This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
Six $10,000 priced players headline Monday's slate, and they are all expected to play. Anthony Davis continues to deal with his elbow injury, but he's probable for his game against the Thunder. At the time of publishing, key absences $6,000 and up include Donovan Mitchell, Hassan Whiteside and Jeff Teague.
The highest over/under of the slate is 237.0, courtesy of the Thunder and Pelicans. The lowest over/under is 207.5 courtesy of the Nuggets and Celtics. The largest spread is -14.5 in favor of Golden State over Memphis. The smallest spread is -1.0 in favor of Indiana over Houston.
Point Guard
Ricky Rubio ($6,300), MEM at GS
Donovan Mitchell (ankle) won't play Monday, making Rubio the main ballhandler for Utah. Mitchell also missed Friday's game, which prompted Rubio to post a team-high 39.9 fantasy points on the back of 22 points, 11 assists, two rebounds and one steal. Monday's matchup against Golden State isn't ideal, as the Warriors allow the eighth-fewest fantasy points to point guards. But Rubio's increased usage and upside could make up for it. Earlier in the year during a game against New Orleans, Rubio recorded 28 points, 12 assists, six rebounds and one steal (54.2 fantasy points).
Shooting Guard
Rodney McGruder ($5,500), MIA at DET
Goran Dragic's (toe) status for Monday is unclear. When Dragic missed Saturday's game against Atlanta, McGruder took the second-most shots on the team (15) behind Josh Richardson (18) and handed out the second-most assists (5) behind Justise Winslow (8). Dragic's absence would give McGruder higher upside, but McGruder is in play regardless of Dragic's health. The Pistons allow the second most fantasy point to shooting guards, and McGruder has played above value on numerous occasions. He has four outings of at least 30 fantasy points, which includes efforts of 39.6 and 40. At just $5,500, he can fit into nearly any lineup and is suitable for both cash and GPP contests.
Small Forward
Nikola Mirotic ($8,400), NO at OKC
Anthony Davis' (elbow) spotty availability has led to plenty of opportunities for Mirotic, as he's eclipsed 40 fantasy points in each of the past four games. Still, even in games where Davis has played, Mirotic is averaging 40.9 fantasy points. His ceiling may be relatively limited given that Davis is probable for Monday's game, but Mirotic has clearly shown he's capable of 40-plus fantasy points on any given night. The matchup is relatively favorable, as Oklahoma City is allowing the 13th-most fantasy points to small forwards on the season.
Power Forward
Wendell Carter ($7,800), CHI at NY
After a slow start, Carter has burst onto the scene. The rookie had a breakout performance Wednesday against the Nuggets, dropping 25 points, eight rebounds, five assists, three steals and three blocks (59.1 fantasy points). Over the past five games, he's averaging 15.6 points, 9.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.0 blocks and 1.6 steals. Carter has also played 35-plus minutes in two of those outings. His cost has justifiably risen as a result. Even still, at $7,800, Carter's two-way versatility provides many ways to rack up fantasy points. Another performance of 50 fantasy points isn't out of the question.
Center
Karl-Anthony Towns ($9,400), MIN at LAC
Jimmy Butler's return doesn't exactly bode well for Towns' production, but the matchup is extremely favorable. The Clippers give up the most fantasy points to centers on the season, and they recently swapped out Marcin Gortat for Boban Marjanovic in the starting five. Towns' ability to draw defenders away from the basketball should give Marjanovic trouble, and if the Clippers pivot to Montrezl Harrell, Towns has a significant size advantage. We've seen Towns put up 60-plus fantasy points on two occasions already this season. It's hard to ignore the possibility of another at $9,400.
