This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
The NBA tips off the week with nine games on the slate Monday night. Among the more appealing storylines is the 3-0 Hornets hosting the Celtics. Another 3-0 team in the Bulls will be taking on the Raptors.
Out West, the Clippers will face off against the Trail Blazers in a matchup between two teams that hope to make lengthy playoff runs. The Nets have the same aspirations but are off to a disappointing 1-2 start. They'll try to right the ship against the Wizards, who are hoping to get Bradley Beal back from a groin injury.
Let's dive into the matchups and highlight some players to consider on Yahoo, as well as a few to avoid.
GUARDS
Eric Bledsoe, LAC vs. POR ($21): Bledsoe is coming off of a down year with the Pelicans in which he averaged just 10.3 shot attempts per game, which was his lowest mark since the 2012-13 season. Now a member of the Clippers, he has the potential to be more involved with Kawhi Leonard (knee) out. He averaged 13.5 shots over their first two games and logged at least 30 minutes in both contests, which helped him score 40.6 and 39.7 Yahoo points, respectively. There's no reason to think that his role will decline anytime soon.
Tyler Herro, MIA vs. ORL ($19): The Heat aren't as deep as they used to be. While they brought in Kyle Lowry, they lost Goran Dragic and Kendrick Nunn during the offseason. That should lead to plenty of playing time for Herro, who can stuff the stat sheet in a variety of areas. After scoring at least 39.0 Yahoo points in back-to-back games, he's extremely appealing at this salary, especially if Lowry's ankle injury forces him to miss another game.
Guard to Avoid
Monte Morris, DEN vs. CLE ($19): There are so many quality guard options in Morris's salary range that there's no need to take a chance on him. He's started both of the Nuggets' games, but didn't play more than 29 minutes in either contest. That contributed to him scoring 14.9 and 15.9 Yahoo points, respectively.
FORWARDS
Paul George, LAC vs. POR ($45): Make no mistake about it, George is the focal point of the Clippers' scoring attack with Leonard out. In their first two games, he attempted 23 and 25 shots, respectively. Last season, he averaged 17.6 shot attempts per contest. While he likely won't continue to shoot 56.3 percent from the field, he did shoot 46.7 percent last season, so the added shot attempts make him a top option on a night in, night out basis.
Precious Achiuwa, TOR vs. CHI ($12): The Raptors don't seem to want to play Chris Boucher any more than they have to, so with Pascal Siakam (shoulder) out, Achiuwa has worked his way into the starting five. He has two double-doubles across three games and logged 33 minutes in Saturday's loss to the Mavericks. At near the minimum salary, it's hard to argue against rolling with him in your lineup based on his current role.
Forward to Avoid
Kevin Love, CLE at DEN ($20): The Cavaliers have clearly turned the page on the Love era. If he didn't have such a hefty contract, they probably would have already traded him. He's coming off the bench this season and hasn't logged more than 24 minutes in any of their three games. He didn't attempt more than eight shots in any of those contests and scored under 10 points two times. Expect him to remain a limited contributor off of their bench.
CENTERS
Jonas Valanciunas, NO at MIN ($32): Karl-Anthony Towns is a great offensive player, but his defensive skills aren't exactly stellar. Valanciunas exploited his weaknesses when these two teams met Saturday, posting 20 points, 17 rebounds, two assists, three steals and one block. The Pelicans badly need Valanciunas to play a lot with Zion Williamson (knee) out, so another strong stat line could be on the horizon.
Montrezl Harrell, WAS at BKN ($14): Injuries have put the Wizards in a tough spot out of the gate. In their frontcourt, Thomas Bryant (knee) won't be back until at least December and Rui Hachimura remains sidelined while he works on his conditioning. That's contributed to Harrell logging at least 26 minutes in both of their first two games. The result was him scoring 37.3 and 27.4 Yahoo points, respectively.
Center to Avoid
Chris Boucher, TOR vs. CHI ($18): When he plays, Boucher has shown that he can be a great fantasy option. Last season, he averaged 21.6 points, 9.4 rebounds and 1.9 blocks across 14 games in which he logged at least 30 minutes. The problem is, he seems to be in Nick Nurse's dog house. He hasn't played more than 20 minutes in a game yet and logged just eight minutes in their last game. With Harrell having a larger role with the Wizards, and a cheaper salary, be sure to stay far away from Boucher.
