On a nine-game NBA Monday, Anthony Davis $10700 is by far the most expensive player on the board at DraftKings. Deciding whether to pay the price or build a balanced lineup without him precedes other lineup decisions.
It should be a high-scoring affair. The Pelicans beat Cleveland in overtime on Friday and are getting healthier; Tyreke Evans $7100 is back and Jrue Holiday $4400 has looked good off the bench. Boston rotates several big men, none of whom can stop Davis. Amir Johnson $4600 and Jared Sullinger $6200 are the starters; with David Lee $3600 (heel) questionable, Kelly Olynyk $3900 could be a bargain. Isaiah Thomas $7700 and Jae Crowder $5500 are the safest Celtics to use.
Plays of the Day
The $250K Sharpshooter is just a $3 buy-in (FREE with your first deposit) that pays the top 19,550 finishers from up to 95,833 teams. First place wins $20,000. The deadline is 7:00 EST; enter before it fills and you can make lineup changes until each player’s game begins — last-minute adjustments to breaking news can really pay off.
Kyle Lowry $8900 and Damian Lillard $8900 are the highest-salaried PG. Off a career-high 41-point effort, Lowry is at home against the Lakers. If the Raptors don’t underestimate the opponent, it should be no contest. For a bargain-priced PG, Raymond Felton $4000 has been starting for the Mavericks with well over 30 minutes in three straight games.
Jimmy Butler $7700 tops the SG price list and continues to play well despite a sore foot. Nicolas Batum $7500, Bradley Beal $7200 and DeMar DeRozan $7200 are all solid alternatives. Fully recovered from Achilles surgery, Wesley Matthews $4800 hit ten 3-pointers and scored 36 in 41 minutes on Sunday. That salary will skyrocket soon.
Kawhi Leonard $8600 is the obvious top choice at SF. The depth of the Spurs is a downside to their fantasy values; in addition to random nights off, Gregg Popovich will seize the opportunity to rest his starters in lopsided games.
If you’re trying to beat Davis, Blake Griffin $9400 is another premium option at PF. Chris Bosh $7300 matches up well against the injury-weakened Wizards. There’s a possible bargain in Toronto; Luis Scola $4800 may have tweaked his hip or groin late in the loss to Golden State so Patrick Patterson $3600 played most of the second half.
Andre Drummond $9300 played only 24 minutes against the Lakers yesterday and can dominate the Hornets if he gets the chance. Pau Gasol $7500 is affordable and consistent. Lucas Noguiera $3000 is a 7-footer from Brazil who has surprised since returning from the D-League. “Bébé” has better hands than Bismack Biyombo $4900 and deserves more minutes.
I’m committed to extreme stars-and scrubs with the #1 option at four positions, two cheap Raptors big men and filling the last three spots (SG, G and Util) with best-available types. The sample lineup often changes quite a bit between posting and the deadline.
| Pos | Premium | Midrange | Bargain |
| PG | Kyle Lowry $8900 | Isaiah Thomas $7700 | Raymond Felton $4000 |
| SG | Jimmy Butler $7700 | Wesley Matthews $4800 | Allen Crabbe $3400 |
| SF | Kawhi Leonard $8600 | G. Antetokounmpo $6600 | Jae Crowder $5500 |
| PF | Anthony Davis $10700 | Chris Bosh $7300 | Patrick Patterson $3600 |
| C | Andre Drummond $9300 | Pau Gasol $7500 | Lucas Noguiera $3000 |
The Fantasy Spin features DFS advice every day of the NBA season. Follow Kent Williams @SheridanFantasy for updates.