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.
Today's panel includes ESPN Fantasy's André Snellings, Kyle Soppe and DFS expert Renee Miller.
Players to build around
Kyle Soppe -- Hassan Whiteside, Miami Heat
Whiteside has been on the court for a total of just 45 minutes over Miami's past two games, so I expect many managers to look at his game log and pass without much thought, given his price tag. Fine, more shares for me. Whiteside has notched a double-digit rebound total in six straight and in nine of his past 10, a trend I very much believe continues against the worst rebounding team in the NBA. With Dallas operating at a bottom-five pace and averaging the fewest paint points, Whiteside should be able to avoid the foul trouble that can ruin his fantasy evening, so I'm thinking his minute count is there and thus I am all-in given that over those past 10 games, he is averaging over 23 rebounds per 48 minutes. I don't love that Whiteside is settling for more jumpers this season, but with his average distance of made field goal still under five feet, I'm thinking a 20-10 game is very much in play tonight.
André Snellings -- Dwight Howard, Charlotte Hornets
This one was a virtual toss-up between Howard and Karl-Anthony Towns. Their two respective opponents, the Indiana Pacers and Atlanta Hawks, have allowed the second-most and most fantasy points to opposing centers this season. Howard earned this recommendation by dint of playing at a slightly higher level of late. Howard has grabbed at least 15 rebounds during the past eight games, and has averaged 17.3 points with 15.9 rebounds, 4 blocks, 1.1 steals and 1.0 assists while shooting 56.2 percent from the field and 64.4 percent from the line in that stretch.
Renee Miller -- Kyrie Irving, Boston Celtics
Irving stands out at the point guard position tonight, and will certainly be a popular play. He's been hot throughout this West Coast road trip, and should take advantage of Denver's soft backcourt defense tonight. With depressed defensive efficiency and soft matchups at multiple positions, I like Irving's potential to score at will and pass efficiently against Denver tonight. He provides the strong floor/ceiling combination I look for in a building block and on this six-game slate in particular, I don't see how you play without him.
Players to fade
Kyle Soppe -- Harrison Barnes, Dallas Mavericks
There aren't a ton of true fade options on this six-game slate, but I'm not going to be investing in Barnes tonight at all. It's a tough matchup against a top-10 defense, but it's more the flow of this game that concerns me, as we are talking about two of the four slowest moving offenses in the league. Yes, I recommended you build around a center in this game, but that was because his strength directly lined up with a weakness of the opponent ... something that is not the case here. Barnes isn't very creative on the offensive end (he is averaging a career high in 3PA and with less than two assists in five of his last six games, he isn't punishing defenses for chasing him off of the 3-point line), and while there is scoring potential here, there is just as much, if not more, downside. The 3-point shooting is hit-or-miss, something that simply makes the reward not worth the risk in my opinion tonight.
André Snellings -- Goran Dragic, Miami Heat
Dragic had been playing very well before he went down with a knee issue that forced him to miss two games last week. He returned on Friday, but hasn't played like himself and is coming off a 5-point, 4-assist, 1-rebound outing on Sunday against the Charlotte Hornets. Assuming he's back at full strength health-wise, his game should return at some point, but while he's figuring it out there are better options to use on Monday.
Renee Miller -- Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
I hate doing this, because last time I faded Jokic, he absolutely went off! Tonight, however, with four top center options, Irving, and either Jimmy Butler or Giannis Antetokounmpo to pay up for, I can't justify Jokic. Boston is the league's No. 1 team in defensive efficiency, allowing the fewest fantasy points to opposing centers. While Jokic's ceiling is as high as Towns' or Howard's, his floor is lower. Both of those guys are a virtual lock for a monster double-double in great matchups tonight, while Jokic has scored over 50 fantasy points just twice this entire month (Howard has done it in each of the last four games). The matchup is tough enough and other options tempting enough that Jokic becomes merely a contrarian multi-entry tournament option for me tonight.
