NBA Daily Fantasy Picks & Playbook: November 15, 2026

James Grande | @The_Real_Grande | DraftKings and FanDuel main slate

On Sunday, we have a five-game slate on DraftKings and six on FanDuel. Players such as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Cooper Flagg, Jayson Tatum, and Jalen Johnson take the floor. 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 15th

Slate Snapshot & Injury Updates

Last updated: 11:00 a.m. ET

5 games on DK & 6 games on FD | Lock: 5:00 p.m. ET on FD, 6:00 p.m. ET on DK

• Atlanta Hawks vs Milwaukee Bucks lead the slate with 234.5 implied points
• Scottie Barnes could return here. Listed as QUEST.
• Fred VanVleet and Marcus Smart are OUT, opening up a lot of minutes for a short rotation. Steven Adams is back, but likely limited.

Full Injury Report

Game Environments

Each game shows the away team first. ATL @ MIL carries the slate's top total. OKC @ SAC and DAL @ BOS carry blowout risk. ATL @ MIL has the best pace matchup on the 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

• De'Andre Hunter is the 12th highest priced SF on DraftKings but 19th on FanDuel, so the better positional value is on FanDuel ($5,800 DK, $4,400 FD).
• Kyle Kuzma is the 18th highest priced PF on DraftKings but 13th on FanDuel, so the better positional value is on DraftKings ($5,100 DK, $4,800 FD).
• Jamal Shead is the 12th highest priced SG on DraftKings but 19th on FanDuel, so the better positional value is on FanDuel ($5,800 DK, $4,600 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

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander - PG · OKC

This year, without Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, Cason Wallace, and Jaylin Williams, SGA has a robust 40% USG and is averaging nearly 1.5 FP/min on both DK and FD. The Kings are 7th in pace and 27th in DRtg this year, which puts SGA in arguably the best spot of the entire slate.

Jayson Tatum - SF/PF · BOS

Everything revolves around Jayson Tatum first and foremost in Boston. Tatum has a 34.5% USG and averages 1.4 FP/min, which both lead the team. The Mavericks are a league average defense and are playing at the 10th fastest pace in the league. This is a nice pace up spot for Boston and Tatum.

Jalen Johnson- PF · ATL

We finally got the total package out of Jalen Johnson and he put up a 27-point triple-double in 40 minutes last time out. Johnson and the Hawks are in a smash spot today considering the Bucks rank 28th defensively. Johnson's an elite option in any and all formats.

Alperen Sengun - PF/C · HOU

The Rockets are getting the absolute best version of Alperen Sengun as he's smashing on a daily basis. He's put up 50+ DKP in three straight games, five of his last six, and has gone for 65+ DKP in two games this year. He's averaging 1.4 FP/min this year without Fred VanVleet and is one of the top spends of the day.

Karl-Anthony Towns - PF/C · NYK

It's obvious that KAT is playing for a new contract and he's absolutely dominating his opponents. He's averaging nearly 1.5 FP/min and has posted a 27.2% USG, which is 1st and 2nd respectively on the Knicks. This isn't a terrible spot as the Raptors are league average defensively.

Victor Wembanyama - C · SAS (FanDuel)

Wenbanyama is averaging 2.18 FDP/min this year. That is not a typo. It starts with a 2..that's the first time I've ever seen that, at least this deep into the year. Wemby is nearly a 40% USG player this year to boot.

Mid-Tier Core Plays

Jalen Brunson - PG · NYK

Lots of minutes and lots of usage. That's what we get with Jalen Brunson. He's playing mid-to-high 30s minutes on average and has a 33% USG to boot. He's over 1.2 FP/min to boot.

Kevin Durant & Amen Thompson - SF & PG/SG · HOU

Mr. Steady Eddy. Kevin Durant is super solid and is second in usage and is averaging nearly 1.1 FP/min on both DK and FD this year. Great matchup against a Wizards team ranking 19th in DRtg. Thompson is going to be on the ball a lot, play a lot, and have a good floor/ceiling combination.

Paul George - PF · BOS

If you're looking for a mini Jayson Tatum, look no further. PG has been elite in a Celtics uniform putting up a 30.9% USG while averaging 1.34 FP/min. He's almost averaging the same numbers as Jayson Tatum for nearly 3K cheaper, which is some elite stuff. Like we mentioned with Tatum, the Celtics have a great pace up spot here against the Mavs, who rank top-10 there.

Ajay Mitchell & Isaiah Hartenstein - SG/SF & C · OKC

It's possible we see Ajay Mitchell return from a two-game absence here and Isaiah Hartenstein has been incredible of late. Mitchell has a 27.5% USG, which is second on the team, and Hartenstein and is up to 1.3 FP/min this year without Holmgren, Williams x2, and Cason Wallace. If Hartenstein plays 30 minutes he has a massive ceiling. 

Jaime Jaquez. - SF · MIL

If you look at the last two games, the Bucks moved Jaime Jaquez. to the bench and he look's right at home. That's what he did for the Heat over the past couple of seasons. Jaquez Jr. has posted a 27.9% and 29.1% USG in those two games and has gone off offensively. I love the price for the role he currently has.

Keyonte George & Darryn Peterson - PG & SG · UTA (FanDuel)

The Jazz have a special back-court and Peterson has really found his footing. Peterson has poured in 21+ points in five straight games and has 39+ DKP in two straight and four of five. Peterson has a 1.2 FP/min (and that leads the team) and George is right behind him at 1.19 FP/min. George has a 31.2% USG and Peterson's at 29.9%.

Stephon Castle - PG/SG · SAS (FanDuel)

The price does not match the upside. Castle has a 25.6% USG and is averaging 1.15 FP/min and they also downgraded De'Aaron Fox to questionable, which could put Castle in an even better position to go off at 6.4K on FD.

Value Tier Core Plays

CJ McCollum - PG/SG · ATL

The most logical lineup swap is Kingston Flemings out (hurt) and CJ McCollum into the starting lineup. McCollum nearly has a 25% USG without Flemings this year and is averaging north of 1 FP/min to boot. Elite spot, elite price, and will get a lot of ownership but is a fantastic play.

Tari Eason - SF/PF · HOU

Eason's been great without Fred VanVleet this season averaging 1.1 FP/min on both DK and FD while posting a 22.8% USG to boot. The Rockets are pretty short-handed today with FVV and Marcus Smart out and it's likely that Steven Adams is going to be pretty limited today. Eason should have a fantastic role even if it's off the bench.

Reed Sheppard - PG/SG · HOU

The most likely the scenario is that Reed Sheppard slides into the starting lineup in place of Fred VanVleet and he's a plus fantasy player when extended. He has a real chance at 30 minutes at sub-5K on both platforms. 

Ryan Rollins - PG/SG · MIL

We'll see if Rollins ends up playing as he was downgraded to questionable but he's had a great role of late. Rollins has a 23.5% USG and is averaging 1.06 FP/min. Rollins' role fluctuates and it's hard to know if/when he's going to be in the closing lineup, but he has 28-30 minute upside.

Brice Sensabaugh - SF · UTA (FanDuel)

The Jazz are really short-handed and they've begun extended Sensabaugh a bit more playing 23 and 27 minutes in the last two games. He's a bucket getter, that's his middle name, so if he gets mid-20s minutes again he can go off at $4K.

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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