The 2015-’16 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 11/06/16. 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 @hayudi18.
Editor's Note: New users that sign up on FantasyAces, make a $20 deposit, and enter any game will receive our full season NBA (or NFL) Premium Pass for free (includes DFS Cheat Sheets). Just email [email protected] with your new FantasyAces username - and boom, that's it! We will email you with your Premium Pass.
DraftKings DFS Guards
DeMar DeRozan – SG, TOR ($8,300)
DeMar DeRozan has been enjoying an elite season for the Raptors. He has been one of the best scorers in the NBA this season, as he’s averaging 35.8 points per game. He has taken at least 20 shots in every game this season, and he has surprisingly been able to add other peripheral stats. He gets a great matchup against the Kings, who have struggled defensively this season. DeRozan can be used in all leagues on this slate.
Avery Bradley – SG, BOS ($6,000)
Avery Bradley has been arguably the most improved player on the Celtics roster this season. He’s playing 37.3 minutes per game, which he has turned into 20.6 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 4.0 assists. He has been shooting a ton of three-point shots, which has only added to his value. He gets a great matchup against the Nuggets, who are dealing with injuries at shooting guard. They also love to push the pace of games, and Bradley should easily be able to exceed value.
J.J. Barea – PG/SG, DAL ($5,500)
J.J. Barea is another player that is too cheap on this season. He’s playing big minutes for the Mavs, and he has been starting when any of the other starting five are out. They are dealing with a few injuries, which could give Barea more minutes tonight. He has been scoring well for the Mavs, and he has also added a few peripheral stats to his lines. He can play either guard position, and Barea can be used in all leagues tonight.
DraftKings DFS Forwards
T.J. Warren – SF, PHO ($6,700)
T.J. Warren has been one of the biggest surprises this season for the Suns. He has been a great scorer, but he can also add rebounds and steals to his line. His price tag has been on the rise, but it still doesn’t equal his tremendous upside. He gets a great matchup against the Lakers, who are young and love pushing the pace. This game should feature a ton of points, which plays into Warren’s strengths. He can be used in all leagues.
Larry Nance Jr – SF/PG, LAL ($4,200)
Nance wasn’t a big part of the Lakers rotation through the first few games, but that has quickly changed. He has played nearly 30 minutes per game over his last three games, and he has looked outstanding in those games. He still comes with a cheap price tag, although it is on the rise. He also gets a great matchup against the Phoenix Suns, who struggle defensively, but love pushing the pace. Nance can safely be used in all leagues.
Jaylen Brown – SF, BOS ($4,000)
Brown is far from an NBA ready prospect, but he has found success early in his career. He drew the start in his last game against the Cleveland Cavaliers because of the injury to Jae Crowder. In that game, he scored 37.25 fantasy points in 35 minutes. He has also displayed a good jump shot, which was one of the biggest concerns surrounding him coming out of California. He’s far from a safe option, but he’s extremely cheap and comes with great upside. He’s a fantastic tournament option.
DraftKings DFS Centers
Marc Gasol – C, MEM ($7,000)
Gasol will have his minutes limited this season, as he will occasionally get a day of rest. If he’s in the starting line, he’ll make a great option. He’s playing big minutes when starting, which gives him elite upside. He also plays with the ball in his hands quite a bit, and he’s a five category contributor. He gets a great matchup against the Blazers, who are a fast paced team that struggle against big men. If Gasol is named the starter today, he can be used in all leagues.
Amir Johnson – PF/C ($4,400)
Johnson is one of the beneficiaries of the injury to Al Horford, but he doesn’t always produce. He has played 56 minutes in his last two games, and he scored 47 and 19 fantasy points in those two games. He’s a boom or bust option, as he tends to either take games over or fade into the background. The minutes will be there, and he also gets a great matchup against the Nuggets. Still, Johnson is a tournament only option tonight.
NBA & DFS Premium Subscription
Get an edge on your NBA DFS competition, every single night of the week:
- DFS Cheat Sheets and Lineup Picks: Access to 10 deeply researched lineup picks, and sample lineups - seven days a week! Includes advanced stats to unlock NBA player values, and boost DFS success.
- DFS Optimizer Tool: Generate optimal DFS lineups in seconds. Use advanced features and stats for including/excluding players, cash games vs. GPPs, stacks and more.
- DFS Value Picks: Our Optimizer helps you find, sort and filter the best lineup values and DFS sleeper picks. Premium stats like "Usage Rate" and "Points/$1K" give you a leg up on the DFS competition.
- Daily NBA Projections: Our secret sauce - the Optimizer Tool provides DFS points projections for FanDuel, DraftKings and Yahoo scoring.
Lineup Optimizer/Generator & Sleepers Tool
Click here to see a full size version of the tool
Click here to see a full size version of the cheat sheet