DFS Alerts

Devin Vassell (adductor) and Lonnie Walker (back) listed available to play Saturday

Devin Vassell (adductor) and Lonnie Walker (back) have both been listed available to play Saturday despite being included on the injury report last night. Both Vassell and Walker should continue in their usual roles with the Spurs relatively healthy at this time. Vassell should remain in the starting lineup with Walker the first man available off the bench.

James Harden (hamstring) ruled out Saturday

James Harden (hamstring) has been ruled out for Saturday’s game against the Miami Heat. Harden will sit on the second leg of a back to back as he recovers from the injury he dealt with as a member of the Brooklyn Nets. With Harden absent, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Tobias Harris should lead the 76ers offense with Danny Green or Shake Milton the most likely candidates to enter the starting lineup. Embiid and Maxey become much better plays tonight and can be considered in most formats.

Greg Brown (illness) questionable Saturday

Greg Brown (illness) is now considered questionable for Saturday’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Brown was slated to see the backup power forward minutes for Portland but if he were unable to go the Trail Blazers might be forced to run with a smaller second unit. If Brown were to miss Portland would be down to 9 available bodies with only one bench big man (Trendon Watford) who is projected to play the backup center minutes. The Trail Blazers would have to get creative and all available players would likely see north of 20 minutes with starters seeing over 30. Multiple value options could open up depending on how news breaks, so stay tuned.

Wendell Carter Jr. (illness) ruled out Saturday; Jalen Suggs (ankle) listed questionable; Markelle Fultz and Moe Wagner not listed on injury report

Wendell Carter Jr. (illness) ruled out for Saturday’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies, while Jalen Suggs (ankle) has been listed questionable. Markelle Fultz and Moe Wagner were both not listed on the injury report likely signaling their availability. With Carter Jr. out, Chuma Okeke could remain in the starting lineup and see increased minutes as the four. He is currently priced up a bit too much on DK to be worth serious consideration in DFS contests. Robin Lopez should also see some run as the backup center for the Magic but his minutes (as well as Okeke’s) could be eaten into by the returning Moe Wagner. Fultz will likely remain in his role as a bench guard as he works his way back from injury.

Obi Toppin (hamstring) ruled out Friday

Obi Toppin (hamstring) has been ruled out for Friday’s game against the Phoenix Suns. Toppin wasn’t expected to play a major rule for the Knicks and his backup minutes will likely be split by the rest of the New York bench with no true winner. All players will see a slight bump but nothing that should make any player a must play in DFS contests.

Suns will start Payne, Shamet, Bridges, Crowder, Ayton on Friday. Phoenix will once again start Cam Payne and Landry Shamet with both Devin Booker and Chris Paul still out. Payne is worth consideration in DFS contests at just 4.8K on DK.

Rockets will start Porter Jr., Green, Gordon, Tate, Wood on Friday. The Houston Rockets will have their usual starting five all back together for the first time since before the all-star break.

Lineup Update: Nuggets will start Morris, Barton, Gordon, Jeff Green, Cousins on Friday. Demarcus Cousins will enter the starting lineup for Nikola Jokic who is out due to an illness. Cousins is one of the best value options on the slate and can be considered in all formats. All other Denver starters should see a bump as they try to fill the huge usage void the Jokic’s absence has created.

Austin Rivers (illness) and Zeke Nnaji (knee) ruled out Friday

Austin Rivers (illness) and Zeke Nnaji (knee) have been ruled out for Friday’s game against the Houston Rockets. With both Nnaji and Jokic ruled out, JaMychal Green and Demarcus Cousins should see the majority of the center minutes tonight for the Nuggets. Cousins becomes a great value option and can be considered in most formats. With Austin Rivers ruled out, Davon Reed should play an increased role of the bench for Denver but is not worth consideration in DFS contests at this time.

Updated Lineup: Thunder list starters as Gilgeous-Alexander, Mann, Pokusevski, Bazley, Roby on Friday. Originally Theo Maledon was listed as a starter instead of Tre Mann but that has since been changed. Both lineups (the correct one with Mann and the incorrect one) were released after lineup lock, so this shouldn’t have caused any DFS players to change their lineups (luckily our projections team did have Mann projected to start). The Thunder are notoriously bad at releasing their lineup on time and this is just another instance.

Nikola Jokic (illness) ruled out Friday

Nikola Jokic (illness) has been ruled out for Friday’s game against the Houston Rockets after being a late addition to the injury report. With Jokic out, Demarcus Cousins, Jeff Green, JaMychal Green, and Zeke Nnaji (if available) should play the almost all of the big man minutes. If Cousins gets the start he will be one of the better value plays on the slate and could see even more of a bump if Nnaji is ruled out. All usual Denver starters should see a bump from the huge usage loss of Jokic and can be considered better plays.

Dennis Schroder (ankle) ruled out Friday

As expected, Dennis Schroder (ankle) has been ruled out for Friday’s game against the Denver Nuggets. With Schroder out, Kevin Porter Jr., Eric Gordon, and Jalen Green should see the bulk of the work for the Houston guards tonight but with the Rockets relatively healthy (aside from Schroder) none are must plays in DFS contests.

Timberwolves will start Russell, Beverley, McDaniels, Vanderbilt, Towns on Friday. The Timberwolves will roll with the same lineup as last game with Anthony Edwards once again out. McDaniels will enter the starting lineup and both he and Malik Beasley should see increased run as long as Edwards remains out. Beasley can be considered as a value option at just 3.2K on DK.

Raptors will start Flynn, Trent Jr., Barnes, Siakam, Birch on Friday. The Raptors will remain with the same starting five with Fred VanVleet out once again. Malachi Flynn should see extended run as a starter along with the other starters (aside from Birch) playing heavy minutes.

Nikola Jokic (illness) and Austin Rivers (illness) now both questionable on Friday.

Nikola Jokic (illness) and Austin Rivers (illness) now both questionable on Friday. If Jokic can’t go, this would be likely a spot start for DeMarcus Cousins, while JaMychal Green could be looking at extended minutes.