FanDuel NBA DFS Picks: Monday 3/17/25

If you're looking to have some fun this basketball season, NBA DFS on FanDuel has you covered.

With NBA DFS, you can put your hoops knowledge to the test and ride with players you think will go off in a given night.

To help you along the way, we've got a bunch of tools here at FanDuel Research. Specifically, our NBA DFS projections update throughout the day to reflect current news.

On top of all that, we'll come at you each day with this NBA DFS primer, which breaks down some of the day's top plays at each position.

Let's dive into today's main slate on FanDuel.

Betting lines via the NBA odds at FanDuel Sportsbook. Projections and betting odds may change after this article is published. All injury news comes from the NBA's official injury report.

NBA DFS Picks for Today

Guards

Top Priorities

Malik Monk ($7,100)

We'll want pieces of the Memphis Grizzlies visiting the Sacramento Kings. Its 238.5-point total should close as the highest of the day when the dust settles.

This is a good spot to grab the plummeting salary of Malik Monk. Touching as high as $8,100 this season, Monk's mark has dropped because he's struggled to shoot the ball in March. He's shot just 23.1% from three-point land.

His role still checks out. A 25.1% usage rate this month is second to only DeMar DeRozan, and he logged 42 regulation minutes in Sactown's last contest as they get a bit desperate to shift up the standings.

FanDuel Research's NBA DFS projections expect 38.8 FanDuel points (FDP) in 37.0 minutes from Monk tonight.

Tyus Jones ($4,900)

Just as I sang the praises of Bradley Beal, he's hurt again. Beal (hamstring) left Sunday's game in the second quarter and never returned.

We know the deal when he's gone. Tyus Jones shifts into the backcourt, and he's averaged 33.4 FDP per 36 minutes this season with Beal off the floor.

The spot could be worse. The Toronto Raptors have allowed the 12th-most FDP per game to opposing point guards this season (48.9), and the Phoenix Suns' team total (117.5) is serviceable despite Toronto's efforts to take tonight's loss on their side.

This salary is quite sporty for a player who has topped 30 FDP on 19 different occasions this season. Most of those came with Beal sidelined.

Others to Consider

Tre Jones ($6,300)

Keeping it in the family, Tyus' brother, Tre Jones, has assumed the Chicago Bulls' full-time point guard spot with 31.1 FDP in 32.1 minutes per game during March. His salary has climbed, but he's still an option if fully stacking a 240.5-point total between the tanking Bulls and Utah Jazz.

T.J. McConnell ($5,100)

Tyrese Haliburton (back) is one of the larger question marks on the slate. During Hali's recent absence, T.J. McConnell rolled his ankle in the first half of the very first game. Now back healthy himself, McConnell averages a lethal 43.4 FDP per 36 minutes with the star guard off the floor.

Luke Kennard ($4,700)

With Ja Morant (hamstring) already out and Scotty Pippen Jr. (wrist) questionable to join him, Luke Kennard could extend his hot streak. He's averaged 29.0 FDP per game in his last four efforts logging at least 25 minutes.

Wings

Top Priorities

Jimmy Butler ($7,900)

Tonight's potential Western Conference Finals preview might take a huge hit.

Stephen Curry (back) is questionable to play against the Denver Nuggets, but don't rule out the Golden State Warriors for a home win on the back of Jimmy Butler. Denver has injury question marks of their own.

It's been a brief -- but successful -- sample for the Dubs with Butler leading a Curry-less crew. He's posted 43.8 FDP per 36 minutes in that floor condition behind a 2.5 percentage-point uptick in usage rate.

The Nuggets have taken their defensive struggles to a new level in March, too. They've got the fourth-worst defensive rating (123.1 DRTG) in the NBA during this time.

Butler could definitely benefit from Curry's absence in DFS, but looking at Golden State's 120.5-point team total, I wouldn't cross him off entirely if Steph is ready to go.

Kevin Huerter ($5,000)

Kevin Huerter was an unlikely winner of the Zach LaVine deal.

It's thrust the former top-10 pick into the first major role of his career, and all things considered, he's playing well. Huerter has topped 28 minutes in eight of his last nine games, averaging 25.3 FDP per game in these efforts.

A season-best effort could be on the horizon against the tanking Jazz. Utah has allowed the fourth-most points (23.8) and second-most made threes (3.3) per game to opposing small forwards.

Some of the best scoring pieces of the Bulls-Jazz clash come at value salaries, so it's hard to avoid stacking it. We've got Huerter projected for 30.7 FDP tonight, so I'd throw him in that mix.

Others to Consider

Scottie Barnes ($9,100)

RJ Barrett (illness) missed Sunday's game, so we can target Scottie Barnes again if he's not feeling better. Barnes has posted 48.3 FDP per 36 minutes with him off the floor, and Phoenix's defense seems to be at rock bottom, per a 119.7 DRTG this month.

Brice Sensabaugh ($4,500)

Though far from consistent, Brice Sensabaugh should get major minutes in his up-tempo clash. Walker Kessler (rest), John Collins (back), and Kenyon Martin Jr. (elbow) are all iffy -- at best -- to suit up. Even with Martin still factored into the equation, we expect 27.9 FDP in 30.0 minutes from Sensabaugh tonight.

Ryan Dunn ($4,400)

Ryan Dunn can pile up FDP in a hurry accumulating 2.3 stocks (steals plus blocks) per 36 minutes, and his playing time should become a bit more consistent with Beal sidelined. Royce O'Neale ($4,400) is also projecting well at this salary for Phoenix.

Bigs

Top Priorities

Nikola Jokic ($12,900)

I haven't really spent much salary to this point. It's because we'll need it for Nikola Jokic.

Extinguishing the Warriors could Jokic's last hoorah at this season's MVP, and he might have to do it undermanned. Jamal Murray (ankle) and Aaron Gordon (calf) are true question marks for tonight's game.

Astonishingly, Jokic averages 66.7 FDP per 36 minutes with those two off the floor in a solid sample (482 minutes). He's coming off a 75.1-FDP effort on Saturday where Murray left early.

Importantly, Golden State doesn't play a true big outside of 6'7" Draymond Green. Analytically, Golden State is a top-10 rebounding team since the Butler deal, but the former league MVP presents no "ordinary" situation.

With Murray and Gordon still projected to play, FDR expects 60.8 FDP from Jokic at this lofty salary. It'll only rise if and when those absences are confirmed.

Karlo Matkovic ($5,100)

Another key potential absence on the slate is Zion Williamson.

Williamson (personal) missed Saturday's game, and there's not a whole lot of urgency for the 18-50 New Orleans Pelicans to get him back. Expect Karlo Matkovic to get another start if he and Yves Missi (ankle) are indeed still out.

Matkovic drew the start and logged 27 minutes on Saturday, underwhelming with 21.2 FDP. In general, he's posted 34.3 FDP per 36 minutes with Missi and Williamson off the floor. It'll also help that the Detroit Pistons are second in the NBA in pace this month (103.8).

NOLA's lineup will be crucial. If Missi plays, you'll want whichever of Matkovic or Kelly Olynyk ($5,700) sticks in the starting five.

Others to Consider

Domantas Sabonis ($8,900)

I have no idea what's up with Domantas Sabonis. He played 30 minutes on Friday and dodged today's injury report, but Sacramento beat writers insist he re-aggravated the issue Friday. Be wary of this reduced salary, which stood out to me right away in a projected shootout with Memphis.

Kyle Filipowski ($6,900)

Kyle Filipowski is a pretty standard click today, especially with forward eligibility. He's averaged 40.8 FDP per 36 minutes with Kessler and Collins off the floor, and the Bulls have ceded the third-most FDP per game to centers (56.8).

Orlando Robinson ($5,400)

Toronto has consistently chosen an on-off approach with Jakob Poeltl on back-to-backs. He played Sunday, so I'm guessing he sits tonight. Orlando Robinson (32) played more than Poeltl (24) yesterday, so they're clearly interested in an extended look at the productive pivot.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author’s advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.