Which players should you build around and which players should you fade in DFS as we tip off Monday's NBA action? Our experts have the answers.
Players to build around
Andre Snellings -- Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
Booker can run hot and cold ... but when he gets it going, he puts up a lot of numbers in a hurry. He's had two dominant games in his last three outings, including a 38 point, 5 assist, 4 rebound effort against the Celtics on Saturday and a 33 point, 8 rebound, 4 assist effort against the Bulls last Tuesday. On Monday, he faces a 76ers squad that has allowed the 10th-most fantasy points to opposing shooting guards, in what could easily be a fast-paced/high-scoring game, so this feels like a potential big game from Booker.
Kyle Soppe -- Dennis Schroder, Atlanta Hawks
Remember way back on Saturday when you were looking at Schroder in a plus matchup at Brooklyn and considering him at an $8,500 price point on DraftKings? Well, apparently his 24 points and six assists weren't enough to impress, as you can roster him at $8,000 tonight at home against the very same Nets team. The Nets operate at the third-fastest pace and play defense at the fourth-worst efficiency, trends that have me thinking that Schroder's aggressive approach over the weekend is here to stay and gives him a high floor. The Hawks have scored at least 114 points in three of their past four games and with their frontcourt ailing, Schroder's upside far outweighs his downside at this price point.
Renee Miller -- LaMarcus Aldridge, San Antonio Spurs
Aldridge was rested Sunday night, leaving him fresh for a full complement of minutes tonight. With Kyle Anderson probably closer to doubtful after a non-contact knee injury Sunday night, Aldridge could be expected to be used more heavily. This isn't one of the more attractive games in terms of pace and defensive matchups, but Aldridge is a player you can always build around with confidence. While some people chase Davis Bertans' big night for a lot less salary, I think Aldridge is the rock-solid star PF tonight.
Joe Kaiser -- Ben Simmons, Philadelphia 76ers
The big decision today is whether to go with Simmons or Joel Embiid against Phoenix, because both have an extremely high ceiling in this matchup against the league's worst defensive team. I'm going with Simmons, who will direct the offense all night after eclipsing 50 daily fantasy points in five of the past eight games.
Players to avoid
Andre Snellings -- Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz
Gobert is currently listed as questionable to play on Monday after participating in Sunday's light practice. If he does return on Monday, he'd be well ahead of the projected recovery pace for his knee injury. While that's great news for those that have Gobert on their season-long teams, for DFS purposes Gobert would be too risky to play on Monday even if he does go. Coming back from injury, most players have some sort of minutes restriction that keeps them from putting up their usual numbers. With all of the uncertainty, in conjunction with his still high price in most DFS environments, it's better to pass on Gobert on Monday.
Kyle Soppe -- Ben Simmons, Philadelphia 76ers
I can't believe I'm going to say this, but is there game flow concern here? Are the Sixers going to be ahead by too much for Simmons to reach value? The Suns are one of the league's worst teams, are in the middle of a six-game road stretch, and play tomorrow night north of the border. Meanwhile, the 76ers were home over the weekend, don't play again until Thursday (also home), and will want to enter their next two games rested (national TV against the Lakers and in Cleveland). You can't fade a star player based solely on the thought that the flow of the game will work against you, but it is certainly a concern. Bake that in with the fact that Simmons can't shoot, meaning he will need to flirt with a triple-double to achieve value tonight. Generally speaking, you want a player's point total to be five times his price tag, which means on DraftKings, you need Simmons to produce 49 points. For reference, on November 22, Simmons racked up 16 points, nine assists, eight rebounds, and five steals-plus-blocks ... he gave you 48 fantasy points. Simmons is worth every bit of the hype, but on a full slate, your DFS dollar can go further elsewhere.
Renee Miller -- Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves
His price has come down, but not enough. Towns faces a formidable Grizzlies defense tonight -- Memphis is allowing the second-fewest fantasy points to centers. On top of those deterrents, he isn't balling quite so hard lately. His double-double potential is still very high, but we're more likely talking about 13 points and 11 rebounds than one of the massive 30-point nights that got him to near $9,000 in salary. With DeMarcus Cousins, Joel Embiid, and Kevin Love all available in better spots, not mention the affordable Enes Kanter, Towns is the odd man out for me tonight.
Joe Kaiser -- Bradley Beal, Washington Wizards
Beal hasn't been playing well lately and facing the Jazz, a slow-paced defensive-minded team, limits his upside on Monday night. Beal is shooting just 36.3 percent in his past five games and, barring a big scoring night, is going to have a difficult time reaching his salary value against Utah.
