The NBA tips off a new work week with the first Monday slate of the new season. Seven games are on the main slate on DraftKings, which begins at 7:00 p.m. ET with games in Charlotte and Cleveland. Of the 14 teams on the slate, the Pacers, Timberwolves, and Thunder are finishing a back-to-back set, while the Celtics are the only team in action on Monday that plays again on Tuesday. Even though it’s still early in the season, keep a close eye on injuries, since availability will definitely impact the 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
Tyrese Haliburton ($8,300)
Haliburton and the Pacers are in a good matchup against the Bucks on Monday night. It should be a good fantasy spot all around since the game has the highest over/under on the slate, and it should be a competitive contest with the Pacers -4.5.
Haliburton is still a little bit more affordable than the most expensive options at point guard, but he has impressed in his return from injury this season, exceeding salary-based expectations in each of his three games this year. He had a season-high 50.5 DraftKings points on Sunday against the Nets, producing his second double-double of the year with 24 points and 10 assists in 31 minutes. He is averaging 45.8 DraftKings points per game and 1.42 DraftKings points per minute, and he may have to carry even more of the offense, depending on the status of Ivica Zubac (ankle), who left Sunday’s game with a sprained ankle.
Value
Ajay Mitchell ($4,600)
Mitchell has the highest Plus/Minus projection of all point guards on the slate, and he could have to pick up a huge workload depending on who else is available for the Thunder in the second game of their back-to-back. Jalen Williams (ankle) was stretchered off the floor during Sunday’s game after a gruesome ankle injury, Jaylin Williams (wrist) left with zero stats after five minutes, and Cason Wallace (shoulder) departed in the first quarter.
With some or all of those players missing for Monday’s matchup with the Suns, Mitchell will have a chance to step up and be more active in the offense. He has increased his production in each subsequent game this season, finishing Sunday’s game with 37 DraftKings points in 28 minutes on 18 points, six rebounds, four assists, and three steals. His strong overall production on both ends of the floor makes him an excellent value at point guard Monday night.
Fast Break
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($9,800) – SGA has the highest median projection at point guard after dropping 54.5 DraftKings points on Sunday in his team’s win over the Clippers. Without Williams, Gilgeous-Alexander will have to take on even more scoring responsibilities, and he’ll be in a good spot in Monday’s home game against the Suns. He’s an elite option with more upside than any other point guard, but he has a much higher salary than the other options available.
Davion Mitchell ($5,400) – Mitchell has the fourth-highest Projected Plus/Minus at point guard and has exceeded salary-based expectations in each of his three games this season. He had an impressive 22-point, 10-assist double-double on Saturday in Charlotte, producing 42.2 DraftKings points in 37 minutes. The Heat fell to 0-3 despite that big game from Mitchell, but they’ll look to get their first win of the season on Monday when they host the Mavericks.
NBA DFS Shooting Guard Picks
Stud
Amen Thompson ($7,200)
Thompson has the third-highest median, ceiling, and floor projections at shooting guard on Monday night and the fourth-highest Projected Plus/Minus. The 23-year-old has started the season strong with three straight double-doubles to boost the Rockets to a 3-0 record.
He is averaging 17.7 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 4.7 assists for 42.6 DraftKings points per game, and he had 42.2 DraftKings points on 17 points, 11 boards, and six assists in the first half of a home-and-home set with the Hawks on Saturday in Atlanta. In the rematch on Monday, he brings great upside, and his salary is still relatively affordable.
Value
Grayson Allen ($5,300)
Allen has had to step into a substantial role early in the season for the Hornets, who remain without Kon Knueppel (hamstring) and Coby White (calf) for Monday’s matchup with the Wizards. Allen has the highest Plus/Minus projection at shooting guard and small forward in this matchup and brings a lot of positional versatility and upside.
Even though he has come off the bench, Allen has reached over 30 DraftKings points in two of his three games this season, including on Saturday against the Heat, when he had 20 points, five assists, and three boards in 34 minutes. He has at least three assists in every game so far this season and is chipping in those non-scoring numbers in addition to his streaky shooting, which gives him solid upside in either a guard or forward spot this Monday.
Fast Break
Donovan Mitchell ($8,500) – Mitchell has the highest ceiling projection at shooting guard, even though he had a quieter game in Saturday’s win over the Nets. He started the new season with a double-double of 32 points and 10 rebounds for 55 DraftKings points and still brings an elite ceiling as he and the Cavs host the Timberwolves on Monday.
Pelle Larsson ($4,100) – Like Allen, Larsson can slide to either a guard or forward spot, depending on what works best for your roster construction. Larsson had a very strong game on Saturday against Allen and the Hornets, producing 31.2 DraftKings points on 15 points, seven rebounds, and four assists in 36 minutes. He’s in a favorable matchup against the Mavs and brings a lot of upside for a player priced just over $4,000.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
Jayson Tatum ($9,500)
Even though his salary is elevated, Tatum has the second-highest Plus/Minus projection of all small forwards and the highest of all power forwards. He also has the highest pure median, ceiling, and floor projections at small forward, as he and the Celtics start their back-to-back with a favorable home matchup against the Bulls.
Tatum is the clear focus of the offense after the Jaylen Brown trade, and he showed how high his ceiling is with a huge game on Friday against the Knicks. He had 36 points, nine rebounds, seven assists, and three steals for 64.2 DraftKings points in 37 minutes to carry his team to a four-point win over the defending champs. The Bulls have been a great matchup for small forwards specifically so far this season, so Tatum comes into the night as one of the strongest pay-up plays on the board.
Value
Peyton Watson ($5,200)
After being traded to the Cavs this offseason, Watson has stepped right into a starting role in Cleveland. He has played 30+ minutes in each of his two games with his new team this season, and on Saturday, he produced a nicely balanced stat line of 11 points, four assists, three rebounds, a block, and a steal for 24.8 DraftKings points.
Watson has a very high ceiling once he settles into his new spot in the Cleveland lineup, and if he continues to get so much playing time, he’ll be a very solid play at just over $5,000 at either forward spot. The Timberwolves-Cavs game is one of the most interesting matchups on the board, and Watson is a nice, affordable way to get a piece of the exciting action. He has the fourth-highest Plus/Minus projection among small forwards under $6,000.
Fast Break
Brandon Miller ($7,700) – With LaMelo Ball traded and White and Knueppel out, Miller has a huge opportunity to carry the offense. He started the season very slowly with just 25.2 and 14 DraftKings points in his first two games of the season, but he bounced back with a big game on Saturday, pouring in 34 points and 51 DraftKings points to carry the Hornets past the Heat. He is volatile but brings that kind of upside at home against the Wizards on Monday.
Kenrich Williams ($3,000) – Williams has the fifth-highest Plus/Minus projection of all small forwards on Monday, since he could have to help carry the load after all the Thunder’s injuries on Sunday. He has scored exactly three points in each of his first three games and played just a few minutes off the bench, but if Wallace and Jaylin Williams join Jalen Williams as out on Monday, he will likely have to take on a more significant role off the bench.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
Giannis Antetokounmpo ($9,900)
While Tatum has a better Plus/Minus projection because he’s a little cheaper, Giannis has the highest median, ceiling, and floor projections of any player at any position this Monday. He and the Heat will be desperate for their first win of the season as they host the Mavericks, who may be without Cooper Flagg (shoulder) for a second straight game.
Antetokounmpo had 65 DraftKings points in the first half of the Heat’s back-to-back last week, finishing with 36 points and 12 rebounds in 33 minutes against the Pistons. On Saturday, though, he only had 26.5 DraftKings points on 14 points while being limited to 25 minutes before fouling out. He’ll look for a bounce-back performance against Dallas and could be one of the best plays on the board in what should be a favorable matchup.
Value
Kyle Kuzma ($4,900)
After a down game to start the year with just five points and 22 DraftKings points against Washington, Kuzma has bounced back with 32.2 and 33.5 DraftKings points in his last two games. He had a nice double-double of 14 points and 12 boards in Saturday’s loss to the Sixers, playing a team-high 35 minutes.
With Giannis in Miami and Tyler Herro running the Bucks’ offense, Kuzma has a chance to step up into a more active role this season. He has the highest Plus/Minus projection of all power forwards under $7,000 this Monday, and he has both a high ceiling and a decent floor in his current role in the Bucks’ ongoing rebuild.
Fast Break
Naz Reid ($7,100) – Reid started his first season in Charlotte with a monster game against the Nets, posting 47.2 DraftKings points and a double-double. He had a down game against the Hawks on Friday but bounced back with over 40 DraftKings points again last Saturday against Giannis and the Heat. Reid has a very high ceiling at this salary in a good home matchup against the Wizards on Monday.
Obi Toppin ($4,800) – Toppin has exceeded salary-based expectations in each of his three games this season and is in that up-tempo matchup in Milwaukee. He has averaged 27.2 DraftKings points per game, and he could get a little more playing time if the Pacers are without Zubac on Monday night.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
Bam Adebayo ($7,900)
Adebayo has the highest median, ceiling, and floor projections at center, and he brings the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all players at all positions. He has had an inconsistent start to the year playing alongside Giannis, but he had a season-high 39 DraftKings points against the Hornets on Saturday, scoring 20 points to go with eight rebounds and four assists.
Miami will look to get its first win of the season on Monday, and Adebayo could be a key contributor in what should be a good spot against the Mavericks. Dallas should be a good “get-right” spot for Bam and the Heat, and the projections point to a big game for the big man on Monday.
Value
Jay Huff ($3,500)
Huff will likely be one of the most popular and productive value plays on Monday night if he starts in place of Ivica Zubac (ankle). Zubac left the arena on crutches on Sunday after X-rays were negative, according to coach Rick Carlisle. It seems unlikely the big man will be ready to take on the Bucks, though, which could lead to a big spot for Huff.
On Sunday, Huff started the second half and played 21 minutes, producing 28 DraftKings points on 14 points, three assists, and two rebounds. He would be an exceptional value play if he posts similar numbers at this salary on Monday.
Fast Break
Alperen Sengun ($8,400) – Sengun has been an important part of the Rockets’ 3-0 start to the season. He had a huge game against the Spurs on Friday with 49.75 DraftKings points in 36 minutes against Wemby, and he followed that up with a double-double and 42.5 DraftKings points in 33 minutes against the Hawks on Saturday. Sengun has over 40 DraftKings points in each of his three games and should be a solid center to build around in the rematch with the Hawks on Monday. He doesn’t have quite as high of a ceiling as Adebayo, but he has been much more reliable.
Neemias Queta ($4,700) – Queta has the second-highest Plus/Minus projection of the centers under $7,000 on Monday. Boston’s big man had 15 points, six rebounds, and 29.5 DraftKings points in the team’s win over the Knicks on Friday. He came off the bench behind Mitchell Robinson in each of his two games this year, but he’s still been involved enough to be a solid fantasy option under $5,000.
Pictured: Tyrese Haliburton
Photo Credit: Imagn
