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 11/19/16. 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, @NO ($8,200)
Walker continues to dominate, and he continues to be under owned in DFS. He has been on fire recently, and he has played well in the games he has struggled, as well. He gets a good matchup against the Pelicans, who have struggled quite a bit this season. Walker is a huge part of the Hornets offense, and when he isn’t scoring, he’s contributing in other categories, which makes him a safe option with tremendous upside. He can safely be used in all leagues.
Avery Bradley – SG, @DET ($7,100)
There are a few players that have been nearly must starts every time they have been on the slate. Bradley is one of those players. He struggled for much of the game last night, but was able to catch fire in the fourth quarter and save his fantasy night. Bradley is scoring well and rebounding at a high rate. He gets a decent matchup against the Pistons, and Bradley can continue to be used in all leagues.
J.J. Redick – SG, vs CHI ($4,700)
Redick is a pure scorer that has been on fire recently. He’s averaging 20.3 points per game over his last four games, and he’s shooting 51.7% from beyond the arc over that span. He gets a good matchup against the Bulls tonight, and they have struggled to guard the shooting guard this season. Redick doesn’t add many peripheral stats to his scoring, though, which means he comes with quite a bit of risk. He’s still fairly cheap, and he can be used in tournaments tonight.
DraftKings DFS Forwards
Jimmy Butler – SG/SF, @LAC ($8,600)
Butler has been on fire recently, as he’s averaging 27.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 7.0 assists, and 3.0 steals per game over the last 10 days. He has been playing huge minutes for the Bulls, and the ball has run through him with Rajon Rondo on the sidelines. Rondo is currently questionable tonight, and if he is ruled out, Butler will become a must start. If Rondo is playing, Butler is best suited for tournaments. He gets a decent matchup against the Clippers, and you’ll have to wait on the status of Rondo before deciding on Butler tonight.
Andrew Wiggins – SF, @MEM ($7,800)
Wiggins’ price tag finally got a bump, but he is still cheap enough to be used. He has been one of the best scorers in the NBA over the last 10 days, as he’s averaging 33 points per game over that span. He’s also averaging 5.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game, which gives him even more upside. He gets a solid matchup against the Grizzlies, who are dealing with injuries and have been pushing the pace this season. Wiggins should continue to take a ton of shots for the Wolves, and he can be used in all leagues.
Trevor Ariza – SF/PF, vs UTA ($5,300)
Everyone’s attention has been on James Harden for the Rockets, but Trevor Ariza has quietly been dominating over the last 10 days. Over that span, he’s averaging 13.8 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 3.0 steals per game. He comes with an extremely low price tag, which does not represent his recent production. He gets a tough matchup against the Jazz, but they have struggled against the small forward this season, which bodes well for Ariza. He can be used in all leagues because of his recent success and low price tag.
DraftKings DFS Centers
Hassan Whiteside – C, @WAS ($9,000)
Whiteside has been one of the hottest centers in the NBA over his last five games. Over has span, he has scored 50+ fantasy points in four games, and the lowest amount of fantasy points he scored was 39, which isn’t awful for his price tag. He gets a decent matchup against the Wizards, who have been turning games into shootouts this season. Whiteside makes a good option in all leagues, especially touranments because of his elite upside.
Marcin Gortat – C, vs MIA ($5,900)
Gortat has been a steady fantasy option this season. He’s consistently hitting value, but he also has more than enough upside to exceed value, as well. He’s a double double threat on any given night, and he comes with a surprisingly low price tag. He gets a good matchup against the Heat, who have struggled against the center this season. Gortat has been playing well enough to be plugged into all leagues tonight, as he makes a good salary relief option.
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