DFS Alerts
Solid Source Of Value
I am currently writing this under the assumption that Gallinari and Williams aren’t going to play for the Clippers tonight. Gallinari is listed as doubtful, and while Williams is listed as questionable, Doc Rivers said after Friday’s game that he didn’t expect Williams to play today. As such, this feels like a safe assumption. However, we do need to monitor this closely leading up to lineup lock. This pick does feel a little bit uncomfortable, because Gilgeous-Alexander is not a high usage player. He’s not going to be taking 30 shots in a game no matter who is out, but we can expect a slight uptick in his role without both Gallinari and Williams. We do have some data points from Friday’s game against the Warriors, as Williams was out and Gallinari only played eight minutes. Harris and Gilgeous-Alexander combined for 52 points and played a combined 79 minutes, so they are seemingly the clear winners in this scenario. Gilgeous-Alexander played a team high 43 minutes in the game, and he took 17 field goal attempts and got to the line 10 times. That is a significantly larger role than we usually see from him, so perhaps the usage could creep into the 25% range if the two injured players are sidelined. This is enough to make Gilgeous-Alexander a no brainer play at $3,600 on FanDuel and $6,900 on FantasyDraft. Those price tags are just far too cheap. We have to think a little bit more on DraftKings, but I am still comfortable with it should both Gallinari and Williams be confirmed out prior to roster lock.
The Obvious Top Play
He is your obvious choice as the top play on a three game slate. He dwarfs everybody else in price on this slate, but his performance makes him worthy of that price tag. In addition, we should have a good chunk of value available tonight, making it more palatable to fit Towns into lineups. There’s also the added potential that Deandre Ayton and Richaun Holmes might not play for the Suns in this game. If that happens, who exactly is going to play the five spot for Phoenix? Mikal Bridges? T.J. Warren? Kelly Oubre? None of these guys are taller than 6’8”. Towns should absolutely smash in this game, and you’re doing it wrong if you don’t start your cash games with him today.
Juancho Hernangomez (abdominal) out Saturday
Hernangomez has officially been downgraded from questionable and won’t play in Saturday’s matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers due to a strained abdominal muscle, while Will Barton will make his return from a one-game absence after tending to a personal matter. Head coach Michael Malon already confirmed with reporters during his pregame media availability that Barton and Gary Harris will each be limited to around 18-20 minutes off the bench as they continue to work their way back to full strength following their respective extended injury absences. With Hernangomez sidelined, Trey Lyles will likely rejoin the rotation for at least one game, but he’s difficult to rely upon in daily fantasy formats considering he’s accumulated two DNP-CDs and just 30 minutes of garbage time over the Nuggets last four games.
As reported by: the Denver Nuggets via Twitter
Marc Gasol (back) out Saturday
Gasol has officially been downgraded from questionable and won’t play in Saturday’s matchup against the Toronto Raptors due to a sore back, while Joakim Noah is currently away from the team tending to a personal matter and also won’t be available to play in tonight’s contest. Noah hasn’t carved out much of a role in the Grizzlies rotation to this point in this season, logging between 11-14 minutes in each of the last six games, so his absence won’t have too much of an impact on the remaining members in the frontcourt. However, JaMychal Green and Jaren Jackson Jr. should see an uptick in playing time as the preferred frontcourt duo by head coach JB Bickerstaff with Gasol unavailable this evening. Since Ivan Rabb has mostly been relegated to garbage time minutes when he’s been active this season, Green and Jackson Jr. shouldn’t have much competition behind them in the frontcourt, and each of them is currently averaging more than a fantasy point per minute on the year, while Jackson Jr. leads the pair with a 23.6% usage rate.
As reported by: Grizzlies PR via Twitter Ish Smith (groin) out Saturday
Smith has officially been downgraded from questionable and won’t play in Saturday’s matchup against the Sacramento Kings due to a right adductor tear, while Andre Drummond is in the concussion protocol and has already been ruled out. Stanley Johnson and Jon Leuer are still listed as probable with their respective ailment, but they should be fully expected to play given the nature of the Pistons injury reporting of late. Pachulia ended up replacing Drummond to begin the second half of Friday’s win and was serviceable from a fantasy perspective in 28 minutes of action. Even though Jon Leuer might see a bit more run than the 14 minutes he logged in that contest, Pachulia will still draw the start at center alongside Blake Griffin in the frontcourt. Unsurprisingly, Griffin has thrived with Drummond off the court this season, as he owns a 36.8% usage rate (+5.4%) and is averaging 1.44 DraftKings and 1.40 FanDuel points per minute in this scenario.
As reported by: Keith Langlois via Twitter Wesley Matthews (wrist) will start Saturday; Dennis Smith Jr. (illness) listed out
Matthews has officially been upgraded from questionable and will start in Saturday’s matchup against the Indiana Pacers despite dealing with a sprained right wrist, while Smith Jr. has been listed out, as expected, and is still expected to miss at least one more game before potentially rejoining the team. His continued absence will enable Luka Doncic to remain the Mavericks primary facilitator in the offense, while Maxi Kleber should draw another start at power forward and has logged at least 27 minutes in each of the last two games. Doncic has been thriving with Smith Jr. and J.J. Barea unavailable, as he owns a 31.7% usage rate (+2.4%) and is averaging 1.33 DraftKings and 1.29 FanDuel points per minute with them off the court this season. However, with his rising price tag across the industry, Doncic is better reserved for tournament formats, though a case can be made for cash games on DraftKings if opting for a balanced lineup construction.
As reported by: Brad Townsend via Twitter Other tagged players: Dennis Smith Jr. Eric Gordon (knee) and James Ennis (calf) will start Saturday
Gordon has officially been upgraded from probable and will play in Saturday’s matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers despite dealing with a sore right knee, while Ennis will replace Gary Clark at power forward in the Rockets new-look small starting lineup after missing one game with a lacerated left calf. Gordon was limited to just 21 minutes in Wednesday’s loss because of the aforementioned knee injury, and he reportedly could be subject to an unspecified minute restriction in tonight’s contest as well. Ennis has only averaged 14.8 minutes over his last six games, but he’ll likely be in line for some additional playing time with head coach Mike D’Antoni opting for more small-ball lineups with Clint Capela expected to miss at least four-to-six weeks. There’s not a tremendous sample size with Capela, Brandon Knight, and Chris Paul off the court, but in that time, James Harden owns a ridiculous 52.1% usage rate (+9.1%) and is averaging a whopping 2.10 DraftKings and 2.03 FanDuel points per minute.
As reported by: Craig Ackerman via Twitter Other tagged players: James Ennis III Josh Richardson (illness) will play Saturday
Richardson has officially been upgraded from questionable and will play in Saturday’s matchup against the Chicago Bulls after missing Friday’s loss due to an illness that’s been circulating throughout the Heat locker room. In his return, Richardson should reclaim his typical starting spot from Tyler Johnson, who was stellar from a fantasy perspective for his price tag in 35 minutes of action in his spot start. Miami is still without Goran Dragic after he underwent a procedure on his right knee, which has enabled Justise Winslow to continue serving as the de facto point guard in the starting unit, and he’s logged at least 30 minutes in nine of the last 13 games even with Johnson and Dwyane Wade competing for minutes behind him in the backcourt rotation. Over that span, Winslow leads the Heat starters with a 25.8% usage rate and is averaging 1.14 DraftKings and 1.13 FanDuel points per minute, keeping him firmly in consideration for all formats, even at an elevated price tag across the industry.
As reported by: Ira Winderman via Twitter Shaquille Harrison (illness) available to play Saturday
Harrison has officially been upgraded from probable and will be available to play in Saturday’s matchup against the Miami Heat despite battling an upper respiratory virus that limited him to just six minutes in Thursday’s blowout loss. Prior to that, Harrison had logged at least 14 minutes in each of the Bulls previous four games, but his playing time in the second unit has been drastically diminished ever since the acquisition of Wayne Selden from the Memphis Grizzlies earlier in the month. Even though Harrison has been cleared to play, there’s no guarantee he’ll even have a significant role in head coach Jim Boylen’s rotation, as Antonio Blakney surprisingly ended his streak of two consecutive DNP-CDs and recorded nine minutes off the bench in the previous contest.
As reported by: Cody Westerlund via Twitter Tristan Thompson (foot) listed out Saturday
Thomspon has been listed out on the most recent version of the Cavaliers’ injury report and won’t play in Saturday’s matchup against the Denver Nuggets due to a sore left foot that has now forced him to miss two consecutive games. In his absence, Ante Zizic received the starting nod at center in Friday’s contest, and he managed to salvage a productive fantasy outing in 34 minutes of action, largely thanks to garbage time in the blowout loss. There hasn’t been any confirmation from the Cavaliers or head coach Larry Drew, but Zizic will likely start once again to match up with Nikola Jokic on the defensive end, which will allow Channing Frye to continue absorbing the backup center minutes with Larry Nance still sidelined with a right knee injury. Zizic is averaging 1.02 DraftKings and 1.05 FanDuel points per minute with Thompson, Nance, and the other inactive Cavaliers off the court this season, so he’ll remain in consideration as a value option for all formats on tonight’s eight-game slate.
As reported by: NBA Official Injury Report Josh Richardson (illness) now listed as questionable Saturday
Richardson has been downgraded to questionable on the most recent version of the Heat’s injury report for Saturday’s matchup against the Chicago Bulls after missing Friday’s loss due to an illness that’s been circulating throughout the Heat locker room. If he’s able to play, he should reclaim his typical starting spot from Tyler Johnson, who was stellar from a fantasy perspective for his price tag in 35 minutes of action in his spot start. Miami is still without Goran Dragic after he underwent a procedure on his right knee, which has enabled Justise Winslow to continue serving as the de facto point guard in the starting unit, and he’s logged at least 30 minutes in nine of the last 13 games even with Johnson and Dwyane Wade competing for minutes behind him in the backcourt rotation. Over that span, Winslow leads the Heat starters with a 25.8% usage rate and is averaging 1.14 DraftKings and 1.13 FanDuel points per minute, keeping him firmly in consideration for all formats, even at an elevated price tag across the industry.
As reported by: NBA Official Injury Report John Collins (illness) and Trae Young (illness) available to play Saturday
Collins and Young have both been upgraded from probable and will be available to play in Saturday’s matchup against the Boston Celtics despite dealing with an illness that had forced them to miss Friday’s practice. Meanwhile, Dewayne Dedmon has also been cleared to return from a two-game absence because of a sprained left ankle, so he’ll more than likely displace Alex Len from the starting lineup after Len obliterated his salary-based expectations in 31 minutes in Tuesday’s win. Even with everyone outside of Kent Bazemore and Miles Plumlee available to play, all of the Hawks players can be relegated to just tournament consideration given the difficult spot versus a stingy Celtics defense. However, Young does own a 32.1% usage rate (+3.4%) and is averaging 1.18 DraftKings and 1.11 FanDuel points per minute with Bazemore off the court this season.
As reported by: Brad Rowland via Twitter Other tagged players: Trae Young Aaron Gordon (back) out Saturday; Jonathon Simmons will start
Gordon has officially been downgraded from questionable and won’t play in Saturday’s matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks due to lower back tightness that forced him to exit and not return during the fourth quarter of Friday’s loss. Gordon has only missed two games all season, and in those contests, Jarell Martin and Jonathon Simmons each started one game in his place. However, the Magic’s rotation looks quite a bit different since then with Simmons seemingly out of the rotation after being on the receiving end of five consecutive DNP-CDs and Jonathan Isaac back healthy. However, Simmons will still draw the start alongside Evan Fournier on the wing despite his recent lack of playing time. Another beneficiary of Gordon’s absence is Terrance Ross, as he should see more time with the starting unit sans Gordon and owns a 27.2% usage rate (+2.8%) with an average of 0.98 DraftKings and 0.97 FanDuel points per minute with him off the court this season.
As reported by: Orlando Magic PR via Twitter Other tagged players: Jonathon Simmons Jamal Crawford (knee) out Saturday
Crawford has officially been downgraded from questionable and won’t play in the Saturday’s matchup against the Charlotte Hornets due to a sore left knee, marking the fifth consecutive game he’s missed for various reasons. Devin Booker wasn’t included on the Suns’ injury report after returning from a three-game absence because back spasms earlier in the week, and he finally regained form in Thursday’s loss, logging 35 minutes of action. Even with Booker active, Kelly Oubre kept his stretch of impressive fantasy outings going in that contest, exceeding his salary-based expectations in 30 minutes off the bench. The odd man out of the rotation with Booker back in the fold has been Troy Daniels, while Ellie Okobo as averaged 18.2 minutes as the primary backup guard with Crawford sidelined.
As reported by: Evan Sidery via Twitter Multiple Beneficiaries from Injury Situation Tonight
Zaza Pachulia is the clear beneficiary of Andre Drummond’s absence tonight, and he is definitely underpriced if he gets a full allotment of minutes, but for GPPs we shouldn’t overlook the other Pistons starters who could get a larger share of the offense (or rebounds) with Drummond off the court. Blake Griffin actually sees an impressive 5.4% usage bump with Drummond off the floor this season, including a 2.90 rebounds per 36 minutes increase over his standard rebounding rate. Reggie Jackson also sees an increased role in the offense, with a 2.4% usage increase without Drummond.
Other tagged players: Reggie Jackson, Zaza Pachulia