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The top daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on October 21st, 2022. John Brubaker provides NBA DFS analysis and sleeper picks for building optimal DFS rosters.
Happy Friday, RotoBallers! The NBA season is finally here, and we have a whopping 11 games slotted for this evening. It's a new season, with players switching teams, rookies joining the fold, and rotations mixing and matching as teams learn to gel. My model will take time to adjust to these changes, but it's my duty to give you all the best picks possible. I had a nice night on opening night, so I'll look to keep that momentum going forward into today.
Tonight, we have an 11-game slate for the first weekend slate of the season. With both FanDuel and DraftKings having multi-position eligibility players, and we'll have to attack slates accordingly to make our lineups as optimal as possible. That's where I come in! I'll look to find my personal top plays and values for tonight's slate. Things can change during the day as well, so I'll do my best to update as news comes out!
Here are my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for FanDuel and DraftKings on 10/21/22. Keep an eye on RotoBaller’s NBA injury news and also our full NBA injury report today to stay up to date before lineups are locked.
DraftKings and FanDuel Guards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Devin Booker, at POR (FD: $8,300, DK: $8,900)
I'll start off tonight's slate with Devin Booker. Booker had a solid opening night on Monday night, logging 28 points, four rebounds, and nine assists across 40 minutes in what was an improbable comeback against the Mavericks. I'm looking for more of the same from him tonight, as my model projects him for 34 minutes and a usage rate of 30.18%. He'll take on the Blazers, who rank 19th in shooting guard efficiency, and this should end up a high-scoring affair.
Tyrese Haliburton, vs SAS (FD: $7,900, DK: $7,900)
I'll take a look at Tyrese Haliburton tonight as well, as the Pacers will take on the Spurs in what my buddy referred to as "the Tank Olympics." Haliburton logged 35 minutes in the season opener against the Wizards, finishing with a stat line of 26 points, four rebounds, and seven assists. My model has him projected for 36.3 minutes tonight and a 22.5% usage rate. I think that usage rate will go up as the season goes on, and this should be another high-scoring game with a total sitting at 231.5.
Coby White, at WAS (FD: $3,700, DK: $4,100)
I'll finish things up at the guard positions with Coby White. White, who is coming off the bench as a backup for Ayo Dosunmu, logged ten points and two rebounds across 24 minutes on Wednesday night. I have him projected for 27.8 minutes tonight against the Wizards though, as well as a usage rate near 18%. I wouldn't recommend this play in cash, but I do think he could be a sneaky GPP play as he comes in super cheap and has projections north of 5x on both sites.
Also consider: Kyle Lowry (FD: $5,300, DK: $5,400), Tyler Herro (FD: $6,200, DK: $6,300)
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DraftKings and FanDuel Forwards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Pascal Siakam, at BKN (FD: $8,500, DK: $8,100)
I'll start off the forwards with "Spicy P" Pascal Siakam, whom I was very high on Wednesday night. Siakam grabbed a double-double in the Raptors' season opener against the Cavs, login 23 points, 11 rebounds, and an assist. I have him projected for 37 minutes tonight with a 32% usage rate, and after seeing what Zion Williamson did to Ben Simmons on Wednesday night, I'm confident in "running it back" with Siakam.
Bojan Bogdanovic, at NY (FD: $4,900, DK: $5,600)
Another "run-back" play here for me, as we'll take a look at Bojan Bogdanovic. After a slow start Wednesday night, Bogdanovic began to heat up and finished with 24 points, five rebounds, and two assists. While I'm not expecting the same results as Wednesday, I do have Bogdanovic projected for 32.9 minutes and a usage rate of 21.67%. His matchup against the Knicks is somewhat in the "middle of the pack," but they ranked 19th in small forward efficiency last season, so I'll look for him to take advantage.
Santi Aldama, at HOU (FD: $4,300, DK: $5,100)
One of the more surprising players of Wednesday night's slate was Santi Aldama. Aldama filled in nicely for Jaren Jackson Jr. against the Knicks, logging 18 points, 11 rebounds, and an assist across 38 minutes. I don't expect him to play 38 minutes tonight, and while my model isn't currently adjusted for his minutes (having him at just a 21.9-minute projection), his 19.94% usage rate is solid enough to pass given his cheap price on both sites.
Also consider: John Collins (FD: $6,100, DK: $6,200), Aaron Gordon (FD: $5,500, DK: $6,200)
DraftKings and FanDuel Centers - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Nikola Jokic, at GSW (FD: $11,300, DK: $11,200)
I, for some reason, was higher on Clint Capela than Jokic on Wednesday night, and boy will I not make that mistake again. While the Nuggets flopped in their season opener, Jokic still logged 27 points, four rebounds, and six assists across 33 minutes against the Jazz. Tonight I have him projected for 34.2 minutes, and I doubt his 32.51% usage rate will waiver as it seems the Nuggets are easing Michael Porter Jr. and Jamal Murray into the fold. I'll look for Joker and the Nuggets to bounce back against the defending champs after what has to be considered an embarrassing loss in their season opener.
Also consider: Deandre Ayton (FD: $7,000, DK: $6,600)
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