This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
The NBA tips off the week with six games on the schedule Monday, five of which will make up the main slate on Yahoo.
One of the key matchups will be two teams fighting for the eighth seed in the West when the Pelicans take on the Grizzlies.
Let's examine all of the games and discuss some players to target for your entry, as well as a few to potentially avoid.
GUARDS
Jrue Holiday, NO vs. MEM ($35): With the Pelicans being blown out by the Clippers on Saturday, Holiday scored only four points across 24 minutes. The game was basically a lost cause for most of the players on the Pelicans, so don't read too much into one bad stat line. He scored 38 Yahoo points in the first game back against the Jazz and has a chance to shine here with both the Pelicans and the Grizzlies ranking inside the top-seven in the league in pace of play.
Aaron Holiday, IND at WAS ($14): The Pacers are set to play a back-to-back set Monday and Tuesday, which means Victor Oladipo is going to sit out one of those contests. It appears Monday will be the day that he takes a seat, which makes sense considering their inferior opponent. Malcolm Brogdon (neck) is listed as questionable after sitting out Saturday, but even if he does play, look for Holiday to take on an expanded role with Oladipo out. He didn't show any signs of rust against the Sixers, recording 15 points, five rebounds and 10 assists across 34 minutes.
Guard to Avoid
Shake Milton, PHI vs. SA ($13): The good news for Milton is that he remained in the starting five despite Ben Simmons' return. The bad news is that he was held scoreless across 19 minutes against the Pacers. He attempted only one shot from the field and committed three turnovers to go along with his three assists. Even if he continues to start, he likely won't log a ton of minutes or have a lot of scoring opportunities, making him an unappealing DFS option.
FORWARDS
T.J. Warren, IND at WAS ($28): Talk about a great performance. Warren put the Pacers on his back against the Sixers, scoring 53 points on 20-for-29 shooting from the field and 9-for-12 shooting from behind the arc. He even chipped in four rebounds, three assists and two blocks. While he obviously will have a difficult time duplicating that kind of efficiency, scoring opportunities should once again be plentiful, especially if Oladipo is out. Add in the putrid Wizards' defense and Warren is set up to thrive once again.
Troy Brown Jr., WAS vs. IND ($12): Brown scored 15 points in the Wizards' first game back against the Suns, but he only added one rebound, one assist and one steal. Given his ability to contribute in so many different areas, that was a disappointing outing. He made up for it Sunday against the Nets, recording 22 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists and a steal across 38 minutes. Playing time shouldn't be hard for him to come by with Bradley Beal (shoulder) out, so he could be a bargain at this price.
Forward to Avoid
Zion Williamson, NO vs. MEM ($28): It's clear that the Pelicans aren't going to push Zion in an effort to make the playoffs. He logged 15 minutes in their first game back Thursday, then followed that up by playing 14 minutes Saturday. With no indication that he will be unleashed anytime soon, he's way too risky.
CENTERS
Joel Embiid, PHI vs. SA ($48): The Sixers may have lost in their matchup against the Pacers, but Embiid wasn't the reason for their defeat. He put forth a monster stat line, posting 41 points. 21 rebounds, four assists and three blocks. Now he'll take on a Spurs team that has Jakob Poeltl and not much else left at center. Expect to see Embiid included in a lot of entries.
Steven Adams, OKC vs. DEN ($21): Despite a tough matchup with Rudy Gobert on Saturday, Adams finished with 34.2 Yahoo points on the strength of a double-double. He'll look to keep things rolling against a Nuggets team that he has destroyed this year by averaging 18.5 points, 15.5 rebounds, two steals and two blocks across two previous meetings. If you're looking to fade Embiid in a GPP, Adams is a viable target.
Center to Avoid
Derrick Favors, NO vs. MEM ($16): When the Pelicans are healthy, Favors has a limited role within their offense. Case in point, he only attempted 10 total shots against the Jazz and Clippers. With Adams locked into a more significant role and priced only five dollars more, it's difficult to make a case for deploying Favors.
