The NBA tips off another workweek with seven games on Monday night’s main DFS fantasy basketball slate. The action begins at 7:00 p.m. ET with three games tipping off for a fast start. With 14 teams to consider, there are many different ways to build your lineup for Monday, with plenty of star power and value standing out in the projections. The Lakers, Pistons, and Mavericks will be playing for the second day in a row, so be sure to monitor their injury reports closely. One huge name to watch is Luka Doncic (back), who sat out Sunday but could return Monday in Atlanta. Be sure to keep a close eye on injury updates throughout the day. Even though it’s still early in the season, injuries will definitely impact playing time and projections for Monday’s slate.
Let’s dive into some of the top plays on the slate using the FantasyLabs tools and projections.
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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
Luka Doncic ($12,000)
Lakers point guard Luka Doncic has the highest median, ceiling, and floor projections of all the players on Monday’s slate, even though his status is uncertain after he missed Sunday’s win in Detroit with lower back tightness. He has such a high ceiling, though, that he’s worth considering if he returns for the second night of the back-to-back. He has the highest salary on the board as well, but his Lakers are in a good spot with the highest point total on the slate as they visit the Hawks.
Luka is producing 40.1 points, 7.8 rebounds, 7.7 assists, and an impressive 66.9 DraftKings points per game this season and has posted over 65 DraftKings points in four straight games. His best game during that stretch was a massive showing against the Raptors last Sunday, when he dropped 45 points and had 15 rebounds on his way to 86.75 DraftKings points. His upside is unmatched due to his high usage and favorable matchup, and he has the highest production rate of any player on the slate, amassing 1.86 DraftKings points per minute so far this season. If he’s ready to return to the floor, he is a strong option to build around if you can make his hefty salary work with the rest of your roster.
Value
Walter Clayton Jr. ($3,300)
One way to balance out Luka’s hefty salary is to include an ultra-cheap play like the Mavericks’ Walter Clayton Jr., who has the highest Plus/Minus projection of all players at all positions on Monday. Clayton could get more work depending on whether Kyrie Irving plays the second night of the back-to-back. Sergio de Larrea (knee) has been out since Oct. 26, leaving Clayton and Marcus Sasser to do more work in the backcourt.
Clayton has been effective in his recent games behind Kyrie, producing over 22 DraftKings points in four straight games. He had five points, four rebounds, six assists, and 22.5 DraftKings points in just 16 minutes in Sunday’s win over the Nets. If he gets more minutes or even just remains in his role of around 20 minutes off the bench, he has a great chance to return value in what has the potential to be a good pace-up spot as the Mavs host the up-tempo Pacers.
Fast Break
Cade Cunningham ($9,500) – Cunningham has the second-highest median, ceiling, and floor projections at point guard and has shown his high ceiling over the last week. He had 60.2 DraftKings points in a win over the Hornets, followed by 57.2 in a loss to the Sixers. On Sunday, he only had 33.5 DraftKings points against the Lakers, but he could be set to bounce back with a home game against the Wizards. He’s a contrarian pivot from Luka who offers salary savings and still brings a high ceiling.
Immanuel Quickley ($6,800) – IQ is questionable with a hamstring injury that forced him to miss Friday’s game. He has the second-highest Plus/Minus projection at the position in the FantasyLabs projections, though, and has averaged a solid 33.4 DraftKings points per game this season. He had at least 33 DraftKings points in four of his last five games and is a huge part of the Raptors’ offense when healthy. Both he and Scottie Barnes are questionable, leaving plenty of uncertainty around the Raptors’ usage in Monday’s matchup.
NBA DFS Shooting Guard Picks
Stud
RJ Barrett ($7,600)
Without Quickley and Barnes, Barrett had to carry more of the offense on Friday against the Bucks and led the team to a 14-point win. He finished with 27 points in 37 minutes and totaled 39.75 DraftKings points by adding seven rebounds and four assists.
Barrett has over 34 DraftKings points in four straight games and has hit 40 DraftKings points four times in his last eight games. He’s averaging 21.6 points and 36.9 DraftKings points per game through nine games this season and has scored at least 20 points in all but one of those contests. He has the highest median, ceiling, and floor projections at shooting guard on Monday, when his Raptors host the Grizzlies in the game with the second-highest point total on the board behind the Lakers-Hawks game in Atlanta.
Value
Aaron Nesmith ($4,400)
Nesmith has the highest Plus/Minus projection of all shooting guards and is in a reliable role for the Pacers, who are still missing offensive leader Tyrese Haliburton (hamstring). He has helped pick up some of the extra usage and work from his spot on the wing, typically chipping in some defensive numbers to go with solid complementary scoring.
Nesmith has scored double-digit points in five of his last seven games, and he’s averaging 12.1 points per game this season. He had 28.8 DraftKings points against the Grizzlies in a big win for the Pacers last Wednesday but struggled a little in Mexico City on Saturday, finishing with just 15.75 DraftKings points. He and the Pacers will be in a good spot against the Mavs on Monday, and he brings nice value potential with a solid floor and the best Projected Plus/Minus at both shooting guard and small forward.
Fast Break
Kyshawn George ($6,400) – George has been rolling with at least 38 DraftKings points in four straight games. He posted 40, 40, and 57.5 DraftKings points in three games last week before “just” 38.2 DraftKings points on the road on Saturday. George has at least five assists in each of those four games to go with 23.5 points per game over that short stretch. Anthony Davis (ankle) is questionable, and if he misses a third straight game, George will again pick up more of the workload, making him a strong option at this mid-range salary.
Daniss Jenkins ($4,300) – Jenkins went off on Sunday in his team’s loss to the Lakers, pouring in 31 points in 32 minutes and finishing with 48.8 DraftKings points. He had been held under 20 DraftKings points in three straight games before that but flashed his upside off the bench, hitting eight three-pointers. He has that boom-or-bust upside again on Monday against the Wizards and brings the fourth-highest Plus/Minus projection of all the shooting guards on Monday’s slate.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
Dyson Daniels ($6,500)
At small forward, Daniels has top-five median, ceiling, and floor projections this Monday, even though he generates his fantasy production in a unique way. He doesn’t score a ton of points, but he stuffs the box score in just about every other category. For example, on Saturday against the Nets, he only had nine points but still posted 45 DraftKings points by adding 10 rebounds, seven assists, six steals, and a block. He has at least 39 DraftKings points in three straight games and is averaging 33.1 DraftKings points per game on the season, even though he’s scoring just 9.8 points per game.
Daniels gets a favorable matchup on Monday against the Lakers in what is projected to be a high-scoring game. The “Great Barrier Thief” will look to continue living up to his nickname on the defensive end, and he brings elite upside at this salary if he continues to contribute across the board. Jalen Johnson was able to return on Saturday against Brooklyn, and the dynamic duo makes the Hawks a fun team to watch as they try to take down the Lakers on Monday.
Value
Grayson Allen ($5,200)
The Hornets have had to rely heavily on Grayson Allen with multiple injuries in the early part of the season, and he has the second-highest Plus/Minus projections on Monday at both shooting guard and small forward. Brandon Miller is listed as out after leaving Friday’s game with a groin injury, and he’ll join Kon Knueppel (hamstring) and Dennis Schroder (hamstring) on the sidelines.
Allen got his first start of the season on Friday but was held scoreless in 22 minutes, going 0-for-5 from the field. Before that, though, he showed more upside with 36 DraftKings points last Wednesday, scoring 22 points in 27 minutes against the Nets. Allen can be a streaky shooter and producer, but with so much opportunity available, he makes a good mid-range value play as he looks to bounce back from Friday. Even in a tough matchup against the Cavs, Allen has the potential to be an elite value.
Fast Break
Scottie Barnes ($8,800) – Barnes’ usage has been up across the board this season, especially since Kawhi Leonard (knee) has been out. He has the highest median, ceiling, and floor projections at small forward on this slate and will have an elite ceiling if he returns from his one-game absence and takes on the Grizzlies. Barnes had over 45 DraftKings points in four straight games before cooling off a bit last Wednesday and being forced to sit on Friday. If he’s ready to return, he can once again be a versatile piece to build around with a high floor and a high ceiling due to his volume.
Keldon Johnson ($4,400) – Johnson has the fourth-highest Plus/Minus projection of all small forwards under $5,000 on Monday, and he could be in for a very busy night in Phoenix if Devin Vassell (adductor, questionable) is out in addition to Tobias Harris (calf), who has yet to make his Spurs debut. Johnson has exceeded salary-based expectations in three straight games and is coming off 10 points, seven rebounds, and 26.75 DraftKings points on Saturday against the Trail Blazers. The reigning Sixth Man of the Year has started the season a little slowly but is starting to find his stride in the Spurs’ second unit.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
Alperen Sengun ($9,000)
Sengun has the second-highest ceiling projection of all power forwards on the slate, as he and the Rockets host the Nuggets in a big Western Conference matchup on Monday. Even though the Rockets have lost two straight coming into this matchup, Sengun had a big week with 59.2 DraftKings points in a win over the Celtics on Monday and 55 DraftKings points on Wednesday in a loss to the Timberwolves. He had his first triple-double of the season in that contest with 17 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists, and three blocks.
On Saturday, he had only 31.5 DraftKings points in a loss to the Suns, but he and the Rockets will look to bounce back against the Nuggets, who have won four of their last five. The Nuggets had major delays leaving Mexico City after Saturday’s international game and listed all of their starters as questionable. The matchup is uncertain with so many players possibly out, but Sengun has shown a high multi-category ceiling and typically plays heavy minutes, making him a solid pay-up play at either power forward or center in Monday’s matchup.
Value
Naz Reid ($6,900)
Reid has the highest Plus/Minus projection of all power forwards since he will have to help carry more of the offensive workload with Miller joining Knueppel on the sidelines. Reid has been very inconsistent but showed good upside in his first 10 games with the Hornets, averaging 31.2 DraftKings points per game on 16.6 points and 8.1 rebounds.
He had 44.2 DraftKings points last Wednesday against Brooklyn but only 26.5 DraftKings points Friday against Boston. He was already getting plenty of shots, and Miller’s absence will make even more volume available for Reid on Monday against Cleveland. That volume is enough to make him a good value at power forward or center with nice positional versatility.
Fast Break
Jerami Grant ($4,300) – Grant has the second-highest Plus/Minus projection at power forward and the fifth-highest at small forward. He has brought solid production off the bench this season for the Grizzlies, scoring 10+ points in four straight games. He’s not getting enough work to regularly reach the ceiling he showed earlier in his career but is getting enough opportunities off the bench to be a solid bargain play, especially while Isaiah Stewart (knee) remains out.
Morez Johnson ($3,900) – Johnson has the third-highest Plus/Minus projection at power forward, behind only Reid and Grant. The Mavs drafted the 20-year-old Johnson with the No. 9 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft out of Michigan, and the rookie has flashed a very high ceiling. He had 13 points and 17 rebounds for 41.75 DraftKings points in only 24 minutes last Friday against the Jazz and has over 15 DraftKings points in four straight games as he continues to grow into a larger role. The team is bringing him along slowly, but depending on who sits the second night of their back-to-back, Johnson could get some extra run against the Pacers in a good spot on Monday, making him one of the top bargains to consider under $4,000.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
Victor Wembanyama ($11,300)
Especially with Nikola Jokic (elbow) questionable after the Nuggets’ bad travel day, Victor Wembanyama makes the most sense as a pay-up play in the middle on Monday night. Wemby has the highest median, ceiling, and floor projections at the position and has shown off an amazing ceiling over the last few games.
Last Wednesday, Wembanyama posted 106.5 DraftKings points on 52 points, 24 rebounds, and eight blocked shots in a dominant effort against the Mavericks. He followed that with 56.5 DraftKings points and 46.75 DraftKings points in road wins over the Kings and Trail Blazers, and the Spurs will continue their trip with a stop in Phoenix on Monday night. His production rate of 1.81 DraftKings points per minute trails only Luka’s among the players on Monday’s slate, and he’s a pay-up play to consider if you don’t love Luka’s matchup or are concerned about his back issue. Wembanyama clearly can break a slate when he stuffs the box score like he did last Wednesday.
Value
Paul Reed ($6,500)
With Jalen Duren (hamstring) still working his way back, Paul Reed has the second-highest Plus/Minus projection at center. Reed has posted over 28 DraftKings points in three of his last six games and only played 20 minutes on Sunday against the Lakers. That should leave him fresh enough to carry more of the load on Monday in a more favorable matchup against the Wizards, especially if Anthony Davis is out.
Reed has been a solid anchor on both ends of the floor for the Pistons and has been more productive than John Collins in recent games, which could create an interesting squeeze when Duren returns. B-ball Paul should continue to have a chance to thrive as long as Duren is out, which makes him a strong mid-range target for Monday’s matchup. Naz Reid will likely be the more popular play, but Paul Reed could end up the better leverage option for tournament lineups.
Fast Break
Onyeka Okongwu ($6,800) – Okongwu had 46 and 47 DraftKings points in back-to-back games without Jalen Johnson last week. He settled down with 33 DraftKings points against the Nets in Johnson’s return on Saturday, but he still brings a very high ceiling as another good mid-range center on Monday. Okongwu is averaging 31.9 DraftKings points per contest coming into his potentially high-scoring matchup with the Lakers.
Zach Edey ($5,300) – If you need to go a little cheaper at center but don’t want to go all the way down to Morez Johnson (discussed above), Edey is a solid play to consider. The Grizzlies’ big man has gotten a few more minutes with Isaiah Stewart out and has produced at least 22 DraftKings points in four of his last five games. He had his first double-double of the season during that stretch in a performance against the Pacers that earned him 33.2 DraftKings points last Wednesday.
Pictured: Victor Wembanyama
Photo Credit: Imagn
