NBA DFS Picks: Yahoo Plays for 10/26

Julius Randle leads the way for New York as the Knicks host Charlotte. 

Wednesday’s 10-game slate is rife with possibilities DFS-wise, but we will narrow down our options on Yahoo with some players to target and avoid at every position.

As with every slate, there are elite options that warrant consideration on a nightly basis, but we’ll stray from the obvious choices and endeavor to be unique with our endorsements and fades.

Guards

Trae Young, ATL ($42) @ DET

One could consider Young a discount, given the number of elites who are far more expensive on the slate. He hasn’t shot the ball very well, but he’s had two double-double performances already and his shot volume provides a lot of upside. He’ll be well worth the salary point if he can get dialed in around the perimeter against the Pistons.

Kendrick Nunn, LAL ($10) @ DEN

We are reaching deep into the bargain bin for Nunn. Russell Westbrook (hamstring) is out tonight, and Nunn was brought on to do precisely what he’ll attempt to do tonight – prop up the Lakers’ backcourt. Patrick Beverley ($18) will also play a significant role, but Nunn has been displaying his slashing, sharp-shooting ways from his days in Miami. Now that his injuries are far behind him, he’s tasked with breathing new life into a team that needs more playmakers. You may be holding your nose at the idea of fielding Nunn, who has posted two consecutive goose eggs. But, we will see a massive increase in Westbrook’s absence and Nunn’s 3-point shot could cause his total to multiply quickly.

Guard to Avoid

Kyle Lowry, MIA ($18) @ POR

Although Lowry is playing maximum minutes, he’s doing very little compared to the amount of time he spends on the court. The veteran is averaging a whopping 35 minutes per game but only 10.5 points, 4.5 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game — all of which are career lows. Playmakers like Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro are leaps ahead in production, and even his role as a facilitator seems compromised.

Forwards

Julius Randle, NYK ($33) vs. CHA

At home against a short-handed Hornets? I would play Randle all day at $33. The Hornets don’t have much interior muscle to throw at Randle, who’s coming in at a slightly lower salary due to one inconsistent game against Detroit. I’d ignore the aberration and click Randle for his massive double-double upside against a team that will struggle to contain him. 

John Collins, ATL ($22) @ DET

Collins is another player whose salary is favorable. It’s hard to complain about his record so far: two double-doubles in the first three games (and he went for 24 points and eight rebounds in the outlier). Detroit will be a smash spot for opposing frontcourts until they get Marvin Bagley back. Although the parameters are different, Collins has a good history against Detroit, posting a 17-and-11 double-double against them last spring. 

Forward to Avoid

Ben Simmons, BKN ($24) @ MIL

The day may come when Simmons comes through, but I’d be shorting him if he were a stock. It will take more than a few starts for Simmons to re-acclimate himself to playing at the NBA level. A trip to the NBA G League could, in theory, boost his confidence, but with so much cash and leadership influence at play, that’ll never happen. Although his secondary numbers have been decent, he’s only averaging 6 ppg through three games.

Centers

Jusuf Nurkic, POR ($27) vs. MIA

Nurkic is set to face off against Bam Adebayo ($26), whose salary is just below Nurkic’s. When you line up Nurkic’s numbers against the quality of centers he has faced off against, the result is pretty impressive. He’s played well against Jokic, Sabonis and Ayton and has double-doubled in three of four games. Combine that with Bam’s less-than-stellar start and you have a reasonably exploitable spot for Nurkic and the Portland frontcourt.

Bobby Portis, MIL ($18) vs. BKN

Portis loves to show up for the big games, and his recent success sets him up for a possible smash spot against the Nets. Portis is a nightly double-double threat, and with Khris Middleton still sidelined, his contribution is all the more critical. The Nets are still figuring out their front line between Nicolas Claxton and Day’Ron Sharpe, and Portis should enjoy success opposite either player.

Center to Avoid

Mason Plumlee, CHA ($15) @ NYK

In fading Plumlee, we are following the narrative of domination by Randle and Robinson, as we stated above. The loss of Terry Rozier for Wednesday looms large in this fade because he’s been the catalyst necessary for the hornets while LaMelo Ball is on the sidelines. The Hornets have other talents but will be out of their rhythm without Rozier. Plumlee’s numbers will suffer as a result.

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Jeff Edgerton has provided sports content for numerous sports outlets and has played fantasy sports since scores had to be tabulated via newspaper. He started working with RotoWire in 2017. Originally from South Carolina, he’s a lifelong Clemson fan now enjoying the sun in Los Angeles.