Finally, the race to see who loses to Golden State and Cleveland has begun! This NBA season seems to be a collision course between two teams that are overflowing with talent, but what about the other 28 squads and all those days before the finals? That’s where keeping up with the best daily fantasy analysis comes in handy to make sure you know all about the best players and match-ups that aren’t focused around Draymond Green kicking someone somewhere or what LeBron keeps secretly tweeting about Kevin Love.

Opening night only has three games, but there are plenty of solid superstars and role players to choose from. It’s never easy figuring out which former MVP will go off for the most fantasy points or what new face in a different place will fit in best.

In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy NBA lineup picks for DraftKings on 10/25/16. The DFS lineup picks will range from some of the elite players, to mid-priced options, and value plays on DraftKings.

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DraftKings DFS Guards

Damian Lillard - PG, POR ($8,500)

Stephen Curry and Kyrie Irving will be getting all the attention on opening night and this only guarantees one thing: Damian Lillard will feel slighted. No All-Star game last year and consistently not being mentioned as one of the top point guards in the league means the chip on Lillard’s shoulder is even bigger than usual. Bright lights and big audiences bring the best out of the point guard turned rapper, so expect him to put up numbers just as good as any of the “marquee” names.

Rodney Hood - SG, UTA ($6,000)

Hood might seem a little on the expensive side for someone that hasn’t made much of a name for himself yet. But anyone paying attention to the second half of last season knows that Hood can put up a lot of points in a hurry. The Jazz will have to rely on Hood to do most of their scoring because Gordon Hayward and Alec Burks are hurt for the foreseeable future. Hood’s price is right where it should be considering the amount of shots he will likely get.

Courtney Lee - SG, NYK ($3,700)

Lee comes at a bargain basement price despite being on fire during the preseason and having a great guaranteed role for the Knicks.  Derrick Rose and Brandon Jennings will split up point guard duties leaving Lee to defend the other team’s best perimeter player on defense and then find a comfortable spot behind the three point line on offense. If Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis can demand a lot of attention there will be open shots galore for Lee. This is assuming there’s still air in the basketball after Rose and Jennings get done with it.

DraftKings DFS Forwards

Kawhi Leonard - SF, SA ($7,800)

Leonard has been quietly putting up better and better individual stats for a few years in a row now. Everyone will be tuning in to see if the Spurs can even hang with the new look Golden State Warriors, but they should get a quick reminder that Leonard is possibly the second most talented player on the court. Kawhi and the baseball mitts he calls hands are still only 25 years old, so it is safe to assume we haven’t quite seen him maximize his full potential yet.

Trey Lyles - PF/C, UTA ($3,600)

Gordon Hayward, Derrick Favors, and Alec Burks are all hurt so this means it’s time for the rookie to step up. Both Dante Exum and Lyles will be getting more minutes in the beginning of the year than they will when everyone is healthy. Lyles is the better play tonight because he has been so dynamic during the preseason showing that he can run the floor, grab boards, and step out behind the arc consistently. Derrick Favors is unlikely to play tonight so Lyles is a sneaky good pick.

DraftKings DFS Centers

Tristan Thompson C, CLE ($5,100)

The Knicks starting frontcourt of Joakim Noah and Kristaps Porzingis are talented but likely will not be able to keep Thompson from doing what he does best. The offensive rebounding and put-back machine won’t get any shots because of Kyrie Irving, LeBron, and Kevin Love but that has never mattered for Thompson. At a mid-level price and on a night where there aren’t that many good centers playing expect him to lead all players in rebounds and blocks.

Mason Plumlee C, POR ($4,900)

Plumlee is entrenched as the Blazers starting center because of his athleticism and versatility. There are not enough shots to go around for all the frontcourt members of the Blazers but Plumlee has shown the ability to put up stats while doing all of the dirty work. His rebound and assist numbers should all see an increase this season as he is still a young player developing. Going against a depleted frontcourt for the Jazz and at a decent price makes Plumlee a high risk/reward play.

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