This article is part of our FantasyAces NBA series.
RotoWire aims to help you win on Fantasy Aces, as we break down a few value plays for Monday night that can help you build your lineups. There is value to be had and identifying it will allow you to spend on top-tier players to round out your lineup.
On a night where the likes of Russell Westbrook, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Andre Drummond and DeMarcus Cousins are in play, below are some selections that come in no higher than $4,650, leaving plenty of room to fit in some of the elite talent.
G: Evan Fournier, ORL at CLE ($4,600): The weeks-long trend of nabbing Fournier at a value price relative to his production thankfully continues. Consistency, a priceless commodity in DFS, has been a hallmark of every facet of Fournier's game in his surprising season. The Magic shooting guard has played at least 35 minutes in every outing except two, and he still tallied a solid 27 and 28, respectively, in that pair of contests. He's averaging 30 fantasy points per game while typically filling out the stat sheet, giving you a nice bump in points under Fantasy Aces' scoring system. At a price of $4,600, Fournier has been returning close to seven times value in most games, making him a terrific option at one of the three guard spots.
G: Arron Afflalo, NYK at MIA ($4,000): Afflalo may still be flying under the radar a bit fantasy-wise after missing the first eight games of the season with a hamstring injury. The veteran guard has pretty much been a seamless fit in the Knicks' offense since returning, helping to take some of the scoring load off Carmelo Anthony and contributing across the stat sheet. His playing time has been very consistent, playing at least 28 minutes in each game from his second game onward. He's also tallied double-digit scoring in each game, and is averaging 22 Fantasy Aces points per game. Additionally, he usually offers a nice complement of counting stats that are often lacking in other shooting guards.
G: Jeremy Lamb, CHA vs. SAC ($3,500): Lamb has already earned a multi-year extension from the Hornets this season with his impressive bench play and spot starts. He's been afforded considerable playing time as a result, and the fourth-year pro has been maximizing it. He is averaging 21.59 fantasy points per game, and has scored at least 20.75 in five of the last six. His minutes have not dipped below 21 since the second game of the season, and he's also been over 30 minutes in two others. In addition to averaging 12.6 real-life points per game, Lamb also brings a solid average of 4.3 rebounds per game to the table, often boosting his fantasy scoring to 6-7 times value relative to his bargain price.
F: Tristan Thompson, CLE vs. ORL ($4,250): Thompson got the start Saturday against the Hawks with Timofey Mozgov (shoulder) out, and he played 40 minutes. While this won't necessarily be the norm, Thompson figures to receive abundant playing time over the next several games that Mozgov is expected to miss. As he's previously demonstrated on plenty of occasions, Thompson is capable of filling the stat sheet with minutes in the 20s, let alone a starter's allotment. Double-digit rebounds are always a realistic proposition when Thompson receives enough playing time, as he demonstrated against Atlanta when he tallied a season-high 16 boards on his way to 38.50 fantasy points. With a middle-of-pack frontcourt defense, the Magic appear to be an opponent capable of accommodating Thompson returning plenty of value on his modest price tag.
F: Frank Kaminsky, CHA vs. SAC ($3,000): Kaminsky is the weekly Minimum Price Special, albeit one that doesn't figure to qualify for the category much longer if current trends persist. The rookie's playing time has been on the rise, as he's played at least 19 minutes in four straight. Most important, his fantasy scoring has gone up proportionally as well, as he's tallied 12.25, 13.75, 18.25 and 21.25 fantasy points, respectively, over that span.
F: Marcus Morris, DET at MIL ($4,650): Morris checks in at the higher end of the value scale, but he can still be considered a bargain relative to his production and potential. The Pistons small forward has generally been outstanding this season but has been returning more than seven times value recently. Morris has scored 33.75 and 34.25 fantasy points over the last two games, respectively, and has amassed double-digit actual points in all but one game this season. Meanwhile, he remains priced below other notables at the position averaging fewer fantasy points per game, such as Nicolas Batum, LaMarcus Aldridge, Andrew Wiggins, Tobias Harris and Tim Duncan.
C: Jabari Parker, MIL vs. DET ($4,000): Parker is center-eligible on Fantasy Aces and checks in as a $4K bargain in that spot Monday. He is starting at power forward and draws a favorable matchup against Ersan Illysova, giving him ample opportunity to build on his two-game streak of at least 20 Fantasy Aces points. Parker has also posted double-digit actual scoring in his last three games. With his collection of injuries hopefully behind him, the second-year pro should start to see his minutes and production settle into a consistent groove.
F: J.R. Smith, CLE vs. ORL ($4,100): Smith's price has not caught up with his recent production, making him a cost-effective way to fill a guard or utility spot Monday. He has been particularly aggressive from long range, draining 13 shots from beyond the arc over his last four games. The veteran guard's playing time has also been through the roof, with Smith spending an average of 37.7 minutes on the court over his last three (not counting his outlier 50-minute night four games ago in Cleveland's double-overtime loss to the Bucks). With Smith averaging over 24 fantasy points per game over his last four, he stands a solid chance of paying off his $4,100 price tag, particularly against a fast-paced Orlando team.
F: Ben McLemore, SAC at CHA ($3,600): McLemore represents an opportunity to nab a starter for well under $4K. He's regained his shooting guard job for the time being, and at $3,600 he simply doesn't need to do an inordinate amount to pay off his price. McLemore has posted double-digit real-life scoring in three of his last five games, while also impressively draining 11 three-pointers over that span. As an added bonus, he could conceivably draw some Jeremy Lin defense Monday if P.J. Hairston (quad) misses another game. While you shouldn't have overly high expectations, McLemore is priced more than reasonably for what he can potentially return.
