This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
There is a very small slate Monday with an unorthodox three games on the schedule. Two of the tougher defenses in the league, the Spurs and Heat, will matchup against two polar opposite offenses, the Nets and Warriors, respectively. This makes the Spurs and Warriors appealing options, but there's a chance each game is a blowout in their favor, which means star players sitting on the bench late in games.
Because of this, the game to target is Wizards-Bulls. It has the highest over/under at 207.5 and the small line (Bulls are favored by 7.5 points) makes it the ideal game to stack players in. The Wizards offer plenty of cheap shooters to choose from, while the Bulls feature low-priced forwards who have enough upside to warrant tournament consideration.
GUARD
John Wall, WAS at CHI ($51) - There are only two real options at point guard Monday, and while Stephen Curry is coming off a monster game, he draws a tough matchup against the Heat. Wall, on the other hand, has the luxury of facing a Bulls team that is coming off a bad loss to Atlanta. The Wizards' floor general has turned the ball over seven times in three straight games, but chances are that number regresses back to the norm, as the Bulls force just 11.6 turnovers per game (29th in the league). You're paying a premium, but it's necessary with only three games on tap.
Jimmy Butler, CHI vs. WAS ($41) - Jimmy Buckets has been playing at a very high level lately, which has translated into gaudy fantasy stats. Butler is averaging 45.6 fantasy points per game over his last six, and he has scored at least 27 actual points in four of those contests. With injuries and matchups to consider, there really aren't any other options that make sense other than Klay Thompson ($38). Butler's usage percentage is right around 25 and even Derrick Rose's return hasn't affected his production, so he should have no problem torching a Wizards team that doesn't have a stopper on defense.
Guard to Avoid
Shane Larkin, BKN vs. SA ($16) - Ever since Jarrett Jack was lost for the season with a torn ACL, Larkin has been thrust into a larger role for the Nets. Well, now Brooklyn doesn't have a coach or GM, so the team is very unstable. Larkin would normally be pretty appealing for the price, but he came off the bench in the second half of Saturday's game and it doesn't help that the NBA's top-ranked defensive unit is rolling into town.
FORWARD
Taj Gibson, CHI vs. WAS ($20) - There's talk that Joakim Noah will return Monday after missing nine games due to a shoulder sprain, but chances are he'll still come off the bench and be on a minutes restriction. This means Gibson should get at least 25-30 minutes against a team that ranks 28th in rebound differential this season. He's also a great defender, which means the opportunity for extra fantasy points from blocks and steals.
Nikola Mirotic, CHI vs. WAS ($19) - In keeping with our theme, Mirotic is another appealing option from the game that should see the most total points scored Monday. It also helps that he is playing perhaps his best stretch of the season, averaging 16.6 points, 6.4 rebounds and three treys per game over his past five. The Wizards don't have anyone who matches up well against Mirotic, so that only makes his three-point attempts even more likely to fall.
Forward to Avoid
Thaddeus Young, BKN vs. SA ($36) - As mentioned before, the Nets are in complete disarray right now, so staying away from them entirely is a good idea. Young started off the season on a tear and was a double-double machine, but he's reverted back to normalcy and has just two double-doubles in his past seven games. Usually a player's slow regression is an indicator that it's time to fade him until his price offers more value, which is exactly the situation Young is going through right now.
CENTER
Marcin Gortat, WAS at CHI ($31) - If you're looking for easy points Monday, Gortat offers a nice combination of consistency and value. He has a double-double with at least 12 points in six of his past seven games and the Bulls just got worked by Al Horford in Atlanta on Saturday. You can't really go with a full-blown Bulls stack, but the high over/under for this game is what makes Gortat more appealing than the other options.
Center to Avoid
Hassan Whiteside, MIA at GSW ($33) - The Warriors do a nice job limiting opposing centers and it will be tough for Whiteside to find any offensive touches if Golden State comes out hot. With that said, Whiteside isn't really known for his offensive game anyway, which means he'll need to reach 15 rebounds and four blocks to hit value in tournaments. The Warriors will likely keep things on the perimeter and limit the amount of chances Whiteside has at blocking shots, so it's best to leave him out of your lineups.
