This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
Tuesday might have been the official start of the NBA season, but Wednesday brings our first heavy dose of games. With 13 games on the slate, and so many options to choose from, let's get right to it and discuss some players to consider for your lineup, as well as a few to consider avoiding.
GUARDS
Trae Young, ATL at CHI ($44): The Hawks are going to look very different this season. After being one of the worst teams in the league, they've become one of the deepest with key additions including Danilo Gallinari and Bogdan Bogdanovic. Still, Young is the centerpiece of this offense after finishing with a 34.9 percent usage rate last season. The Bulls are in trouble defensively at both guard spots with Kris Dunn and Shaquille Harrison gone, so look for Young to feast on Coby White.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC at HOU ($31): Enjoy this salary for Gilgeous-Alexander while you can. He's not likely to last in the mid-tier for too long. The Thunder are a shell of the team that made it to the playoffs last season, moving on from Gallinari, Chris Paul, Dennis Schroder and Steven Adams. They loaded up on drafts picks, which leaves their current roster thin on talent. Expect Gilgeous-Alexander to come out of the gate firing while also providing valuable contributions in rebounds and assists.
Guard to Avoid
Lonzo Ball, NO at TOR ($26): There's no question that Ball is among the best passers in the league. The problem is that his offense is still a work in progress after he shot 40.3 percent from the field and 56.6 percent from the charity stripe last season. The Pelicans have plenty of other talented scorers around him like Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, so they might be content with Ball continuing to provide limited offensive production. Facing the defensive-minded duo of Kyle Lowry and Fred VanVleet doesn't exactly bode well for Ball's scoring upside in his season debut.
FORWARDS
Jerami Grant, DET at MIN ($18): Despite being in the early stages of a rebuilding process, the Pistons added the veteran Grant to be one of the focal points of their roster. He only averaged 27 minutes on a deep Nuggets squad last year, averaging 12 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists. He should receive all of the playing time that he can handle this season and he will have a great matchup out of the gate against the Timberwolves, who played at the third-fastest pace in the league last season and carried that over into the preseason by playing at the second-fastest pace.
Otto Porter Jr., CHI vs. ATL ($17): It's still unclear whether Porter will start or come off the bench for the Bulls. With that being said, Thaddeus Young (lower leg) has been ruled out for this game, so Porter should see significant minutes in either role. Health is a big area of concern for Porter, but he's not having any issues right now. That bodes well for his chances of providing value at this reasonable salary.
Forward to Avoid
Carmelo Anthony, POR vs, UTA ($20): Anthony exceeded any expectations that came with him when he signed with the Blazers, averaging 15.4 points and 6.3 rebounds a game last season. He was aided by their limited depth, which resulted in him averaging 33 minutes a night. That number should decrease this season after the Blazers added Robert Covington and Derrick Jones. With Anthony now expected to come off the bench in a limited role, expect his production to suffer.
CENTERS
Andre Drummond, CLE vs. CHA ($38): This is one of the more lopsided mismatches of the night. Trying to slow down Drummond will be the likes of Cody Zeller, Bismack Biyombo and PJ Washington. The Hornets have already stated their desire to play Washington more at center, which would really favor Drummond. Tristan Thompson is also no longer in town for Cleveland and Kevin Love (calf) has been ruled out, so Drummond should once again return to a heavy workload up front.
Al Horford, OKC at HOU ($17): One of the few veterans that did end up landing with the Thunder during the offseason was Horford. His brief tenure with the Sixers did not go well as he struggled to mesh with Joel Embiid. As bad as that combination was, he's now set up in a perfect spot for him on the Thunder with little talent around him. With his ability to contribute in multiple categories, Horford could be a steal if you don't want to roll with Drummond's hefty salary.
Center to Avoid
Richaun Holmes, SAC at DEN ($18): Holmes was a pleasant surprise for the Kings last season, averaging 12.3 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks a game. What helped his cause was averaging a career-high 28 minutes a night. Unfortunately for him, that average will be difficult to duplicate with Hassan Whiteside now in the fold. Even if Holmes continues to start, the Kings could go with the hot hand on a nightly basis, so no need to take a chance here on a slate with so many other viable options.
