FanDuel Daily Fantasy Basketball Helper: Monday 11/8/21

If you're new to daily fantasy basketball -- maybe you started your DFS journey during the MLB or NFL seasons, or maybe basketball is your sport and this will be your first year giving it a shot -- you're in for a treat. The NBA scene changes on a week-to-week, day-to-day, and -- depending on injury news -- even a minute-to-minute basis, making every slate a unique one that requires an ever-changing approach.

With so much changing so quickly, we're here with plenty of tools to help you out. We have daily projections, a matchup heat map, a lineup optimizer, and a bunch of other great resources to help give you an edge.

Daily fantasy basketball is very reliant on a player's opportunity, so you'll need to make sure that you're up-to-date with key injuries. Our projections update up until tip-off to reflect current news, we have player news updates, and the FanDuel Scout app will send push notifications for pressing updates regarding your players.

We'll also be coming at you with this primer every day, breaking down a few of the day's top plays at each position.

Let's break down today's main slate on FanDuel.

The Slate

It should be a soft entry into the second week of November in the NBA. There's just not much going on -- fear not, knocking on pure mahogany -- with injuries on Monday.

It's already announced LeBron James will miss Monday's contest (and further) with an abdomen injury. The lone question for the Lakers is if Anthony Davis will join him. Davis is questionable with a thumb injury, and he missed most of the last game due to a non-COVID illness, as well.

The Philadelphia 76ers also continue to fight COVID-19 protocols. Tobias Harris, Matisse Thybulle, and Isaiah Joe will all be once again out Monday, and that has meant a short rotation for Philly. Value is certainly there -- especially if Danny Green (hamstring) sits once more. (Editor's Note: Joel Embiid has now entered this protocol as well and will miss tonight's game.)

Brandon Ingram (hip) and Herbert Jones (concussion) could return Monday. That would only squash much of the viability of any Pelicans with the salaries already inflated.

D'Angelo Russell is questionable for a third straight game for Minnesota, and he's missed the first two contests dealing with an ankle issue. That would loft Malik Beasley into consideration given his salary has stayed flat.

The most notable absence is in the worst fantasy environment. Michael Porter Jr. injured his back on Saturday, and he's already been ruled out for Denver's mile-high showdown with Miami. The only clear trend without Porter Jr. is more Nikola Jokic, but P.J. Dozier likely will absorb plenty of his minutes.

Guards

Russell Westbrook ($9,400): Frankly, there are a ton of NBA stars not playing like stars for FanDuel purposes. "Brodie" brings comfort knowing he always has multiple ways to get his FanDuel points. Westbrook ascends from 1.13 FanDuel points per minute in all floor conditions to a 1.31 mark when LeBron is off the floor. That extra usage (4.4-percentage-point increase) raises his floor and his matchup against Charlotte is soft. The Hornets are giving up the 10th-most FanDuel points per game (47.62) to players with a point guard primary position.

Tyrese Maxey ($5,800): Holy minutes, Batman. Maxey is getting a playoff-like workload with 44 minutes in back-to-back games due to the COVID-19 troubles with the Sixers. Maxey's FanDuel point per minute mark (0.77) isn't great, but he should be less popular than Shake Milton in a similar situation because of the slow production thus far. Still, the minimum eight-minute gap between the two is worth a great deal given the close salaries, and both should be core plays unless protocol news changes in Philly.

Kemba Walker ($4,800): I've been slow to buy in on Walker because of a lack of trusting his health, but coming off a Sunday of rest, this is the spot to enter with safety. Walker's played at least 28 minutes in five of his past six games, and he has a decent 20.9% usage rate for the Knicks in all floor situations. The usage situation for New York is overall pretty muddy, which makes allocating this small amount of salary to it a fair way to run back much of the Sixers' value.

Others to Consider:
James Harden ($9,600): He's struggling for sure (1.18 FanDuel points per minute), but a lot of that is tied to his 40.1% shooting. His 27.1% usage is still normal. The ceiling game still looms.
Kyle Lowry ($6,200): Likely the best way to access Miami today. Similar to New York with too many cooks in the kitchen. Well projected by numberFire.
Shake Milton ($5,600): I will mix and match him and Maxey. Maxey plays more minutes, but Milton is more productive in his. Both are musts in these roles.
Terry Rozier ($5,300): Philadelphia guys likely save me from heavy exposure again. Rozier has been a weekday troll in his solid minutes, but 34.6 FanDuel points yesterday confirmed the ceiling we all knew was present.

Wings

Kevin Durant ($10,500): The wing spots are barren today. Jimmy Butler's hot shooting has regressed, and Durant is the only alternative to buying Miles Bridges and DeMar DeRozan in crowded situations at peak value. Durant's really not a great option in a vacuum; he's failed to exceed value at this salary in eight straight games. Still, his potential ceiling is the most realistic considering the Bulls (9th in pace) are actually a pace-up spot for the Nets (23rd).

Anthony Edwards ($7,900): If Russell is out, that would go a long way toward solving the wing issue. Even with a horrible shooting night Friday, Edwards is the clear guy when DLo is off the floor. He's turned a team-best 33.3% usage rate into 1.11 FanDuel points per minute, and that should be more than enough in a friendly matchup with Memphis. The Grizz are allowing the third-most FanDuel points per game (47.61) to players with a small forward primary position.

Will Barton ($5,800): Even though Saturday's 7-for-19 shooting exhibition didn't show it in the FanDuel points column, Barton should carry a massive load for the Nuggets on Monday without MPJ. Barton's 2.8-percentage-point usage increase without Porter Jr. is second on the team. He's already eclipsed value at this salary in six of nine games this season playing alongside Porter, so this salary is more than fair even considering the matchup with the stingy Heat defense.

Others to Consider:
Harrison Barnes ($7,400): His 21.4% usage rate just appears to be here to stay. I'm worried about his shot volume on most slates but can't be on this one.
Mikal Bridges ($5,000): This is more of a buy of talent. His usage (17.0%) and production (0.75 FanDuel points per minute) are terrible, but he'll pop at this salary seeing 30-plus minutes.
Bogdan Bogdanovic ($4,800): Let's Make a Deal would be proud of this Hawks budget-forward dilemma. Door 1 -- Bogdanovic averages a 17.0% usage rate and 0.77 FanDuel points per minute.
De'Andre Hunter ($4,300): Door 2 -- Hunter has an 18.3% usage rate but just 0.63 FanDuel points per minute. Prefer Bogdanovic's ceiling, but both are well projected.

Bigs

Nikola Jokic ($11,100): The data says to be all-in on Jokic despite the brutal matchup with Miami's Bam Adebayo. Without Michael Porter Jr. on the floor this season, Jokic averages an absurd 2.34 FanDuel points per minute on a 38.9% usage rate. A quick-and-dirty projection would put Jokic on 80-burger watch, but comfortably exceeding 55 FanDuel points is a more realistic expectation. The 1.5-point spread at least believes this one will stay close despite Denver missing MPJ.

John Collins ($6,800): Often struggling for minutes in his career, Collins is one of few Hawks that can be trusted for those at this moment. He has exceeded 30 minutes in each of his last six games, and he's made the most of them by averaging 1.11 FanDuel points per minute. The 221.5-point game total facing Golden State is worth a long, hard look for a game stack, and Collins is necessary frontcourt access to it with the Dubs not having a particularly strong candidate in that area.

Frank Kaminsky ($4,300): "Frank the Tank" was a necessary piece to win a tournament over the weekend. Will he be on Monday? He's seen at least 28 minutes and scored at least 30 FanDuel points in each of the last two contests without Deandre Ayton, and Ayton is out once again Monday with a lower leg injury. JaVale McGee has yet to eclipse 20 minutes in that same period, so since Kaminsky has also been productive, it seems like a slam dunk to use the Wisconsin alum in DFS instead.

Others to Consider:
Joel Embiid ($9,300): Salary is more than fair for what should be a monstrous usage role, but his health has hurt his production. Failed to eclipse value in four of the last six games without Harris.
Kristaps Porzingis ($7,100): Feeling dangerous? When he's hit the court, he's been excellent. 28.3% usage rate and 1.14 FanDuel points per minute.
Jaren Jackson Jr. ($6,300): Averaging 34.6 FanDuel points in games with 30-plus minutes. Should do that Monday with a six-point spread. Starting to eat into Ja Morant's role (28.5% usage rate last week).
Aaron Gordon ($5,000): Amongst the safest candidates to see a bump without MPJ. 9 points in 28 minutes on Saturday without him wasn't exactly inspiring, though.

**Editor's Note: Embiid is now out for tonight's game due to COVID-19 protocols. Andre Drummond ($5,500) is now a must in just about all formats for lineups not using Jokic.