining Texas Coaching Staff
Jason Day

Attempts to Bounce Back from The Genesis Invitational
Jacob Bridgeman

Rolling into Arnold Palmer Invitational
Russell Henley

Looks to Defend Title at the Arnold Palmer Invitational
Khalil Mack

Will Play in 2026
MMA

Lone'er Kavanagh Gets Back In The Win Column
Brandon Moreno

Gets Outclassed
Marlon Vera

Loses Fourth Fight In A Row
Daniel Jones

Colts Have "50/50" Chance to Get a Deal Done With Daniel Jones
David Martinez

Remains Undefeated In The UFC
Daniel Zellhuber

Loses Third Consecutive Fight
King Green

Gets Second-Round TKO Win
Felipe Bunes

Drops Decision At UFC Mexico City
Édgar Cháirez

Edgar Chairez Wins Back-To-Back Fights
Ryan Blaney

Falls to Eighth Despite Running Most of the Race in the Top Five At COTA
Ty Gibbs

Wins A Stage and Finishes Fourth At COTA
Christopher Bell

Earns First Top-Five Finish of the 2026 Season at COTA
Kyler Murray

"Repeatedly" Linked to Jets
Shane Van Gisbergen

Falls Short of Victory At COTA
Tyler Reddick

Wins At COTA and Makes NASCAR History
David Montgomery

Texans Acquire David Montgomery From Lions
Kyler Murray

Likely to be Released
Travis Etienne Jr.

Not Expected to be Franchise-Tagged
Aaron Jones Sr.

Vikings Planning to Release Aaron Jones Sr.?
Tyler Reddick

Could Make History at COTA
Shane Van Gisbergen

Shane van Gisbergen Still the Favorite at COTA
Christopher Bell

Will Be Tough to Beat at COTA
AJ Allmendinger

Could Contend at COTA
Connor Zilisch

Carries Plenty of Upside for DFS at COTA
Chase Elliott

May be A Strong Contender Again at COTA
Chris Buescher

Is Nothing But Consistent at Road Courses
Ross Chastain

May Be An Underrated Competitor for the Win at COTA
William Byron

Is William Byron a Viable DFS Option for COTA?
Carson Hocevar

Needs Clean Race at COTA
Kyle Larson

Could be A Decent DFS Option for COTA Lineups
Ryan Blaney

Could Ryan Blaney be A Sleeper DFS Option for All Formats for COTA?
Chase Briscoe

Should DFS Players Roster Chase Briscoe at COTA?
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Is A Favorable Value Option for COTA DFS Lineups
Ty Gibbs

Could Ty Gibbs Be A Rosterable DFS Play for COTA?
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF