This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
FanDuel's main slate for Monday consists of five games with a tipoff time of 7:00 p.m. ET. We'll run down our favorite DFS picks in an injury-saddled player pool.
SLATE OVERVIEW
For the latest spreads and over-unders, visit RotoWire's NBA Odds page. There you can also find player props, futures, picks articles and sportsbook bonus codes.
The CLE/IND matchup has the best pace and projected total, and we identified some options for both rosters. Detroit didn't make our list for obvious reasons, so they represent your contrarian roster for Monday.
INJURIES
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report. Below are some of the most recent and relevant injuries for Monday. Keep in mind that this is not a complete list. Use your best judgment when evaluating ongoing injury scenarios elsewhere on the slate.
BOS Jaylen Brown (ankle) - QUESTIONABLE
BOS Derrick White (hand) - QUESTIONABLE
BOS Kristaps Porzingis (back) - QUESTIONABLE
BOS Sam Hauser (ankle) - QUESTIONABLE
Although some Celtics are creeping back to health, Boston faces a similar predicament to Sunday's status, with Hauser added to the mix. Payton Pritchard ($4,200) and Al Horford ($6,400) are possible pivot options if all tags hold.
MIA Jimmy Butler (foot) - QUESTIONABLE
MIA Tyler Herro (foot) - OUT
MIA Kevin Love (heel) - QUESTIONABLE
Terry Rozier ($7,000) remains a great option as an absorber of Herro's production, and Jaime Jaquez ($5,200) would get a boost if Butler is out.
MIN Rudy Gobert (ribs) - QUESTIONABLE
Naz Reid ($7,800) is a bit expensive but should be fine independent of Gobert's status, as the team continues to struggle without Karl-Anthony Towns (knee). Reid's stock would climb if Gobert is a scratch.
UTA Lauri Markkanen (quad) - QUESTIONABLE
UTA Jordan Clarkson (groin) - OUT
DFS options are a little shaky in this spot, as the team opted to send Collin Sexton ($7,300) to the bench in the previous game. Sexton was still excellent off the bench, however. Keyonte George ($6,800) isn't a bad pivot for Clarkson, and the return of John Collins ($7,000) will help fill the void if Markkanen misses.
CHI Coby White (hip) - QUESTIONABLE
CHI Alex Caruso (toe) - QUESTIONABLE
These tags could create a hole in the backcourt, and I'd expect good numbers from Ayo Dosunmu ($6,100) if one or both players are out.
CLE Dean Wade (knee) DOUBTFUL
The continued absences of Evan Mobley (ankle) and Donovan Mitchell (nose) loom large on this slate, and I still think you can't do much better than Jarrett Allen ($8,300) as a replacement. Caris LeVert ($7,500) also has added value amid Mitchell's absence.
POR Jerami Grant (hamstring) - DOUBTFUL
POR Matisse Thybulle (ankle) - QUESTIONABLE
Instead of other potential pivots, look for Deandre Ayton ($8,200) to shine. He had a solid game in his only outing against Nikola Vucevic this season.
PHI Tobias Harris (ankle) - QUESTIONABLE
The Sixers are happy to have Tyrese Maxey ($8,800) back, but Kelly Oubre ($6,200) and Nicolas Batum ($4,400) will warrant consideration if Harris misses.
ELITE PLAYERS
Anthony Edwards ($10,300) and Jayson Tatum ($10,000) sit atop Monday's slate, and I think there's ample cause to reach for them. Both players have excellent matchups, and I would lean toward Tatum as the slightly better option against Detroit. Tyrese Haliburton's ($9,100) salary continues to drop due to poor shooting performances, and I am not quite ready to go back to him yet.
Bam Adebayo ($8,500) is my first big man off the board, as he'll be a top producer against the Sixers, who may have a woeful interior if Harris is added to the list of casualties tonight. We already mentioned Allen and Ayton as other possible centers, and Allen's dual eligibility makes him a versatile frontcourt add.
Also consider: DeMar DeRozan, CHI
($8,500) vs. POR
EXPECTED CHALK AND VALUE PLAYS
Our injury section was chock-full of pivot options, and you should find plenty of avenues to choose from in that section. We will also go very low in search for bargain options below. Taking some or all of this trio could get you Tatum and Edwards alongside mid-range value without much difficulty.
Dalano Banton, POR
($5,200) @ CHI
Banton is playing too well right now, and it's keeping Scoot Henderson stuck in the second unit. Anfernee Simons ($7,600) and his dual eligibility is still the best Portland play, but expect a good total from Banton with his limited PG eligibility.
Sam Merrill, CLE
($4,700) @ IND
While Darius Garland ($7,900) makes a lot of sense amid Mitchell's absence, taking Merrill at a discount makes sense if you are reaching for multiple elites. His sharpshooting capabilities will reap huge benefits if he gets an extended opportunity against the Pacers.
Taylor Hendricks, UTA
($4,500) vs. MIN
I still like Collins best as a Markkanen pivot, but Hendricks should also play a part, and it could be a productive night for Hendricks if he can find room against a depleted Minnesota frontcourt that could be without Gobert tonight.
