Top 5 NBA Players for DFS of the NBA Season So Far

Matthew Stockman/Getty

Nikola Jokic drives against Victor Wembanyama.

The 2024 calendar may have come to an end, but the limited action we’ve seen from the NBA has given us a glimpse at some players who could continue their strong start to the season into the 2025 calendar year.

Here the top 5 NBA DFS performers up to this point of the 2024-2025 season:

1. Nikola Jokic

New year, same fantasy stud DFS performer. Nikola Jokic continues to be a stat sheeting filling machine with his average of 31 PPG, 12.9 boards, and 9.5 assists, which make him a threat to produce a triple double every time he steps on the court.

In many ways, Jokic has revolutionized the modern center position with his elite passing ability combined with his ability to score when necessary whether it be from the perimeter (averaging 2.3 three pointers made per game) or near the basket.

The Denver Nuggets run their offense through the matchup nightmare that it is Jokic and the versatility he brings to the table makes him a DFS darling for your lineup.

2. Giannis Antetokounmpo

The Greek Freak managed to finish the 2024 calendar year on a tear with three straight triple double to ring in the New Year. Thirty point triple doubles scream that Giannis Antetokounmpo is still at the height of his powers and can be a fantasy force every time you decide to spend up for his services in your lineup.

Antetokounmpo’s 32.6 PPG leads the league entering 2025, which makes sense when you realize he gone for 30+ points in 11 of his last 12 games.

Antetokounmpo may not be the elite passer that Jokic is, but he is certainly a willing and improved passer who can punish opposing defenses who are bit too eager to send double teams in his direction when the ball is in his hands.

His 61% field goal percentage is the highest mark registered by any high volume in the scorer in the league by a wide margin.

Then throw in an additional 1.4 blocks per game and you could be looking at another MVP bid for Antetokounmpo in 2025 if this level of play continues.

3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

We may witnessing the birth of a star in Oklahoma City with the electric start we’ve seen from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has blossomed into one of the most promising young stars in the sport of a talented young roster.

Gilgeous-Alexander trails only the aforementioned Antetokounmpo in PPG at 31.3 while averaging a 5.5 boards and 6.0 dimes per contest on the offensive end while chipping defensively with 1.2 blocks ( which leads all PGs in the league) and 2.0 steals per contest.

The triple double upside isn’t quite there with Gilgeous-Alexander in direct comparison with the first two names on this list, but going for 40+ in three of his final five games of the 2024 calendar year suggest he is a player that is here to stay as an elite scoring option regardless of matchup who regularly fills the stat sheet on both ends of the floor as a dynamic DFS option at PG.

4. LaMelo Ball

The Charlotte Hornets may not have seen a ton of overall team success to start the season, but LaMelo Ball has emerged as a solid DFS option for fantasy managers throughout the 2024 calendar year.

Ball ranks fourth in PPG at 30.1, which trails only the elite options listed above him on this list.

Unlike some of the other players on this list, Ball’s scoring performances have been a bit more volatile. While he does have a 50 and 44-point outing on his resume this year, he has also failed to top 15 points in two his first 22 games this year.

Ball has six double-doubles on the season while averaging 7.5 assists and 5.3 rebounds per game, but – similar to Gilgeous-Alexander – he is yet to record his first triple double on the young season.

One thing that has made his Ball a bit more boom or bust in fantasy is his style of play. Ball averaged 4.5 three pointers made in 2024 (which leads the league), but is shooting just 42.5% from the field while averaging just 4.7 free throws made per game. These are respectable marks, but they fall a bit short of the elite marks we see from other players already mentioned on this list.

5. Jayson Tatum

The defending NBA Champion Boston Celtics didn’t exactly get the respect nationally that their postseason dominance really demands. One argument for that is the claim that the roster doesn’t have a true superstar on the roster.

Well, if Jayson Tatum’s performance to finish out the 2024 calendar year is foreshadowing of what may be to come, then it would appear he is trying to change that narrative.

From December 2 through Christmas, Tatum ripped off six straight triple doubles, one of which included a 43-point explosion against the Chicago Bulls.

Tatum now has 12 triple doubles over his 30 games played this year, which rightfully puts his name in the elite DFS conversation entering the 2025 portion of the schedule.