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Get winning NBA DFS lineup picks and player projections for tonight's games on DraftKings and FanDuel. Zach's expert analysis helps you build optimal daily fantasy basketball lineups for December 20th, 2025.
Welcome back, RotoBallers! This Saturday night, the NBA has 10 games on the schedule as the regular pace of the schedule resumes after some light nights for NBA Cup action. Of the 10 games, DraftKings has six on the main slate and three on the night slate, while FanDuel will include nine on its main slate. We'll focus primarily on the six games available in both contests, but I may also include a play or two from the late games on FanDuel.
As always at this point in the season, monitoring the injury report updates will be critical to finalizing your strategy. Some big names are already out, including Ja Morant, Jalen Green, and RJ Barrett, while a few key contributors are questionable as well. With the Celtics and 76ers finishing up back-to-back games, be sure to keep a close eye out for their injury reports as well. Keep a close eye on the NBA injury news and make adjustments as needed.
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 12/20/25. 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!
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NBA DFS Core Picks
Jaren Jackson Jr., MEM - PF/C (DK $7.7K, FD $7.4K)
The Grizzlies will be without Morant, Zach Edey (ankle), and Vince Williams Jr. (knee), which means the offense will likely run through Jackson in this smash spot against the Wizards. Jackson has gone off in his last two games to lead the Grizzlies to back-to-back road wins over the Clippers and Timberwolves. He had 31 points, five blocks, four rebounds, 60.8 FanDuel points, and 57 DraftKings points against the Clippers, and he followed that up with 28 points, 12 rebounds, three blocks, 54.9 FanDuel points, and 56 DraftKings points on Wednesday.
Big-man duo powers Memphis to victory 💪
Jaren Jackson Jr.: 28 PTS, 12 REB, 3 BLK
Jock Landale: 20 PTS, 10 REB, 4 3PM (career-high) pic.twitter.com/3FBxu7C7gd— NBA (@NBA) December 18, 2025
That big man duo should be in a great spot to keep rolling as they face the Wizards, who have allowed the most DraftKings points per game to power forwards and the second-most in the NBA to centers. Jackson and the Grizzlies started the season slowly, going 4-11 out of the gate, but the team can get back to .500 with a win on Saturday against Washington. I expect another big game from JJJ, making him a key player to build around.
Derrick White, BOS - PG/SG (DK $7.5K, FD $7.7K)
The Celtics finish their back-to-back with a trip to Toronto for what should be a great matchup against the Raptors. White has been excellent in the last two games for Boston and is a solid core play for Saturday.
He has at least 27 points in four of his last six games and had 31 in a loss to the Pistons on Monday, followed by 33 points, five rebounds, six assists, and four blocks on his way to 60.2 DraftKings points on Friday against the Heat.
A do-it-all night from Derrick White!
💪 33 PTS
💪 5 REB
💪 6 AST
💪 4 BLK
💪 9 3PMThe first back-to-back 30-PT games of his career! pic.twitter.com/CbkpQFLxry
— NBA (@NBA) December 20, 2025
While he probably won't reach 60 DraftKings points again, he has consistently produced well over his salary-based expectations, and he's a strong core play to consider Saturday. You will want to check the injury report, though, since Boston could get some players a night off. If other Celtics are out, it could lead to more usage and potentially even more production from White, so be sure to check for updates.
VJ Edgecombe, PHI - SG on DK, SG/SF on FD (DK $6.5K, FD $6.6K)
The other team on the second game of a back-to-back is the 76ers, who knocked off the Knicks on Friday, and turn around to face the Mavericks in a favorable matchup at home on Saturday night. Edgecombe was excellent on Friday against the Knicks, especially down the stretch:
CRUNCH-TIME MASTERCLASS FROM VJ EDGECOMBE!
Middy.
Triple.
Putback slam.
Hustle play.The #3 pick showing veteran poise 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/nnjBqxbPSu
— NBA (@NBA) December 20, 2025
He finished with 23 points and 39.8 DraftKings points, giving him over 39 DraftKings points and over 37 FanDuel points in each of his last three games.
Edgecombe's role in the rotation was a little shaky as he played through and recovered from a calf injury, but he's been back to playing 38 and 39 minutes per game in his last four contests. Check the injury report to be sure he's good to go against the Mavs, but if he is, I expect the No. 3 pick in the NBA Draft will try to take it to the top overall pick in Cooper Flagg as the Mavericks visit the City of Brotherly Love.
NBA DFS GPP Pivots
Cade Cunningham, DET - PG (DK $10.6K, FD $10.5K)
If you have the salary available, Cunningham has one of the highest ceilings on the board for the main slate on DraftKings. On FanDuel, Luka Doncic is in the player pool, so he is the best pay-up play on the board. The Pistons host the Hornets, which should set up a juicy showdown between Cunningham and LaMelo Ball.
Cunningham fell just one assist short of a triple-double in the Pistons' overtime loss to the Mavs on Thursday, and he also had a big game against the Celtics to start the week, earning over 55 DraftKings points for each performance. He's averaging 53.5 DraftKings points and 51.4 FanDuel points per game, and he's in a great matchup against the Hornets, who have allowed the second-most FanDuel points to point guards this season.
In his last four matchups against Charlotte, Cunningham has three double-doubles, including a pair of triple-doubles. He comes loaded with upside if you can find the scrubs to build around this star in a smash spot.
Derik Queen, NO - C on DK, PF/C on FD (DK $7.1K, FD $7.3K)
Queen brings the kind of ceiling that stands out for GPP lineups, and the rookie has thrived in New Orleans since taking over the starting job. With or without Zion Williamson, Queen has proven he can stuff the stat sheet. He had 41.5 DraftKings points in the Pelicans' win on Thursday night.
Derik Queen 16 Points, 12 Rebs, 3 Blocks full highlight vs Rockets I 25-26 NBA Season pic.twitter.com/DzltvSSspl
— Hoops Showtime (@HoopsShowtime12) December 19, 2025
Queen has over 37 DraftKings points in three of his last four games, dating back to his 33-point triple-double against the Spurs that earned him a massive 69 DraftKings points and 65 FanDuel points.
The rookie can be a little boom-or-bust, but for GPP, he brings so much upside that he's a flier worth taking. The Pelicans have actually played much better lately, and they're in a good spot on this slate as they welcome in the banged-up Pacers.
Dillon Brooks, PHX - SF/PF on DK, SG/SF on FD (DK $6.2K, FD $6.1K)
For GPP plays, it's typically ok to take on more volatility to get more upside. If you're looking for volatile, Dillon Brooks is your guy (in more ways than one). Brooks has been very productive this season in his first year with the Suns, though, and has emerged as a very viable fantasy basketball play.
In his 21 games, he's averaging 21.7 points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 30.2 FanDuel points, and 31.3 DraftKings points per game. He seemed to be cooling off a little bit until he bounced back with 24 points and 38.2 DraftKings points in 33 minutes to help the Suns beat the Warriors on Thursday.
Dillon the Villain always seems to be the focus of attention in big games against superstars like this one. Sometimes that results in huge games, so using him at this mid-range salary in GPP lineups could be a strategy that really pays off this Saturday night in the rematch.
NBA DFS Value Picks
Brandon Williams, DAL - PG (DK $4K, FD $5.2K)
Williams is mostly a value play on DraftKings, where his salary sank to $4K while he lost playing time and was battling an Achilles injury. He returned on Thursday against the Pistons and played 31 minutes, contributing 14 points, five rebounds, two assists, and two blocks for 25.8 DraftKings points.
He has over 20 DraftKings points in four straight games and typically contributes in multiple categories from the Mavericks' second unit. Ryan Nembhard continues to start, but Williams is getting enough time off the bench to be a great bargain option.
Maxime Raynaud, SAC - C (FD $5.5K)
Raynaud is a great value to consider as you build your FanDuel lineups, since the rookie has stepped into a big role for the Kings without Domantas Sabonis, who is still a ways away from returning from his meniscus tear.
The 22-year-old second-round pick has started five straight games, and over his last six games, he has averaged 17.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 31.7 FanDuel points. He had over 40 FanDuel points in two of those games, including in his most recent game on Thursday.
Kings rookie Maxime Raynaud career-high 29 PTS (10-20 FG, 1-3 3P), 11 REB, 2 AST, 2 STL vs. Blazers
If you saw the end of this game it is clear the NBA has a referee problem https://t.co/1f6gWO3K4Z pic.twitter.com/PAmMx7WKwN
— Role Player Performances (@BenchHighlights) December 19, 2025
Jaden Ivey, DET - PG/SG (DK $3.3K, FD $4.1K)
The Pistons are working Jaden Ivey back into the rotation after his long recovery from a fractured left fibula suffered on New Year's Day. Ivey is still coming off the bench and finding his groove, but he played over 20 minutes for the first time this season earlier this week, and he has scored 10 points or more in four of his last six games.
There could be more value that opens up later as injury reports come out, but if you need a cheap guard to round out your roster, Ivey is getting enough time and usage to be a top value play.
Brandon Clarke, MEM - PF/C (DK $3.3K, FD $4K)
Clarke made his season debut on Wednesday against Minnesota and immediately joined the starting lineup. He played only 17 minutes but contributed six points, three rebounds, an assist, and a steal. He finished with 13.2 DraftKings points and 14.1 FanDuel points.
In this great matchup against the Wizards, he should be able to be a good bargain play even though he'll still be ramping up his minutes. Clarke starting next to Jackson should be a very solid duo for the Grizzlies while Zach Edey is out. At his minimal salary, he doesn't have to do much to be a great salary-cap stretcher.
Welcome back BC 👏
tune in: https://t.co/WUUZfFGj9B pic.twitter.com/9RY8L81zgH
— Grind City Media (@grindcitymedia) December 18, 2025
Today's Top Game Stacks
Magic at Jazz (239.5 O/U) - FD only
Pacers at Pelicans (235.5 O/U)
Hornets at Pistons (233.5 O/U)
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: Jaren Jackson Jr.
- My favorite CASH play on the slate: VJ Edgecombe
- My favorite GPP play on the slate: Cade Cunningham
- My favorite VALUE play: Brandon Clarke
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