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Free daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for today's slate on DraftKings and FanDuel. Use Zach's NBA DFS expert picks to building winning DFS lineups on October 25th, 2025.
Welcome back, RotoBallers! This Saturday night, the NBA has a solid five-game slate on tap, giving us a player pool of 10 teams on both DraftKings and FanDuel. The action starts at 7:00 p.m. ET, when the Bulls visit the Magic. With 10 teams in the player pool, there are some excellent plays to consider at each position as you assemble your DFS fantasy basketball lineups for the evening.
We're starting to get an idea of how teams' rotations will look this season, even after only a few games. The Magic, Thunder, Hawks, Grizzlies, and Suns are each playing their third game of the season, while the Bulls, Hornets, 76ers, Pacers, and Nuggets are playing for the second time. It's also worth noting that the Hawks, Grizzlies, Suns, and Magic are on the second night of a back-to-back after playing on Friday as well.
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 10/25/25. Remember to monitor NBA injury news and our awesome NBA injuries report tool, as the slate can completely change before lineups lock at 7:00 p.m. EST on FanDuel and DraftKings. To keep up with all the latest developments and get access to updated projections, grab an NBA season pass and also gain access to our RotoBaller Premium Discord, where our experts are talking about the slate up until lineups lock!
NBA DFS Core Picks
Jamal Murray, DEN - PG on DK, PG/SG on FD (DK $7.2K, FD $8K)
Murray got off to a great start to the season on Thursday night in a loss against Golden State, and he should be a strong option again on Saturday against the Suns in the late game. Murray had a double-double of 25 points and 10 assists in the opener, adding three rebounds and three steals to get over 50 DraftKings points and 49.6 FanDuel points.
Jamal Murray 🇨🇦 did a little bit of everything (25 PTS, 10 AST, 3 REB, 3 STL) in Denver's thriller against Golden State! pic.twitter.com/lIMgSjYdRN
— NBA Canada (@NBACanada) October 24, 2025
Murray looks like he will have even more playmaking responsibility and scoring opportunities in the slightly adjusted Nuggets' rotation this season, and he could be one of the top fantasy guards of the season if he can consistently produce like he did on Thursday.
Last season, Murray had a 30-point game against the Suns in one of their three meetings, and catching them on the second game of a back-to-back should set him up for another monster game. This is also Denver's home opener, so Murray should be extra fired up to get his team their first win of the season with another big game.
Chet Holmgren, OKC - PF/C (DK $7.8K, FD $7.4K)
The Thunder have started their title defense looking strong. They knocked off the Rockets in double overtime on Tuesday and dispatched the Pacers in another double overtime thriller on Thursday. With Jalen Williams (wrist) out, Holmgren has thrived with a little more of the offensive workload, but now Holmgren is questionable with a back issue. If he's able to play, though, he should be set to return good value with elite upside at a mid-range salary.
On Tuesday in the opener, Holmgren poured in 28 points to go with seven rebounds and two assists. He didn't score as much on Thursday but had a strong fantasy day with 15 points, 12 rebounds, two assists, and two steals. He played 38 and 39 minutes in those two games, so his back soreness isn't a huge surprise. If he can play through the injury, though, he brings a very high ceiling on Saturday night.
Special delivery 📦
To: Chet
From: iHart pic.twitter.com/U6QX5J7RED— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) October 24, 2025
Bennedict Mathurin, IND - SG/SF (DK $6.4K, FD $6.8K)
The Pacers pushed Holmgren and the Thunder to double overtime, despite losing Andrew Nembhard (shoulder) in the first half. They were already without T.J. McConnell (hamstring) and Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles), along with possible depth options Quenton Jackson (hamstring) and Kam Jones (back). All those guards are out again on Saturday night, leaving lots of value potential and scoring for the rest of the Pacers to pick up.
Mathurin had a monster opening night, pouring in 36 points to lead the team.
Bennedict Mathurin scored 36 for the @Pacers tonight!
His performance is tied for the 2nd most points by a Pacer in a season opener 👏
Jalen Rose: 43 points (10/30/2001)
Reggie Miller: 36 points (11/3/1989)
Bennedict Mathurin: 36 points (10/23/2025) pic.twitter.com/6nlDFmU8Gv— NBA (@NBA) October 24, 2025
He added 11 rebounds and an assist for 52.2 DraftKings points and 46.7 FanDuel points. Without Haliburton, Mathurin was already going to have to step into a more involved role in the offense, but with all the other injuries as well, he is having to do even more of the work.
The Pacers visit the Grizzlies on Saturday night in the game with the highest point total on the board. Since it should be a high-scoring, up-tempo contest, Mathurin should have a chance to put together another elite night from a mid-range salary.
NBA DFS GPP Pivots
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC - PG ($10.7K DK, $11.6K FD)
If you are paying all the way up to the top of the salary structure, both SGA and Nikola Jokic are strong options to consider. SGA has had the benefit of playing extra minutes in his first two games of the season since they both went to double overtime, but he has made the most of his expanded opportunities.
He had 35 points, five rebounds, and five assists against the Rockets on Tuesday and followed that up with 55 points, eight rebounds, and five assists in Indiana. If the Thunder don't have Chet Holmgren, SGA will have to shoulder even more of the offense, giving him an extremely high ceiling in Atlanta.
You'll have to get creative with the rest of your roster if you pay all the way up, but he brings a high enough ceiling to still be a good option.
Pascal Siakam, IND - PF ($8.3K DK, $9K FD)
Like Mathurin, Siakam will have to step up for the Pacers as they work through their multiple injuries. The matchup against Memphis should be a high-scoring one, and the Grizzlies' frontcourt is a little thin with Zach Edey (ankle) and Brandon Clarke (knee) both still sidelined. The Grizz got smashed on Friday by the Heat, and the Pacers will hope to hand them a second straight loss on Saturday
Spicy P had 32 points, 15 rebounds, and four assists in the opener for 61.25 DraftKings points and 58 FanDuel points. He will likely take on more offense with Myles Turner now playing in Milwaukee and Haliburton on the sidelines. With so much usage coming their way, Siakam and Mathurin are a great stack to consider, or they can be used as independent plays.
Pascal Siakam tonight:
32 Points
15 Rebounds
4 Assists
44 Minutes pic.twitter.com/DqpNuHnOj2— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) October 24, 2025
Matas Buzelis, CHI - PF on DK, SF/PF on FD ($6K DK, $6.2K FD)
Buzelis could be poised for a breakout season with the Bulls, and he lived up to his preseason hype in his first game of the season. The 21-year-old started his second season in the NBA in the starting five and dropped 21 points to go with six rebounds, three blocks, and one assist in 34 minutes against the Pistons.
He seems to have established himself in the rotation, and he brings an outstanding ceiling for an option at this price point. His block production makes him even more valuable, and the fact that he's running the offense on many plays gives him the potential to go off in any matchup, including Saturday night's matchup in Orlando.
NBA DFS Value Picks
Quentin Grimes, PHI - SG on DK, SG/SF on FD (DK $6.5K, FD $4.4K)
Grimes stepped up in a huge way for the 76ers last year when they were dealing with multiple absences, but his role is a little less certain coming into this season. As a result, there's a huge disparity between his salary on DraftKings and FanDuel. While his DraftKings salary feels a little too high, he's a great bargain on FanDuel and brings good positional versatility as well.
In the opener, Grimes had 10 points, five rebounds, and five assists in 32 minutes. Even though he's coming off the bench, it looks like his role will make him a solid contributor at his affordable price point on FanDuel.
Tyus Jones, ORL - PG (DK $3.5K, FD $4K)
The Magic are expected to be without Jalen Suggs (knee) for the second game of their back-to-back, creating a huge opportunity for Jones, who could move into the starting five or just get much more run off the bench. Jones agreed to a one-year, $7 million deal with Orlando this summer after spending last season with the Suns, and he's expected to be their primary backup when Suggs is healthy.
In his first two games with Orlando, he played 24 and 20 minutes. He didn't have great numbers in either contest, totaling four points, three rebounds, two blocks, and five assists. However, with more minutes and possibly a spot start, he has elite value potential.
Ryan Kalkbrenner, CHA - C (DK $3.4K, FD $4.8K)
The second-round pick from Creighton got the start in his NBA debut on Wednesday. He ended up with 10 points, 11 rebounds, an assist, and two blocks. He posted 26.7 FanDuel points and 28.75 DraftKings points in his 26 minutes, and he brings an excellent ceiling as such a bargain play on DraftKings, especially.
Kalkbrenner played six more minutes than Moussa Diabate, and Mason Plumlee didn't see any court time. If the rookie keeps getting most of the minutes in the middle, he should be set for a big game against the Sixers, who gave up a big game to Neemias Queta in their season opener.
Collin Gillespie, PHX - PG (DK $3.5K, FD $3.9K)
The Suns are short-handed in the backcourt to start the season without Jalen Green (hamstring), and while Grayson Allen has been starting in his spot, Gillespie has also picked up enough work to be a good value as well. Gillespie played 22 minutes in the opener against the Kings, but he was even better on Friday night with 13 points, five rebounds, and five assists in 28 minutes against the Clippers.
The Nuggets have been a great matchup for guards, so Gillespie could be in a position to produce another good game Saturday night.
Jarace Walker, IND - PF on DK, PF/C on FD (DK $3.2K, FD $4.3K)
Walker played 30 minutes on Thursday, and he could have a great matchup against a thin Thunder frontcourt if Chet Holmgren (back) is out. He was very productive with 13 points, four rebounds, four assists, and a steal. The second-year big man seems to be a great fit next to Siakam, and he could be one of the biggest beneficiaries of Myles Turner's move to Milwaukee.
Today's Top NBA DFS Game Stacks
Pacers at Grizzlies (238.5 O/U)
Both the Pacers and Grizzlies play with lots of pace and allowed plenty of points last year. This game has the highest over/under on the board by a slim margin over the Thunder-Hawks matchup. The Pacers offer great potential with Siakam and Mathurin leading the new-look rotation, with Walker, Obi Toppin, and Ben Sheppard bringing potential value.
On the Memphis side, Ja Morant leads the way, along with Jaren Jackson Jr. For value plays on that side of the matchup, Jock Landale and Cedric Coward are good options to consider. Coward has played over 22 minutes in each of the first two games of the season, scoring 14 points and 16 points and contributing solid peripheral stats as well.
My Favorite NBA DFS Picks for Today
Here is where I leave you with some of my favorites.
- My favorite OVERALL play on the slate: Bennedict Mathurin
- My favorite CASH play on the slate: Jamal Murray
- My favorite GPP play on the slate: Matas Buzelis
- My favorite VALUE play: Ryan Kalkbrenner
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