Hopefully, everyone had a fun and safe New Year’s celebration and is ready to start off 2018 on a positive note with a four-game slate of NBA DFS action Monday night. As with most small slates getting all of the puzzle pieces to fit together isn’t always easy but Monday has some nice potential value and mid-range options without a lot of must-have star-power. If you are looking for a New Year’s resolution, might I suggest to play more NBA DFS this year!

Note that some of the stats referenced in this article are my custom DvP calculations that combine both season and last five games data along with blending similar positions production allowed together.

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Point Guard

Shabazz Napier (POR): $6,000 @ CHI
Shabazz Napier has been sensational since Damian Lillard has been out with a hamstring injury for the last four games. Napier has averaged over 35 minutes per game while posting 19.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 2.5 steals per game during that stretch. Lillard is shaping up as a game-time decision for Monday night and if he is unable to go then Napier should be a plug-and-play option for all of your lineups.

Tyler Ennis (LAL): $3,500 @ MIN
I have some concerns about using Lakers on Monday as they are coming off a double-overtime game against the Rockets in Houston on New Year’s Eve and will now travel up north to the frigid cold in Minnesota to face the Timberwolves. Tyler Ennis burst onto the scene on Sunday drawing the start while posting 20 points and 11 assists in 45 minutes. With such a strong performance, the minimum-priced Ennis should draw another start on Monday and only needs about half the production he achieved on Sunday to still exceed value.

Shooting Guard

Evan Fournier (ORL): $6,100 @ BKN
The Magic will be predominant throughout Monday’s lineup due to their favorable matchup against the up-tempo Nets on Monday. Evan Fournier looks like he is regaining his shooting touch following an eight-game absence, shooting 50% in his first three games back including three three-pointers in each of his last two games. The Nets have allowed the most FanDuel points to opposing SGs this season including the highest points per game average which is where Fournier does most of his damage.

Caris LeVert (BKN): $5,800 vs ORL
Caris LeVert has really stepped up his game this season contributing across the board fantasy production in points, rebounds and assists. Over his last three games, LeVert is averaging 16.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 8.3 assists. LeVert will look to start off 2018 the same way he ended 2017 in a favorable matchup against the Magic wing defenders who have allowed increased production in points (+5.7%), rebounds (+8.7%) and assists (+5.1%) to opposing SGs.

Small Forward

Jimmy Butler (MIN): $9,300 vs LAL
I am recommending a fade of Giannis Antetokounmpo on Monday due to his high salary and lack of big fantasy production over his last four games where is his averaging just 42.8 FD points per game and also sat out a game with knee soreness. Instead, I’ll pivot to Jimmy Butler who is averaging more FD points (46.2) over that same stretch, is $1,600 cheaper and has a more favorable matchup against the Lakers who have allowed the most FD points per game to opposing SFs this season.

Jonathon Simmons (ORL): $6,100 @ BKN
Filling the second SF slot on FanDuel for Monday’s slate is a little more challenging. Jonathan Simmons is a solid mid-priced option with 29.2 FD points in each of his last two games and has some upside potential in a favorable matchup against the Nets who have allowed the second most FD points to opposing SFs this season. Simmons also sees a 4.6% usage bump with Nikola Vucevic off the court.

Power Forward

Aaron Gordon (ORL): $7,900 @ BKN
I am rounding out my Magic trio, sounds like a New Year’s Eve act, with Aaron Gordon who showed on Saturday that he is over his calf injury that forced him to miss seven of eight games recently by posting 39 points and seven rebounds (54.9 FD points) against the Heat in his second game back. Gordon gets a much easier matchup on Monday against the up-tempo Nets who have allowed eight most FD points to opposing PFs this season.

Serge Ibaka (TOR): $5,700 vs MIL
As I mentioned in the intro it is hard to fit all the puzzle pieces together on a small slate which often leads to one player that you aren’t thrilled to have in your lineup. Serge Ibaka is that guy for this lineup on Monday. Ibaka should be well rested coming off a one-game suspension and he has shown some spurts of fantasy value and upside this season. While the Bucks rank well against opposing PFs specifically they do struggle with opposing centers and I could see the Raptors playing some small-ball with Ibaka at center on Monday since the Bucks don’t have a true center. This is a position to pivot off of if some other value opens up on Monday’s slate.

Center

Karl-Anthony Towns (MIN): $9,600 vs LAL
On Christmas Day, Karl-Anthony Towns posted a double-double with 21 points and 10 boards against the Lakers on his way to 48 FD points. Look for Towns to top those numbers on Monday with the Lakers traveling to Minnesota. Towns consistently produces bigger fantasy production at home including averaging 6.2 more FD points per game at home this season. The Lakers have allowed the fifth most FD points to opposing centers this season and with Towns getting some home-cookin’ he should feast on the Lakers on New Year’s Day.

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Brad Richter is a correspondent at FantasyPros and a contributor at DailyOverlay and GoingFor2. For more from Brad, you can view his archive or follow him @RotoPilot.