NBA DFS: Top Daily Fantasy Expert Picks for DraftKings, FanDuel (12/29/25)

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 29th, 2025.

Welcome back, RotoBallers! The NBA tips off the final work week of 2025 with a massive 11-game schedule this Monday. Both DraftKings and FanDuel have set up their main contests to include the first 10 games of the day, starting at 7:00 p.m. ET and including all the games except the late-night matchup between the Mavericks and Trail Blazers, which is available for stand-alone contests. With 20 teams in the player pool, though, plenty of strong options are available this Monday night to build your DFS fantasy basketball lineups around. In this post, we'll run down some of the top options to consider at a variety of positions and price points.

At this point in the season, each slate is radically impacted by key injuries, and Monday's action continues that trend. The Warriors, Thunder, Raptors, and Wizards are each playing for a second day in a row, so their injury reports will be important to watch for as they come out. From what we know already, Trae Young, Alperen Sengun, and De'Aaron Fox are some of the biggest names who are questionable, while Jalen Johnson is out due to illness. Mark Williams and Jose Alvarado are likely to serve their suspensions from their Saturday night scuffle, while Franz Wagner, Josh Hart, Tyler Herro, Kristaps Porzingis, Kon Knueppel, and Grayson Allen are all sidelined due to their injuries as well. The slate is likely to continue to shift and change up until tip-off, but some strong plays are already standing out early in the day, which can help anchor your strategy and lineups this Monday night.

This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 12/29/25. 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

Jalen Brunson, NY - PG (DK $9.4K, FD $9.4K)

The Knicks have one of the most favorable matchups on Monday's jam-packed board as they head to New Orleans to take on the Pelicans. They have the highest implied team total, and the game has the second-highest over/under. Brunson has been leading the way for the Knicks, and with Hart out, a little extra usage should again be available for him.

Brunson had 34 points in each of the Knicks' last two games after dropping 47 points against the Heat last Sunday. He's had over 42 DraftKings points in 10 straight games, consistently producing strong points and assists numbers. His high point during that run was his big game against the Heat, when he earned over 65 DraftKings points.

Jalen Brunson this December:

30.5 PPG
6.8 APG
3.3 RPG

10-2 record. pic.twitter.com/5PSnsskCBS

— BrunsonMuse (@BrunsonMuse) December 28, 2025

He has both a high ceiling and a high floor in this matchup against the Pelicans, who have given up the third-most points per game this season with the fourth-worst defensive rating. Point guards have been able to go off against them all season long, so Brunson is a great star to build around as you start your builds this Monday.

Norman Powell, MIA - SG/SF (DK $7K, FD $7.5K)

Without Tyler Herro (toe), Powell has been carrying a lot of the workload in the Miami offense, and he's a strong option to build around as the Heat host the Nuggets in the only game with a higher point total than the Knicks-Pelicans.

Powell has also been stuffing the stat sheet in December, averaging 22.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.5 steals per game in 32.5 minutes per contest in his 11 games this month. He has averaged 36.8 DraftKings points and 36.2 FanDuel points over that span and has over 38 DraftKings points in each of his last three contests and four of his last five.

NORMAN POWELL POSTER pic.twitter.com/tJGrcw3hoc

— Heat Clips 🎬 (@MiamiClip) December 28, 2025

He should be lined up to carry as much of the workload as he can on Monday night at home without Herro, and he'll likely have Bam Adebayo to work with since the big man is probable after missing the last two games with lower back soreness. Powell and Adebayo have established a great rapport and should thrive against Denver in a high-scoring environment.

Collin Gillespie, PHX - PG/SG (DK $6.7K, FD $6.7K)

Gillespie has been a breakout fantasy contributor all season, and he remains affordable with great upside on Monday as the Suns face the Wizards, who have allowed the most DraftKings points per game to point guards this season, and the sixth-most to shooting guards.

Without Jalen Green, Gillespie has helped the Suns stay hot in the ultra-competitive Western Conference, and he has picked up even more work lately with Allen (knee) also sidelined. On Saturday, he had 17 points and over 40 DraftKings points against the Pelicans, thanks to a scalding start from long range.

COLLIN GILLESPIE FROM WAY DOWNTOWN!

He's got 5 3PM midway through the 2Q 🔥 pic.twitter.com/aJE6j2Cooa

— NBA (@NBA) December 28, 2025

He has over 15 points in five straight games and has averaged 15.3 points in 32.1 minutes per game this month, producing 32.6 FanDuel points and 33.4 DraftKings points per game. With such a great matchup on Monday, he's a key option to consider in the backcourt at his midrange salary for your Monday night lineup builds.

NBA DFS GPP Pivots

Nikola Jokic, DEN - C ($13K DK, $12.9K FD)

Jokic is blowing away the conventional salary limits with his recent run of production and has to be considered as a pay-up option given how hot he has been lately. His salary is incredibly high on both sites, but if you can find the right value players to work around him, no one comes close to matching his pure ceiling.

On Christmas Day, he went off for 56 points, 16 rebounds, 15 assists, and two blocks on his way to 106.5 DraftKings points and 98.7 FanDuel points against the Timberwolves. That game took two overtimes, but Jokic didn't look fatigued on Saturday, when he went off again for 34 points, 21 rebounds, 12 assists, 76.2 FanDuel points, and 82.8 DraftKings points against the Magic.

Another night, another RIDICULOUS showing for Nikola Jokić!

😮‍💨 34 PTS
😮‍💨 21 REB
😮‍💨 12 AST

The 8th 30/20/10 game of his career (2nd-most all-time behind Wilt's 16) 🤯 pic.twitter.com/2hzZrCX57Y

— NBA (@NBA) December 28, 2025

He's high-risk at this salary since he has to go off to be worth his price tag, but he's always capable of being "must-own" on any slate, including Monday's when he should be in a high-scoring environment.

Kevin Durant, HOU - SG/SF on DK, SF/PF on FD (DK $8.8K, FD $9K)

Durant and the Rockets are soaring right now, and they have a great home matchup against the Pacers on Monday night. He only played 29 minutes on Saturday, but poured in 30 points to get to 45 DraftKings points for the sixth time in his last seven games.

He has scored at least 20 points in seven straight contests, while averaging 27.0 points per game over that stretch. He has been very efficient and effective, and he should be able to post another big number against the struggling and short-handed Pacers.

Kevin Durant put together a COMPLETE offensive game in Houston's win!

🔥 30 PTS
🔥 4 REB
🔥 7 AST pic.twitter.com/A2xZFVi5Vw

— NBA (@NBA) December 28, 2025

Nicolas Claxton, BKN - C (DK $6.1K, FD $6.4K)

Claxton can be boom-or-bust, which is why I usually prefer to use him in GPP formats where his upside is worth the risk. He is a little too volatile for cash games in his typical role, but when he gets going, he brings a very high ceiling for a player at just over $6K.

He flashed his upside with a monster game against the Heat 11 days ago with 16 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists, three blocks, and two steals for 55.4 FanDuel points and 53.5 DraftKings points. He hasn't been able to get back to that level since then, but it was his second game over 50 DraftKings points this month, showing he has a sky-high ceiling when he's at his best.

The Warriors will be playing for the second day in a row, and the Nets could catch them at a good time in Monday's matchup. Keep an eye on the Golden State injury report as well, to see who Claxton will be matched up against.

Jaime Jaquez Jr., MIA - SG/SF on DK, SF/PF on FD (DK $5.9K, FD $6.1K)

Jaquez is another member of the Heat picking up more work with Herro out, and while he hasn't been as consistent as Powell, he still has been returning very good value and brings a very high ceiling in Monday's matchup with the Nuggets.

In each of his last four games, Jaquez has scored over 15 points, including Saturday's game, when he contributed 28 points in 29 minutes off the bench. He typically has strong non-scoring numbers as well and can stuff the stat sheet in multiple categories when he's at his best. He can be volatile, especially in Miami's second unit, but he has enough upside to be a strong option on the wing in Monday's GPP lineups.

NBA DFS Value Picks

Oso Ighodaro, PHX - C on DK, PF/C on FD (DK $4K, FD $4.3K FD)

Ighodaro will likely get a second straight start on Monday, assuming Mark Williams serves his one-game suspension after getting into a fight on Friday. Ighodaro actually started that game ahead of Williams since it was the second game of a back-to-back.

He logged 29 minutes and didn't miss a shot, racking up eight points to go with 10 rebounds, four assists, and a steal for a solid 27.5 DraftKings points. While he doesn't typically get a ton of scoring volume, the second-year player from Marquette should be an excellent value in this matchup against Washington, which has allowed the second-most fantasy points per game to opposing centers this season.

Asa Newell, ATL - PF/C on DK, PF on FD (DK $3.3K, FD $3.7K)

With Johnson out, the Hawks will have a ton of usage to fill at power forward, and even though it's a brutal road matchup against the Thunder, Newell could get enough playing time and usage to be an outstanding bargain play.

Asa Newell 13 Points, 7 Rebs, 2 Steals full highlight vs Bulls I 25-26 NBA Season pic.twitter.com/8cBAVe7ZJc

— Hoops Showtime (@HoopsShowtime12) December 24, 2025

Newell earned 27.8 DraftKings points for his strong game against the Bulls just before Christmas, and he had 12 points in Saturday's loss to the Knicks as well. The 20-year-old rookie has stepped up with Mouhamed Gueye sidelined with a shoulder injury, and he could get plenty of chances against OKC, whether the game gets lopsided or stays close.

Tre Johnson, WAS - PG/SG (DK $4.2K, FD $4.1K)

With the Wizards playing for a second day in a row, keep a close eye on the injury report to see if veterans rest or players miss with an injury that could allow Johnson even more room to flourish. He got a spot start on Sunday with Kyshawn George (hip) out, and he delivered with 14 points, four assists, a block, and a steal for 24.5 DraftKings points in the Wizards' win over Memphis.

The 19-year-old was the No. 6 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, and he definitely brings plenty of range:

Tre Johnson from near half-court 🎯

He's got 12 early PTS for WAS against MEM! pic.twitter.com/OtcNsZpQmx

— NBA (@NBA) December 28, 2025

He could be set up for another big role on Monday against Phoenix, and he's one of the exciting young players for a Wizards team that is starting to look much better lately. While the front court is crowded with good value plays, Johnson stands out as one of the best bargains in the backcourt, and he comes loaded with both short-term and long-term upside.

Day'Ron Sharpe, BKN - C (DK $3.8K, FD $4.9K)

Sharpe is especially affordable on DraftKings, where his salary is surprisingly low compared to his recent production. Sharpe has shown a high floor with at least 14 DraftKings points in nine straight games, and he has shown a good ceiling as well, with over 23 DraftKings points in six of those games, including each of his last two games, which were against the Sixers and the Timberwolves.

Sharpe will likely have lower ownership than Ighodaro and Newell since he isn't as obvious a play, but he has been consistent enough to be a very strong pivot consideration as a value option for Monday's slate.

Today's Top Game Stacks

Nuggets at Heat (244.5 O/U)

Knicks at Pelicans (243.5 O/U)

Cavaliers at Spurs (241.5 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: Jalen Brunson
• My favorite CASH play on the slate: Oso Ighodaro (assuming no Mark Williams)
• My favorite GPP play on the slate: Nikola Jokic
• My favorite VALUE play: Asa Newell

NBA DFS News and Injury Alerts

More DFS Lineup Picks and Analysis