This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We begin this week of NBA action with an eight-game slate. Let's get right to it!
SLATE OVERVIEW
PHI (-4.5) vs. NYK O/U: 210
CHI (-1.5) vs. BKN O/U :215
MEM (-5.5) vs. MIN O/U: 218.5
DAL (-9) vs. NOR O/U: 210.5
MIA (-2) @ DEN O/U: 205.5
GSW (-3) vs. ATL O/U: 221.5
PHO (-2.5) @ SAC O/U: 222.5
LAL (-2.5) vs. CHA O/U: 224.5
As the night wears on, the DFS opportunities increase. Late swaps will be plentiful if you need to salvage any poor early performances, as it's essential to employ high variance when multiple lineups don't go your way early. The fast-paced matchups are all late, although I'm not going to give much to the Lakers until I see an updated starting five for the evening. A start for Anthony Davis would eliminate a lot of value from that roster.
INJURIES
PHI Tobias Harris (COVID-19 protocols) - OUT
Furkan Korkmaz ($4,700) has emerged as the best pivot for Harris in recent days, and tonight even more so with Matisse Thybulle (COVID protocols) also sidelined.
MIN D'Angelo Russell (ankle) - QUESTIONABLE
Russell was able to practice over the weekend, but he'll be a game-time call. Although Patrick Beverley ($4,800) would start in his place, Malik Beasley ($4,600) has the more reliable floor.
NOR Brandon Ingram (hip) - QUESTIONABLE
Ingram might sit yet again, but pregame warmups will determine his playing status. His absence would give more playing time to Josh Hart ($5,300), and the other starters would merit a slight boost in outlook.
DEN Michael Porter (back) - OUT
Increased roles for PJ Dozier ($3,600) and Aaron Gordon ($5,000) will emerge in Porter's absence, which may span several days.
PHO Deandre Ayton (leg) - OUT
JaVale McGee ($4,200) will continue to draw the start in Ayton's absence.
CHA P.J. Washington (elbow) - OUT
Cody Martin ($5,000) should see the most significant usage bump, followed by Mason Plumlee ($5,300).
LAL Anthony Davis (finger, illness) - QUESTIONABLE
LAL LeBron James (abdomen) - OUT
LAL Kendrick Nunn (ankle) - OUT
The Lakers are a mess right now. If Davis can't make it, DeAndre Jordan ($4,000) is a favored pivot. Carmelo Anthony ($6,300) appears to be the best pivot option for James at present.
ELITE PLAYERS
Monday presents one of those slates where a stars-and-scrubs approach might be the best way to go, as the injury pivots alone can offer us enough value to get three elites involved. I think Luka Doncic ($10,200) and Kevin Durant ($10,500) offer the best value. Of the two, I favor Doncic. Moving down into the $9k range, we have a host of options led by Stephen Curry ($9,800), who should enjoy a fast-paced game against the Hawks. Jimmy Butler ($9,700) is also an excellent choice against the Nuggets, who won't have Michael Porter available. By far, the most intriguing selection in this range is Joel Embiid ($9,300), whose salary has been reduced by FanDuel and is simply too cheap to ignore.
Also consider: James Harden, BKN ($9,600), Russell Westbrook, LAL ($9,400)
EXPECTED CHALK AND CORE TARGETS
Devin Booker, PHO ($8,500) @ SAC
Booker is a special player, and we've seen him erupt for as much as 80 points in his career. While a game like that is exceedingly rare, he looks better than ever through the first few weeks of the season. He just went off for 38 points against the Hawks on Saturday and is averaging 24.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and 5.1 assists over his first eight games. He didn't have a great outing in his first meetup with the Kings, but he'll look to rectify that Monday.
Zach LaVine, CHI ($8,000) vs. BRO
LaVine finally appears to be finding his way in the new-look offense, and a good synergy now exists between him and Lonzo Ball. They even utilized a nifty alley-oop play in their last game that they had obviously practiced. LaVine's exceeded 40 FP in four straight games, which puts his current salary exactly where it should be.
Anthony Edwards, MIN ($7,900) @ MEM
Just below LaVine is Edwards. LaVine has a more dependable floor relative to his salary, but without D'Angelo Russell, Edwards has the potential to explode. He blew up for 47 FP against the Clippers two games ago and has eclipsed 40 FP six times over the season's first eight games.
De'Aaron Fox, SAC ($7,400) vs. PHO
Subpar play has driven Fox's salary down to a point where he can be rostered him with more confidence. After a stagnant start, he's shown signs of life over the past three games and averaged 19 points, 5,3 assists, 2,7 rebounds and 1.7 steals over that span. He's been DFS hemlock up to this point, but the past week's games are encouraging.
Also consider: Kristaps Porzingis, DAL ($7,100), Bam Adebayo, MIA ($8,400)
VALUE PLAYS
Don't forget, excellent values exist in the injury section, with Aaron Gordon leading the way as one of my favorites.
Kyle Lowry, MIA ($6,200) @ DEN
Lowry really turned it on against Utah on Saturday with a massive 58 FP performance. That will definitely be on the high end for him. Still, his recent stat lines suggest that he can go off at any moment, giving him desirable upside at this salary.
Shake Milton, PHI ($5,600) vs. NYK
With 39 and 36 FP over the past two games, Milton has forced his way into the starting five with a vengeance. I still like Tyrese Maxey ($5,800) and Seth Curry ($5,200) in this backcourt, but attention must be paid to Milton due to his recent jump.
De'Andre Hunter, ATL ($4,300) @ GSW
Hunter is at a head-scratchingly low salary when you consider his potential upside. I like him in this fast-paced matchup against a fairly generous defense, as long as he can keep his shot volume up.
Blake Griffin, BKN ($3,900) @ CHI
There's no way to avoid a member of Brooklyn's starting five at this salary. It appears that Griffin has won the battle to start over LaMarcus Aldridge, and Steve Nash doesn't tinker much with his rotation unless he has to. Griffin has been doing a little bit of everything for the Nets, flashing an accurate long-range shot to complement his steady rebound totals. As long as his minutes remain stable, he is a cinch to beat value at this salary.
Also consider: De'Anthony Melton, MEM ($5,000), Andrew Wiggins, GSW ($5,500)
