This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
Monday's slate brings some great matchups between uptempo offenses. With teams like Phoenix, Houston, Philadelphia and Washington on the schedule, there should be plenty of fantasy production spread throughout the league. Not only do each of those teams play at a fast pace, they are all below-average on the defensive end. It's also a James Harden day, so, as usual, that means do everything possible to get those near-guaranteed 50 points in your lineup.
John Wall, WSH vs. PHX ($9,200): While the results of Wizards' games have been ugly, Wall has been playing great basketball, individually. Wall is in the midst of his stretch of the season, scoring 40 or more fantasy points in each of his last three games. That consistency, along with this matchup, makes Wall a can't-miss at point guard. Phoenix allows the fourth-most fantasy points to point guards, while also ranking second in pace and dead last in points allowed.
Ish Smith, DET vs. HOU ($5,400): Smith is quietly playing very well in the absence of Reggie Jackson, and this price doesn't demonstrate how productive he's been. Smith has surpassed 24 fantasy points in five of his last seven games, doing his damage with very little scoring. It's his assists production that drive his value, and he should be able to add to his total Monday against a shaky Rockets defense. At just $5,400, Smith is a good bet to net 5X value, with the potential to reach as much as a 7X return.
Josh Richardson, MIA at PHI ($4,400): Richardson has been a constant in my FanDuel articles, and that's going to continue until he gets up to the $5,000 price tag he deserves. What makes Richardson so valuable is his combination of minutes and usage, as he's averaging more than 32 minutes and 13 shot attempts per game across his last six contests, translating to over 25 fantasy points per game in that span. That's 6X value on his criminally low price tag, and a 6X floor is simply impossible to pass up. Richardson draws an excellent matchup Monday, as he faces a Philadelphia team that ranks dead-last in fantasy points allowed to small forwards on the season.
Kawhi Leonard, SAN vs. DAL ($8,700): There aren't many reliable small forwards on the schedule, so going with a safe guy like Leonard can pay major dividends. Leonard has taken on a more significant offenisve role this season, climbing to 15th in the NBA in usage, while averaging a career-best 24.8 points per game. Monday's matchup is spectacular, as well, with the 2-10 Mavericks riding a five-game losing streak with a banged-up backcourt. While the ceiling isn't as high a top-tier player like James Harden, Leonard is about as safe as it gets at small forward.
Serge Ibaka, ORL at MIL ($5,800): Ibaka is finally starting to play well, and now's the time to get on him while his price is still deflated. He got off to a terrible start to the season, lowering his price to an extremely affordable $5,800. Across his last four games, Ibaka is averaging 17.0 points, 9.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game. Those are much closer averages to the numbers he posted in Oklahoma City, and it's clear he's gaining comfortability in the Orlando offense.
P.J. Tucker, PHX at WSH ($4,000): Tucker is flying under the radar right now and is someone who is regularly undervalued for DFS purposes. The reason Tucker is often overlooked is because he rarely blows up and just plays consistently. While his ceiling is admittedly low, his 30 minutes are becoming a near-guarantee in a shallow Suns rotation. Over his last seven games, Tucker has scored at least 18 fantasy points six times and surpassed 23 fantasy points three times.
Hassan Whiteside, MIA at PHI ($9,100): Whiteside is a downright freak right now, and he's hard to overlook any time he takes the floor. The center is leading the league in rebounds and has grabbed double-digit boards in every game so far this season. He provides value outside of rebounding, as well, as he's second in the league in blocks and leads his team in scoring. Overall, Whiteside is averaging 17.8 points, 18.5 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 3.0 blocks across his last six games. If that's not incentive enough, the matchup should be, as the Sixers allow the third-most fantasy points to centers.
Joel Embiid, PHI vs. MIA ($5,700): Embiid's price remains low because of his 24-minute restriction, but FanDuel isn't taking account for his crazy-high usage rate. In fact, Embiid currently ranks third in the NBA, with a usage rate above 35 percent. The damage he's doing in 24 minutes per game is incredible, as he's averaging 13 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game. Monday's matchup isn't half bad ,either, with Miami ranking 22nd in fantasy points allowed to centers.
John Henson, MIL vs. ORL ($4,000): Henson recently captured the starting center role for the Bucks, and this is the sort of matchup in which they'll need to lean on him with players like Nikola Vucevic, Serge Ibaka and Bismack Biyombo in the Orlando frontcourt. Henson is the only player on this roster who can hold his own with all three of those guys, and it should make him a good bet for 25-plus minutes. He's been surprisingly productive in his limited minutes, averaging 10.9 points, 11.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.0 steals and 2.2 blocks per 36 minutes. While it seems unlikely he'll get to 36 minutes, Henson is more than capable of double-double potential when provided the opportunity. The price is what I like most, however, as he's one of few players at $4,000 or less who can reasonably reach 30-plus fantasy points, which would be 8X value.
