The 2016-’17 NBA season is officially underway. The first few weeks of the season always offer up tough choices, as decisions are largely based off of a small sample size.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 11/13/16. The DFS lineup picks will range from some of the elite players to mid-priced options and value plays on DraftKings. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to reach out to me on Twitter @BalesSJustin.
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DraftKings DFS Guards
Kemba Walker – PG, @CLE ($7,900)
Walker’s price tag is laughable for how well he has been playing. He’s coming off an elite game, and Walker has been scoring at a great clip this season. He’s also adding rebounds, assists, and steals to his lines. He gets a tough matchup against the Cavs, but the Hornets will need Walker to score a ton if they want to keep this game close. That was the case in Walker’s last game, and he scored 40 points then. He should be able to hit value with the ability for much more.
Eric Bledsoe – PG, @GS ($7,100)
Bledsoe got off to a slow start this season, but he has looked outstanding recently. He has triple double potential, and he’ll complete on soon. He gets a great matchup against the Warriors, who love pushing the pace in games. Bledsoe’s price tag has dropped a bit because of his struggles, but he can easily exceed value. He does come with quite a bit of risk, though, so he’s a tournament only option, even on the smaller slate tonight.
Nick Young – SG, @MIN ($4,700)
Young has been playing fairly well recently, but most importantly, he’s playing big minutes. He only played 20 minutes last night, but he averaged 31.7 minutes in his three fights prior to that. Young is a player that can heat up and outscore everyone on the court, but he generally doesn’t add many peripheral stats to his line. He gets a good matchup against the Wolves, who have been playing at a fast pace this season, and Young can be used in all leagues because of the small slate.
DraftKings DFS Forwards
LeBron James – SF/PF, CHA ($9,900)
James has been enjoying an elite season, as he’s averaging 23.4 points, 9.0 rebounds, 9.3 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. He’s a triple double threat every time he steps on the court, and he is consistently exceeding value at his current price tag. He gets a great matchup against the Hornets, who have the ability to turn this game into a shootout. James benefits from being eligible at both small and power forward, and he’s a great option in all leagues tonight.
Andrew Wiggins – SF, LAL ($6,600)
Wiggins is an extremely streaky player, as he gets a ton of his fantasy points from scoring. He’s on a hot streak right now, as he has scored 87 points in his last three games. He has also been adding a few peripheral stats to his lines, which will help his upside dramatically. He gets a great matchup against a fast paced Lakers team tonight, and this game should be one of the highest scoring on the slate. Wiggins is still fairly cheap for his recent production, and he can be used in all leagues.
Domantas Sabonis – PF, ORL ($4,000)
Sabonis is playing nearly 30 minutes per game, which gives him more than enough time to hit value at his current price tag. He’s a player that can contribute in multiple categories, although he hasn’t been playing all that well recently. A few games ago, he easily exceeded value, and that seems to be around his ceiling. He gets a good matchup against the Magic, who haven’t been giving up huge scoring games, but have allowed a few players to dominate them in terms of fantasy. Sabonis is a great tournament option tonight.
DraftKings DFS Centers
Kevin Love – PF/C, CHA ($7,600)
Love benefits quite a bit from being center eligible on DraftKings. He has been enjoying a great season, as he’s nearly averaging a double double through his first eight games. He has struggled with the Cavs since being traded from Minnesota, but Love has always had elite potential and he finally looks comfortable in Cleveland. He gets a good matchup against the Hornets, and Love can be used in all leagues, especially if you’re using him at the center position.
Mason Plumlee – C, DEN ($5,200)
Plumlee has had his ups and downs this season, but he has been an elite fantasy option when playing 30+ minutes. In five games with 30+ minutes, Plumlee is averaging 30.2 fantasy points per game. Tonight, he gets a great matchup against the Nuggets, who have struggled defensively this season. Plumlee’s minutes aren’t guaranteed, though, which makes him a bit risk. For his price, he’s the type of player that can win you a tournament, but he’s far too risky for cash games.
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