FanDuel NBA DFS Picks: Tuesday 10/21/25

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To help you along the way, we've got a bunch of tools here at FanDuel Research. Specifically, our NBA DFS projections update throughout the day to reflect current news.

On top of all that, we'll come at you each day with this NBA DFS primer, which breaks down some of the day's top plays at each position.

Let's dive into today's main slate on FanDuel.

Betting lines via the NBA odds at FanDuel Sportsbook. Projections and betting odds may change after this article is published.

NBA DFS Picks for Today's Games

Guards

Top Priorities

Luka Doncic ($11,700) -- Luka Doncic was already expected to be the primary ball handler for the Los Angeles Lakers, but the absence of LeBron James should lead to even more counting stats for Luka on opening night against the Golden State Warriors. Doncic logged a 34.5% usage rate across his 28 starts with the Lakers in the regular season last year, and he averaged 52.1 FanDuel points (FDPs) per game in his 55 appearances in 2024-25.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($11,100) -- Besides Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is another All-NBA guard who is going to benefit from the absence of one of his running mates, as it appears unlikely that Jalen Williams is going to be ready for the start of the season after undergoing wrist surgery in the offseason. En route to winning the MVP trophy and leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to an NBA Finals victory a season ago, SGA averaged a slate-leading 53.4 FDPs per game in the regular season.

Gabe Vincent ($3,700) -- At the moment, Gabe Vincent is expected to be in the starting lineup for the Lakers amid LeBron's absence, and he provides us with much-needed salary relief. While it remains to be seen how much playing time veteran Marcus Smart ($4,300) gets out of the gate in his first year with LA, I have a bit more confidence in Vincent getting more minutes on opening night.

Others to Consider

Brandin Podziemski ($5,700) -- Head coach Steve Kerr remains uncertain who will round out the starting lineup for the Warriors on Tuesday, but he did mention that Brandin Podziemski is going to be in the starting five alongside Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green. Podziemski shot a solid 37.2% from three-point range last season on a career-high 4.8 three-point attempts per game while also averaging 11.7 PPG and 5.1 RPG.

Cason Wallace ($4,600) -- Until Jalen Williams returns, Cason Wallace could be a candidate to start for the Thunder in their season opener versus the Houston Rockets after starting in 43 games a season. Wallace can be valuable due to his ability to rack up steals (1.8 steals per game in 2024-25), and that makes him an enticing salary-saving option -- especially if he's announced as a starter.

Wings

Top Priorities

Kevin Durant ($8,900) -- Kevin Durant joins a Rockets squad that is looking to take another step forward after earning a 52-30 record last year, and he figures to be the primary scorer on team that could be without Fred VanVleet for the entire season due to a torn ACL. Even in his age-36 season in 2024-25, Durant averaged 26.6 PPG, 6.0 RPG, and 4.2 APG en route to 43.2 FDPs per game, which is the most among all eligible forwards on Tuesday's slate.

Austin Reaves ($7,900) -- Along with Luka, Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura figure to be the biggest beneficiaries of LeBron being inactive for the Lakers. Reaves tallied career-highs in PPG (20.2), RPG (4.5), APG (5.8), and three-point attempts per game (7.3) while Los Angeles is going to need someone else to handle the ball and run the offense who isn't named Luka Doncic.

Rui Hachimura ($5,200) -- Rui Hachimura has become an efficient three-point shooter (41.8% three-point shooting on 3.8 threes per game over his last two seasons) on the Lakers, and his floor-spacing can be valuable with Doncic and Reaves creating shots for the other players in the rotation.

Others to Consider

Luguentz Dort ($4,400) -- Luguentz Dort should remain a starter for the reigning champs, and he's always capable of catching fire from deep in any matchup. Additionally, Dort can provide value at his $4,400 salary if he can generate a steal or two.

Buddy Hield ($4,200) -- The Warriors are going to be without Moses Moody in their season opener, and they're going to need someone to provide shooting off the bench, which is where Buddy Hield can be useful for Golden State. Even though Hield doesn't provide much value outside of scoring, he can knock down threes at an impressive rate, and he should be one of the first players to come off the bench.

Bigs

Top Priorities

Alperen Sengun ($8,900) -- The Rockets are expected to trot out a lineup where Alperen Sengun is the starting PF while Steven Adams is the C, but I don't expect Adams to get a ton of minutes. Given the starting lineup Houston is projected to use, Sengun might be the team's primary facilitator to begin the year, and he's coming off a 2024-25 campaign where he averaged 42.5 FDPs per game.

Chet Holmgren ($7,100) -- Deandre Ayton is shaping up to be pretty popular with LeBron ruled out, but I'd rather roster Chet Holmgren for $100 salary more, as he'll likely handle a bigger role until Williams returns. Holmgren can rack up blocks with the best of them, and his size will be desperately needed against Houston's tall lineup.

Draymond Green ($5,900) -- This isn't the same Draymond Green we saw when the Warriors were winning titles, but he's still capable of accumulating stats in multiple categories and he'll be active on the defensive end of the court. Draymond combined for 2.5 stocks (steals plus blocks) per game a season ago, which was the most in his career since the 2020-21 season.

Others to Consider

Jabari Smith ($5,000) -- Jabari Smith is currently slated to be the starting SF for the Rockets to begin the year, and this is a make-or-break year for the former No. 3 overall pick.

Al Horford ($4,800) -- Although Steve Kerr hasn't announced it yet, I expect Al Horford to be the starting C for the Warriors on opening night. Even if Horford doesn't start, he should get 20-25 minutes off the bench in most matchups, and Golden State isn't exactly deep at the five spot.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author’s advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.