NBA DFS Picks Today: Best FanDuel Plays for Monday, Oct. 26

Today’s Best NBA DFS Plays at a Glance

• Giannis Antetokounmpo, PF, Heat ($11,200)
• Alperen Sengun, C, Rockets ($8,300)
• Brandon Miller, SF, Hornets ($7,400)

Monday brings a loaded nine-game NBA slate, giving us plenty of ways to construct FanDuel NBA 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.

Monday’s Best NBA DFS Picks for FanDuel

Giannis Antetokounmpo, PF, Heat ($11,200)

Giannis Antetokounmpo has immediately become the centerpiece of the Miami Heat, averaging 28.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists while shooting 57.1% from the field.

His early game log already shows the kind of DFS ceiling we're looking for. Giannis put up 36 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and a block against Detroit, finishing with 63.9 FanDuel points.

Miami and Dallas also have one of Monday's most appealing offensive environments, with FanDuel Sportsbook listing the matchup with a 240.5-point total. Giannis' combination of scoring, rebounding, assists, and defensive stats makes him one of the most natural players to spend salary on tonight.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, PG, Thunder ($10,100)

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander enters Monday averaging 27.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 4.0 assists through three games for the Oklahoma City Thunder. He has also averaged 47.9 FanDuel points per game.

Gilgeous-Alexander reminded everyone of his ceiling on Sunday, producing 34 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and a block in 36 minutes against the Clippers. That translated to 55.7 FanDuel points, his second outing of at least 55 FanDuel points in three regular-season games.

The biggest appeal tonight is opportunity. With Jalen Williams sidelined by a lower-leg injury, Oklahoma City should lean even more heavily on Gilgeous-Alexander as its primary scorer and creator against the Phoenix Suns. His combination of scoring volume and defensive production gives him one of the highest ceilings on the slate.

Alperen Sengun, C, Rockets ($8,300)

Alperen Sengun has opened the season averaging 23.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 6.3 assists for the Houston Rockets. He's producing 42.0 FanDuel points per game while shooting 53.2% from the field.

We've already seen a strong floor from Sengun. He has recorded at least 38.5 FanDuel points in all three games, including a 29-point, 7-rebound, 7-assist performance against San Antonio that produced 47.9 FanDuel points.

Monday also gives him a familiar opponent. Sengun just faced Atlanta on Saturday and finished with 17 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists, and a steal in 33 minutes. That all-around involvement is exactly what makes him appealing at this salary as he doesn't need a massive scoring game to return a strong DFS result.

Brandon Miller, SF, Hornets ($7,400)

Brandon Miller is coming off his best performance of the young season for the short-handed Charlotte Hornets, who are expected to be sans both Coby White and Kon Knueppel.

Miller erupted for 34 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and a block against Miami on Saturday. He attempted a whopping 29 shots and 12 free throws in 36 minutes, finishing with 47.6 FanDuel points.

The shooting efficiency hasn't been pretty through three games, but the volume is the important piece for DFS. Miller has already taken 64 field-goal attempts and 35 three-point attempts through three games. With Washington visiting Charlotte tonight, another high-usage outing gives Miller considerable upside at a salary well below the slate's elite options.

Pelle Larsson, SG, Heat ($4,100)

Pelle Larsson has seen his playing time increase in each of Miami's first three games, culminating in 36 minutes against Charlotte on Saturday. Larsson responded with 15 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and a steal, good for 30.4 FanDuel points.

That followed 29 minutes against Detroit, so this isn't simply a one-game spike in playing time. Larsson doesn't need huge usage at a $4,100 salary if he continues to see somewhere around 30 minutes.

The Mavericks-Heat matchup also carries that aforementioned 240.5-point total on FanDuel Sportsbook. A large role in one of the night's strongest offensive environments makes Larsson a particularly appealing source of salary relief. He’s a superb value play.

Ryan Kalkbrenner, C, Hornets ($3,900)

If you want to go even lower in salary, Ryan Kalkbrenner is an intriguing option.

Kalkbrenner has averaged only 5.3 points through three games, but his fantasy production has been remarkably steady thanks to 5.7 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game. He's scored between 19.5 and 20.9 FanDuel points in each of Charlotte's three contests.

His playing time has also climbed from 14 minutes in the opener to 19 and 23 minutes over the last two games. Kalkbrenner recorded multiple blocks in all three of those outings, and FanDuel's scoring system makes defensive production particularly useful.

If Kalkbrenner can maintain his recent playing time and maintain his blocks production, he’s a viable punt.

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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.