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 11/05/16. 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.

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DraftKings DFS Guards

James Harden – PG/SG, HOU ($11,600) 

Harden has had a fairly smooth transition to point guard this season. He’s still scoring at an elite rate, as he’s averaging 31.8 points per game this season, but he also has an elite assist with an average of 12.4 assists per game. There’s no reason to believe that won’t continue, as Harden is always playing with the ball in his hands. He’s the most expensive guard on the slate, but he should be a focus of your lineups tonight.

Emmanuel Mudiay – PG, DEN ($6,000) 

After struggling in his first game, Emmanuel Mudiay has quickly heated up. He has a great usage rating this season, and he has been taking nearly 20 shots per game over his last three starts. He is a big point guard, which allows him to contribute in multiple categories, and he also has quick hands for steals. He gets somewhat of a tough matchup against the Pistons, but Mudiay is a consistent player with great upside for a good price tag. He can be used in all leagues.

Malcolm Brogdon – SG, MIL ($3,500) 

It isn’t surprising that Malcolm Brogdon is making his way up the rotation, as he was one of the most NBA ready rookies in the draft. He can contribute in multiple categories, and he has been scoring extremely well recently. He’s locked into nearly 25 minutes per game for the Bucks, which is more than enough for him to hit value. He also gets a great matchup against the Kings tonight, and Brogdon is an elite salary relief option on this slate.

DraftKings DFS Forwards

Blake Griffin – PF, LAC ($7,500)

Griffin’s price tag is surprisingly low tonight, but that may have something to do with the matchup against the Spurs. Even though the Spurs aren’t seen as an elite defense this season, they have the ability to shut down any All-Star. Griffin has looked outstanding, as he’s averaging a double double on the season, and he also has two games with five assists. He has elite upside, but Griffin is best suited for tournaments because of the tough matchup.

Taj Gibson – PF/C, CHI ($5,800)

There has been much talk surrounding Taj Gibson this season, even though he has looked outstanding when given the minutes in his career. This season, he’s averaging nearly 30 fantasy points per game in only 25.5 minutes. He displayed an ability to contribute in each of the five categories in his last game, which gives Gibson great upside. He gets a good matchup against the Pacers, who are playing at a much faster pace this season, and Gibson can be used in all leagues.

Jon Leuer – PF, DET ($4,000)

Leuer has been a great daily fantasy option for the entire season because of his low price tag. He’s playing 20+ minutes off the bench for the Pistons, and he’s contributing in points, rebounds, and blocks. He has good upside, especially against a fast paced team like the Nuggets. Leuer’s price tag continues to slowly increase, but it’s still a bit too cheap. He can be used in all leagues until he sees a significant price increase.

DraftKings DFS Centers

Nikola Vucevic – C, ORL ($6,300)

It’s tough to get behind Vucevic because the Magic haven’t been playing big minutes like previous years. He isn’t a player that needs big minutes, though, as he has been hitting value for most of the season in limited minutes. He comes with a fairly cheap price tag considering his upside. He gets a good matchup against the Wizards, and Vucevic can be used in all leagues.

Joel Embiid – C, PHI ($5,600)

Embiid is purely a tournament option, but he’s the type of player that will go under owned because of the concern about his minute’s restriction. His price tag also represents that restriction, though, which is what makes him usable. He doesn’t need many minutes to hit value, as he has the second highest usage rating in the NBA this season. He comes with a ton of risk, but he has the potential to score 40+ fantasy points in only 25 minutes, and he’s an elite tournament option if you’re willing to take the risk.

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