Monday features a six-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
Leading the way in projected ceiling by over seven points for tonight’s six-game slate is Pistons’ point guard Cade Cunningham. He is the most expensive option but is averaging over 55 DraftKings points per game in his last 10 games. During that stretch, he has six double-doubles and one triple-double.
In his fifth season in the league, Cunningham is averaging a career-high 26.7 points and 9.6 assists per game. He has led the Pistons to the best record in the Eastern Conference, and they are one of two teams in the league with less than double-digit losses. They are 2.5-point home underdogs against the Knicks tonight, which will be one of the best game environments on the slate with a 234.5-point total.
Cunningham is the best pay-up option on the slate, and it isn’t particularly close. Not only does he lead the slate in projected ceiling, but he also ranks fifth in projected Plus/Minus. He is also drawing around 30% projected ownership which is the third-highest on the slate. Simply put, pay up for the elite Pistons guard.
Value
Staying in the Pistons backcourt, second-year guard Daniss Jenkins is one of the best punt options. He has the second-highest projected Plus/Minus on the slate and is priced at the stone minimum of $3,000.
Jenkins is coming off one of his best games of the year, scoring 25 points in 25 minutes against the Cavaliers. He shot 7-for-10 from the field, 6-for-7 from behind the arc, and he made all five free-throw attempts. Jenkins added five assists, accumulating 35.8 DraftKings points. It is rare to get a player with this much upside priced at the minimum. Take advantage of the savings that Jenkins provides.
A big reason why Jenkins and Cunningham look so good is the Pistons are dealing with the injury bug. Jalen Duren and Tobias Harris are out, while Caris LeVert is in danger of missing his fourth straight game. Load up on the Pistons’ value and expensive options for this six-game slate tonight.
Fast Break
Immanuel Quickley is averaging over 35 DraftKings points per game in his last seven games despite shooting 35% from the field. Well over half of Quickley’s field goal attempts during that stretch have come from behind the arc. He is a streaky shooter but can get hot from the perimeter, which is one of the best ways to attack the Hawks’ defense. This matchup has the highest total on the slate at 236 points, and Quickley is a great way to get exposure in the mid-range at $6,600.
Even with the emergence of rookie VJ Edgecombe and Joel Embiid being healthy, the 76ers offense runs through Tyrese Maxey. The 76ers are on a three-game winning streak, and Maxey has been amazing during that streak, averaging 34.7 points, 8.7 assists, and 64.2 DraftKings points per game while shooting 61.2% from the field and 53.8% from distance. Maxey has the second-highest projected ceiling at the point guard position and is a strong contrarian option to Cunningham when unable to fit his price tag.
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
With shooting guard and small forward eligibility, Kevin Durant leads the projected ceiling at this position tonight. Durant is coming off a ceiling performance against the Mavericks with 34 points, seven assists, five rebounds, and three blocks. He had 26 field goal attempts and a 31.6% usage rate in that game.
After just coming back from injury, Alperen Sengun reinjured his ankle and will be out for this game. With Sengun off the floor this season, Durant has a team-high +5.06% usage rate boost and a +6.97 DraftKings Plus/Minus. The Rockets offense runs through Durant, making him an elite pay-up option.
This is also a revenge game for Durant, who played his last 2.5 seasons with the Suns. Priced under $9,000 on DraftKings with guard and forward eligibility, Durant is easy to fit into all lineup builds tonight.
Value
Another team dealing with injuries is the Denver Nuggets. Superstar Nikola Jokic is out along with Jonas Valanciunas and Cameron Johnson. That will create more opportunities for everyone on the team, including veteran Bruce Brown. He has the fourth-highest projected Plus/Minus on this slate.
Brown has not scored a single point in his last two games but has still recorded double-digit DraftKings points. He has shot 0-7 from the field in 42 total minutes. That does not provide a ton of confidence in a value play, but Brown is still accumulating fantasy points, and the scoring is bound to return.
The Nuggets are double-digit underdogs against the 76ers, implied for only 109 points. It is difficult to play many Nuggets players, but Brown is a cheap way to get exposure to them tonight.
Fast Break
Brandon Ingram has played fantastically recently for the Raptors, averaging 42.6 DraftKings points per game in his last five contests. He has flirted with a points and rebounds double-double in each of his last three games and will have a great opportunity to capture that feat against the Hawks, who rank 27th in rebounding percentage at 47.8%. This is a back-to-back matchup with the Hawks and Raptors, and in the last game, Ingram had 29 points, nine rebounds, two steals, and two blocks for 48.8 DraftKings points.
Derrick White can separate from his pricing peers with his tenacious defense. Over his last five games, White has a ridiculous 13 blocks and 10 steals. He has recorded at least one block in nine straight games and in 28 of his 33 games played. Not only can he cause havoc defensively, but White is also averaging a career-high 18.7 points per game and has scored 27+ points in two of his last three games. The Bulls allow 5.7 blocks and 8.9 steals per game, so this should be a field day for the pesky guard.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
Saturday night was one to remember for Jaylen Brown, who tied his career high last game with 50 points against the Clippers. He shot 18-for-26 from the field and 6-for-10 from behind the arc. He added five assists and three rebounds for 63.2 DraftKings points. The best part is his salary decreased $300 after that.
Brown has the highest projected ceiling at the small forward position in an elite matchup against the Bulls. The Celtics are double-digit home favorites, with the Bulls ranking 23rd in defensive rating and second in pace. This will be an up-tempo game environment, which sets up perfectly for Brown.
Brown has been amazing this season, averaging a career-high 30.1 points per game, nearly eight more points than last season. Shockingly, with the increased volume, Brown is shooting 51% from the field. Drawing only 13% projected ownership, this is an incredible spot to get contrarian with Brown.
Value
Tim Hardaway Jr. is another Nuggets player who has stepped up with Jokic out of the lineup. He is coming off the best game of his season, scoring 26 points and accumulating 32.5 DraftKings points.
Hardaway Jr. does not provide many peripherals but is capable of scoring at any level. In his first year with the Nuggets, Hardaway Jr. is shooting over 40% from behind the arc while averaging 13.5 points per game in less than 27 minutes a night. Due to the injuries, Hardaway Jr. is projected to start and play around 30 minutes tonight, which will give him plenty of opportunity to return value.
Priced at $5,000 with dual forward eligibility, Hardaway Jr. is a cheap way to get exposure to the Nuggets.
Fast Break
Getting exposure to anyone on the Thunder has been difficult this season. They have a league-best 30-6 record and are once again heavy favorites tonight. They are projected to beat the Hornets by 15+ points but do have the highest implied team total at 123.75 points. The only player that is popping in our NBA Model for the Thunder is Jalen Williams. He is favorably priced and has been solid for the Thunder since returning from injury. If playing anyone on the Thunder tonight, it is recommended to roster Williams.
RJ Barrett is another mid-range value player worth targeting in a nice matchup against the Hawks. Barrett is coming off a season-high 29 points from when these two played Saturday night. He shot 11-for-19 from the field, including 4-for-8 from behind the arc. A repeat performance would easily pay off his price tag. Barrett has been consistent recently, shooting 50% or better in five of his last six games. His salary is way too cheap for this matchup, especially given he just scored 29 points in their last meeting.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
Opposite of all the Raptors’ players is Hawks’ forward Jalen Johnson. Trae Young is back on the injury report and will not play in tonight’s game, meaning it will once again be the Johnson show. The versatile forward is having a breakout year, averaging a career-high and near triple-double of 24 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 8.5 assists per game. His salary has reached five figures, but it is deserved.
Johnson has recorded over 52 DraftKings points in seven consecutive games. The 6’8″ forward can do a little bit of everything, which makes him difficult to defend. The Raptors have one of the best defenses in the league, but they will have their hands full with Johnson tonight. He has the second-highest projected ceiling on the slate and is a fantastic bringback with all of the Raptors’ mid-range value on the board.
Value
When Alperen Sengun went down last game, it was forward Tari Eason who immediately stepped up in his absence. Eason had his best game of his season, recording a 19-point, 10-rebound double-double, adding two assists and two steals. Eason posted a season-high 40.8 DraftKings points in that contest.
After three strong games in a row, Eason has seen his salary skyrocket up to $5,800 on DraftKings. Despite the price hike, our model has Eason with the fourth-highest projected Plus/Minus at the entire forward position. If Eason is going to attempt nearly 20 field goals again, he is unavoidable at his salary.
Eason is averaging a career-high 12.1 points per game this season, while shooting a remarkable 51.2% from the field and exactly 50% from behind the arc. The sharpshooter is a fantastic value tonight.
Fast Break
Back to another Raptors player we go with forward Scottie Barnes. He has captured a triple-double in two of his last four games. In those two ceiling performances, Barnes is averaging 21.5 points, 19.5 rebounds, 10 assists, and 71.1 DraftKings points per game. He only recorded 43.8 DraftKings points in their last meeting against the Hawks, but Barnes has a ceiling that is worth getting exposure to in this spot. He is my favorite Raptors player to target in this juicy matchup.
Staying with the Raptors, rookie Collin Murray-Boyles has seen consistent playing time recently and remains only $4,200 with power forward and center eligibility. Over the last four games, Murray-Boyles has played at least 25 minutes in each contest and is averaging 6.8 points, 9.0 rebounds, and well over 20 DraftKings points per game. When flooded lineups with Raptors, do not forget about this versatile big man. The Hawks rank just 27th in rebounding percentage, which makes him look even better.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
The center position is lacking upside with Nikola Jokic and Alperen Sengun unable to play, but Joel Embiid remains favorably priced across the industry. Embiid is more of a boom-or-bust option but has the ability to post a ceiling game. He had 34 points and 10 rebounds just three games ago.
Embiid avoids Jokic once again in this matchup against the Nuggets. Not only is Jokic out, but so is backup center Jonas Valanciunas. This is set up to be an incredible spot for Embiid playing against the injury-riddled Nuggets frontcourt, which is why he leads this position in projected ceiling tonight.
The best part about Embiid is his playing time. He is averaging over 35 minutes per game in his last three contests, which is notable for the big man. Even if his playing time gets cut a bit, this is a great spot.
Value
Lineups should come preloaded with center Paul Reed tonight. In cash games and tournaments, he is by far the best play on the slate. With Duren out, Reed will draw the start and is projected to play around 27 minutes at his $3,800 salary. He is drawing an absurd 70% ownership in his matchup against the Knicks.
Reed also has a 93.7% optimal lineup rate in our NBA Sims, which has to be the largest we have seen all season. Over the last two games, Reed is averaging 8.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 24.2 DraftKings points per game. He played 30 minutes in their most recent game and is in line to play heavy minutes tonight.
The Knicks have a large frontcourt, so if Reed can stay out of foul trouble, he will be forced to play a ton. Playing that many minutes priced under $4,000, Reed is the strongest play on the slate.
Fast Break
Karl-Anthony Towns will play opposite of Reed and present a ton of problems defensively. Towns is coming off his fifth double-double in his last six games. He poured in 23 points and grabbed 14 rebounds against Embiid and the 76ers. Similar to Embiid, Towns can be a hit or miss option in fantasy. He is a near lock to record a double-double, but where he separates himself is his ability to score. In two of the last six games, he has points of 36 and 40. If he can do that, then Towns will easily find his way into the optimal lineup.
There is so much value on this slate that will make this an easy night to do a stars and scrubs lineup build. Raptors’ center Sandro Mamukelashvili rounds out the slate and is arguably one of the better value plays available. The big man is coming off a season-high 50 DraftKings points against the Hawks and will draw the same matchup again tonight. In that game, Mamukelashvili had a near triple-double with 13 points, 12 rebounds, eight assists, and three blocks. He is only $5,300 in this fantastic spot.
Pictured: Cade Cunningham
Photo credit: Imagn
