Monday features a small three-game main slate starting at 7 p.m. ET.
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 Leverage 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
Tyrese Maxey ended January being a very boom-or-bust fantasy option. In his last eight games, Maxey recorded three 60-point DraftKings games, while every other game was scoring 41 or fewer points. His fantasy output has been reliant on his shooting, which has been inconsistent recently.
Due to his inconsistent play, Maxey is a fantastic tournament option. He leads all guards in projected ceiling and ranks third overall on this three-game slate. With no players priced in the five figures, it will be easy to fit Maxey into lineups tonight. There are plenty of value plays to target even on this small slate.
Maxey has surprisingly played better with Joel Embiid (probable) in the lineup. In 26 games with Embiid, Maxey is averaging more points, rebounds, and assists per game, while shooting the ball considerably better. Another benefit for Maxey is his price tag is down to $9,400 on DraftKings.
Value
Second-year pro Reed Sheppard is getting double the playing time this year compared to last and has turned that into a career-high 12.7 points per game. He leads all players on this slate with the highest projected Plus/Minus by a wide margin. Sheppard is priced under $5,000 with dual guard eligibility.
A big reason why Sheppard looks so good tonight is the absence of Kevin Durant who is out due to an ankle injury. Durant has only missed three games this season, but with him off the floor, Sheppard has a +3.15% usage rate boost and a +2.67 DraftKings Plus/Minus making him an elite value option.
Sheppard is projected to play 30 minutes and is going to be one of the most popular options tonight with over 60% ownership. He also has a slate-high 73.9% optimal lineup rate in our NBA Sims. It is difficult to find a better value play than Sheppard at his cheap price tag without Durant available tonight.
Fast Break
Sticking with the Rockets backcourt, Amen Thompson is another player who should get a significant boost with Durant out tonight. Thompson has been a model of consistency recently, recording 42 DraftKings points or more in six of his last eight games. He provides fantasy production in a variety of ways, which is beneficial to his floor when his shot is not falling. In his last game, Thompson had a near triple-double with 21 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds. He is a strong option at $8,200 tonight.
Ty Jerome has the third-highest projected projected Plus/Minus on the slate and is a great value option at $4,000. In his first game of the season Saturday night, Jerome had 20 points and six assists while shooting 6-for-12 from the field in only 20 minutes. Ja Morant remains out, which will move Jerome into the starting lineup again. Jerome gets the same matchup against the Timberwolves that he did Saturday night. Even with being projected for a modest 19 minutes, Jerome is one of the best values available.
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 biggest questions on tonight’s slate is the status of Timberwolves’ All-Star Anthony Edwards. He is questionable to play with back spasms after just scoring 33 points against the Grizzlies on Saturday night. If Edwards is able to play, he is clearly the best shooting guard option on this three-game slate.
Edwards leads all shooting guards by 13 ceiling points and is only drawing around 15% ownership. The Timberwolves have a slate-high 118.5-point team total and are 7.5-point road favorites. They and the Grizzlies both rank just outside the top 10 in pace, but this matchup has a slate-high 229.5-point total.
Most of Edwards’ fantasy production comes from scoring the ball where he is averaging a career-high 29.4 points per game, while shooting 49.5% from the field and 40.9% from behind the arc. It is recommended to get overweight Edwards’ projected ownership if he is able to suit up tonight.
Value
The Rockets are going to be the best team to target with Kevin Durant out. They have the second-highest implied team total and are 6.5-point road favorites against the Pacers, who rank 21st in defensive rating and have the worst record in the Eastern Conference at 13-36. This is an incredible spot for the Rockets.
Tari Eason is drawing over 35% projected ownership and has a great chance to draw the start with Durant out. Our NBA Model has Eason projected to play 30 minutes, which is more than enough time to pay off his mid-range $6,200 salary. Eason has been fantastic recently, averaging 14.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 32.5 DraftKings points per game. The sharpshooter has also made 12 3-pointers during that time.
Eason will have plenty of opportunity to showcase his talents again tonight. With Durant off the floor, he has a +2.24% usage rate boost and a +2.65 DraftKings Plus/Minus. He is another strong Rockets’ option.
Fast Break
The shooting guard pricing falls off a cliff behind Anthony Edwards. The next closest player in salary is 76ers’ guard VJ Edgecombe, who is $2,600 cheaper than Edwards. With the 76ers roster fully healthy besides Paul George out due to suspension, Edgecombe has taken a little bit of a backseat. He is still playing heavy minutes, but his projected usage rate is below 20%. He still has the ability to pop for a ceiling performance, and the best part about tonight is he is drawing less than 10% projected ownership.
The Grizzlies have lost six straight games and are on the outside looking in at the 2026 playoffs. Injuries continue to take a toll, but one of the bright spots is being able to hit on their first-round draft pick, Cedric Coward. In his rookie season, Coward is averaging 13.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 28.1 DraftKings points per game. He started out the season hot and has at least 22 DraftKings points in 18 straight games. Coward is a consistent fantasy producer who remains favorably priced.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
The small forward position is eerily similar to the shooting guard position, with one top option and then a major fall to the next pricing tier. The top option at this position is Clippers’ forward Kawhi Leonard. It has been an incredible season for Leonard who is averaging a career-high 27.6 points per game.
The Clippers have been scorching hot recently, winning 17 of their last 21 games to climb into ninth in the Western Conference. Leonard has been the main reason for the Clippers success averaging 30.2 points per game during that 21-game stretch. He has been scoring at will while still providing peripherals.
Despite his recent performances and team success, Leonard is only drawing 10% projected ownership. James Harden is questionable after missing last night’s game due to personal reasons. If he is unable to play tonight, that would make Leonard look that much better in this matchup against the 76ers.
Value
Not only is Ja Morant out for the Grizzlies, but so are a plethora of other players, while Jaren Jackson Jr. is questionable and in danger of missing his second straight game. That is opening the door for many value options, including second-year pro Jaylen Wells, who has started all 47 games for the Grizzlies this season.
Wells is averaging a career-high 11.8 points per game and has scored double-digit points in six of his last seven games while averaging 20 DraftKings points per game during that time. Wells has the highest projected Plus/Minus at the forward position and the second-highest on this three-game slate.
On Saturday night against the Timberwolves, Wells recorded 15 points, six rebounds, and one assist, accumulating 24.5 DraftKings points. At his $4,100 salary, which has come down $200 since that game, Wells should easily provide value. He has a 35% optimal lineup rate in our NBA Sims tonight.
Fast Break
Jaden McDaniels is making it difficult for the Timberwolves to trade him since rumors have circulated of them trying to get Giannis Antetokounmpo. McDaniels has scored 20+ points in back-to-back games while shooting 64% from the field and 8-for-10 from downtown. Not only is Anthony Edwards questionable to play, but so is Julius Randle. If both are ruled out, McDaniels is going to be a priority. He already is a great play at his mid-range $6,000, but would look even better if they were both out.
The Pacers are fully healthy but are still 6.5-point home underdogs against the Rockets and are implied for a slate-low 106.5 points. They are a difficult team to get exposure to on this small slate, but Aaron Nesmith has been playing well enough to garner exposure. Over his last four games, Nesmith is averaging 18 points and 28.6 DraftKings points per game, while shooting 59.1% from the field and 60% from distance. He has made three 3-pointers in each of his last four games. Solid mid-range option.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
With power forward and center eligibility, Alperen Sengun is arguably the best play on this three-game slate. He is playing against a weak Pacers’ frontcourt with no Kevin Durant on the floor, who is the team’s leading scorer. Most of the offense should now filter through Sengun, the best player on the floor.
The best part about Sengun is this elite matchup against the Pacers. They rank 27th in rebounding percentage at 48.1% and rank 28th in points allowed in the paint at 53.8 per game. Sengun should feast in this matchup and will have a great opportunity to have a massive points and rebounds double-double.
Sengun will be popular, drawing nearly 40% projected ownership, but he is the best pay-up option on the slate. He has a similar projected ceiling to Joel Embiid but is $500 cheaper with dual eligibility. Sengun is easy to fit into all lineup builds and is simply a priority option on this small slate.
Value
Naz Reid is priced in the mid-tier at $6,300 but has the highest projected Plus/Minus at the power forward position. Reid has been incredible recently with pops of ceiling performances. In his last game against the Grizzlies, Reid stuffed the stat sheet with 20 points, nine rebounds, five assists, and three steals.
Both the Timberwolves and Grizzlies could be playing with many non-starters tonight. If Edwards and Randle are both out, Reid is the player who has taken the most advantage of that situation. With both players off the floor this season, Reid has a +4.84% usage rate boost and a +7.87 DraftKings Plus/Minus.
Given how well he has played recently and the potential for more usage and production tonight, Reid is one of the best mid-range plays available. Especially if Jaren Jackson Jr. is out for the Grizzlies, the lane is going to be wide open. This is a phenomenal spot for Reid to showcase his versatility.
Fast Break
Jabari Smith Jr. is another Rockets player that is worth getting exposure to tonight. Smith Jr. is averaging a career-high 15 points and seven rebounds per game and has had back-to-back strong performances. In his last five games, Smith Jr. has one double-double and has flirted with that feat in every other game. He has averaged 41.8 DraftKings points per game in his last two contests. Priced in the mid-range at $6,400, Smith Jr. is a strong play in all formats. He is also drawing slightly lower ownership than Reid.
John Collins is the third player priced in the mid-tier that looks like a good option on this small slate. His first season with the Clippers has been relatively disappointing, but he has picked up his recent play. In his last game, Collins had 16 points and nine rebounds in 28 minutes against the Suns, shooting 6-for-10 from the field. Despite having Joel Embiid, the 76ers still rank 23rd in rebounding percentage this season. Collins will be less popular than Smith Jr. and Reid but is still a solid option in this pricing tier.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
Joel Embiid leads the slate with the highest projected ceiling while also being the most expensive. Embiid is probable to play tonight after posting a massive 40-point, 11-rebound double-double, while adding four assists, two blocks, and one steal for 66.2 DraftKings points. In his last five games, Embiid is back to his regular self, averaging over 61 DraftKings points per game with three double-doubles during that time.
The Clippers have been a relatively difficult matchup for opposing big men. They allowed only 18 points in the paint against the Suns in their most recent game. Embiid will still challenge them defensively with the highest projected usage rate on the slate at 32.8%. He will get fed early and often.
At $9,700, this is the highest that Embiid has been priced all season, but there is plenty of value to be able to pay up for both Embiid and Sengun on this slate. Even at 20% projected ownership, he is a priority.
Value
The center position is lacking value, which makes Naz Reid and John Collins look that much better. However, when looking to dumpster dive in salary and fit in a majority of the studs, Rockets’ backup center Clint Capela is appealing at his sub-$4,000 price tag. That price is simply too cheap tonight.
Capela draws the same elite matchup that Sengun will get against this weak Pacers’ frontcourt. However, Capela will likely only play around 15 minutes tonight. That should still be more than enough time to pay off this cheap salary, but keep Capela to tournaments only given his lack of consistent playing time.
Given the matchup, Capela can have ceiling performances. He has 25+ DraftKings points in two of his last five games and has flirted with double-doubles in those contests. Capela also has at least two blocks in three of his last five games. There is a lot of upside in this spot, despite only playing limited minutes.
Fast Break
Previously mentioned Jaren Jackson Jr. is another player we need to monitor the closer we get to lock. He is currently questionable to play and miss his second straight game due to injury. When he has played lately, Jackson Jr. has been great. He is averaging 44.2 DraftKings points per game in his last four contests. The Timberwolves have been a middle-of-the-road interior defensive team this season. In his last game in this matchup, Jackson Jr. erupted with a 28-point, 12-rebound double-double for 56 DraftKings points.
Rudy Gobert has seen his salary jump $700 since last Monday, but he has averaged 11 points and 12.5 rebounds per game in his last four games with two blocks in three of those contests. If Randle and Edwards are out, that will certainly make Gobert look even better tonight. He has played the second-most minutes to Reid with both Randle and Edwards off the floor this season. The Grizzlies have a difficult interior defense, but Gobert did have nine points and 16 rebounds in their matchup Saturday night.
Pictured: Alperen Sengun
Photo Credit: Imagn
