This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
Point Guard:
Kemba Walker, CHA at SAC ($9,000): Walker has been one of the best point guards in the NBA over recent weeks and his numbers speak for themselves. Kemba is averaging 28.4 points, 5.6 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game over his last seven games, across a massive 38 minutes per game. The reason he is playing so much is because of all the injuries in Charlotte, which is the same reason he is controlling the offense so much right now. He also had two 70 fantasy point games in that span, which is just impossible to match. What is so likable about him on Monday is that he faces a Kings team that ranks as the worst defense in the NBA, as well as the fastest-paced.
Emmanuel Mudiay, DEN vs. ATL ($5,200): Mudiay is also a beneficiary of injuries, as backup Jameer Nelson is expected to miss yet another game here. In Nelson's absence, Mudiay has been playing a ton of minutes and putting up nice fantasy production. In fact, Mudiay is averaging 14.2 points, 6.2 assists and 3.0 rebounds over his last five games. That's about 25 fantasy points a game when you include his turnovers and defensive statistics, which is a great return on investment for a player barely cracking $5,000. This is also a great matchup, as the Hawks rank as one of the 10-worst defenses based on fantasy points allowed to point guards this season.
Shooting Guard:
James Harden, HOU at NOP ($10,000): There's not a whole lot of explanation needed here, as Harden is one of the best fantasy producers in the NBA. He's been especially hot lately, as he has over 178 fantasy points across his last three games. That's 60 fantasy points a game, which is just absurd. If Harden's form isn't enough incentive, his matchup against one of the three-worst defenses in the NBA should be. Harden is the fifth-ranked player on the board according to price and there may not be a higher-upside play for this Monday slate.
Kyle Korver, ATL at DEN ($4,000): There's nothing about Korver's form that makes him intriguing here, but he could have success against a defense that has a propensity to allow a bunch of threes. Denver ranks in the bottom-10 in three-pointers allowed to guards this season, but as a Nuggets fan, I can tell you that they continually allow open three-pointers game after game. Korver has also scored a combined 43 fantasy points over his last two games, so he may finally be finding his stroke after a rough start to the season. The upside is what is so enticing, as there aren't many $4,000 players who can get hot and have 40 fantasy point potential like Korver does.
Small Forward:
Danilo Gallinari, DEN vs. ATL ($7,100): Gallinari has quietly been having a monster season for the Nuggets and he's continually undervalued. The small forward has scored at least 30 fantasy points nine times in his last 11 games and is becoming one of the best scorers in the league. What makes him so effective is his ability to get to the charity stripe, as he is averaging nearly 11 free-throws per game since his return from injury a few weeks ago. Gallinari is also averaging 24 points a game since his return while averaging over 15 shots, so it's clear he's the go-to guy in this Denver offense. Atlanta is also allowing 20 points a game out of small forwards this season, which ranks 23rd in the NBA.
Trevor Ariza, HOU at NOP ($5,100): I hate to chase points, but it feels like Ariza is finally breaking out of his year-long slump. Ariza has been frustrating fantasy owners all season, but he's had an impressive four-game stretch as of late. He has scored at least 28 fantasy points three times in his last four games and has even surpassed 41 fantasy points once in that span. Ariza was well in the $6,000's early in the season and it's time that his price rises closer to that number after it plummeted because of his terrible start to the year. He has only scored below 21 fantasy points once in his last nine games and that makes him extremely reliable as well. What's also intriguing here is the matchup, as he faces a Pelicans team that has struggled defensively all season.
Power Forward:
Kevin Love, CLE vs. MIN ($7,100): Love had a stinker in his most recent game against the Bulls, but we can throw that out the window since every Cavs player played horribly in that game. Prior to that, Love was rebounding like a monster. In fact, he was averaging 17 rebounds over his two previous games and 13 rebounds over his last seven games. What makes me love him here is the revenge factor, as he faces a Wolves team that traded him two seasons ago. That means he'll be squared off against Kevin Garnett, which is a matchup that Love can absolutely abuse in the latter stage of the Hall-of-Famers career. People probably don't remember this, but Love was a $10,000-plus player in his days in Minnesota and he'll want to show Wolves fans why he was such a coveted asset.
Josh Smith, HOU at NOP ($3,900): Let's finish off our New Orleans stack here with our darkhorse pick of the day. Smith was deep in the pits of the Clippers rotation before being traded back to the Rockets last weekend. Since joining the Rockets, Smith has scored 25 and 30 fantasy points in his first two games. That's unbelievable value for a player below $4,000 and it's clear that he's a part of this rotation. What makes him so reliable is his ability to provide steals and blocks, as he has gotten at least two blocks and steals in both games since his arrival to Houston. As mentioned before, this is a great matchup as well, as he should be squared off against Anthony Davis, who will have the ball in his hands on nearly every possession, opening up the door for more defensive statistics for Smith.
Center:
Spencer Hawes, CHA at SAC ($3,800): The Hornets are one of the shallowest frontcourts in the NBA right now and Hawes is reaping the rewards. Hawes has started the last two games and performing vert well. He is averaging just shy of 39 fantasy points a game in that span and playing well over 30 minutes per game. Those are two numbers that are impossible to find for a $3,800 player and the matchup makes this play even tastier. Hawes faces a Sacramento team that ranks as the fastest-paced team, which gives Hawes even more opportunities at rebounds and hustle stats like blocks and steals. They also rank as the worst defense in the NBA, so he should have no problem scoring 25-plus fantasy points yet again.
