NBA DFS Picks 20 October: DK, FanDuel, Yahoo

Updated 20 October 2026, 14:45 — refreshed with the latest projections.

Games and pace

Two of the three games carry big totals, and that is where most of the scoring should come from.

Knicks vs 76ers: game total 242.7. New York is implied for 122.5, Philadelphia for 120.2.
Spurs vs Thunder: game total 242.5. Oklahoma City is implied for 123.3, San Antonio for 119.1.
Pistons vs Celtics: game total 232.1. Detroit is implied for 117.4, Boston for 114.8.

Detroit-Boston is the lowest total of the night, and both teams played slowly last season. I am fine with value from that game, but I would rather pay up for stars in the two faster games.

Fanteam NBA DFS picks: main slate

Fanteam lineups have 7 players (PG, SG, SF, PF, C and two UTIL), a 77 cap and at most 7 players from one team. Only Knicks-76ers and Spurs-Thunder count for this slate.

Injury notes for the main slate

According to the latest injury report, Philadelphia is without Dominick Barlow, Tacko Fall and Ariel Hukporti, while Adem Bona, Anfernee Simons and Dean Wade are questionable. Oklahoma City has Otega Oweh, Thomas Sorber and Nikola Topic out. San Antonio has Tobias Harris and Jayden Quaintance out. The Knicks have nobody on the report, but lineups are not final for any team, so check again before lock.

Top plays

Player	Pos	Team	Salary	Proj	Value
Victor Wembanyama	PF	SAS	16.2	53.1	3.28
Karl-Anthony Towns	PF	NYK	12.5	44.4	3.55
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander	PG	OKC	15.8	44.3	2.80
Jalen Brunson	PG	NYK	11.8	40.1	3.40
Joel Embiid	C	PHI	12.8	37.3	2.91
Tyrese Maxey	PG	PHI	13.3	36.7	2.76
Jaylen Brown	SG	PHI	12.3	35.7	2.90
Stephon Castle	SG	SAS	10.5	35.4	3.37

Victor Wembanyama is my preferred top-priced player. His 53.1 projection is the highest on the slate by a wide margin, and his floor and ceiling are both elite in any matchup. He will be one of the most popular players tonight, and I am fine with that.

Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson are the two Knicks I want most. Both look underpriced next to what they produced last season. Towns has been the only big on the floor when he plays, which helps his rebounding. Early foul trouble is the one thing that can sink him.

Stephon Castle at 10.5 is the Spurs guard with the best floor and ceiling. He rebounds and makes plays, and he will probably draw the job of guarding Gilgeous-Alexander, which keeps him on the floor in a big role.

If I go to Philadelphia, Joel Embiid is the one I trust most. He had the highest usage on the team in preseason. The problem for all the Sixers is that five starters are priced high and someone has to lose shots on any given night.

Value plays

Player	Pos	Team	Salary	Proj	Value
OG Anunoby	SF	NYK	8.2	30.1	3.67
Karl-Anthony Towns	PF	NYK	12.5	44.4	3.55
Dylan Harper	PG	SAS	8.2	28.7	3.50
Isaiah Hartenstein	C	OKC	7.6	26.1	3.43
Jalen Brunson	PG	NYK	11.8	40.1	3.40
Chet Holmgren	C	OKC	9.2	31.0	3.37
Stephon Castle	SG	SAS	10.5	35.4	3.37

OG Anunoby has the best value on Fanteam at 3.67. He is the cheapest of the Knicks wings with the same kind of ceiling, so I expect him to be the most popular of that group.

Dylan Harper moves into the starting lineup, fills the stat sheet and costs 8.2. He is the easiest Spurs guard to get to value, and I see him as a core piece.

Isaiah Hartenstein at 7.6 is a good price if he stays out of foul trouble. He was used physically against Wembanyama in the playoffs, and if the Thunder keep Holmgren’s workload light, Hartenstein gets more of the frontcourt. Chet Holmgren is cheap for his steals and blocks, but the matchup is poor and I am not sure how hard he gets pushed early. Between the two, I lean Hartenstein.

One build that fits: Wembanyama, Towns, Brunson, Castle, Anunoby, Harper and Hartenstein. That comes to 75.0 of the 77 cap and adds up to 257.9 projected points. Treat it as a starting point, not a final answer.

Fades

Player	Pos	Team	Salary	Proj	Value
Devin Vassell	SG	SAS	9.8	23.3	2.38
Tyrese Maxey	PG	PHI	13.3	36.7	2.76
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander	PG	OKC	15.8	44.3	2.80
Jaylen Brown	SG	PHI	12.3	35.7	2.90

These are good players who are badly priced tonight. Devin Vassell is the clearest one. Harper joining the starting lineup should cut into his role, and 9.8 is too much for a 23.3 projection, even if he can get hot from deep.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is always playable and his ceiling is huge. The issue is that Wembanyama costs only 0.4 more and projects 8.8 points higher. Tyrese Maxey and Jaylen Brown both have ceilings above their price, but there are too many mouths to feed in Philadelphia. If either one looks overlooked once ownership is clearer, he becomes much more interesting as a tournament play.

DraftKings

DraftKings uses 8 players (PG, SG, SF, PF, C, G, F, UTIL) and a $50,000 cap, and Detroit-Boston is part of the slate. Jayson Tatum at $9,000 is a strong top play as Boston’s lead option. For value, Towns at $7,800 leads the way, and Payton Pritchard at $5,400 stands out because he should carry a heavy bench role and gives similar output to Derrick White for much less. Jalen Duren at $6,500 looks underpriced only if he is fully healthy and not eased in. John Collins at $4,700 starts, though his closing role is unclear. According to the latest injury report, Boston’s Devin Carter is out, Detroit’s Isaac Jones and Ugonna Onyenso are out, and Taurean Prince and Elijah Harkless are questionable.

Player	Pos	Team	Salary	Proj	Value
Karl-Anthony Towns	PF	NYK	$7,800	44.4	5.69
OG Anunoby	PF	NYK	$5,300	30.1	5.68
Dylan Harper	PG	SAS	$5,100	28.7	5.63
Payton Pritchard	PG	BOS	$5,400	30.1	5.57
Jalen Duren	C	DET	$6,500	36.0	5.54
John Collins	PF	DET	$4,700	25.6	5.45

FanDuel

FanDuel uses 9 players (PG, SG, SF, PF, C, G/F, F/C and two UTIL) and a $60,000 cap. The cheap centers are where the value sits. Hartenstein at $4,600 has the best value on the site, with the same foul-trouble caveat. Paul Reed at $3,700 is a productive backup who gains if Duren is eased back. Mitchell Robinson at $3,900 started the last two preseason games, but the Boston center job is unsettled, so I would play whichever of Robinson and Neemias Queta looks less popular.

Player	Pos	Team	Salary	Proj	Value
Isaiah Hartenstein	C	OKC	$4,600	27.0	5.87
Paul Reed	C	DET	$3,700	20.9	5.65
Mitchell Robinson	C	BOS	$3,900	21.7	5.56
Karl-Anthony Towns	PF	NYK	$7,700	41.4	5.38
Jalen Duren	C	DET	$6,600	35.1	5.32
Dylan Harper	PG	SAS	$5,200	27.6	5.31

Yahoo

Yahoo uses 8 players (PG, SG, G, SF, PF, F, C, UTIL), a $200 cap and at most 6 players from one team. Few players clear their price here. Wembanyama sits at 0.98, just under it. Ausar Thompson at 28 is a play I like. He should handle the ball more and play a bigger role, though he is foul-prone and will be popular. Reed at 18 gives the best value on the site.

Player	Pos	Team	Salary	Proj	Value
Paul Reed	C	DET	18	20.9	1.16
Dylan Harper	PG	SAS	25	27.6	1.10
Ausar Thompson	SF	DET	28	29.6	1.06
John Collins	PF	DET	24	24.7	1.03
Karl-Anthony Towns	PF	NYK	41	41.4	1.01
Stephon Castle	SG	SAS	34	34.2	1.01

FAQ

Who is the best top-priced play on Fanteam tonight?

Victor Wembanyama. He projects for 53.1 at 16.2, far ahead of anyone else on the main slate, and he costs only 0.4 more than Gilgeous-Alexander.

Which cheap players fit best on Fanteam?

OG Anunoby, Dylan Harper and Isaiah Hartenstein. All three have value above 3.4, and Harper gets a bump from moving into the starting lineup.

Why fade Tyrese Maxey and Jaylen Brown?

They are not bad plays, just badly priced tonight. Philadelphia has five expensive starters sharing the ball, so their value lags behind the Knicks and Spurs options. If they look overlooked in ownership, they become worth a tournament shot.

Lineups are not final for any team, so check the latest news and starting lineups before lock.

For the always-updated slate numbers and full player projections for DraftKings, FanDuel, Yahoo and Fanteam, see our NBA DFS Projections page.