This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
The biggest news on Monday's slate is that Giannis Antetokounmpo (head), Kawhi Leonard (rest) and Anthony Davis (elbow) are out. For the Bucks, Khris Middleton ($7,500) and Eric Bledsoe ($7,700) should take on extra ball handling responsibilities and make for enticing plays in cash or tournaments.
When Leonard rested Oct. 20 against the Wizards, Kyle Lowry ($8,800), Pascal Siakam ($4,400) and Serge Ibaka ($5,200) ended up with the most fantasy points for the Raptors. Lowry had 59.6 fantasy points, Siakam had 31.0 and Ibaka had 30.8. Davis will be missing his second game in a row. During the Pelicans' previous outing, Julius Randle ($6,300) drew the start at center, but played just 19 minutes during the blowout loss. If the Pelicans can keep things close, both Randle and Mirotic ($7,300) could end up being steals at their respective prices.
Other than those players benefiting from injuries, let's dive into who else to check out on Monday's nine-game slate:
Point Guard
Goran Dragic ($6,700), MIA vs. SAC
Dragic has been more involved in Miami's offense than he was last season. He's seen his workload jump nearly two minutes per game, and he's taking over one more shot per contest, including 2.2 more three-pointers. That's resulted in him averaging 19.0 points, 5.4 assists and 4.4 rebounds through the Heat's first five games. Furthermore, the Kings have been getting burned by point guards, coughing up 58.5 fantasy points to the position on a nightly basis. Considering that's the highest mark in the league, Dragic could be in store for a big night at a modest price.
Shooting Guard
Jimmy Butler ($9,400), MIN vs. LAL
Butler is coming off his worst game of the year against Milwaukee, though was dealing with an illness and had been questionable coming into the contest. Throwing that game out the window, Butler is averaging 24.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.8 steals, 3.5 assists and 1.0 block. The Timberwolves may be in a relative state of dysfunction, but Butler himself is thriving. In addition to his great play, he'll be walking into a great matchup Monday. The Lakers are allowing the most fantasy points to shooting guards (69.6) on the year. Butler's ability to stuff the stat sheet makes him a candidate to have a top-level fantasy performance every time he takes the court. Playing against a team that struggles so heavily against his position makes rostering Butler hard to avoid.
Small Forward
Rudy Gay ($6,400) SA vs DAL
I have to admit that I'm not a fan of this price, but Gay's role in the Spurs' offense and the Mavericks' absurdly poor defense against small forwards makes this an option. Gay is coming off his best performance of the year, posting 44.5 fantasy points against the Lakers. Previously, he had been averaging 26.1 fantasy points, which is why this price seems high to me. Still, he's seen over 30 minutes in two out of his five games and has taken double-digit shot attempts in all but one. He's also shown upside as a passer and defender recently, totaling nine assists and a combined six steals/blocks over the past three contests. Pair that with Dallas' league-worst 71.8 fantasy points allowed to small forward, and Gay's price doesn't seem as unaffordable as it does at first glance.
Power Forward
Kelly Olynyk ($6,400), MIA vs. SAC
After seeing no more than 16 minutes during the Heat's first three contests, OIynyk has gotten more run recently. Over the past two games, he's averaged 29.5 minutes and posted 30.6 fantasy points per game. While it might be risky to assume that continues, it would be surprising if Olynyk was given a huge reduction in workload after playing well for two straight games. Plus, the Kings have been especially prone to giving up fantasy points to power forwards, ranking second in the league in fantasy points allowed to the position (71.0). Olynyk's ability to score, pass and rebound gives him plenty of upside in the favorable matchup.
Center
Jarrett Allen ($6,900), BKN at NY
Allen comes at a season-high price, but is in a good spot against the Knicks. New York ranks 15th in fantasy points allowed to centers, which obviously doesn't swing things in either direction. However, he previously posted 38.3 fantasy points against the Knicks on the back of 15 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks. He's been in single-digit rebounds over the past four games, which is unlikely to continue for much longer. Plus, Allen has also been passing well as of late, totaling 11 assists over the past three outings. If everything comes together for Allen, he has massive upside.
