NBA DFS Picks Breakdown on DraftKings (Monday, January 20)

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The NBA celebrates Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday with a handful of afternoon games on DraftKings’ main slate. The 10 teams in action each had Sunday off, so none are finishing back-to-back sets. The matchups include some especially fun storylines as the Hawks visit the Knicks at Madison Square Garden and the Warriors host the NBA Champion Celtics by the Bay. It should be a great afternoon for some fantasy basketball lineups, so let’s dive in and find some strong options to build around. As always, be sure to monitor the latest news and availability changes throughout the day. Our NBA models will adjust as players are ruled in or out, so be sure to update the projections and modify your roster if needed.

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.

You can also use our SimLabs Lineup Generator, a tool that creates the most user-friendly lineup generation process.

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.

Become an All-Access Member Today

Lineup builder and optimizer

Real-time DFS models & projections

Data-driven analysis & tutorials
 

NBA DFS Point Guard Picks

Stud

The Knicks have been leaning heavily on Jalen Brunson all season, especially in the last few games with Karl-Anthony Towns (thumb, questionable) out with a thumb sprain. KAT could return on Monday, but Josh Hart (neck, questionable) is also uncertain, so there should be plenty of heavy lifting still for the Knicks’ superstar point guard. Brunson has the highest ceiling, median, and floor projection of all point guards for his matchup against Trae Young and the Hawks, and he has the third-highest Projected Plus/Minus at point guard.

Brunson has scored over 25 points in five straight games, highlighted by a 44-point game against the Bucks that earned him 63.25 DraftKings points. He exceeded salary-based expectations by over 11 DraftKings points in three straight games before slowing down on Friday with just 39.75 DraftKings points in a blowout loss to the Timberwolves.

Brunson and the Knicks will look to bounce back from that defeat against the Hawks, who have beaten the Knicks twice this season. Brunson only had 14 points and 35 DraftKings points in their last meeting at Madison Square Garden, and he’ll be looking for a much better showing on Monday. Since he has averaged over 52 DraftKings points per game over his last four contests, he’s a great pay-up option to build around on Monday afternoon.


Value

Darius Garland has been very consistent this season for the Cavaliers as they have sprinted out to a huge lead in the Eastern Conference playoff race. At 35-6, they have the best record in the NBA as they host the Suns on Monday. Garland has a top-six ceiling, median, and floor projection at the position, even though he only has the eighth-highest salary of the guards who will play. He also has the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus at point guard.

Garland has at least 20 points and at least six assists in each of his last five games, and he typically gets a usage and production bump when any member of the Cavs’ starting five is out. He had 40 points and 60.5 DraftKings points when Donovan Mitchell was out against the Raptors, and he had 29 points and 46.25 DraftKings points on Saturday when Evan Mobley (calf) and Isaac Okoro (shoulder) were out. Both Mobley and Okoro were already ruled out for Monday as well, so Garland should step into a more active scoring role, which gives him a very high ceiling.

With Mobley off the floor, Garland’s usage increases over two percentage points to 29.3%, and he has produced 1.36 DraftKings points per minute in that scenario. Mobley has missed three games this season, and Garland is averaging 46.6 DraftKings points in those games. He’s a great way to get an elite ceiling without paying a premium price on Monday.


Fast Break

Trae Young always seems to step up at Madison Square Garden, and playing there on a holiday afternoon matchup should bring even more attention and a bigger spotlight. Young had 47.75 DraftKings points against the Knicks at MSG earlier this season and an even better 51.5 DraftKings points against them in Atlanta. Young is coming off 58 DraftKings points in a win over the Celtics on Saturday and has 50+ DraftKings points in six of his last eight, including four double-doubles and a 24-point, 20-assist game against the Jazz.

Ty Jerome has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all point guards and his salary is still under $3,500. Jerome has exceeded salary-based expectations in six straight games off the bench for Cleveland and has scored at least eight points in each of those games. He had 15 points, four assists, four rebounds, and 28.5 DraftKings points against the Timberwolves, and he should be able to get a few extra minutes with Okoro and Mobley out. He doesn’t have to do a ton to be a great play at his price, and he can contribute in multiple categories when he gets an expanded role.

The Timberwolves will be without Donte DiVincenzo (toe) for a third straight game, so former Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley will probably get another start as the Wolves visit his former team. He only had 19 and 18.25 DraftKings points in his two spot starts for DiVincenzo but has been able to exceed salary-based expectations in six of his last eight games, including those two.

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

One of the exciting new features this season on FantasyLabs is our partnership with ShotQuality. In both the ShotQuality and FantasyLabs projections, Anthony Edwards pops as a play with an extremely high ceiling at shooting guard. He has the highest median, ceiling and floor projections at the position, and he also has a top-four Projected Plus/Minus at the position in both projections as well.

The Timberwolves have the biggest Pace Differential of any team on Monday’s slate, and Edwards has been stepping up his production lately, so he should thrive in this pace-up spot. He is averaging 43.9 DraftKings points per game for the season but has lifted that by averaging 52.2 DraftKings points per game over his last nine games with a production rate of 1.34 DraftKings points per minute and a usage rate of 33.8%.

Edwards has scored at least 28 points in four straight games including a pair of games with over 35 points that resulted in 65.25 DraftKings points against the Knicks and 66 DraftKings points against the Wizards. He has the potential to go off in a similar fashion in this smash spot in Memphis.


Value

Both sets of projections give Buddy Hield the highest Projected Plus/Minus at shooting guard, and he has the third-highest on the entire slate in the FantasyLabs projections.

Hield exceeded salary-based expectations for five straight games before coming up just short on Saturday against the Wizards. He has been helping to fill in for multiple absences lately, and he should continue to get plenty of playing time with Jonathan Kuminga (ankle), Draymond Green (calf), Kyle Anderson (glute), and Brandin Podziemski (abdomen) all ruled out and Stephen Curry (ankle) questionable.

On the season, Hield is averaging 21.9 DraftKings points in 23.3 minutes per game, but over his last eight games, he has averaged 25.1 DraftKings points in 28.6 minutes per game.

Since his production relies on his shooting, it can be a little streaky at times, but with so many absences for Golden State on Monday, he should have a good opportunity to return excellent value at his $4,700 salary.


Fast Break

Donovan Mitchell has averaged 52.6 DraftKings points in the three games he has played without Mobley this season. He had 36 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and an impressive 59 DraftKings points in 34 minutes on Saturday against Edwards and the Timberwolves to lead Cleveland to a seven-point win without Mobley. Spida had a brutal showing against the Thunder last Thursday, so it was good to see such a strong bounce-back performance.

The ShotQuality projections give Dennis Schroder the third-highest Projected Plus/Minus at shooting guard, even with Steph in the projections, and he’d step into an even bigger role if Curry is sidelined. Schroder took a while to adjust to his new team but has scored 12+ points in five straight games for the Warriors and is coming off 20 points and 29.25 DraftKings points in Saturday’s win over the Wizards.

Tim Hardaway Jr. has been turning in solid numbers for the Pistons since the injury to Jaden Ivey (leg). The veteran former Michigan Wolverine averaged 18.3 points and 26.9 DraftKings points over his last six games, scoring double-digit points in each of those contests and going off for at least 25 points three times. He has a top-10 Projected Plus/Minus in both projections at both shooting guard and small forward from his salary of just $4,100.

Be sure to check out all the pick’ems Sleeper has to offer with Sleeper promo code LABS1.

NBA DFS Small Forward Picks

Stud

The Celtics duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have the top two median, ceiling, and floor projections of all small forwards on Monday in both the FantasyLabs and ShotQuality projections. Tatum’s projections are higher in each category, but Brown has a slightly higher Projected Plus/Minus and comes $2,000 cheaper. Both are strong plays depending on what price point you’re shopping at.

Tatum had 30 points, six rebounds, four assists, and 51 DraftKings points in 35 minutes on Friday and followed that with 23 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, and 49 DraftKings points in Saturday’s narrow loss to the Hawks. He has over 43 DraftKings points in six of his last seven games, averaging 47.5 DraftKings points over that span.

Brown hasn’t been quite as consistent as Tatum this month, but he is coming off strong back-to-back games against the Magic and Hawks. He had 20 points and 41.5 DraftKings points in Friday’s win and then led the team with 24 points on Saturday while also grabbing 11 rebounds and chipping in eight assists on his way to 54.25 DraftKings points. It was one of his most well-rounded stat lines of the season, and he’ll look to build on that momentum against the banged-up Warriors on Monday.

Both Celtics forwards are loaded with upside at their salaries and are good options to build around.


Value

In the ShotQuality projections, Timberwolves small forward Jaden McDaniels stands out as a top value option. He has the highest Projected Plus/Minus at the position in those projections and the fourth-highest in the FantasyLabs projections.

McDaniels’ salary has trended up in the last few games, so he isn’t the bargain he was last week, but he still has lots of upside for a player at just $4,500. He has produced over 20 DraftKings points in five of his last six contests, highlighted by a game with 21 points, six rebounds, and an excellent total of 41 DraftKings points last Saturday at home against Memphis.

On Saturday, McDaniels had 24.75 DraftKings points against the Cavs and has at least that many in four of his last five games. He has exceeded salary-based expectations in eight of his last 10 games, and he continues to get plenty of minutes with increasing usage in the Timberwolves starting lineup.


Fast Break

In his three games since returning from a two-game personal absence, Andrew Wiggins has been excellent. He has 20+ points in each of those three contests and put up an impressive 59.75 DraftKings points on Saturday with 31 points and 11 rebounds against the Wizards. With so many Warriors’ sidelined, he’s lined up for a huge workload again on Monday.

Suns rookie Ryan Dunn has exceeded salary-based expectations in nine of his last 12 games and has moved into the Suns’ starting lineup for 12 of his last 13. He averaged 22.5 DraftKings points per game over that stretch and scored double-digit points with over 19 DraftKings points in five straight contests.

Cavaliers wing Max Strus is still priced under $4,000 and played 28 minutes with Mobley out on Saturday. He only had five points and 17.5 DraftKings points but has shown a higher ceiling in the past, with at least 20 DraftKings points in six of his last nine. With more minutes coming his way against the Suns, he’s a strong value play and has the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus at small forward in the FantasyLabs projections.

NBA DFS Power Forward Picks

Stud

On Saturday, Julius Randle had a great bounce-back performance against the Cavs despite his Timberwolves’ 124-117 loss. After struggling against his former team, the Knicks, on Friday, he had 20 points, 14 rebounds, nine assists, and 53.5 DraftKings points in 38 minutes in Minnesota’s loss.

On Monday, he has the fourth-highest ceiling and median projection of power forwards in both projections. He has the best Projected Plus/Minus of all power forwards over $5,000 in both projections and the fourth-highest overall at the position in the ShotQuality projections.

Randle has at least 37 DraftKings points in four of his last six games and has exceeded salary-based expectations in each of those four contests. In such a pace-up spot, he is a strong play to consider, especially since he came so close to posting his first triple-double of the season on Saturday.


Value

In both sets of projections, Santi Aldama has the highest Projected Plus/Minus on the entire slate on the other side of that Memphis-Minnesota matchup. His salary is still under $5,000 despite back-to-back big games.

On Wednesday, Aldama had 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 37.5 DraftKings points against the Spurs in San Antonio, and he followed that up with 29 points, eight rebounds, and 44.5 DraftKings points in the rematch on Friday.

The 24-year-old from Spain has been coming off the bench for the Grizzlies since returning from his latest injury but is averaging 14.0 points and 6.3 rebounds in 21.6 minutes per game over his last 12 contests. Since Zach Edey (nose) will play on Monday, there won’t be a huge role for Aldama, but he should continue to make the most of his minutes in Memphis’s second unit and has shown a very high ceiling when he gets extra playing time.


Fast Break

Jalen Johnson returned from a five-game absence on Saturday against Boston and finished with 14 points, 13 rebounds, and 38.75 DraftKings points in 38 minutes. He stepped right back into a big workload and was a key to Altanta’s big road win. He’s listed as probable for Monday, so even though he’s still dealing with the shoulder issue, it looks like he’ll be able to play through it. He had 56.25 and 58.75 DraftKings points in his two games earlier this season against New York, posting big double-doubles with 15 rebounds and seven assists in both contests. Especially if Josh Hart or Karl-Anthony Towns are out, Johnson should have a good matchup on Monday.

Naz Reid continues to thrive in his role off the Timberwolves bench, and the reigning Sixth Man of the Year is putting up a strong title defense. He scored double-digit points in 12 of his last 13 games, averaging 15.8 points per game over that span. He has exceeded salary-based expectations in nine of his last 10 games after posting 16 points and 34.5 DraftKings points against the Cavs on Saturday, and he could get even more work if Rudy Gobert (ankle) is limited or out on Monday after getting hit with a questionable tag.

Gui Santos is still available at the minimum salary of just $3,000, but he could start for the Warriors with Green, Kuminga, and Anderson all out on Monday. He started on Wednesday of last week against the Timberwolves and had 18.75 DraftKings points in 21 minutes. He has over 18 DraftKings points in three of his last five games. The 22-year-old from Brazil should be able to return value at this low salary on Monday. He has a top-six Projected Plus/Minus at power forward in both projections.

NBA DFS Center Picks

Stud

Without Mobley, Jarrett Allen should be very busy against the Suns on Monday in what should be an excellent matchup. He has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all centers in both the ShotQuality and the FantasyLabs projections.

Allen has scored at least 11 points in 11 straight games and has at least nine rebounds in nine of those contests. He has averaged 37.3 DraftKings points per game over that 11-game stretch by producing 1.34 DraftKings points per minute in 27.8 minutes per game.

In his three games this season without Mobley, Allen has averaged 38.8 DraftKings points per game. He has produced 1.27 DraftKings points per minute in his time on the floor without Mobley this season, and his usage rate has climbed from 16.0% to 18.9%.

He didn’t have a monster game without Mobley on Saturday, but he’ll be in a more favorable matchup on Monday, so look for Allen to deliver a big number.


Value

Since the calendar turned to 2025, Onyeka Okongwu has been a beast off the Hawks bench. He has the fourth-highest Projected Plus/Minus at the position on Monday in both sets of projections and will look to keep posting huge numbers from hsi salary under $6,000.

He comes into Monday’s matchup with the Knicks off three straight double-doubles that have helped him exceed salary-based expectations in eight straight games. Last week, he had 22 points and 21 rebounds in just 28 minutes against the Suns for 52.75 DraftKings points to start the run and followed that up with 45.75 DraftKings points against the Bulls and 47.75 DraftKings points against the Celtics in his last two games.

He’s still playing behind veteran Clint Capela, but the 24-year-old Okongwu has shown a very high ceiling even in his role off the bench.


Fast Break

Rockets center Alperen Sengun has the highest ceiling projection at center in both sets of projections. He has exceeded salary-based expectations in five of his last six games and is coming off a strong double-double of 23 points, 15 rebounds, and 57.25 DraftKings points on Saturday against the Trail Blazers.

Nick Richards had 21 points, 11 rebounds, and 39.75 DraftKings points in 29 minutes in his Suns’ debut on Saturday. He got more work than starter Mason Plumlee and could move into the starting unit if he continues to be so productive. Richards flashed this kind of upside at times with the Hornets but was inconsistent and injury-prone. If he can stay healthy, he could have a breakout run in an expanded run with the Suns, who desperately need help at center.

Pistons backup big Isaiah Stewart has also been regularly returning good value. He exceeded salary-based expectations in seven of nine games before a down performance on Saturday afternoon. He has a top-five Projected Plus/Minus in both sets of projections and is available for under $4,000.

The NBA celebrates Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday with a handful of afternoon games on DraftKings’ main slate. The 10 teams in action each had Sunday off, so none are finishing back-to-back sets. The matchups include some especially fun storylines as the Hawks visit the Knicks at Madison Square Garden and the Warriors host the NBA Champion Celtics by the Bay. It should be a great afternoon for some fantasy basketball lineups, so let’s dive in and find some strong options to build around. As always, be sure to monitor the latest news and availability changes throughout the day. Our NBA models will adjust as players are ruled in or out, so be sure to update the projections and modify your roster if needed.

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.

You can also use our SimLabs Lineup Generator, a tool that creates the most user-friendly lineup generation process.

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.

Become an All-Access Member Today

Lineup builder and optimizer

Real-time DFS models & projections

Data-driven analysis & tutorials
 

NBA DFS Point Guard Picks

Stud

The Knicks have been leaning heavily on Jalen Brunson all season, especially in the last few games with Karl-Anthony Towns (thumb, questionable) out with a thumb sprain. KAT could return on Monday, but Josh Hart (neck, questionable) is also uncertain, so there should be plenty of heavy lifting still for the Knicks’ superstar point guard. Brunson has the highest ceiling, median, and floor projection of all point guards for his matchup against Trae Young and the Hawks, and he has the third-highest Projected Plus/Minus at point guard.

Brunson has scored over 25 points in five straight games, highlighted by a 44-point game against the Bucks that earned him 63.25 DraftKings points. He exceeded salary-based expectations by over 11 DraftKings points in three straight games before slowing down on Friday with just 39.75 DraftKings points in a blowout loss to the Timberwolves.

Brunson and the Knicks will look to bounce back from that defeat against the Hawks, who have beaten the Knicks twice this season. Brunson only had 14 points and 35 DraftKings points in their last meeting at Madison Square Garden, and he’ll be looking for a much better showing on Monday. Since he has averaged over 52 DraftKings points per game over his last four contests, he’s a great pay-up option to build around on Monday afternoon.


Value

Darius Garland has been very consistent this season for the Cavaliers as they have sprinted out to a huge lead in the Eastern Conference playoff race. At 35-6, they have the best record in the NBA as they host the Suns on Monday. Garland has a top-six ceiling, median, and floor projection at the position, even though he only has the eighth-highest salary of the guards who will play. He also has the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus at point guard.

Garland has at least 20 points and at least six assists in each of his last five games, and he typically gets a usage and production bump when any member of the Cavs’ starting five is out. He had 40 points and 60.5 DraftKings points when Donovan Mitchell was out against the Raptors, and he had 29 points and 46.25 DraftKings points on Saturday when Evan Mobley (calf) and Isaac Okoro (shoulder) were out. Both Mobley and Okoro were already ruled out for Monday as well, so Garland should step into a more active scoring role, which gives him a very high ceiling.

With Mobley off the floor, Garland’s usage increases over two percentage points to 29.3%, and he has produced 1.36 DraftKings points per minute in that scenario. Mobley has missed three games this season, and Garland is averaging 46.6 DraftKings points in those games. He’s a great way to get an elite ceiling without paying a premium price on Monday.


Fast Break

Trae Young always seems to step up at Madison Square Garden, and playing there on a holiday afternoon matchup should bring even more attention and a bigger spotlight. Young had 47.75 DraftKings points against the Knicks at MSG earlier this season and an even better 51.5 DraftKings points against them in Atlanta. Young is coming off 58 DraftKings points in a win over the Celtics on Saturday and has 50+ DraftKings points in six of his last eight, including four double-doubles and a 24-point, 20-assist game against the Jazz.

Ty Jerome has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all point guards and his salary is still under $3,500. Jerome has exceeded salary-based expectations in six straight games off the bench for Cleveland and has scored at least eight points in each of those games. He had 15 points, four assists, four rebounds, and 28.5 DraftKings points against the Timberwolves, and he should be able to get a few extra minutes with Okoro and Mobley out. He doesn’t have to do a ton to be a great play at his price, and he can contribute in multiple categories when he gets an expanded role.

The Timberwolves will be without Donte DiVincenzo (toe) for a third straight game, so former Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley will probably get another start as the Wolves visit his former team. He only had 19 and 18.25 DraftKings points in his two spot starts for DiVincenzo but has been able to exceed salary-based expectations in six of his last eight games, including those two.

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

One of the exciting new features this season on FantasyLabs is our partnership with ShotQuality. In both the ShotQuality and FantasyLabs projections, Anthony Edwards pops as a play with an extremely high ceiling at shooting guard. He has the highest median, ceiling and floor projections at the position, and he also has a top-four Projected Plus/Minus at the position in both projections as well.

The Timberwolves have the biggest Pace Differential of any team on Monday’s slate, and Edwards has been stepping up his production lately, so he should thrive in this pace-up spot. He is averaging 43.9 DraftKings points per game for the season but has lifted that by averaging 52.2 DraftKings points per game over his last nine games with a production rate of 1.34 DraftKings points per minute and a usage rate of 33.8%.

Edwards has scored at least 28 points in four straight games including a pair of games with over 35 points that resulted in 65.25 DraftKings points against the Knicks and 66 DraftKings points against the Wizards. He has the potential to go off in a similar fashion in this smash spot in Memphis.


Value

Both sets of projections give Buddy Hield the highest Projected Plus/Minus at shooting guard, and he has the third-highest on the entire slate in the FantasyLabs projections.

Hield exceeded salary-based expectations for five straight games before coming up just short on Saturday against the Wizards. He has been helping to fill in for multiple absences lately, and he should continue to get plenty of playing time with Jonathan Kuminga (ankle), Draymond Green (calf), Kyle Anderson (glute), and Brandin Podziemski (abdomen) all ruled out and Stephen Curry (ankle) questionable.

On the season, Hield is averaging 21.9 DraftKings points in 23.3 minutes per game, but over his last eight games, he has averaged 25.1 DraftKings points in 28.6 minutes per game.

Since his production relies on his shooting, it can be a little streaky at times, but with so many absences for Golden State on Monday, he should have a good opportunity to return excellent value at his $4,700 salary.


Fast Break

Donovan Mitchell has averaged 52.6 DraftKings points in the three games he has played without Mobley this season. He had 36 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and an impressive 59 DraftKings points in 34 minutes on Saturday against Edwards and the Timberwolves to lead Cleveland to a seven-point win without Mobley. Spida had a brutal showing against the Thunder last Thursday, so it was good to see such a strong bounce-back performance.

The ShotQuality projections give Dennis Schroder the third-highest Projected Plus/Minus at shooting guard, even with Steph in the projections, and he’d step into an even bigger role if Curry is sidelined. Schroder took a while to adjust to his new team but has scored 12+ points in five straight games for the Warriors and is coming off 20 points and 29.25 DraftKings points in Saturday’s win over the Wizards.

Tim Hardaway Jr. has been turning in solid numbers for the Pistons since the injury to Jaden Ivey (leg). The veteran former Michigan Wolverine averaged 18.3 points and 26.9 DraftKings points over his last six games, scoring double-digit points in each of those contests and going off for at least 25 points three times. He has a top-10 Projected Plus/Minus in both projections at both shooting guard and small forward from his salary of just $4,100.

Be sure to check out all the pick’ems Sleeper has to offer with Sleeper promo code LABS1.

NBA DFS Small Forward Picks

Stud

The Celtics duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have the top two median, ceiling, and floor projections of all small forwards on Monday in both the FantasyLabs and ShotQuality projections. Tatum’s projections are higher in each category, but Brown has a slightly higher Projected Plus/Minus and comes $2,000 cheaper. Both are strong plays depending on what price point you’re shopping at.

Tatum had 30 points, six rebounds, four assists, and 51 DraftKings points in 35 minutes on Friday and followed that with 23 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, and 49 DraftKings points in Saturday’s narrow loss to the Hawks. He has over 43 DraftKings points in six of his last seven games, averaging 47.5 DraftKings points over that span.

Brown hasn’t been quite as consistent as Tatum this month, but he is coming off strong back-to-back games against the Magic and Hawks. He had 20 points and 41.5 DraftKings points in Friday’s win and then led the team with 24 points on Saturday while also grabbing 11 rebounds and chipping in eight assists on his way to 54.25 DraftKings points. It was one of his most well-rounded stat lines of the season, and he’ll look to build on that momentum against the banged-up Warriors on Monday.

Both Celtics forwards are loaded with upside at their salaries and are good options to build around.


Value

In the ShotQuality projections, Timberwolves small forward Jaden McDaniels stands out as a top value option. He has the highest Projected Plus/Minus at the position in those projections and the fourth-highest in the FantasyLabs projections.

McDaniels’ salary has trended up in the last few games, so he isn’t the bargain he was last week, but he still has lots of upside for a player at just $4,500. He has produced over 20 DraftKings points in five of his last six contests, highlighted by a game with 21 points, six rebounds, and an excellent total of 41 DraftKings points last Saturday at home against Memphis.

On Saturday, McDaniels had 24.75 DraftKings points against the Cavs and has at least that many in four of his last five games. He has exceeded salary-based expectations in eight of his last 10 games, and he continues to get plenty of minutes with increasing usage in the Timberwolves starting lineup.


Fast Break

In his three games since returning from a two-game personal absence, Andrew Wiggins has been excellent. He has 20+ points in each of those three contests and put up an impressive 59.75 DraftKings points on Saturday with 31 points and 11 rebounds against the Wizards. With so many Warriors’ sidelined, he’s lined up for a huge workload again on Monday.

Suns rookie Ryan Dunn has exceeded salary-based expectations in nine of his last 12 games and has moved into the Suns’ starting lineup for 12 of his last 13. He averaged 22.5 DraftKings points per game over that stretch and scored double-digit points with over 19 DraftKings points in five straight contests.

Cavaliers wing Max Strus is still priced under $4,000 and played 28 minutes with Mobley out on Saturday. He only had five points and 17.5 DraftKings points but has shown a higher ceiling in the past, with at least 20 DraftKings points in six of his last nine. With more minutes coming his way against the Suns, he’s a strong value play and has the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus at small forward in the FantasyLabs projections.

NBA DFS Power Forward Picks

Stud

On Saturday, Julius Randle had a great bounce-back performance against the Cavs despite his Timberwolves’ 124-117 loss. After struggling against his former team, the Knicks, on Friday, he had 20 points, 14 rebounds, nine assists, and 53.5 DraftKings points in 38 minutes in Minnesota’s loss.

On Monday, he has the fourth-highest ceiling and median projection of power forwards in both projections. He has the best Projected Plus/Minus of all power forwards over $5,000 in both projections and the fourth-highest overall at the position in the ShotQuality projections.

Randle has at least 37 DraftKings points in four of his last six games and has exceeded salary-based expectations in each of those four contests. In such a pace-up spot, he is a strong play to consider, especially since he came so close to posting his first triple-double of the season on Saturday.


Value

In both sets of projections, Santi Aldama has the highest Projected Plus/Minus on the entire slate on the other side of that Memphis-Minnesota matchup. His salary is still under $5,000 despite back-to-back big games.

On Wednesday, Aldama had 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 37.5 DraftKings points against the Spurs in San Antonio, and he followed that up with 29 points, eight rebounds, and 44.5 DraftKings points in the rematch on Friday.

The 24-year-old from Spain has been coming off the bench for the Grizzlies since returning from his latest injury but is averaging 14.0 points and 6.3 rebounds in 21.6 minutes per game over his last 12 contests. Since Zach Edey (nose) will play on Monday, there won’t be a huge role for Aldama, but he should continue to make the most of his minutes in Memphis’s second unit and has shown a very high ceiling when he gets extra playing time.


Fast Break

Jalen Johnson returned from a five-game absence on Saturday against Boston and finished with 14 points, 13 rebounds, and 38.75 DraftKings points in 38 minutes. He stepped right back into a big workload and was a key to Altanta’s big road win. He’s listed as probable for Monday, so even though he’s still dealing with the shoulder issue, it looks like he’ll be able to play through it. He had 56.25 and 58.75 DraftKings points in his two games earlier this season against New York, posting big double-doubles with 15 rebounds and seven assists in both contests. Especially if Josh Hart or Karl-Anthony Towns are out, Johnson should have a good matchup on Monday.

Naz Reid continues to thrive in his role off the Timberwolves bench, and the reigning Sixth Man of the Year is putting up a strong title defense. He scored double-digit points in 12 of his last 13 games, averaging 15.8 points per game over that span. He has exceeded salary-based expectations in nine of his last 10 games after posting 16 points and 34.5 DraftKings points against the Cavs on Saturday, and he could get even more work if Rudy Gobert (ankle) is limited or out on Monday after getting hit with a questionable tag.

Gui Santos is still available at the minimum salary of just $3,000, but he could start for the Warriors with Green, Kuminga, and Anderson all out on Monday. He started on Wednesday of last week against the Timberwolves and had 18.75 DraftKings points in 21 minutes. He has over 18 DraftKings points in three of his last five games. The 22-year-old from Brazil should be able to return value at this low salary on Monday. He has a top-six Projected Plus/Minus at power forward in both projections.

NBA DFS Center Picks

Stud

Without Mobley, Jarrett Allen should be very busy against the Suns on Monday in what should be an excellent matchup. He has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all centers in both the ShotQuality and the FantasyLabs projections.

Allen has scored at least 11 points in 11 straight games and has at least nine rebounds in nine of those contests. He has averaged 37.3 DraftKings points per game over that 11-game stretch by producing 1.34 DraftKings points per minute in 27.8 minutes per game.

In his three games this season without Mobley, Allen has averaged 38.8 DraftKings points per game. He has produced 1.27 DraftKings points per minute in his time on the floor without Mobley this season, and his usage rate has climbed from 16.0% to 18.9%.

He didn’t have a monster game without Mobley on Saturday, but he’ll be in a more favorable matchup on Monday, so look for Allen to deliver a big number.


Value

Since the calendar turned to 2025, Onyeka Okongwu has been a beast off the Hawks bench. He has the fourth-highest Projected Plus/Minus at the position on Monday in both sets of projections and will look to keep posting huge numbers from hsi salary under $6,000.

He comes into Monday’s matchup with the Knicks off three straight double-doubles that have helped him exceed salary-based expectations in eight straight games. Last week, he had 22 points and 21 rebounds in just 28 minutes against the Suns for 52.75 DraftKings points to start the run and followed that up with 45.75 DraftKings points against the Bulls and 47.75 DraftKings points against the Celtics in his last two games.

He’s still playing behind veteran Clint Capela, but the 24-year-old Okongwu has shown a very high ceiling even in his role off the bench.


Fast Break

Rockets center Alperen Sengun has the highest ceiling projection at center in both sets of projections. He has exceeded salary-based expectations in five of his last six games and is coming off a strong double-double of 23 points, 15 rebounds, and 57.25 DraftKings points on Saturday against the Trail Blazers.

Nick Richards had 21 points, 11 rebounds, and 39.75 DraftKings points in 29 minutes in his Suns’ debut on Saturday. He got more work than starter Mason Plumlee and could move into the starting unit if he continues to be so productive. Richards flashed this kind of upside at times with the Hornets but was inconsistent and injury-prone. If he can stay healthy, he could have a breakout run in an expanded run with the Suns, who desperately need help at center.

Pistons backup big Isaiah Stewart has also been regularly returning good value. He exceeded salary-based expectations in seven of nine games before a down performance on Saturday afternoon. He has a top-five Projected Plus/Minus in both sets of projections and is available for under $4,000.

About the Author

Zach Thompson writes NBA, MLB, NFL, golf and soccer content for Fantasy Labs. Zach's fantasy experience dates all the way back to high school when he would manually tabulate fantasy football scores using Tuesday morning's newspaper. Even though he was raised on the island of Guam on the opposite side of the world, Zach is a hardcore Boston sports fan who loves playing fantasy sports in almost any format. He's always in search of a great bargain play and keeps a close eye out for rising talent that can provide leverage. Zach joined the FantasyLabs team in 2022 and is also a contributor for DraftKings Network.