This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
On Monday, we have a marginal seven games on the slate. There are a few games I want to exploit, though, as some of these matchups have extremely high totals. The most enticing matchups are Houston-Washington and the Golden State-New Orleans, both of which have totals in the 220 range -- rightfully so, too, as these are teams with below-average defenses and extremely efficient offenses.
Inserting as many players into your lineup from these games is beneficial, as there should be more possessions and points scored in these matchups than any of the other five. It's also a Russell Westbrook and James Harden day, which means one of those guys has to be in your lineup given their upside.
Guards
Stephen Curry, GS vs. NOP ($8,700): There aren't many players with an upside that matches Curry's and it's surprising to see how much his price has dropped. While his usage has decreased since the acquisition of Kevin Durant, Curry is still putting up solid fantasy numbers. The reigning MVP has put up at least 31 fantasy points in all five games and has demonstrated the capability to score 50-plus in the past. What makes him a great play here is the matchup, as he faces an undermanned Pelicans team that struggles on the defensive end.
Bradley Beal, WSH vs. HOU ($5,400): While Beal hasn't quite lived up to the hype, he's become a great DFS option at a discounted price. Beal has continually disappointed fantasy owners with his potential and lack of production, but there's reason to believe we can see the elite Beal in this game. Washington gets to face a Houston team that is scoring and allowing points at a historic rate. This is the type of game in which Beal can thrive, as he'll see plenty of open shots in transition and should be able to provide peripheral fantasy points in addition to his points. The floor is relatively high for Beal, as a 30 fantasy point outing would exceed his inexpensive price tag.
Buddy Hield, NOP at GS ($4,000): I hate to use the "gut-feel" rationale here, the rookie has scored in double figures in three-straight games and draws an excellent matchup against the fast-paced Warriors. These are the types of games in which Hield can get hot, so I'll take a flier on him here. I also like the fact that this could be a blowout. With a 13-point spread, it seems likely that Hield could get his fair share of garbage minutes in an injury-riddled rotation. This is the definition of a punt play, as Hield has very limited downside with his price and a mountain of upside with his potential.
Forwards
Derrick Favors, UTA at PHI ($5,900): Favors has been playing limited minutes because of his injury circumstance, but he's just starting to get a full allotment of playing time. In fact, Favors has played 27 minutes in back-to-back games and it seems plausible he'll get up to 30 minutes in this game. That minutes restriction has lowered Favors' price to a point where he becomes very usable in DFS. All he has to do is double-double and he'll exceed value, which seems like a strong possibility in this matchup. The Sixers are one of the worst defenses in the league and they have really struggled with post-oriented bigs over the past few seasons.
Otto Porter, WSH vs. HOU ($4,900): Porter has been inconsistent this season, but he's starting to climb out of his slump. The Georgetown product has two double-doubles in his last three games and has played 36 minutes or more in three of his last four, as well. That sort of usage and opportunity is hard to pass up in a matchup like this. Porter should get 30-plus fantasy points through sheer hustle, as he'll be all over the floor in a 200-possession game. The floor for Porter is probably around 20 fantasy points, which would still return 4X value.
Terrence Jones, NOP at GS ($4,400): Jones put up a monster line in his most recent game and he looks to have secured the role as the starting power forward for New Orleans. In that loss to the Suns, Jones tallied 19 points, seven rebounds, six assists and four blocks in 28 minutes of action. Scoring 45 fantasy points is impressive, but it's even crazier when you consider he did that damage in less than 30 minutes of play. With very little frontcourt depth and an injury-riddled roster, Jones should be leaned on more going forward, and that makes him an intriguing DFS option until his price rises. The price is obviously the icing on the cake, as $4,400 is far too cheap for a player with this level of upside.
Centers
Hassan Whiteside, MIA at OKC ($8,500): Whiteside has been an absolute beast lately and he's truly blooming into a superstar. He's averaging nearly 45 fantasy points per game and demonstrated 55-point upside earlier this season. What makes him so good is his ability to rebound and block shots. He ranks among the top five in both of those statistics, and there's no reason why he can't do that again in this matchup. He gets to face an Oklahoma City team that plays at a hectic pace and that has regressed on defense. Whiteside should be able to get a few blocks on Russell Westbrook rim attacks alone and it wouldn't be surprising to see him rack up five or more. With Whiteside, a double-double is a near guarantee, as he's done that in every game thus far this season. Just ride the hot hand and take the guarantee for elite center production at an affordable price.
DeAndre Jordan, LAC vs. DET ($6,900): There's not much difference between Andre Drummond and DeAndre Jordan, but the prices would indicate otherwise. Drummond actually costs $1,200 more than Jordan and it seems likely that they'll put up similar numbers against each other. They both specialize in rebounding, and considering the Clippers are the far better defense, it seems plausible that Jordan could outrebound Drummond in this matchup. Drummond has struggled of late on defense, as he allowed Jonas Valanciunas and Jusuf Nurkic to have monster games in matchups with Detroit.
Clint Capela, HOU at WSH ($4,400): Capela is certainly risky because of his minutes, but his potential is too high to avoid him. He has actually scored at least eight points or grabbed at least nine rebound in four of his six games this season. That shows just how capable he is to grab a double-double, as he's played 26 minutes or fewer in every game. With his double-double potential and his ability to record defensive statistics, Capela has far too much upside to be priced at $4,400. The matchup is strong, as well, as the Wizards have allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing centers this season.
