This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
Point Guard:
John Wall, WSH vs. SAC ($9,900): Not many players have been playing better than Wall lately and in a matchup like this, he's hard to pass up. Over his last 10 games, Wall has six games with 49 fantasy points or more. What's made Wall so effective recently is that he is playing at a career-high usage rate with the injury to Bradley Beal. He is controlling the ball on almost every possession and taking more shots. The matchup here is what I like most though, as he faces one of the three worst defenses in the NBA. Not to mention, the Kings play at one of the fastest paces, which suits Wall's game perfectly.
Patrick Beverley, HOU vs. CHA ($4,200): Beverley doesn't have a whole lot of upside, but he's always a great value choice. He has only 17 fantasy points or fewer only once in his last 10 games and that alone is 4X value. The goal is to reach at least 5X value and that's better than a 50 percent chance with a player like Beverley. On Monday, he faces a Charlotte team that has given up the sixth-most fantasy points to point guards over their last five games. Beverley is simply a great fill-in with a lineup full of studs and makes for a great pair with a player like Wall to save some money and build an optimal lineup.
Shooting Guard:
Arron Afflalo, NYK vs. ORL ($5,200): Afflalo disappointed fantasy owners for the first month or so of the season, but has been finding his form lately. Over his last three games, Afflalo has scored over 95 fantasy points to reach about 7X value on average. That's a fantastic return on investment and what makes him so reliable are his minutes. He has played at least 33 minutes in four of his last five games and has taken at least 11 shots in all five games. Afflalo is making a name for himself as the second-best scorer on this Knicks squad and he's simply too cheap at $5,200 right now.
Gary Neal, WSH vs. SAC ($3,800): This is an extremely risky play, but it could pay off huge dividends if it hits. What makes Neal more usable these days is the aforementioned injury to Bradley Beal. It has opened up some minutes for Neal and some scoring opportunities. What is enticing here is that he faces one of the worst defenses in the NBA, who rank 27th in fantasy points allowed to shooting guards this season. Over his last 10 games, Neal had has four instances of scoring at least 23 fantasy points with an upside of 33 fantasy points. If he can duplicate that here in a promising matchup, he would be one of the steals of the day.
Small Forward:
Nicolas Batum, CHA at HOU ($7,100): Not many players have been as consistent as Batum this season and he has a beautiful matchup on Monday. Batum is averaging about 32 fantasy points a game this season and has been regularly stuffing the stat sheet, night after night. He gets to face the Rockets in this matchup, who rank as the second-worst defense against small forwards this season. What makes him so great is that he fills up all the categories like rebounds, assists and steals, which makes him more reliable than most small forwards. Not many small forwards get to control the offense quite like Batum and that make for a great opportunity here against a horrendous defense like the one Houston possesses.
Trevor Ariza, HOU vs. CHA ($5,800): Ariza's price has been staying low because of his early season form, but he has the ability to go off on any given night. Over his last five games, he is averaging just shy of 30 fantasy points a game, which is great value for a player south of $6,000. He is also averaging over 36 minutes per game in his last four and that means he is fully healthy and over the injuries that were hampering him early in the season. Much like Batum, he can fill the stat sheet and provide production without elite scoring. This should be a close game with a spread within three points and that means Ariza and Batum should get a full complement of minutes and give us good value.
Power Forward:
Kristaps Porzingis, NYK vs. ORL ($6,300): This is GPP-play only, because of how inconsistent Porzingis can be. While he has two games with less than seven fantasy points in his last six, he has scored over 30 fantasy point five times in his last 10. His upside is incredible though, as he has the capability to drop 50 fantasy points in the right situation. This might be that time, as he'll be squared off against Channing Frye, who's definitely not known for his defensive capabilities. Orlando is also the third-most blocked team in the NBA and that's Porzingis' sneaky specialty. This is certainly a risky play, but it's one of few $6,300 players that has the upside of a 50-point fantasy game.
Marvin Williams, CHA at HOU ($5,000): Williams has been continually overlooked all season and his price remains too low. He has scored at least 24 fantasy points in six of his last 10 games and regularly approaches double-doubles. What's even better is that he has played at least 27 minutes in nine of his last 10 and has a block in six-straight. The matchup is the icing on the cake though, as he faces the worst defense against power forwards over the last 10 games. This play doesn't have huge upside, but there may not be a better guarantee for 5X value at the power forward position for Monday.
Center:
Al Horford, ATL vs. POR ($7,000): Horford is one of the most dynamic beg men in the NBA and he has a tasty matchup on Monday. He gets to face off against the Portland Trail Blazers, who rank as the worst defense against centers this season, based on fantasy points allowed. Horford has also reached at least 4X value in seven of his last 10 games and that includes a weak three-game stretch in which the Hawks were in some blowouts. If you take out those two blowouts against the San Antonio Spurs and Philadelphia 76ers, he is averaging about 35 fantasy points a game over his last 10 games. Mason Plumlee is going to have a tough time matching up with Horford and he should have no problem abusing him all night long.
