Monday Night Hoops: Who's Worth Your FanDuel Dollars?

Look, Monday nights in the NBA can be a minefield for daily fantasy. You get weird rotations, guys sitting out on the second night of back-to-backs, and generally just a whole lot of unpredictability. But that also means there's value to be found if you know where to look. We've got a decent slate tonight, and a few spots are screaming "opportunity."

First up, let's talk about the Atlanta Hawks and their trip to Chicago. Trae Young is still out, dealing with that finger injury he picked up back on February 23rd. That leaves Bogdan Bogdanovic and Dejounte Murray to carry the load, and frankly, Murray's been doing just that. Over his last five games, he's averaging 28.2 points and 8.6 assists. He put up a monster 41-point, 7-assist line against Charlotte last Wednesday. Tonight, against a Bulls team that's middle-of-the-pack defensively against guards, Murray looks like a prime spend-up option. His usage rate absolutely skyrockets without Young. Plus, Clint Capela could be a sneaky play if Nikola Vucevic gets into foul trouble. Capela's averaging 9.8 rebounds over his last 10, and he's capable of a double-double on any given night.

**The OKC Thunder: Value in the Backcourt?**

Then you've got the Oklahoma City Thunder heading to Salt Lake City to face the Jazz. This is a tricky spot, because the Jazz have been surprisingly competitive at home sometimes, but they're also missing Lauri Markkanen, who's been sidelined since March 6th with a quad issue. That opens up some major minutes and shot attempts. Keyonte George has been inconsistent, but he did drop 21 points and 5 assists against the Celtics on Friday. He's certainly got the volume potential. But the real play here might be Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He's been a nightly DFS stud, hitting over 50 fantasy points in four of his last six outings. Yes, he's expensive. But against a Jazz team that ranks 28th in defensive rating over their last 10 games, SGA could absolutely feast. He hung 38 points and 7 assists on them back in December. This isn't a bold prediction, it's just smart money.

Real talk: I think Cason Wallace is a better play tonight than Keyonte George. Wallace is a more consistent defender and has quietly been putting up solid fantasy lines in limited minutes. He's got a floor George doesn't.

Now, let's swing over to the Portland Trail Blazers hosting the Denver Nuggets. Nikola Jokic is always a safe bet for a monster line, but his price tag is often prohibitive. The Blazers are a mess defensively, especially in the frontcourt. Deandre Ayton has been playing well, averaging 19 points and 12.8 rebounds over his last five games, but he's going to have his hands full with Jokic. The interesting play here is Jamal Murray. He's been up and down since returning from that ankle sprain on March 9th, but he's capable of exploding. Against a Blazers team that allowed Tyrese Haliburton to drop 21 points and 11 assists on Friday, Murray could have a big night. If he finds his rhythm early, he could easily hit 40+ fantasy points.

Here's the thing: Don't overthink the Blazers. Anfernee Simons is the only guy I'd even consider, and that's only if you're looking for a pure scoring dart throw. He did put up 38 points against the Celtics last week, but consistency is a myth in Portland these days.

My bold prediction for tonight: Dejounte Murray goes for 35+ points and 10+ assists against the Bulls, single-handedly carrying your DFS lineup.