DFS Alerts

Maxi Kleber (knee) listed as questionable Wednesday; Dirk Nowitzki (rest) listed as available

Kleber has been added to the most recent version of the Mavericks’ injury report and is listed as questionable for Wednesday’s matchup against the Washington Wizards due to a left knee effusion, while Nowitzki is listed as available to play despite previously being questionable for load management purposes. Kleber has assumed a slightly diminished role in his move to the bench, but he has logged at least 18 minutes in each of the previous four games, though the extent of his playing time is largely based on the opposing frontcourt matchup in a particular contest.

Luol Deng (Achilles) remains out Wednesday

Deng has officially been ruled out and won’t play in Wednesday’s matchup against the Detroit Pistons due to a sore right Achilles that has now forced him to miss four consecutive games. Even with Deng unavailable for the previous three contests, Gorgui Dieng has totaled just eight minutes in garbage time, and head coach Ryan Saunders seems to prefer going smaller at the power forward position than his predecessor, Tom Thibodeau, as Anthony Tolliver and Keita Bates-Diop have both seen playing time ahead of Dieng over this span. Tolliver hasn’t been particularly effective from a fantasy perspective, but he has logged at least 19 minutes in four of the Timberwolves’ last seven games and figures to be a mainstay in the rotation for at least as long as Deng is sidelined.

John Collins (illness) upgraded to probable Wednesday

Collins has officially been upgraded from questionable to probable for Wednesday’s matchup against the San Antonio Spurs and appears to be on track to return from a three-game absence due to flu-like symptoms, while Dewayne Dedmon remains listed as doubtful with a right knee contusion. There’s been no reported minute restriction for either Collins or Taurean Prince, so they’ll more than likely reclaim their typical spots in the starting lineup, which would likely send Kent Bazemore back to the bench to resume a reserve role following a couple of solid fantasy performances in an average of 27.6 minutes in his two latest spot starts. In Dedmon’s likely absence, Alex Len should remain in the starting lineup for at least one additional game, and even though he’s been inconsistent from a fantasy perspective in his previous two spot starts, he’ll still be worth a look in tournament formats since he’s averaging 1.13 DraftKings and 1.15 FanDuel points per minute with Dedmon and Omari Spellman off the court this season.

Fire Up the Nationally-Televised Game Narrative

For whatever reason, Rajon Rondo loves the spotlight. Over the last few years, he has stepped up in nationally-televised games. Even if you take that narrative out of the equation, he’s one of the top point-per-dollar options at point guard. He has played at least 37 minutes and has scored at least 47 fantasy points in three of his last four games. The Lakers are basically in a must-win situation at home and the Nuggets haven’t been as stout defensively over the last 10 games.

Taking Advantage of an Increased Opportunity

Dwight Powell has always been a productive player on a per-minute basis and for years, DFS players have been clamoring for him to play more minutes. We have finally got our wish, as Powell is regularly playing 35+ minutes a night. He draws an elite matchup tonight against the Wizards and comes into the game in tremendous form, averaging 37 fantasy points over his last four games. I like his chances to reach 40 fantasy points tonight and potentially even 50 fantasy points if this game stays competitive.

Back on the Chalk Train

The Alex Len chalk train was not a fun ride on Monday night. Despite playing 21 minutes against the Heat, he was held under 10 fantasy points. I’m always willing to forgive a single bad outing, especially if it leads to ownership the next time around. Dewayne Dedmon and Omari Spellman are not expected to play tonight and John Collins is listed as questionable. Even if Collins suits up, Len should draw the start and push for 26-30 minutes against the Spurs. On the season, Len has averaged well over a fantasy point per minute.

Guards Look Appealing In Game With Highest Vegas Point Total

The game with the highest Vegas point total of the night is San Antonio visiting Atlanta, and the scoring in this game could be led by the point guards, Derrick White and Trae Young. White has put together three strong games in a row averaging 13.3 points, 5 assists, and 6 rebounds over his last three, and matches up against a rookie defender in Young who ranks last in the league in Defensive Real Plus Minus (DRPM). Young himself has cooled off the last two games after a torrid stretch in February where he averaged 23.3 points, 9.3 assists, and 4.3 rebounds for the month. An ejection Sunday and a poor game on Monday have dropped his price $800 on FanDuel, $500 on DraftKings, and $1200 on FantasyDraft.

Don't Be Afraid Of Going Back To The Well

A lot of people got burned on the Alex Len train on Monday, but with daily fantasy, you have to have a short memory. With Collins questionable and Dedmon doubtful, Alex Len is a great value play tonight. The Spurs continue to struggle on defense, and they’ve really struggled on the road this season. With Dedmon not expected to play, I’m projecting Alex Len for 26-30 minutes tonight. I think the only thing I’m worried about is his foul trouble, but the upside is really high at this price point.

Low Owned Tournament Play

With so many chalky value options on this slate, I’m willing to roll the dice on a low owned pivot play like Kyle Korver. Neto has missed the last three games, and Korver has received an uptick in minutes. He’s played 22, 35, and 28 minutes in the last three games, and has at least 18 fantasy points in each of those games. He played 28 minutes in the matchup against the Pelicans on Monday and would be a great low owned play if that happens again tonight. The Jazz receive one of the best bumps in pace on this slate, and this is an above average matchup for wing players.

High Floor In This Matchup

I really like looking at defensive efficiency against positions, but sometimes, I’m perfectly okay with overlooking it as well. The Hawks rank 9th in defensive efficiency against point guards, but they’re allowing the most fantasy points per game to opposing point guards. They’re also ranked in the bottom five against point guards in defensive real plus minus. With White playing over 30 minutes again, he’s one of my favorite value plays on this slate.

NBA Injury Rundown - Wednesday, 3/6

Minnesota Timberwolves – Luol Deng (TBD), Robert Covington (O)

Detroit Pistons – Zaza Pachulia (D)

Miami Heat – Goran Dragic (O)

San Antonio Spurs – Jakob Poeltl (Q), Dejounte Murray (O)

Atlanta Hawks – John Collins (Q), Dewayne Dedmon (D), Omari Spellman (O), Miles Plumlee (O)

Cleveland Cavaliers – Ante Zizic (O), Tristan Thompson (O), John Henson (O)

Brooklyn Nets – Treveon Graham (D)

Philadelphia 76ers – Jonah Bolden (TBD), Joel Embiid (O), Boban Marjanovic (O), Furkan Korkmaz (O), Shake Milton (O)

Utah Jazz – Raul Neto (O), Dante Exum (O), Tony Bradley (O)

New Orleans Pelicans – Jahlil Okafor (Q), Trevon Bluiett (O), Dairis Bertans (O)

New York Knicks – DeAndre Jordan (Q), Mario Hezonja (O), Frank Ntilikina (O)

Los Angeles Lakers – Brandon Ingram (Q), Lance Stephenson (Q), Tyson Chandler (Q), Kyle Kuzma (O), Lonzo Ball (O)

Alfonzo McKinnie (hip) listed as available Tuesday

McKinnie has been listed as available on the most recent version of the Warriors’ injury report for Tuesday’s matchup against the Boston Celtics despite dealing with a bruised left hip, while Klay Thompson will sit for a second straight game with a sore right knee. McKinnie ended up drawing the start alongside Kevin Durant on the wing in Saturday’s win before exiting during the first half with a left hip contusion. In his stead, Damion Lee started at shooting guard to begin the second half of that contest and was relatively effective from a fantasy standpoint in 26 minutes of action, shedding some doubt on who will receive the starting nod at the two-guard position with McKinnie presumably good to go this evening. Unsurprisingly, both Durant and Stephen Curry have been the largest beneficiaries with Thompson off the court this season, as they each own at least a +7.1% usage rate differential and experience a minimum of a +0.12 increase to their per minute fantasy production, though Curry does lead the way with a massive 41.2% usage rate overall in this scenario.

Paul George (shoulder) will start Tuesday

George has officially been upgraded from questionable and will start in Tuesday’s matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves after missing three consecutive games due to a sore right shoulder. In his absence, Dennis Schroder had started both of the previous two games alongside Russell Westbrook in the backcourt, and as usual, was a phenomenal source of fantasy value as a member of the starting unit and has averaged 35.1 minutes per game during George’s latest injury hiatus. There’s been no report of a potential minute restriction for George in his return, and head coach Billy Donovan even stated that George was able to do a lot more work at shootaround this morning, signaling he may not be limited whatsoever this evening. With George cleared to play, it’s a knock to the projected values of Schroder and Terrance Ferguson, but especially Ferguson, who will likely see his minutes plummet with George present in the starting lineup.

Kenneth Faried (hip) and Iman Shumpert (calf) out Tuesday

Faried has officially been downgraded from questionable and won’t play in Tuesday’s matchup against the Toronto Raptors due to a sore left hip flexor that’s now forced him to miss three consecutive games, while Shumpert will sit for the third straight contest with a sore right calf. Head coach Mike D’Antoni also disclosed that both players are considered day-to-day, which means that there is currently no tentative return date for either Faried or Shumpert and they’ll be re-evaluated on a daily basis. With both players unavailable for Sunday’s win, D’Antoni essentially utilized an eight-man rotation, though Nene Hilario did log 14 minutes at center with the second unit in bigger lineup combinations. Additionally, all five starters logged at least 34 minutes in that contest, so they’ll be firmly in consideration for tournament formats despite the difficult matchup with a Raptors squad that ranks seventh in defensive efficiency on the year.

Avery Bradley (wrist) and Ivan Rabb (ankle) available to play Tuesday

Bradley has officially been upgraded from probable and will be available to play in Tuesday’s matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers despite continuing to deal with a sore right wrist, while Rabb has been cleared to play through a sore right ankle. During his pregame media availability, head coach JB Bickerstaff also confirmed that the decision to start Bruno Caboclo at power forward has been mostly matchup-driven, and while that’s not a knock for Rabb, it likely means that Caboclo remains in the starting unit for at least one additional game. Additionally, Mike Conley was excluded from the Grizzlies injury report, and his return from a one-game absence stemming from general soreness will almost certainly send Delon Wright back to the bench following his phenomenal fantasy performance in 37 minutes in his most recent spot start in Sunday’s loss.