This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
The NBA starts off the week with 11 games on the schedule Monday. There will be plenty of stars in action with the Celtics, Warriors, Lakers and Bucks all scheduled to play. Let's help narrow down the options on Yahoo by highlighting some of the top players to consider, as well as a few to potentially avoid.
GUARDS
Tyrese Haliburton, IND vs. CHI ($39): Haliburton should be considered one of the top guard options whenever he takes the floor. He is one of the best passers in the league and is also one of the leading scoring options for the Pacers. That has propelled him to score 46.1 and 49.1 Yahoo points, respectively, in their first two games. Whether you are playing in a tournament or a cash contest, Haliburton is a great target.
Ben Simmons, BKN at CHA ($20): The Nets are going to be shorthanded again with Nic Claxton (ankle) and Cameron Johnson (calf) having been ruled out. They also did not play Friday against the Mavericks, which helped Simmons log 32 minutes. He took advantage of the added playing time, posting 10 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists, two steals and two blocks. Despite his limited scoring upside, his ability to contribute in multiple categories leaves him with a favorable opportunity to provide value.
Guard to Avoid
Killian Hayes, DET at OKC ($23): Hayes has started all three games for the Pistons, who have decided to bring Jaden Ivey off the bench. Cade Cunningham is back, though, which means Hayes won't have the ball in his hands as much as he did last season. Given that he has scored 23.7 Yahoo points or fewer in all three games, it's difficult to get excited about his potential upside.
FORWARDS
Jayson Tatum, BOS at WAS ($46): The additions of Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday are not going to impact Tatum's usage rate. He attempted 21.1 shots per game last season and took exactly 22 shots in both of his first two games this season. The result was him scoring 58.2 and 40.1 Yahoo points, respectively. Look for him to torch a rebuilding Wizards team that has given up 249 points through two games.
Jalen Johnson, ATL vs. MIN ($13): Johnson started off the season on a high note, and the Hawks took notice. He was moved into the starting lineup Sunday, playing 26 minutes and scoring 30.9 Yahoo points. He has scored at least 27.8 Yahoo points in all three games this season. Given that the Hawks routed the Bucks on Sunday, expect Johnson to get another start and provide value.
Forward to Avoid
Khris Middleton, MIL vs. MIA ($27): Middleton sat out the first half of the Bucks' back-to-back set Sunday. Given the injury issues that he had last season, the Bucks are going to be very cautious with him out of the gate. In the one game that he has played, he only logged 16 minutes. It would be a surprise to see him play much more than 20 minutes in this matchup.
CENTERS
Nikola Jokic, DEN vs. UTA ($56): This is the second game of a back-to-back set for the Nuggets, but Jokic only needed to log 30 minutes in their victory over the Thunder on Sunday. Despite him not having to log a ton of minutes, he still scored 48.3 Yahoo points. As long as he plays, his ability to contribute in multiple areas makes him the top center to target again.
Jalen Duren, DET at OKC ($25): The Pistons appear to finally be unleashing Duren. With Marvin Bagley receiving limited minutes and James Wiseman having yet to appear in a game, Duren has logged at least 32 minutes and scored at least 42.9 Yahoo points in all three games. He could roast a Thunder team that lacks depth up front behind Chet Holmgren.
Center to Avoid
Walker Kessler, UTA at DEN ($24): It has been a disappointing start for Kessler, who has scored fewer than 20 Yahoo points in all three games this season. Part of the problem is that he did not log more than 23 minutes in any of those games. Better days will be ahead for one of the most talented young centers in the league, but a matchup against Jokic isn't likely to make this game his breakout performance.
