This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
Here we go with a nice six-game slate on Monday, March 11.
Per usual, we have some injuries to monitor with potential for more while moving closer to tip-off. You'll want to stay in the loop with RotoWire's NBA News Feed before setting your final lineups. As of Monday morning, these are the situations we are looking at:
Jayson Tatum is questionable. Gordon Hayward and Jaylen Brown could see higher rates in his absence.
Larry Nance is out. Kevin Love, Ante Zizic, Marquese Chriss, and Cedi Osman will see more work in the frontcourt.
These notable players will continue to miss time: Fred VanVleet, Ricky Rubio, Raul Neto, Marvin Bagley, Tristan Thompson, Treveon Graham, John Wall, Dwight Howard,
With that, I'll be breaking down the best fantasy choices on DraftKings for Monday. The following write-ups contain a blend of cash game staples, bargain fillers, and tournament pivots.
GUARDS
Bradley Beal – WAS vs. SAC ($9,700): Russell Westbrook and James Harden are both plausible selections on DraftKings, but I'll be looking towards Beal for a fraction of the salary instead. This Washington-Sacramento tilt is definitely one to target in DFS, holding a whopping 240 over/under and one point spread. Both teams rank top five in pace and bottom ten in defensive efficiency, so this is certainly a recipe for some fantasy numbers. Beal is averaging a cool 54 FPPG over his past five, and there's a good chance he'll surpass that threshold tonight.
Buddy Hield – SAC at WAS ($7,400): We can't ignore Hield when looking to the other side of this high-scoring Sacramento-Washington matchup. The Kings' guard has been rolling with 43 FPPG over his past five, and he carries legitimate 50-55 FP upside into this draw. Washington ranks fifth in pace and 27th in opponent three-point percentage at 36.8%. That creates a healthy opportunity for Hield to thrive.
Chris Paul – HOU vs. CHA ($7,100): A blowout and some poor shooting performances have caused Paul's salary to take a nosedive. He's an interesting buy-low candidate while hoping the shooting rate normalizes while propelling him back to the 40-45 fantasy point range. The matchup looks mediocre against Charlotte, but Paul should definitely be on your radar while checking in with a substantial discount.
Other guards to consider: Kyrie Irving – BOS at LAC ($8,900), Tomas Satoransky – WAS vs. SAC ($5,800), Bogdan Bogdanovic – SAC at WAS ($5,500)
FORWARDS
Bobby Portis – WAS vs. SAC ($5,900): Is Portis finally coming around? He has notched 41-plus fantasy points in three of his past four while shooting the ball a ton and snagging eight or more boards through that span. Foul trouble and general inconsistencies are still part of his profile, but we should see his good side in a beautiful matchup against Sacramento. The Kings play fast while ranking 20th in defensive efficiency to power forwards and 27th in rebound rate. I'm calling on Portis for another 40 FP outing, targeting him through all formats.
Joe Ingles – UTA vs. OKC ($5,900): Ingles is a steady mid-range candidate with a little better floor/ceiling combination with Ricky Rubio and Raul Neto out. Those injuries will force Donovan Mitchell to see more time at point guard with Ingles and others picking up the slack on the wing. Ingles has been flirting with triple-doubles over the past week, and I'm expecting another strong showing against an Oklahoma City club that ranks 24th in defensive efficiency to small forwards.
Harrison Barnes – SAC at WAS ($5,200): Barnes' efficiency has been all over the place since joining the Kings, but his minutes remain through the roof at 37 or more on a nightly basis. That's good news for his floor/ceiling combination, especially in a favorable draw at Washington. The Wizards rank bottom five in defensive efficiency to opposing small forwards, and Barnes should see plenty of opportunities with Marvin Bagley still out for the Kings.
Other forwards to consider: Blake Griffin – DET at BKN ($8,300), Danilo Gallinari – LAC vs. BOS ($6,400)
CENTERS
Andre Drummond – DET at BKN ($9,100): Drummond has been an absolute beast in favorable matchups lately. He posted 61-plus fantasy points in two of his past three against the Timberwolves and Bulls. Tonight's draw at Brooklyn is arguably his best matchup in recent memory, as the Nets rank 21st in defensive efficiency to centers and 26th in rebound rate. The Detroit big man is expensive, but he's definitely worth considering through all formats in this spot.
Rudy Gobert – UTA vs. OKC ($7,800): If you don't quite have enough salary to make Drummond work, Gobert makes for a fine alternative. The matchup doesn't look great on paper for the Utah big man, but Gobert posted a monster 58 FP outing the last time he faced Oklahoma City (2/22). He has notched 47 or more fantasy points in two of his past three, and I wouldn't be surprised to see Gobert end up in that range tonight.
Other centers to consider: Willie Cauley-Stein – SAC at WAS ($5,700), Ante Zizic – CLE vs. TOR ($3,900)
