This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
There are fewer games than usual Monday, with just 10 teams playing, which means fewer elite options for DFS. Fortunately, the Thunder are in action against the Hawks, so Russell Westbrook is in play, but outside of him there aren't any other players who cost more than $49. That's certainly not a bad thing, as it should even-out the ownership field a bit, with Westbrook having the highest ownership percentage and every other player leveling out the field. Karl-Anthony Towns will likely see a nice run coming off a 41-point showing , but he only costs $39, making him an appealing lineup anchor who will allow more salary cap flexibility.
GUARDS
Bradley Beal, WAS at IND ($30): Beal exploded for 41 points (13 of 23 from the field, six of 10 from three) against the Clippers, who are normally stingy on defense, in a 117-110 win Sunday. He's become one of the NBA's better scorers in a breakout season, averaging 22.5 points per game in December, averaging nearly three 3-pointers per contest. Beal's price likely would have gone up a bit after his big game Sunday, so getting him for his current salary is a bargain.
Ricky Rubio, MIN vs. PHO ($17): The Timberwolves are a decent stack option Monday against the Suns and Rubio offers arguably the best upside considering his salary. He has scored at least 32.5 fantasy points in back-to-back games and should get a healthy amount of assists against Phoenix, should Minnesota's offense put up around 110-120 points, which is very feasible. The Suns do a poor job taking care of the ball, turning it over 15.4 times per game, which adds to Rubio's value if he can get a few steals.
Guard to Avoid
Rajon Rondo, CHI vs. DET ($25): The Bulls' offense has been dreadful lately and Rondo hasn't done much to help
himself with coach Fred Hoiberg. He's been in and out of the lineup and is wildly inconsistent, making him very unreliable in DFS. Sure, there's always the chance Rondo has one of those games where he picks up 15 assists, but those are few and far between. The last time the Bulls played the Pistons, Rondo had 10 points, three rebounds and one assist in almost 38 minutes for 16.1 fantasy points.
FORWARDS
Paul George, IND vs. DET ($39): Unlike Rondo, you can rely on George this season. He's filling up the stat sheet and scoring consistently, with at least 22 points in six of seven games. George has hit 20 3-pointers in that span and has even added a pair of double-doubles. The Wizards are coming off a big win over the Clippers on Sunday and may head into Monday against the Pacers in sort of a trap-game situation. George should pounce on a tired Washington team.
Kenneth Faried, DEN vs. DAL ($17): It's hard to get a gauge how many minutes Faried is going to play, but when he gets at least 20 he's normally productive. He's coming off a season-high 25 points and seven rebounds in a win against the Knicks on Saturday which got him over 40 fantasy points. It's unrealistic to think another offensive performance like that will happen Monday, but it's encouraging given Faried's low price for use in tournaments.
Forward to Avoid
Wilson Chandler, DEN at DAL ($28): Since dropping 27 points on the Nets on Dec. 7, Chandler hasn't been the same player, combining for 36 points over the past four games, scoring over 30 fantasy points just once in that stretch. At the power forward position, he's not a consistent contributor of rebounds and is too reliant on scoring for fantasy points, making him more of a boom-or-bust candidate at best. The problem with playing him in tournaments against the Mavericks is his price is pretty high.
CENTERS
Dwight Howard, ATL at OKC ($29): Howard has been one of the top centers lately and is easily the best option behind Karl-Anthony Towns ($39) on Monday's five-game slate. He's scored at least 37.7 fantasy points in four of his past five games, including 45.5 thanks to 27 points and 15 rebounds against the Raptors on Friday. Howard has been a more reliable option lately than Andre Drummond ($35), who gets a decent matchup but has struggled on offense the past three games.
Steven Adams, OKC vs. ATL ($19): Up against Howard will be Adams, who has scored in double figures in each of his past six games. He has at least 21.5 fantasy points in each of those contests because of his improved offensive game. His defense has also helped him in fantasy, as Adams has 11 steals in the past seven games. He is a solid cash-game play with a high floor.
Center to Avoid
Marcin Gortat, WAS at IND ($23): In the second game of a back-to-back this season, Gortat has scored over 30 fantasy points just once in five occasions. He had nine points and seven rebounds for an uninspiring 21.4 fantasy points against the Clippers on Sunday and the Pacers have improved on defense since starting the season as one of the worst units in the league. Gortat may be a decent play in cash games, but if you're looking for someone to put up big points for a cheap price, there are better options.
