If you're looking to have some fun this basketball season, NBA DFS on FanDuel has you covered.

With NBA DFS, you can put your hoops knowledge to the test and ride with players you think will go off in a given night.

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

On top of all that, here at FanDuel Research, 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

Guards

Top Priorities

D'Angelo Russell ($6,500) -- It's exciting to have NBA DFS back in our lives, and then we're greeted with a reminder that the opening night slate doesn't really come with any sort of normal NBA DFS spirit. With normal rotations and injuries accounted for by salary, mid-range plugs like D'Angelo Russell are core staples of most lineups.

Russell averaged 36.7 FanDuel points (FDP) per 36 minutes last year and should enjoy a similar full-time role ahead of Gabe Vincent this season. Our NBA DFS projections expect 30.0 FDP from him in a projected tough matchup with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Jrue Holiday ($6,400) -- The mighty Boston Celtics are at full strength sans Kristaps Porzingis (foot), creating the uncomfortable dynamic of wondering which scorer gets left behind in a game with the New York Knicks that features just a 223.5-point total. Still, just 42.3% of Jrue Holiday's FDP production last year came via scoring, so his floor is a bit higher than some of Boston's better bucket-getters.

On a tiny slate, Holiday's ability to pile up stocks (1.82 per 36 minutes last year) can hurt DFS players that fade him quickly.

Others to Consider

Jalen Brunson ($8,900) -- Jalen Brunson should be contrarian on a slate where most -- including myself -- want to get to New York's other four starters, yet Brunson's insane 36.4% usage rate with Julius Randle off the floor last year provides a role where he's a threat to drop 40 real-life points any night. This salary is quite low for that ceiling.

Mike Conley ($5,400) -- The T-Wolves will undoubtedly manage Mike Conley's minutes this season with the playoffs in mind, but he probably still eclipses 25 in this contest where the Los Angeles Lakers -- by far -- are the squishiest defense on the slate. We've got him projected for 24.5 FDP in 27.5 minutes.

Wings

Top Priorities

Jaylen Brown ($8,100) -- Even as Boston was securing a Larry O'Brien, the gap between Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown just isn't as large as their $1,500 disparity in salary would suggest. Tatum held a 34.2% usage rate to Brown's 31.1% with K.P. off the floor last season.

On a slate where I'm almost locked into a balanced build by way of not having value plays, Brown is an easy choice.

OG Anunoby ($5,500) -- Outside of Brunson, the Knicks are the core building block on this slate. I'd expect most single-entry or cash-game lineups have four players as they litter the top of our projections.

OG Anunoby is particularly interesting as New York's projected four because the team will start the season without Mitchell Robinson (ankles) and Precious Achiuwa (hamstring) as frontcourt depth. As a result, Thibs is probably going to do his thing in Game 1 and thrust Anunoby, Josh Hart ($5,900), and Mikal Bridges ($6,200) into nearly 40 minutes.

Others to Consider

Anthony Edwards ($9,400) -- If there's a superstar that has upside just simply from taking on additional skills and responsibilities in just his third year, it's Anthony Edwards. Edwards topped 45 FDP in six of his last nine playoff games after 44.0 FDP per 36 minutes last regular season. I see the Karl-Anthony Towns-to-Julius Randle swap in his lineup as a net zero for his usage rate, though.

Rui Hachimura ($4,200) -- If there is one true value play on this slate, it's our projections' best value per dollar of salary. Rui Hachimura has significantly less competition in the Lakers' small forward spot entering the season, meaning we should see him quite a bit after 30.8 FDP per 36 minutes a year ago. We're expecting roughly 28.5 minutes out of Rui against the Wolves.

Bigs

Top Priorities

Karl-Anthony Towns ($7,900) -- KAT could be a fantasy monster in 2024-25 just as he was with the Timberwolves under Tom Thibodeau from 2016 to 2019. Rudy Gobert stunted Towns' rebounding production as the two shared the floor together, but it's worth remembering he averaged 26.5 points and 10.6 rebounds per 36 minutes in his final year with Thibs.

The center is a top priority for me on this opening slate as I project his salary to hover in the $9,500 area playing such heavy minutes for a Knicks team that's otherwise pretty small.

Al Horford ($5,600) -- With no Porzingis, 38-year-old Al Horford will likely be a popular choice to save a little salary at center, but keep in mind that the C's have visions far greater than beating the Knicks on Tuesday. Our projections expect 23.9 FDP in 26.6 minutes from him in this one with Luke Kornet and Xavier Tillman ($3,700) mixing up the rest of the minutes at the five.

I'd consider any of them if it wasn't so challenging to move away from Towns at the center spot.

Others to Consider

Julius Randle ($7,700) -- Regardless of efficiency, Randle always made sure to get his with New York, posting 42.2 FDP per 36 minutes on a 29.6% usage rate last season. That production would be a value here, but his rebounding should drop next to Rudy Gobert. He's a modest plug at a thin power forward spot if his projection of 35.9 FDP ends up being the output.

Naz Reid ($5,000) -- One challenge for Randle could be the presence of Naz Reid -- although we could see plenty of both in lieu of Gobert late in games this season. Reid is a dynamite scorer off the T-Wolves' bench that posted 37.6 FDP per 36 minutes last year. Those minutes are the challenge, but bold DFS players will turn to him in single-entry lineups and hope for a scorching night from the field.

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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.