It’s another Monday in the world of NBA DFS, and we have a pretty decent sized seven-game slate to work with this evening. There are a few nice matchups this evening to target with the early returns indicating the Lakers and Clippers game to be the highest implied total on the board.
Small forward and center are the only two positions providing any player with salaries exceeding the $10,000 level, so there is definitely plenty of opportunity for variance this evening. As of the writing of this article, there are no major injuries to report for any of the slate’s top players, but as always stay up-to-date with the latest news all the way to tip-off so you don’t get hit with the late-scratch blues.
This article is intended to focus on the players I think have the best chance to push your lineup into the green. Players listed here will have the best chance of success based on matchup, recent play, and opportunity. There will be two players listed for each position, with the exception of center which will have one. As always good luck!
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Point Guard
Eric Bledsoe (MIL): $7,400 @ PHO
Picking the players that are going up against Phoenix usually isn’t a bad place to start when building your lineup. Tonight Eric Bledsoe gets the benefit of matching up with the 26th ranked defense against opposing point guards. On top of the matchup, Bledsoe posted back to back 50+ FanDuel (FD) point games against both the Lakers and Kings. This is the type of upside he can provide when coming up against a defense he can expose. Over his past 10 games, Bledsoe has averaged 16 points, five rebounds, and five assists per game so he’s certainly the type of player that can use supplemental stats to help buoy his production. Even if Bledsoe doesn’t extend his streak of 50+ FD point outings, he’ll need just 37 FD points to hit 5x value, which I could easily see happening in this matchup.
It’s another Monday in the world of NBA DFS, and we have a pretty decent sized seven-game slate to work with this evening. There are a few nice matchups this evening to target with the early returns indicating the Lakers and Clippers game to be the highest implied total on the board.
Small forward and center are the only two positions providing any player with salaries exceeding the $10,000 level, so there is definitely plenty of opportunity for variance this evening. As of the writing of this article, there are no major injuries to report for any of the slate’s top players, but as always stay up-to-date with the latest news all the way to tip-off so you don’t get hit with the late-scratch blues.
This article is intended to focus on the players I think have the best chance to push your lineup into the green. Players listed here will have the best chance of success based on matchup, recent play, and opportunity. There will be two players listed for each position, with the exception of center which will have one. As always good luck!
Create FanDuel lineups using our DFS Lineup Optimizer tool
Point Guard
Eric Bledsoe (MIL): $7,400 @ PHO
Picking the players that are going up against Phoenix usually isn’t a bad place to start when building your lineup. Tonight Eric Bledsoe gets the benefit of matching up with the 26th ranked defense against opposing point guards. On top of the matchup, Bledsoe posted back to back 50+ FanDuel (FD) point games against both the Lakers and Kings. This is the type of upside he can provide when coming up against a defense he can expose. Over his past 10 games, Bledsoe has averaged 16 points, five rebounds, and five assists per game so he’s certainly the type of player that can use supplemental stats to help buoy his production. Even if Bledsoe doesn’t extend his streak of 50+ FD point outings, he’ll need just 37 FD points to hit 5x value, which I could easily see happening in this matchup.
Goran Dragic (MIA): $5,300 vs. ATL
As it stands right now Goran Dragic is listed as questionable for tonight’s matchup with the Hawks with a left calf strain. He did sit out Saturday’s game due to the injury, though, and after a couple more days rest I’m going to assume he suits up. If he does suit up he’s definitely worthy of a roster spot, especially at this cost. This matchup couldn’t be more appealing either as the Hawks rank 30th against opposing point guards and Dragic is certainly good enough to take advantage of that matchup, even if he sees limited minutes. Just for reference points, when he was limited to 24 and 20 minutes in his past two games against Houston and Golden State all he did was produce 30+ FD points in each one.
Shooting Guard
Khris Middleton (MIL): $7,500 @ PHO
I’ll be looking at both pieces of the Milwaukee backcourt tonight in a good matchup with the Suns. Phoenix does rank an average 18th against opposing shooting guards, but I do like what Khris Middleton offers in regards to a nice floor and a solid ceiling. In the past 10 games, Middleton has finished below 30 FD points just twice, so he definitely offers a nice floor for a player at this range. He also holds the second-highest usage rate on the team behind only Giannis Antetokounmpo, which improves his stock even more. Middleton can get his fantasy production in a multitude of ways including points, rebounds, and assists and most recently is coming off a 29-point, nine-rebound, and six-assist game against a tough defensively Utah team. I’ll be looking for Middleton to have an easier time against the porous Suns’ defense.
DeMar DeRozan (SAS): $8,800 vs. DEN
Shooting guard is a bit of a tough position tonight, a lot of tough defensive matchups for a few of the top end guys, but a lot of risk with the middle tier guards. DeMar DeRozan appears in this list because of what should be a very close game with the combined implied total of 228. DeRozan is the Spurs leader in usage rate, so in a close game, his opportunity should increase very late into the fourth quarter. It also means he will offer a high floor tonight, and I like his floor more than the other top-end options. In the past 11 games, he’s finished under 30 FD points just twice and has exceeded 45+ FD points three times. He works on both ends of the court and can get his production from a number of different statistical categories. I actually like the matchup, because while Denver does rank second in defense against opposing shooting guards, it should be a close game late which will increase DeRozan’s opportunity as the Spurs will look to him to keep them in it. Of the top options at the position, DeRozan is my choice for lineups.
Small Forward
Mikal Bridges (PHO): $5,200 vs. MIL
I’m taking a bit of a chance with Mikal Bridges this evening in an attempt to squeeze out some upside given TJ Warren is still out for the Suns opening up minutes. While the scoring hasn’t really been there for Bridges he’s still produced at least 20 FD points in four straight games. In addition, this game has a healthy implied total of 232 points, with the Bucks being favored by 12 points. This means some additional opportunity could come for Bridges if this game was to reach garbage time. He comes at a decent salary and still carries 30+ FD point upside which would be solid coming from a player at this cost.
LeBron James (LAL): $12,400 vs. LAC
In what seems like a no-brainer I guess I’m including LeBron James in this list to provide reasons against fading him this evening. First, as it stands this game between the Clippers and Lakers carries the highest implied total of the slate at 235, and with the Lakers being favored by just four points it’s clear Vegas sees this as being a close game to the finish. This means LeBron will be asked to carry the Lakers all the way through tonight. Second, James has posted at least 54 FD points in six straight games and seven of the past eight so his recent play dictates his selection as well. Third, the Clippers rank 17th against opposing small forwards and looking over the Clippers roster there’s not anyone that can match up favorably with James. While it seems like complete chalk to choose the highest-priced player on the slate. Sometimes it’s best to just trust it.
Power Forward
Noah Vonleh (NYK): $3,900 @ SAC
Vonleh appears here as a really nice option as a value play tonight. He gets a matchup with a defensively soft Kings team that ranks 27th against opposing power forwards. He’s also strung together a couple nice games finishing with 29 FD points against the Cavs and 36.9 FD points against the Clippers. While the Knicks are tough to predict when it comes to who will produce in DFS given the number of players in their rotation, Vonleh is projected to start which gives him a little bit of value considering his bargain pricing. If he can continue to produce at least 20 FD points while still staying below the $4,000 salary range then in my mind it’s definitely worth the risk. I’ll be choosing Vonleh tonight to offer some salary relief and bank on the trend of the last couple games to continue against another soft opponent.
Kyle Kuzma (LAL): $7,000 vs. LAC
Kuzma and the Lakers get a matchup with the Clippers in what should be a full-on sprint. His price isn’t too bad, and his opportunities will certainly be there in a game with the highest implied total on the slate. Additionally, the Clippers do rank 28th against the power forward position so he should be able to expose that matchup, especially if the Clippers try to key in on LeBron. While Kuzma hasn’t been blowing the doors off recently he’s a rather safe play at this cost finishing with less than 20 FD points once in the past 11 games. In that same stretch, he exceeded the 40-FD point barrier twice so he definitely carries some upside as well, which is what I’m banking on given the matchup and opportunity tonight. He hasn’t been the type of DFS selection that will sink your lineup and can still give you some upside especially in a plus matchup.
Center
Brook Lopez (MIL): $6,300 @ PHO
If it seems like I’m hammering the Suns, well, it’s because I am. Phoenix ranks 29th against opposing centers so it’s definitely a plus matchup for Brook Lopez who has been playing very well of late. He’s recorded at least 35 FD points in four of his last five games. This is solid production out of a player at this salary range, and Lopez has a history of exposing soft matchups. While he may not be asked to score a lot of points tonight, he can still rely on his defensive abilities (blocks, rebounds) to get to the 31.5 FD points needed for 5x value. Look for Lopez to take advantage of this matchup and continue his recent hot play.
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Chris Berg is a correspondent at FantasyPros. For more from Chris, check out his archive and follow him on Twitter @bergey13.
