NBA DFS Picks Today: Best FanDuel Plays for Wednesday, Oct. 28

Today’s Best NBA DFS Plays at a Glance

• Jalen Johnson, PF, $9,400
• LaMelo Ball, PG, $7,900
• Jared McCain, G, $4,300

Wednesday brings us a massive 12-game NBA slate, giving us plenty of different ways to construct FanDuel DFS lineups.

We've got a bunch of tools here at FanDuel Research. Specifically, our NBA DFS projections update throughout the day to reflect current news, and we also have an NBA player news page.

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.

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

Nikola Jokic, C, $12,000

Nikola Jokic is the premier ceiling play on the slate as the Denver Nuggets visit New Orleans. Per usual, Jokic has been hovering around a triple-double to begin the season, and his combination of scoring, rebounding and playmaking makes 60-plus FanDuel points attainable without requiring an outlier shooting performance. New Orleans has also struggled against opposing centers early on, adding to an already strong matchup. Using Jokic requires finding value elsewhere, but this slate has some quality low-salary plays.

Jalen Johnson, PF, $9,400

Jalen Johnson continues to be the centerpiece of the Atlanta Hawks, averaging 21.5 points, 9.8 rebounds and 8.3 assists through four games. He has already produced 64.8 FanDuel points in a game this season, demonstrating the triple-double type of ceiling he brings whenever the minutes push into the upper 30s. Miami has allowed 121.8 points per game thus far, so this isn't a matchup we need to shy away from. Johnson gives us elite raw upside at a meaningful salary discount from the five-figure stars.

Cade Cunningham, PG, $9,800

Cade Cunningham is another high-salary option worth considering when the Detroit Pistons host Charlotte. Detroit is without its starting center, leaving Cunningham with even more responsibility as the offense's primary creator. His ability to generate points and assists gives him a strong floor while rebounds and defensive stats can push him toward a tournament-winning ceiling. Charlotte is also dealing with several injuries of its own, so Detroit should be in a favorable offensive environment.

Franz Wagner, SF, $8,000

Franz Wagner should carry an enormous offensive workload for an injury-depleted Orlando Magic team. Orlando is missing two of its primary offensive creators, including Paolo Banchero, and Wagner has posted a massive usage rate in his minutes without the team's usual No. 1 option on the floor. He contributes enough rebounds and assists that he doesn't need 30 real-world points to produce a strong fantasy outing, either. The combination of elevated usage and an $8,000 salary makes Wagner one of the cleaner midrange building blocks on the slate.

LaMelo Ball, PG, $7,900

LaMelo Ball stands out as one of the slate's most intriguing plays for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Minnesota is missing Anthony Edwards, which should put significantly more ball-handling and shot-creation responsibility on Ball. Golden State has also been a favorable matchup for opposing point guards early this season, particularly in the assist and rebounding departments. At a manageable salary, Ball gives us access to a potentially expanded role without forcing us into a stars-and-scrubs build.

Josh Hart, G, $6,200

Josh Hart continues to provide one of the more unusual fantasy profiles in the league for the New York Knicks. He is averaging 10.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 32.3 FanDuel points per game, and his rebounding and defensive production give him several paths to fantasy value. Hart has already topped 40 FanDuel points once this season despite rarely commanding a large number of shots. At $6,200, he's a strong way to fill out a lineup without sacrificing much in either floor or ceiling.

Paul Reed, F/C, $6,100

Paul Reed has become a much more important part of Detroit's rotation with Jalen Duren sidelined. Reed has scored 36.7 and 44.3 FanDuel points in two of his last three outings, including a 22-point, 9-rebound, 3-assist, 3-stock performance on Tuesday. His per-minute rebounding and defensive production has always translated well to FanDuel scoring, so additional playing time makes him especially interesting. There is some volatility with his salary increased to where it is today, but he’s still a strong option.

Isaiah Hartenstein, F/C, $5,700

Isaiah Hartenstein is one of my favorite mid-tier values for a severely shorthanded Oklahoma City Thunder rotation. Hartenstein is averaging 9.3 points and 8.5 rebounds per game while playing only 23.3 minutes, so his per-minute production has remained excellent. Oklahoma City is missing several frontcourt and high-usage rotation pieces tonight, creating a realistic path to increased minutes and rebounding opportunities.

Mikal Bridges, G/F, $4,400

Mikal Bridges is difficult to ignore at a $4,400 salary for New York. Bridges continues to occupy a significant role in the Knicks' rotation, and a player with his expected minutes is easy to like at this salary. His scoring can fluctuate, but he contributes enough through rebounds, assists, steals and blocks to avoid being completely dependent on shot-making. This is the kind of salary-saving play that makes it much easier to roster someone such as Jokic or Johnson.

Jared McCain, G, $4,300

Jared McCain will likely be chalk due to his increased role in Oklahoma City's thin rotation, but he’s a really tough guy to fade tonight. McCain logged nearly 30 minutes on Monday and turned them into 18 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 defensive stats and 31.6 FanDuel points. The Thunder are still missing several regular rotation players while Ajay Mitchell is questionable, leaving McCain with a legitimate chance to be OKC’s second or third option.

Check out our favorite NBA prop bets for today.

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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.