NHL DFS Picks, Projections, Lineups & Predictions Today: Thursday Playbook, 10/24
Published: Oct 24, 2024
We have a 9-game slate and a ton of good matchups to target.
Cale Makar leads the NHL in points, but is he worth paying up for in today's NHL DFS picks?
The Toronto Maple Leafs have an implied team total of 4.0, so should we have a lot of exposure to Auston Matthews?
The Sharks have the lowest team total, does that mean we can’t trust David Rittich in cash games?
NHL DFS Picks & Daily Fantasy Playbook Today, October 24th
There are lots of different ways to build your winning lineup, so let me help guide you in the process.
I can’t promise you’re going to take down a GPP, but I can promise that goalies are voodoo, and that Alexandar Georgiev is a fraud.
Sleeper NHL Picks, Tuesday, October 24th
Before we get into DFS, let’s make some pick’em picks for the night over on Sleeper Fantasy. There are lots of ways we try to fill your wallet over here at Fantasy Alarm and this is just another option:
- Nikita Kucherov O/0.5 A
- Clayton Keller O/0.5 G
- Timo Meier O/3.5 SOG
Nikita Kucherov is an elite passer and it’s always a good bet to take his over on assists. He has five of them in six games and will add at least one more before the end of the night.
The Colorado Avalanche are still a bad defensive hockey team, and Alexandar Georgiev is a trash game. Clayton Keller can certainly score goals, and I like his chances of doing that in this game.
Timo Meier leads the Devils in shots (33), and he gets a matchup against a Detroit team that is allowing over 33 shots against. Timo should be able to create a ton of scoring chances and hit the over without breaking a sweat.
NHL DFS Lineup Picks, 10/24
Goalie Of The Day: David Rittich - LAK
I do not like the idea of paying $8500 for a goalie on DraftKings who has a 3.39 GAA and a .860 SV%, but David Rittich may be the exception. It’s not that he’s very good, it’s that the Sharks are just that bad.
They are thin up front, and they are horrendous on the road, scoring just 1.90 goals per game. It’s going to be hard for Rittich to hit value, but in cash games, he’s beyond a safe bet.
Play Of The Day: Cale Makar - COL
It’s really hard to ignore just how good Cale Makar has been this season. He leads the NHL in points and has nine in his last four games. Colorado is also so lethal on the power play.
We know that Georgiev is going to give up goals, so the Avalanche may be forced to play catchup hockey early on, giving Makar even more opportunities to rack up points.
Value Play Of The Day: Chris Tanev - TOR
We know how good Chris Tanev is at blocking shots, but the veteran has taken it to another level this season. He has 25 blocked shots in seven games and is playing close to 20 minutes per night.
St. Louis isn’t an elite shooting offence, but Tanev can still hit value here. He’s $3600 and is going to be counted on to continue to sacrifice his body. If he could also find the score sheet, that would be the cherry on top.
Stack Of The Day - WPG PP1 (Mark Scheifele - Kyle Connor - Josh Morrissey)
Winnipeg is 6-0-0 this season and a big reason for that is their power play. They are operating at 44% -- best in the NHL-- and have a date with the Seattle Kraken who are ranked 25th on the penalty kill.
I love to stack the power play, even more when there is correlation five-on-five. I’ll go with the three best players and not worry too much about the cost.
Today's NHL DFS Cheat Sheet & Stacks
Player Pool
| $ Tier |
|---|
Stacks
| Maple Leafs | Auston Matthews | Morgan Rielly | William Nylander |
 DraftKings | 9600 | 5200 | 7000 |
 Fanduel | 9000 | 6100 | 8000 |
| Avalanche | Cale Makar | Ross Colton | Nathan MacKinnon |
| DraftKings | 8500 | 5400 | 9800 |
| Fanduel | 8500 | 6800 | 9400 |
| Devils | Jack Hughes | Dougie Hamilton | Timo Meier |
| DraftKings | 8400 | 6400 | 6400 |
| Fanduel | 8500 | 6400 | 6700 |
| Maple Leafs | Auston Matthews | Morgan Rielly | William Nylander |
| DraftKings | 9600 | 5200 | 7000 |
| Fanduel | 9000 | 6100 | 8000 |
| Avalanche | Cale Makar | Ross Colton | Nathan MacKinnon |
| DraftKings | 8500 | 5400 | 9800 |
| Fanduel | 8500 | 6800 | 9400 |
| Devils | Jack Hughes | Dougie Hamilton | Timo Meier |
| DraftKings | 8400 | 6400 | 6400 |
| Fanduel | 8500 | 6400 | 6700 |
Player News
Dolphins signed No. 13 overall pick DT Kenneth Grant to a four-year contract.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that Grant will sign his contract today. The former Michigan defensive tackle is expected to fill a major void left by Christian Wilkins, who left for the Raiders in the 2024 offseason. Grant totaled 32 tackles, three sacks, and seven TFLs in his final season at Michigan and excelled at stopping the run while also generating 27 pressures in his final season, per PFF.
Daulton Varsho picked up three hits, three RBI and a homer in a win over the Angels on Thursday.
Varsho has only played in seven games this year, but they’ve been seven good ones. He’s homered three times already, and his slugging percentage is a remarkable — and entirely unsustainable — .727 over 22 at-bats. Varsho has been a mediocre offensive player in his two seasons with the Blue Jays, but it’s possible at the age of 28 he’s having a breakout campaign. Far from a guarantee, but possible.
Taylor Ward hit a two-run homer in a loss to the Blue Jays on Thursday.
Ward, 31, gave the Angels a 2-0 lead with a two-run homer off Chris Bassitt in the first inning. He’s now gone deep in two of his last three games, and it ‘improves’ his slash to .181/.224/.391. Ward has been one of the most hot/cold players players in the sport over the last few years, so fantasy managers who can afford to make some roster moves may want to look at Ward while the going is good.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. picked up three hits and scored twice in an 8-5 win over the Angels on Thursday.
Guerrero also drew a walk. It gives the first baseman multiple hits in back-to-back games, and it’s the third time in May that he’s reached that mark. That’s helped raise his average from .268 to .295, and the only thing fantasy managers can be disappointed with is his .432 slugging percentage. That number should continue to climb as the season unfolds, but Vladdy Jr. has had some inconsistent seasons when it comes to power production.
Chad Green picked up his first save of 2025 with a scoreless ninth against the Angels on Thursday.
Green got the save after Jeff Hoffman worked in back-to-back games — and struggled — in the first two contests against the Angels. He struck out two and looked the part while needing just nine pitches to get through the inning. Hoffman should remain the closer, but Green is on his tail if the struggles were to continue.
Chris Bassitt allowed five runs — four earned — while working six-plus innings against the Angels on Thursday while picking up a win.
Bassitt allowed three runs over the first two innings on a pair of homers, but settled down over his next four frames. He came out to work the seventh, but ended up being charged for two more runs after leaving the contest. The 36-year-old veteran has forged a 3.35 ERA and outstanding 49/8 K/BB ratio over the first quarter of the season, but this wasn’t him at his best. He’ll get the Rays next week if the rotation order stays the same for Toronto.