We have a full nine-game slate on FanDuel tonight, while those who play on DraftKings have just six games to choose from. FanDuel has tended to include the late games more often this season, and I actually don’t mind it. It might even give us an edge if we are willing to use players from those late games more often in our lineups.
I always make it a point to recommend some higher-priced players for cash games and GPPs while highlighting some of my favorite value plays and game stacks. If you want DraftKings picks, see who Zach Thompson likes by reading his piece here.
This article will provide my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for FanDuel on 2/21/25. Remember to monitor NBA injury news and our awesome NBA injuries report tool, as the slate can completely change before lineups lock at 7:00 EST on FanDuel.
FanDuel NBA DFS Core Picks
De’Aaron Fox, SAS – PG/SG ($9.3K)
With Wemby going down for the season, Fox stepped up last night with a huge performance and didn’t disappoint as heavy chalk, racking up 57 FD points against Phoenix.
De’Aaron Fox tonight:
26 Points
9 Rebounds
7 Assists
2 Steals
2 Blocks pic.twitter.com/uOYWPwDyEs— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) February 21, 2025
Expect heavy rostership tonight again as Fox’s price has not adjusted to his role on a Wemby-less Spurs team. Even with Detroit being a decent defensive team, it’s hard to advocate for a fade of Fox here, as he’s just too good of a player.
He’s going to end up 10k+ very soon, and we should expect many more 50+ FD point outings going forward. I’ll eat the chalk in cash and tournaments tonight.
Alperen Sengun, HOU – C ($8.7K)
The Rockets welcome back Jabari Smith Jr. but will still be without their veteran point guard Fred VanVleet when they face the Timberwolves tonight. I like both sides of this game a lot, and I’m going to be anchoring lineups with Rockets’ center Alperen Sengun, who feels underpriced at 8.7K when he’s been a 9k+ player for much of the season.
Sengun has been fantastic against the Timberwolves this season. He is a tough cover for Rudy Gobert with his ability to stretch the floor and his elite passing ability should be on display again as he helps to initiate the offense more with VanVleet out.
Gobert is questionable tonight, too, so Sengun could have an even better matchup if he ends up being guarded by an undersized player like Naz Reid or someone like Luka Garza.
Naz Reid, MIN – PF/C ($7.8K)
As a starter this season, Reid is averaging 39.6 FD points, and despite his recent run of production, he’s still priced under 8k. He went for 44 FD points against the Rockets in 36 minutes when the teams last met earlier this month.
Anthony Edwards is questionable tonight and if he misses, then Reid becomes the top option on offense for the Wolves. I’d rather Edwards play, as I think Reid is best suited as the second option in this offense.
Just because Reid has been a 5k player most of the season as a backup, it doesn’t mean he’s overpriced here. If anything, he’s still a few hundred bucks too cheap for his steady production as a starter. He makes for a solid cash game option with a very reliable floor.
Others Under Consideration: Kyrie Irving – PG ($9.2K), Cade Cunningham – PG ($10.4K)
FanDuel NBA DFS Tournament Pivots
P.J. Washington, DAL – SF/PF ($7.2K)
Washington is currently questionable and has missed a bunch of games leading up to the All-Star Break, however with another extra week of rest he could be trending towards suiting up and we know that Dallas badly needs healthy bodies in their lineup – especially big men.
Washington will likely play most of his minutes at center tonight, and the Pelicans have been brutal against big men, allowing huge production all season long on the interior.
We’ve seen Washington put up some big numbers when he’s playing heavy minutes and getting an increased role this year. I’m taking advantage of a discount on his price here (he should be 8k) and hoping that the Q-tag keeps other DFS players away.
Paolo Banchero, ORL – SF/PF ($8.7K)
I made the mistake of going heavier on Franz Wagner yesterday than Paolo. It was Banchero who went off last night against Atlanta, reminding us and the rest of the league of what he’s capable of doing.
Paolo Banchero was a FORCE on the scoreboard for the Magic in their win in Atlanta!
💪 36 PTS
💪 10 PTS
💪 5 AST pic.twitter.com/IOgeP7haaG— NBA (@NBA) February 21, 2025
He’s now strung together three straight games with 40+ FD points. His offense is slowly ramping up, and he continues to be a plus rebounder and passer. He’s running the offense from his PF position, averaging over five assists per game this season.
Memphis is playing their second game in as many nights, too, so this game could be high-scoring, and Orlando is getting an upgrade in pace here as well.
Jimmy Butler, GSW – SF/PF ($7.9K)
Butler has settled into his role in Golden State quite nicely. He’s offering steady production as a secondary option next to Stephen Curry, and he brings a high ceiling with his ability to rack up defensive stats, as we saw when he cracked 50 FD points against the Bucks with four steals.
The Kings have been a poor defensive unit all season long, as I like attacking them with a player like Butler, who can do a lot of damage in the mid-range and at the basket (and free-throw line). His price is just high enough to keep players away, but he has an elite ceiling at this price point.
Repeat after me – target players in the 7.5K to 8.5K range in tournaments for low ownership!
Others Under Consideration: Domantas Sabonis – PF/C ($9.8K), Jalen Duren – C ($6.9K), Isaiah Collier – PG ($5.9K)
FanDuel NBA DFS Value Picks
Chris Paul, SAS – PG ($5.9K), Stephon Castle – PG/SG ($5.8K)
Both Spurs guards were solid last night in the first San Antonio game in the post-Wemby part of the season. Paul drew the start, dropping 10 dimes and playing more minutes than Castle, but Castle was very effective in his minutes and a force on the boards with 10 rebounds. They are only $100 different, and I’d get exposure to both guys in tournaments tonight.
Keldon Johnson, SAS – SF/PF ($4.2K)
Johnson is the cheapest Spurs value tonight that I trust. He went for 23 FD points in 25 minutes off the bench last night. That’s plenty of time on the floor for him to make 5-6x value. He saves a ton of salary and is eligible for two positions. He’s my favorite cheap building block on this slate.
Max Christie, DAL – SG/SF ($5.8K), Naji Marshall, DAL – SF/PF ($5.6K)
I’m stretching the value parameters here a little as these two Dallas wings are getting close to 6K but still positioned well tonight to keep their run of 30+ FD outings going as the Mavericks continue to be short-handed and have a good matchup against a bad New Orleans team.
Christie has been starting and playing heavy minutes. He’s fresh off a season-high 40 FD points in his final game before the break. Meanwhile, Marshall is coming off the bench for Dallas but thriving in that role. He’s a good bet for at least 25 FD points with a 40 FD-point ceiling if this game goes off.
Others Under Consideration: Kyshawn George – SF/PF ($5.1K), Bub Carrington – PG ($5.2K), Jose Alvarado – PG ($6.1K)
My Favorite NBA DFS Picks for Today
Here is where I leave you with some of my favorites.
- My favorite OVERALL play on the slate: De’Aaron Fox
- My favorite CASH play on the slate: De’Aaron Fox
- My favorite GPP play on the slate: P.J. Washington
- My favorite VALUE play: Keldon Johnson
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