We have a nine-game slate to kick off our NBA week today, and there are plenty of options across the board. Whether you are looking for cash game options or GPP options, the choices are plentiful on this slate. Going balanced or stars and scrubs for roster construction all seem to work tonight, so you have a lot of flexibility.
Create Optimal DraftKings lineups using our DFS Lineup Optimizer tool 
Guards
Iman Shumpert (CLE): $3,600 @ NY
Shumpert is going to get the start for Derrick Rose tonight, so he is a good spot to find some salary savings, along with some upside. Yes, Shumpert isn’t the most consistent player when it comes to the NBA, but we know the minutes should be there for him tonight, and at only $3.6K, we really only need 18 DraftKings points from him in order to hit 5x value. There is not a ton of risk here, and with him averaging 0.73 fantasy points per minute, the production is in a good spot for success. It should also be noted that Shumpert is going up against his former team, the Knicks, so if you like a bit of narrative in DFS this is the spot for you. If he is set on a revenge game, he won’t need to do much to make this his best fantasy game of the season, plus LeBron needs all the help on offense he can get.
We have a nine-game slate to kick off our NBA week today, and there are plenty of options across the board. Whether you are looking for cash game options or GPP options, the choices are plentiful on this slate. Going balanced or stars and scrubs for roster construction all seem to work tonight, so you have a lot of flexibility.
Create Optimal DraftKings lineups using our DFS Lineup Optimizer tool
Guards
Iman Shumpert (CLE): $3,600 @ NY
Shumpert is going to get the start for Derrick Rose tonight, so he is a good spot to find some salary savings, along with some upside. Yes, Shumpert isn’t the most consistent player when it comes to the NBA, but we know the minutes should be there for him tonight, and at only $3.6K, we really only need 18 DraftKings points from him in order to hit 5x value. There is not a ton of risk here, and with him averaging 0.73 fantasy points per minute, the production is in a good spot for success. It should also be noted that Shumpert is going up against his former team, the Knicks, so if you like a bit of narrative in DFS this is the spot for you. If he is set on a revenge game, he won’t need to do much to make this his best fantasy game of the season, plus LeBron needs all the help on offense he can get.
Austin Rivers (LAC): $5,500 vs. PHI
With Patrick Beverley going out with an injury, Rivers has gotten the starts over the past few games. This is another spot to find some savings, which is never a bad thing on a full slate, where you want to try and jam in a few of the high priced players. Rivers has 29 or more DraftKings points in three of his last four games and has a 24.7% usage rate with Beverley off the court. That usage rate is third highest on the team, so we know he will be seeing the ball a ton and will also be playing up in pace against Philadelphia. Rivers is averaging 0.80 fantasy points per minute and the 76ers are giving up 44.7 DraftKings points per game to point guards. He isn’t expensive and is playing at a pace up spot, so he is good for any format tonight.
Forwards
Ben Simmons (PHI): $8,500 @ LAC
Simmons has scored in double-digit real points in every single game this season and is really filling the stat sheet. He is seemingly coming to a double-double or triple-double nearly every game and not the kind of player you want to fade. Simmons has 51 or more DraftKings points in three of his last five games and is up against a Clippers team who are giving up 42 fantasy points per game to small forwards. He has a usage rate of 25.4% which is second highest on the team and averaging 1.28 fantasy points per minute. That just shows he is filling the stat sheet with peripheral stats, which are super valuable in DFS. He has dual position eligibility on DraftKings, so you have an option where you play him, and can shift your roster construction, so just take note of that.
Aaron Gordon (ORL): $7,400 @ GS
Gordon is off to a very hot start this season, as is shown by his 55% from behind the arc. Now that percent won’t stay that high all season, but it is not a bad idea to jump on him while he still has the hot hand. Gordon is doing it all for the Magic: a bit of scoring, bit of rebounding, and producing 1.15 fantasy point per minute. He has an outside chance at a double-double in most games, and with his matchup against the Warriors having a total set at 232 points, he should see plenty of touches. Gordon has a 22.5% usage rate and 31 or more DraftKings points in three of his last four games. He is up against the Warriors who are giving up 52 DraftKings points per game to power forwards, which is third worst in the league.
Centers
DeMarcus Cousins (NO): $11,300 vs. ATL
Cousins is really thriving to start the season, and if you have the salary to roster him, he is not the kind of player you want to pass on. He has a double-double in nine of his last ten games, and hasn’t scored less than 49 DraftKings points in any of his last ten games. Cousins is one of very few players in the league who has a 70+ fantasy point ceiling, and if you can, you should be building a lineup around him. Cousins is up against the Hawks, who are giving up 55 DraftKings points per game to centers, which is eighth worst in the league. This is a great matchup for him, and you want to fit him in any lineup you can, cash or GPP.
DeAndre Jordan (LAC): $6,700 vs. PHI
Jordan is a bit cheaper than Cousins at center, so if you are looking for a more balanced lineup, he looks to be the best option. He is up against the 76ers, who are giving up 60 DraftKings points per game to centers, which is third worst in the league. He is averaging a double-double per game to start the season and has plenty of upside with his potential to get blocks. The Clippers will be playing up in pace for this game, and even though Jordan doesn’t create his own offense, he will see the runoff production through extra rebounds and easy putbacks, which makes him a great cash game option tonight.
Create Optimal DraftKings lineups using our DFS Lineup Optimizer tool
Thomas Vecchio is a correspondent at FantasyPros. For more from Thomas, check out his archive and follow him @DFS_Tom.
