This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
Here we go with a four-game slate on Monday, April 1.
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:
Blake Griffin is out. Thon Maker becomes a respectable value, and Andre Drummond carries strong upside in Griffin's absence.
Luka Doncic highly questionable. I believe the Mavericks will take things slow with their prized rookie, fully expecting him to miss tonight's game. Keep an eye out for the official word. Trey Burke is coming off a 42 fantasy point performance through 31 minutes with Doncic out last game. Jalen Brunson should be busy as well.
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton are questionable. Eric Bledsoe is probable, and he would carry massive upside if these two are out. Pat Connaughton came through with 35 fantasy points with both of them out yesterday, and Sterling Brown erupted for 52 fantasy points through 33 minutes.
Kevin Love is questionable. If he misses another game, Larry Nance becomes a nice value pick with Tristan Thompson entering the conversation as well.
Wesley Matthews is questionable. Tyreke Evans and Cory Joseph would see more time if he's out.
Derrick Favors is out. Rudy Gobert could feast more in the frontcourt, while Jae Crowder and Joe Ingles should see some more minutes and usage pushed their way.
Joel Embiid is out. Jonah Bolden should see around 25-30 minutes as a decent value pick, while Ben Simmons, Tobias Harris, and Jimmy Butler will enjoy more usage.
Deandre Ayton is out. Richaun Holmes is questionable. Holmes would be the primary beneficiary if he plays. Otherwise, Dragan Bender should see a ton of playing time in a heightened role.
These notable players will continue to miss time: Josh Richardson, Justise Winslow, Kris Dunn, Lauri Markkanen, Zach LaVine, Otto Porter, Victor Oladipo, Malcolm Brogdon, Nikola Mirotic, Rodions Kurucs, Allen Crabbe, Rodney McGruder, Noah Vonleh, Jusuf Nurkic, C.J. McCollum, Jeff Teague, Taj Gibson, Derrick Rose, Tim Hardaway Jr, Cody Zeller, Kelly Oubre Jr, Tyler Johnson, T.J. Warren
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
Eric Bledsoe ($7,600) becomes a great option if both Antetokounmpo and Middleton are ruled out. The same can be said for Trey Burke ($4,000) if Doncic doesn't play.
Devin Booker – PHX vs. CLE ($10,100): Booker is a primary option on this slate. The Suns have a ton of injuries, and he's essentially the last man standing of the regular starters. Booker has been enjoying some massive usage with 68 or more fantasy points in three straight, and he should continue to see around 30 shots per contest. The Suns are hosting a bad Cleveland team that ranks 28th in defensive efficiency to opposing shooting guards, so I'd be surprised if Booker doesn't come through again.
Emmanuel Mudiay – NYK vs. CHI ($6,100): Mudiay has been rolling lately with at least 34 minutes and 35 fantasy points in three of his past four games. The lone miss came in pinched minutes with a blowout situation against the Raptors. We are expecting a reasonably competitive game between two tanking teams, and Mudiay should be able to take advantage of a hobbled Chicago backcourt that already ranks 29th in defensive efficiency to opposing backcourts. Go ahead and look towards the New York point man as solid play through all formats.
Shaquille Harrison – CHI at NYK ($6,500): Looking to the other side of this same matchup, Harrison should be able to post respectable fantasy value similar to his counterpart, Mudiay. The Knicks rank 25th in defensive efficiency to opposing backcourts, and Harrison has been thriving in an expanded role with Dunn and LaVine both sidelined. The Bulls' guard is averaging 34 FPPG over his past four in that spot, and he could easily surpass that threshold when considering the generous draw.
Other guards to consider: Damian Lillard – POR at MIN (10,000), Jalen Brunson – DAL vs. PHI ($5,400), Collin Sexton – CLE at PHX ($6,400)
FORWARDS
Tobias Harris – PHI at DAL ($7,400): As mentioned earlier, Embiid will not play tonight. Harris really thrived in his extended absence through late February and early March. He rekindled that upside with 41 fantasy points through 39 minutes at Minnesota on Saturday without Embiid. The salary is reasonable due to a string of mediocre performances in the big man's shadow. However, Harris makes for a primary target with a sizable boost in this situation. It helps that he's playing a mediocre Dallas defense that checks in as one of the worst rebounding teams in the league.
Luke Kornet – NYK vs. CHI ($4,100): Kornet came out of nowhere to post 46 fantasy points through 36 minutes last game. Is that his role moving forward, or will he disappear from the rotation? That's the risk of this situation, as you never really know what New York's rotation will look like. If Kornet gets a chance to keep his momentum, he'll make for a strong fantasy play through all formats. You'll need to take inventory of your risk tolerance here, but the cheap salary somewhat alleviates the anxiety presented by the Knicks' volatility.
Dragan Bender – PHX vs. CLE ($4,300): As mentioned earlier, Ayton will be sidelined tonight and Holmes is questionable. Bender was already seeing around 30 minutes with both of those guys active, so he should see an uptick in Ayton's absence. There's upside to be had if Holmes also misses this game, but Bender is in store for increased opportunities either way, making him a plausible value option.
Other forwards to consider: Kawhi Leonard – TOR vs. ORL ($9,800), Larry Nance Jr. – CLE at PHX ($6,200), Thon Maker – DET at IND ($3,800)
CENTERS
Richaun Holmes ($4,500) makes for a tremendous play if he's active.
Mitchell Robinson – NYK vs. CHI ($6,300): The Knicks seem to be content in letting Robinson absorb majority of the center minutes down the stretch. That's the way it should be for a tanking team, but who really knows with New York? The good news comes from Robinson's elite fantasy efficiency, so he could bail us out even if the minutes get pinched around 25 or so. The upside is massive as well, looking at a beautiful matchup against Chicago with potential for 30-35 minutes if he gets a full run in this tank-fest of a game. I'll be targeting him regardless of the risk, as he has GPP-winning upside on this moderate salary.
Andre Drummond – DET at IND ($9,700): The matchup doesn't look good on paper, but there's a chance for Drummond to absolutely feast with Griffin out tonight. The Detroit big man doesn't really care about defensive efficiency rankings anyway, as he's a threat for 20 points and 20 rebounds regardless of the other team's jerseys. He went for 26 points and 16 boards with three blocks the last time he faced Indiana (February 25).
Other centers to consider: Rudy Gobert – UTA vs. CHA ($8,200), Dwight Powell – DAL vs. PHI ($5,900), Jonah Bolden – PHI at DAL ($4,500)
