The NBA has gotten off to a fast start coming out of the All-Star Break, and that continues with a four-game slate on Monday night. Of the eight teams taking the floor, the Pacers and the Kings are the only two playing for the second day in a row. The Nets, Pistons, Heat, and Knicks will be back in action on Tuesday’s 11-game slate.
At this point of the season, it’s always key to monitor the latest injury news, especially on a smaller slate where any change can have a big impact. As updates come in throughout the day, be sure to refresh the NBA Models for the latest updates and adjustments.
Let’s dive into some of the top plays on the slate using the FantasyLabs tools and projections.
Also, don’t forget that for large-field tournaments, you can utilize our Lineup Optimizer to effortlessly create up to 300 lineups or use our Lineup Builder if you like to hand-build your lineups.
Note: Projections and Leverages Scores/Ratings may change throughout the day after this article is posted. The NBA DFS landscape changes quickly.
Consult the NBA Player Models directly for any updates as we get closer to lock.
NBA DFS Point Guard Picks
Stud
The Knicks continue to lean heavily on Jalen Brunson for huge minutes and usage, and the All-Star continues to produce excellent numbers. He has the highest median and ceiling projections of all point guards on Monday’s slate on both DraftKings and FanDuel as his Knicks host the struggling Detroit Pistons, who have been one of the best matchups for point guards this season.
Brunson had 21 points and 12 assists on Thursday against the 76ers, followed by 34 points and nine assists on Saturday against the Celtics in two strong showings coming out of the All-Star break. Since January 1, he has produced 1.33 DraftKings points and 1.27 FanDuel points per minute with a 33.7% usage rate in a hefty 36.2 minutes per game.
Brunson matches 12 Pro Trends on FanDuel, tied for the most of any player on the slate, and he also has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all point guards on that site, along with an 86% Bargain Rating. On DraftKings, he has the third-highest Projected Plus/Minus at point guard.
He should feast against the Pistons, who he lit up for 42 points and eight assists in their first meeting this season.
Value
Coming out of the break, Immanuel Quickley has had the hot hand for the Raptors, scoring 24 points and exceeding salary-based expectations in back-to-back games. Toronto has the second-highest implied team total on the board this Monday even though they are slight underdogs against the Pacers in the game with the highest over/under on the night.
Quickley had a fast start with the Raptors but faded a bit before the break. He has looked sharp, though, in wins against the Nets and Hawks over the past few days. The Raptors should be able to put up plenty of points against the up-tempo Pacers, and Quickley typically thrives in frenetically-paced matchups.
On FanDuel, Quickley has a 91% Bargain Rating and brings the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus at point guard and the third-highest on the whole slate. He’s priced over $7,000 on DraftKings but has still exceeded salary-based expectations on that site in both of his two games since the break.
Fast Break
De’Aaron Fox is extremely under-priced on DraftKings. He has a 97% Bargain Rating on that site with the highest Projected Plus/Minus, the most Pts/Sal and the most Pro Trends of all the point guards available. Fox has scored 28+ points in four straight games and exceeded salary-based expectations in each of those games on both DraftKings and FanDuel. He also catches a break by facing the Heat without Jimmy Butler (suspension) and possibly Tyler Herro (knee, questionable).
The Pacers have gotten five straight double-doubles from Tyrese Haliburton, who continues to be one of the breakout fantasy performers of the year. Haliburton is back to 30+ minutes a game in each of those five games and has produced 1.45 DraftKings points and 1.37 FanDuel points per minute over that span, returning to his season averages after ramping back up after his injury.
If you opt to go cheap at point guard, Haliburton’s backup T.J. McConnell has the best Projected Plus/Minus of the options on FanDuel with saaries under $6,000. There are more value options available on DraftKings, where Luke Kennard has the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus of all point guards from his affordable salary of $4,600. If Herro ends up sitting, Delon Wright would be a great punt play at the minimum salary on DraftKings and under $4,000 on FanDuel.
Don’t forget to check out our NBA SimLabs Lineup Generator to create advanced DFS lineups using the power of simulation:
NBA DFS Shooting Guard Picks
Stud
The Nets have continued to struggle coming out of the All-Star Break, even after a coaching change. They get a great matchup this Monday in Memphis, and Mikal Bridges brings one of the best projections of all shooting guards. He has the second-highest median, ceiling, and floor projection of all shooting guards on DraftKings, behind only Herro, whose injury situation makes him very high-risk. On FanDuel, he has a top-three median and ceiling projection at the position.
In his last 20 games, Bridges has produced 1.01 DraftKings points and 0.98 FanDuel points per minute while averaging 37 minutes per game. He has good upside in multiple categories and usually finds ways to contribute, especially in favorable matchups like this one.
The Nets’ inconsistency and blowout losses have led to some disappointing games, but in competitive matchups, Bridges usually gets enough usage to deliver good totals.
Value
After posting a pair of ugly performances limited by injury and illness, Bennedict Mathurin had a big All-Star weekend in Indiana and has built on that momentum coming out of the break. He has the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus of all shooting guards on both DraftKings and FanDuel this Monday and can also slide to small forward if that fits your lineup construction better.
The Pacers opened up room on the wing for Mathurin by dealing Bruce Brown and Buddy Hield at the trade deadline, and Aaron Nesmith (ankle) has been sidelined as well. Mathurin started the last two games for the Pacers, shooting an identical 5-for-14 from the field in each contest. He had 15 points on Thursday and an even better 14-point, 11-rebound performance on Sunday against the Mavericks.
If he continues starting alongside Haliburton, Mathurin has an even higher ceiling than he has shown and will be an excellent value in this favorable home matchup with the Raptors.
Fast Break
One of the few bright spots for the Grizzlies this season has been the emergence of Vince Williams. Williams had an understandably slow start against the Clippers in his last game but has shown a very high ceiling. Before the break, he had impressive ceiling games against the Rockets and the Bucks and can stuff the stat sheet when he’s at his best. In his nine games this month, he has produced 1.01 DraftKings points and 0.98 FanDuel points per minute in 34.7 minutes per game.
Coming off the bench for the Kings, Malik Monk is a volatile play but brings a high ceiling in the late game against the Heat. He has the fourth-best Projected Plus/Minus of all shooting guards on DraftKings, where he has a 91% Bargain Rating. His ceiling makes him a good option for GPP lineups, but his volatility is a little trickier for cash contests.
Former Knick Quentin Grimes will return to Madison Square Garden on Monday after making his Pistons debut on Saturday. He played 26 minutes off the bench and had five points, four assists, two steals and two rebounds to exceed salary-based expectations on both DraftKings and FanDuel. With a salary of just $3,600 on DraftKings, he has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all shooting guards, and he’s also in the top five in Projected Plus/Minus at the position on FanDuel.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
After a slow stretch early in January, Scottie Barnes has stepped back up as a top fantasy option, and in a great matchup against the up-tempo Pacers, he is an elite stud play on Monday’s smaller slate. Barnes has the highest median, ceiling, and floor projections at small forward on both DraftKings and FanDuel and is in the top six at the position in Projected Plus/Minus on both sites as well.
Barnes has exceeded salary-based expectations in five of his last six games, with five double-doubles and a triple-double during that span. In those six contests, he produced an elite 1.42 DraftKings points and 1.38 FanDuel points per minute with a 24.9% usage rate in 33.8 minutes per contest. His shooting is down during that stretch of games, but his non-scoring production has made up for it.
He brings a very high ceiling if he gets going in multiple categories and a relatively high floor since he isn’t reliant on just one thing. Barnes also brings extra point guard eligibility on DraftKings, giving even more roster flexibility. He posted a double-double in each of his two matchups with Indiana earlier this season, exceeding salary-based expectations in each contest and averaging 24.5 points, 12.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 2.5 steals.
Value
On both DraftKings and FanDuel, Josh Hart has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all small forwards. He has been shouldering more of the load with Julius Randle (shoulder) and OG Anunoby (elbow) sidelined and has stayed very involved even after the Knicks’ trade deadline acquisitions have joined the rotation. He brings solid and reliable production from a mid-range salary.
Hart has scored 16+ points in three of his last four games, including a pair of double-doubles. He exceeded salary-based expectations in each of those three games and has produced an average of 0.91 DraftKings points and 0.85 FanDuel points per minute over his last 11 games. While his rates aren’t jaw-dropping, he has averaged 39.2 minutes per game, so that production has a chance to stack up.
He has played over 40 minutes in each of New York’s two games since the All-Star break, so he should be set up for success against the Pistons this Monday.
Fast Break
Elite options at small forward are few on Wednesday’s slate, but there are some great mid-range plays. Ziaire Williams has the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus at the position on FanDuel and the fourth-highest on DraftKings. He returned from an extended absence just before the break and has started the past two games for the Grizzlies. He splashed five three-pointers and had 27 points in a ceiling game against the Bucks in his last game before the break. He also hit double-digit points against the Clippers on Thursday. The Grizz should give him a long look the rest of the way.
Simone Fontecchio has been a great addition to the Pistons and has slid into a productive role. In his five games with Detroit, he has averaged 15.4 points in 28.6 minutes per game while producing 0.91 DraftKings points and 0.88 FanDuel points per minute.
The other source of midrange value at small forward should be Miami, especially if Herro joins Butler on the sidelines. Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Duncan Robinson will have to carry large workloads in that scenario in their favorable matchups against the Kings.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
While Narrative Street fans will point you to Pascal Siakam against his former team, Jaren Jackson Jr. has stronger median, ceiling and floor projections at power forward. On DraftKings, the two players have almost the same salary, and JJJ brings a much better Projected Plus/Minus with a 91% Bargain Rating.
Jackson has carried much more of the offense for the Grizzlies than he normally does after all the injuries the team has sustained in the backcourt. He had a 28.0% usage rate in his first 35 games this season but has a 36.7% usage rate in his 17 games since then. In those 17 contests, he has produced 1.26 DraftKings points and 1.25 FanDuel points per minute while playing 32.2 minutes per game.
Coming out of the All-Star break, fatigue shouldn’t be much of a factor for the big man, and he is coming off a strong 29-point game against the Clippers on Friday. The team will continue to rely heavily on him on both ends of the floor, and his strong all-around production makes him a key piece to consider on Monday in a good spot against the Nets.
Value
Jackson’s teammate, GG Jackson, is also a great play to consider in this matchup. Yes, the Grizzlies really can go with a Jackson-Jackson-Williams-Williams lineup just to make things confusing. GG Jackson has the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus at power forward on DraftKings, where his salary is still under $5,000, but he is also a solid value on FanDuel, even though his salary has climbed over $6,000.
Before the break, GG Jackson exceeded salary-based expectations on both DraftKings and FanDuel in nine of his previous 10 games. He averaged 1.04 DraftKings points and 1.02 FanDuel points per minute in 27.3 minutes per game during that span.
Especially on DraftKings, GG Jackson is a great value that can be partnered with Jaren Jackson or used as a much more affordable alternative if you are spending up in other spots.
Fast Break
Siakam has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all power forwards on FanDuel. He has been very solid since joining the Pacers but hasn’t had many monster games. He has been held under 25 points in six straight games but has still averaged 1.1 DraftKings points and 1.09 FanDuel points per minute while playing a team-high 32.8 minutes per game. While he definitely could have a huge revenge game, his role with the Pacers gives him lower projections than Jackson, who is doing everything for Memphis.
Both Keegan Murray and Harrison Barnes can be streaky producers for the Kings. Barnes is very cheap on both DraftKings and FanDuel and could end up being a steal if he posts a good game. He has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all power forwards with salaries under $5,000 on FanDuel and under $4,500 on DraftKings. Barnes had 20 points before the break against the Nuggets and also had 22 points in a win over the Clippers on Sunday.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
On DraftKings, Domantas Sabonis has the highest Projected Plus/Minus on the entire slate, along with the highest median and floor projection of any player and the second-highest ceiling projection. On FanDuel, he’s a little more expensive but still has the highest median and floor projection and the second-highest ceiling projection on the slate. He matches 12 Pro Trends on both sites, and no player on the entire slate matches more than that.
Sabonis has posted seven triple-doubles in his last nine games, averaging 20.8 points, 14.4 rebounds and 10.9 assists. In those nine games, he has produced 1.63 DraftKings points and 1.51 FanDuel points per minute in 36.7 minutes per game.
He often doesn’t get the attention he deserves since he plays in Sacramento, but he is truly an elite fantasy star and gets a chance to shine in the spotlight on Monday’s limited slate.
Value
If you can’t spend up for Sabonis or Jaren Jackson at center, Myles Turner is a solid lower-cost option that still brings an elite ceiling. Turner has the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus on the whole slate on FanDuel and the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus at center on DraftKings, behind only Sabonis.
He showed that ceiling on Sunday with a season-high 33 points against the Mavs and has exceeded salary-based expectations in four straight games around the break while averaging 1.27 DraftKings points and 1.29 FanDuel points per minute in those games. He’s clearly past the illness that caused him to miss the final game before the break.
Fast Break
Depending on who else the Heat have available, Bam Adebayo could have a huge workload. With Herro and Butler off the floor, he has a 28.7% usage rate this season and has produced 1.24 DraftKings points and 1.22 FanDuel points per minute in that scenario. It’s a tough matchup against Sabonis, but Bam would bring a high ceiling if he’s near 30% usage.
The Raptors all get a boost from playing the up-tempo Pacers, including Jakob Poeltl, who has the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus at center on FanDuel. The veteran big man has quietly exceeded salary-based expectations in seven of his last nine games on FanDuel and six of those contests on DraftKings.
Kevin Love has the third-highest Projected Plus/Minus of all centers on DraftKings and the highest of all options with salaries under $5,000 on FanDuel. Even with his limited ceiling, he is the best bargain option with the information we have to start the day.
