NBA Daily Fantasy Picks & Playbook: October 27, 2026

James Grande | @The_Real_Grande | DraftKings and FanDuel main slate

On Tuesday, we have a four game slate on DraftKings and FanDuel. Players such as Luka Doncic, Deni Avdija, Jayson Tatum, and Victor Wembanyama take the floor. The Celtics are the only team on a back-to-back and Ausar Thompson is the biggest name on the injury report that's currently in question.

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, October 27th

Be sure to like and subscribe to the Fantasy Alarm YouTube channel!

Slate Snapshot & Injury Updates

Last updated: 11:20 a.m. ET

4 games | Lock: 7:30 p.m. ET

• POR @ LAL is the game to attack: the highest total on the slate and the tightest spread.
• Ausar Thompson went through shootaround

INJURY REPORT UPDATES

Game Environments

Numbers read away / home. POR @ LAL pairs the slate's top total with its closest spread. SAC @ SAS and BKN @ BOS carry blowout risk. POR @ LAL has the best pace matchup on the slate. Ranks are league-wide, 2025-26; pace rank 1 is fastest, and off and def rank 1 are best.

Top Tier Core Plays

Luka Doncic - PG · LAL

Doncic is coming off a 50-bomb. 52 actual points, that is. He put up 80+ DKP and 78 FDP and that's not overly surprising because he has as high of a ceiling as anyone in the NBA. Doncic has a 42.5% USG and is averaging 1.7 FP/min.

Victor Wembanyama - C · SAS

I'm not sure there's going to be a lot of ownership here, but if, on a short slate, you're trying to be different, Wemby's a good way to do so. He hasn't had the pop Wemby game we're accustomed to seeing, but this is a spot to do so. Sacramento is 27th in DRtg and 8th in pace. Even despite 0 50 FP games, Wemby's up at 1.5 FP/min and team leading 31.5% USG. We just need the Kings to stay competitive, and relying on the Kings is a problem in itself.

Cade Cunningham - PG · DET

It's expected that Ausar Thompson is going to return but Jalen Duren is still out, which is a huge boost for Cunningham. He has a 60-plus FP ceiling but is the lowest owned spend up today because he's in the worst game environment.

Jayson Tatum - SF/PF · BOS

Tatum had a weird game last night that ended in foul trouble and a blowout. Tatum is playing his first back-to-back this year and has an elite ceiling. Especially against the 22nd ranked defense up to this point.

Mid-Tier Core Plays

Karl Anthony-Towns - PF/C · NYK

The Knicks best player to this point in the year has been Karl Anthony-Towns. He has a near 27% USG and is averaging 1.4 FP/min. This is a decent spot with Jalen Duren being ruled out, we just need KAT to stay out of foul trouble.

Deni Avdija, Damian Lillard & Donovan Clingan - SF/PF, PG & C · POR

Avdija has been fantastic in the two games and has ZERO business being under $8K on DK. He has a 32% USG and leads them in FP/min to boot. Lillard has been second in minutes and is taking a boatload of threes, which gives him quite the ceiling. Clingan's second game was kind of fake because he was in big foul trouble in the first half but played 16 second half minutes, so his minutes would've been around 30 if not in foul trouble. In two games, Clingan sits at 1.45 FP/min.

Julius Randle & Michael Porter - PF & SF · BKN

Both guys have usage rates of 27% or higher and both guys are averaging 1.2 FP/min or higher on both DraftKings & FanDuel. It's not the best spot overall with Boston on the schedule, but in a competitive game, Randle and Porter will be the primary reasons as to why.

Spurs Guards

It's hard to just pick one, and I like them all, so I'm listing all three of Dylan Harper, Stephon Castle, and De'Aaron Fox. The Spurs lead the slate in implied point total and are facing the 27th ranked defense also ranking 8th in pace. Harper and Fox are cheap and thus getting more ownership, but Castle has the highest usage rate at 28.6%. Fox leads the trio in FP/min at 1.31, followed by Castle's 1.38, and Harper 1.02. I would currently rank: Stephon Castle - De'Aaron Fox - Dylan Harper

Darius Acuff & Zach LaVine - PG & SG · SAC

The Kings are bad and we know that, but at least they have two dudes scoring the ball a lot, right? Acuff and LaVine are both averaging over 20 PPG and both have USG rates of at least 29.2% with Acuff over 33%. They play with an elite passer/screener in Domantas Sabonis that is finding them a LOT. If they stay close with the Spurs, it's because one or both of them are going off.

Value Tier Core Plays

OG Anunoby - PF · NYK

I love the price for the upside. He's not too highly rostered either, which is a bonus, and he plays a boatload of minutes. Not a lot to dislike about Anunoby today.

Paul Reed - PF · MIL

ELite fantasy producer that simply needs to stay out of foul trouble. He has a wide range of outcomes when it comes to minutes, but he has a high ceiling when he plays near 30.

Precious Achiuwa - PF · SAC

Look, we have to embrace his role. In the first game without Keegan Murray, Achuiwa started and played 38 minutes. He's a good rebounder and hustle guy, so at $5K and limited value on the slate, he stands out.

Day'Ron Sharpe - C · BKN

There are a lot of checks in both the play and don't play columns for Day'Ron Sharpe, but he's a really good motor with a big-time ceiling if he can just stay out of foul trouble. He's currently sitting at 1 FP/min on the year with an 18.6% USG but the minutes have been all over the place.

Keldon Johnson - SF/PF · SAS

The Spurs leaned on Keldon Johnson for 26 minutes last game and was on the floor when the mop up crew came in, so it could've been even more. He's 4.3K on a slate with limited value, especially if you're trying to spend up on a Luka Doncic or Victor Wembanyama. Johnson's 16.2% USG leaves a little to be desired but I like the .9 FP/min if he can get anywhere near the run he got last game.

Ziaire Williams & Collin Sexton - SG/SF & PG/SG · LAL

Even with Jake LaRavia returning last game, Ziaire Williams started and played 30 minutes and there isn't a ton of value on the board. He's decent value today. Collin Sexton ramped up to 20 minutes in his second game and had a robust 30.2% USG, which is very appealing.

Late-News Core Plays

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

• I love the FanDuel price for Payton Pritchard.5.3K is a fantastic price.
• Adding Austin Reaves to player pool. Really like his 28% USG & 1.27 FP/min.

Core Lineup

Cash Core (DK): De'Aaron Fox - Deni Avdija - Precious Achuiwa - Paul Reed

GPP Leverage (DK): Cade Cunningham - Stephon Castle - Donovan Clingan

Cash Core (FD): De'Aaron Fox - Deni Avdija - OG Anunoby - Precious Achuiwa

GPP Leverage (FD): Payton Pritchard - Zach LaVine - Deni Avdija - Keldon Johnson

Player Pool

$ Tier	{{pos.alias}}

Stacks

{{stack.team.name}}	{{player.name}}
DraftKings	{{player.fantasy.price.value[8]}}-
Fanduel	{{player.fantasy.price.value[6]}}-