NBA Daily Fantasy Picks & Playbook: November 13, 2026

James Grande | @The_Real_Grande | DraftKings and FanDuel main slate

On Friday, we have a six-game slate on DraftKings and seven on FanDuel. Players such as Giannis Antetokounmpo, Franz Wagner, Alperen Sengun, and Karl-Anthony Towns take the floor. It is the third Friday of the NBA Cup, too. There are plenty of injuries to run through in today's NBA DFS playbook as well, so let's dive into the top NBA DFS picks.

Before actually diving into the meat and potatoes, welcome to the NBA DFS season. If this is your first time reading our column on NBA DFS picks, I just want to welcome you and give you a few tips and tricks on what you should be looking for each night.

• News outlets: reliable sources that give us injury news & starting lineups
• Pace of play: who's playing fast vs. who's playing slow. Which teams get a pace-up spot (more possessions) vs. pace-down (fewer possessions)
• Usage rates: is a percentage of how many plays that player is being used in
• NBA DFS Projections
• Lineup Generator
• NBA Ownership

NBA DFS Picks & Daily Fantasy Playbook Today, November 13th

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Slate Snapshot & Injury Updates

Last updated: 10:00 a.m. ET

6 games on DK & 7 games on FD | Lock: 7:00 p.m. ET

• Atlanta Hawks & Chicago Bulls have a slate-high 245.5 implied points
• Evan Mobley is OUT
• Trey Murphy is DOUBT
• Jalen Suggs is expected to play (per Jalen Suggs)

Full Injury Report

Game Environments

Each game shows the away team first. ATL @ CHI carries the slate's top total. UTA @ HOU carries blowout risk. ATL @ CHI has the best pace matchup on the slate. 3 games are also on the schedule but not on this DFS slate. Ranks are league-wide, 2026-27; pace rank 1 is fastest, and off and def rank 1 are best. Green marks a better DFS spot and red a worse one, so a weak defense shades green.

DraftKings vs FanDuel Price Differential

• Desmond Bane is the 4th highest priced SG on DraftKings but 15th on FanDuel, so the better positional value is on FanDuel ($7,400 DK, $5,800 FD).
• Peyton Watson is the 21st highest priced PF on DraftKings but 14th on FanDuel, so the better positional value is on DraftKings ($5,600 DK, $5,700 FD).
• Darryn Peterson is the 3rd highest priced SG on DraftKings but 12th on FanDuel, so the better positional value is on FanDuel ($7,400 DK, $6,300 FD).

Each player is ranked by salary among every player in that site's file eligible at the position, including multi-position players (1 is the highest priced). Players are compared at a position they are eligible for on both sites; when they share more than one, the position with the bigger gap is shown. Rank Gap is how many spots apart the two ranks are; the greener the cell, the bigger the gap. Better Positional Value is the site where the player has the lower position rank (priced lower among players at the position), regardless of the raw salary, since the two sites use different salary scales.

Top Tier Core Plays

Victor Wembanyama - C · SAS (FanDuel)

The highest ceiling in the league. The Spurs also have two critical rotation pieces listed as questionable and his already elite role COULD potentially expand.

Giannis Antetokounmpo - PF · MIA

This game environment is awesome. Evan Mobley being out is great for Antetokounmpo, too. He is in a game with 236 implied points. Antetokounmpo has a 35.1% USG and 1.7 FP/min averages this year and we know how much he respects the cup. The Heat are second in their group with a decent point differential.

Franz Wagner - SF/PF · ORL

Yes Jalen Suggs is returning, but he'll be limited and Franz Wagner is THE guy in Orlando with Paolo Banchero being off the floor. With just Banchero out, Wagner has a 31.7% USG and 1.25 FP/min. The matchup against the Bucks is fantastic as they rank 29th in DRtg and 11th in pace.

Alperen Sengun - PF/C · HOU

So Houston is 0-1 in the NBA Cup and needs a huge performance on Friday. Utah ranks 23rd on DRtg and 10th in pace and the spot is fantastic for Sengun. On the year, Sengun averages 1.4 FP/min and 28.2% USG, both of which lead the team. Sengun has put up 50+ DKP in four of his last five games and has 40 minute upside.

Jalen Johnson - PF · ATL

It's hard to look at the price across all platforms and then the matchup and not want to jam Jalen Johnson into your lines. He has a 26.6% USG, which is second, and 1.29 FP/min, which is first. The Bulls are first in pace and 30th in defensive rating. Johnson's really popular but it's warranted.

Mid-Tier Core Plays

Donovan Mitchell - SG · CLE

Bruh, it's only a 50 minute sample, but Donovan Mitchell has a 36.9% USG this year without Evan Mobley and Sam Merrill. He's also up at 1.4 FP/min, which is just a massive number. He has an insane ceiling and Cleveland currently leads their group in the cup standings.

Yaxel Lendeborg & Brandin Podziemski - SF/PF & SG · GSW (FanDuel)

The offense is largely going to run through both Lendeborg and Podziemski now that Stephen Curry is out for the forseeable future. Lendeborg, without Curry and Brandon Williams, has a 30.6% USG and avgs. 1.3 FP/min while Podz is around 1 FP/min and averages 21.6% USG. Lendeborg is the priority of the two.

Ty Jerome & Cameron Boozer - PG/SG & PF · MEM

The Grizzlies are without Zach Edey and Scotty Pippen in this spot and Memphis looks really good as a whole. The ONE thing is that they don't often get extended past 33-34 minutes, but it's hard to ignore the upside. Jerome has a 33.3% USG and has two 40-point games and Cameron Boozer, without Edey and Pippen, has a 28.7% USG and 1.26 FP/min.

Kevin Durant - SF · HOU

The second best fantasy option on the Rockets this year is Kevin Durant and his price is really solid. He's nearly a 27% USG player this year and is averaging a smidge under 1.1 FP/min to boot. Elite spot against a bottom-10 defense and top-10 paced team. Should play mid-to-high 30s minutes in Cup game.

Zion Williamson & Jeremiah Fears - PF & PG · NOP

The Pelicans have ruled out Trey Murphy and downgraded Dejounte Murray to DOUBT, so there is a LOT of usage to go around in New Orleans. Zion Williamson and Jeremiah Fears are the top-two targets with both out considering they have 25.9% USG and 31.3% USG respectively. Williamson is 1.22 FP/min while Fears is at 1.06.

Ivica Zubac - C · IND

We knew as soon as the Pacers started to extend Ivica Zubac that he'd be productive at this price point and that he has been. He's at 1.07 FP/min and has 33+ DKP in two of his last three games. He's too cheap.

Jarrett Allen - C · CLE

It's really hard to ignore what Jarrett Allen's role can be with Evan Mobley out. He even got 32 minutes last game with Mobley available! He's a 1.4 FP/min player without Evan Mobley and Sam Merrill this season. He's going to be mega chalk and honestly, he should be.

Value Tier Core Plays

De'Anthony Melton - PG/SG · GSW (FanDuel)

We've ALWAYS known De'Anthony Melton is an elite fantasy player he just needs opportunity and he's going to get just that with Stephen Curry and Brandon Williams out. With both out, Melton averages nearly 22% USG and 1.13 FP/min to boot.

Meleek Thomas & Jaylon Tyson- C · CHA

I expect Jaylon Tyson to start for Evan Mobley here but let's not overlook Meleek Thomas' role as Sam Merrill is also out. Thomas has a robust 27% USG while averaging north of 1.1 FP/min without Mobley and Merrill this year. Tyson hasn't been a great fantasy producer, but we know he's a plus rebounder and big time hustle guy that does in fact have a ceiling.

Kelly Oubre - SG/SF · IND

The Pacers turned to Kelly Oubre in the starting lineup last game and I expect that to continue. Whether or not Aaron Nesmith plays, Oubre's playable. The Pacers are shortening their rotation as wins become more and more important. He has not been the best FP/min guy, but if he gets 30+ minutes again he has a ceiling.

Isaiah Stewart - PF/C · MEM

The primary question is how many minutes “Beef Stew” will play here but we've seen him play 28 minutes this year, so that's definitely on the table here as both Zach Edey and Quinten Post are out. He's been a 1.05 FP/min & 20.3% USG player without Zach Edey and Scotty Pippen this season.

Late-News Core Plays

Players we are considering core plays based on late-breaking news and research

Core Lineup

Cash Core: 

GPP Leverage: 

Player Pool

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Stacks

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