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 11/17/16. 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, vs. POR ($12,400)

Players like Harden — the most expensive ones, that is — are not usually featured in this article, but Harden is too tempting to pass up for Thursday night. The Trailblazers have allowed 111.3 points per game through their first 12 contests, the second-most in all of basketball. They have also allowed the most free throws on the year as of Wednesday morning. These numbers obviously bode well for a guy who is currently averaging 28.8 points per game and took 174 more free throws than any other player in the league last season. If you can figure out a way to fit him in your lineup without rostering a bunch of space-wasters, then he’ll be worth the steep price.

Zach LaVine - SG, vs. PHI ($6,100)

LaVine is averaging 19.6 points through his first nine games played, including a 37-point showcase last week against the Magic, during which he buried seven of his nine three-point attempts. If it weren’t for a blowout loss in Oklahoma City on Nov. 5 in which he shot 1-for-6 for just four points in 26 minutes, he’d be well over the 20-point plateau by now, right alongside teammates Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns.

DraftKings shows that the 76ers allow the ninth-fewest fantasy points to opposing shooting guards, but that is incredibly misleading. LaVine is likely better than any of the two-guards Philly has seen thus far— it has yet to face guys like DeMar DeRozan, C.J. McCollum, Devin Booker, Klay Thompson, Dwyane Wade or Avery Bradley. Plus, James Harden and Paul George — both of whom spend some time at the shooting guard position but are listed elsewhere on DraftKings — have dropped more than 25 points on the Sixers this year.

Jerian Grant - PG, @ UTA ($3,500)

This recommendation is entirely dependent on Rajon Rondo sitting out against the Jazz— he is considered to be a game-time decision with an ankle injury. In Rondo’s absence on Tuesday, the 24-year-old point guard led the Bulls to a blowout win over the Trailblazers, totaling 18 points on 6-for-13 shooting to go along with three rebounds, two assists and five blocks in 30 minutes of action. Grant showed flashes of potential in a limited role with the Knicks last year, and has the ability to produce on a consistent basis if given the opportunity. He should have no problem filling up the stat sheet against a Jazz team that just surrendered 18 points and seven assists to Mike Conley earlier this week. At just $3,500, he can provide both value and ample roster flexibility.

 

DraftKings DFS Forwards

Carmelo Anthony - SF, @ WAS ($7,400)

With the exception of Friday’s tilt against the Celtics in which he was ejected in the second quarter, Anthony has posted at least 30 fantasy points in every game this season, including at least 40 in back-to-back contests heading into Wednesday. Now 32 years old, Melo isn’t quite the prolific scorer he once was — he has eclipsed 30 points just once so far this season — but he’s still averaging 22.5 points to go along with 5.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists.

The Wizards have given up 40 points to DeMar DeRozan, 32 to James Harden and 37 to Jimmy Butler so far this season. Melo could be the next No. 1 scoring option to capitalize on Washington’s defensive woes, and at $7,500, isn't a parity-killer like Harden.

Otto Porter - SF, vs. NY ($6,500)

Playing opposite Anthony will be Porter, who turned heads last Wednesday with a 34-point, 14-rebound showing against the Celtics. While that kind of stat line is not sustainable for Porter, he does have three other games with at least 40 fantasy points. The 23-year-old appears to be coming into his own as an all-around player this year, averaging 15.2 points and 7.8 rebounds through his first 10 games.

The Knicks have been most vulnerable to guards this year, but they have also yielded strong performances to small forwards— most notably two double-doubles by Tobias Harris (plus a triple-double by LeBron James on opening night). Porter should be able to enjoy similar success on Thursday night.

Trey Lyles - PF, vs. CHI ($4,100)

With Derrick Favors ruled out for the game, Lyles will slide into Utah’s starting power forward role and should see extended minutes. On the season, the 21-year-old is averaging just 7.6 points and 4.2 rebounds, but in an increased role on Monday, he posted 18 points, five rebounds and two assists against the Grizzlies.

This season, the Bulls have yielded 23 points and six rebounds to Amir Johnson, 27 and five to Kristaps Porzingis, 16 and 11 to Paul Millsap, and 24 and 15 to Marcus Morris— not to mention 20 and 20 to Hassan Whiteside. With the potential uptick in minutes, Lyles could join this list with his first double-double of the year.

 

DraftKings DFS Centers

Karl-Anthony Towns - C, vs. PHI ($8,600)

Towns is averaging 22 points through Minnesota’s first 10 games this season, putting him third among all big men in scoring— he sits only behind fellow Wildcats Anthony Davis and Demarcus Cousins. The former No. 1 overall pick has also posted 8.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.2 blocks and 0.9 steals per contest, and has posted 20 and 10 four times. Philadelphia, Minnesota’s opponent Thursday night, has the fourth-worst rebound differential in the league. A player on the opposing team has led the game in rebounds in nine of Philly’s 11 games— the other two contests were both against the Pacers. Towns has a solid chance at another one of those 20/10 nights, and his $8,600 price tag doesn’t necessarily limit the rest of your lineup.

Clint Capela - C, vs. POR ($5,100)

With Dwight Howard out of the picture, Capela has taken over as the starting center for the Rockets. He has three double-doubles in his last six games, and is averaging 11.8 points and 9.7 rebounds over that span. The 22-year-old currently sits third in the NBA with a 60% field goal percentage, which could translate into big scoring totals if he were to see more touches.

Portland allows the most rebounds in the NBA by a wide margin, so Capela has a decent chance to collect another double-double. If you are looking to save some money at the center position, Capela can help you do that while still putting up respectable numbers.

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