DFS Alerts
A High Upside Bench Player
I really like Stephenson today in what should be a very high-scoring shootout between the Suns and Pacers. Stephenson has the ability to log a 7x or 8x night given his cheap salary and upside, and a matchup against a team that plays very fast and offers little resistance on the defensive end should play to his strengths. He’s a very strong cash game and tournament salary-saver on tonight’s two game slate.
A Late Slate Must
Oladipo is easily the top overall play of the late slate. The Pacers and Suns are projected to play a very close, high-scoring matchup. The Suns are one of the fastest-paced teams in the league, and hemorrhage fantasy points to every position. This game should turn into a shootout, and given Oladipo’s ability to product in multiple categories, we could easily see a 50 or 60 fantasy point performance.
Jameer Nelson (personal) ruled out Sunday
Nelson has been ruled out and won’t play in today’s game against the New York Knicks due to personal reasons, despite never appearing on the New Orleans Pelicans’ injury report at any point prior to the news of his unavailability. Nelson had recently been passed by Ian Clark as the team’s primary backup point guard behind Rajon Rondo and Jrue Holiday, so his absence won’t do much, if anything, to alter head coach Alvin Gentry’s backcourt rotation. Nelson’s nominal playing time will likely just be absorbed by the trio of Clark, Rondo, and Holiday, meaning the change in their projected value for daily fantasy formats will be minimal, at best.
As reported by: Will Guillory via Twitter
Cheap Guard To Consider
I can’t believe I’m writing these words, but Jarrett Jack is a solid cash play on Sunday. He’s cheap and has posted three monster games in a row. Granted, one of them was a triple-double that required double-overtime, but the man still got his triple-double! Over the past 10 days he’s averaged 32.1 minutes per game and is still getting solid time on the court. Until the Knicks trade him or turn the keys over to Frank Ntilikina, I think you roll Jack out there.
Center On A Tear
Whiteside gets one of the easiest matchups on the board on this early slate, which is why he’s my top core play. The Milwaukee Bucks rank 25th in DvP against centers. Whiteside has been playing well too over his last three games. The minutes have also been solid during those three games, as he’s played 26, 30 and 28 in that time frame. It looks like he’s recovered from his previous knee injury, and with Dion Waiters out for the season, the Heat will be relying even more on Whiteside going forward.
More Opportunities For This Forward To Shine
With Marquese Chriss not expected to suit up again on Sunday, I think we can roll out Bender for another round. He drew the start on Friday and posted a posted a fantasy point per minute over 32 minutes. Bender has some risk as he’s never been a prolific fantasy scorer, but the talent has always been there so perhaps something has clicked for him. At his cheap salary, I’m willing to go back to the well one more time as long as Chriss is out.
Kawhi Leonard (shoulder), Danny Green (groin), and Tony Parker (ankle) expected to play Saturday
Leonard, Green, and Parker are all expected to play in tonight’s game against the Denver Nuggets barring any setbacks during pregame warmups, according to head coach Gregg Popovich during his pregame media availability, after previously being listed as questionable on the San Antonio Spurs’ injury report with their respective ailments. There haven’t been any reported minute restrictions for the aforementioned trio but they’ll likely be limited in some fashion given the lingering nature of their injuries. The return of Leonard, Green, and Parker will send Kyle Anderson, Bryn Forbes, and Dejounte Murray all back to the bench to resume their normal reserve roles. The presence of Leonard in the starting, even in a possible limited fashion, effects the projected fantasy value of LaMarcus Aldridge the most, as he owns a -8.2% usage rate differential with him on the court this season, equating to a 21.0% usage rate overall, and has seen his production dip to just 0.97 fantasy points per minute on DraftKings and 1.01 on FanDuel in this scenario.
As reported by: Jeff McDonald via Twitter Other tagged players: Danny Green, Tony Parker Gary Harris (personal) available to play Saturday
Harris has rejoined the Denver Nuggets in San Antonio and is officially available to play in tonight’s game against the Spurs after previously being listed as questionable on the injury report due to a personal matter that had forced him to take time with his family and miss one game. His availability will send Will Barton back to the bench to resume his accustomed sixth-man role after a relatively underwhelming fantasy performance in a team-high 40 minutes of action. Surprisingly, Torrey Craig was a DNP-CD in Friday’s contest, and head coach Mike Malone instead opted to give Richard Jefferson 19 minutes of playing time with the second unit. Harris continues to be a key cog in the Nuggets starting unit and wing rotation, and over the last month, has recorded a 21.6% usage rate en route to a rate of 0.84 fantasy points per minute on DaftKings and FanDuel.
As reported by: the Denver Nuggets via Twitter Stephen Curry (ankle) and Andre Iguodala (hip) available to play Saturday; Omri Casspi (back) ruled out
Curry has officially been cleared to play and will suit up for tonight’s game against the Toronto Raptors after previously being upgraded to probable from questionable on the Golden State Warriors’ injury report with a sprained right ankle that had forced him to miss two consecutive games. Meanwhile, Andre Iguodala will be available to play, as well, but Omri Casspi has been ruled out following his earlier questionable designation and will miss his second straight game due to low back soreness. There’s been no reported minute restriction for Curry at this time, but he will still displace both Patrick McCaw and Shaun Livingston from starting lineup consideration and both were relatively ineffective from a daily fantasy perspective in their respective spot starts. Curry appears to still be overpriced across the industry following his massive fantasy performances while Durant was sidelined, making Durant the preferred target of the two on the main slate and sports a more than sufficient 32.0% usage rate on the season while averaging 1.38 fantasy points per minute on DraftKings and 1.37 on FanDuel.
As reported by: Anthony Slater via Twitter Other tagged players: Andre Iguodala, Omri Casspi Stanley Johnson (hip flexor) ruled out Saturday
Johnson has officially been ruled out and won’t play in tonight’s game against the Chicago Bulls after previously being listed as questionable on the Detroit Pistons’ injury report with a hip flexor injury. Johnson logged 20 minutes in his first game back from the aforementioned hip issue on Wednesday, but he has reportedly been feeling tightness in the area and the Pistons have opted to err on the side of caution by holding him out this evening. Luke Kennard has been the main beneficiary from a minutes standpoint with Johnson sidelined and has averaged just under 22 minutes per game in these situations, though he’s been largely unproductive for fantasy purposes thus far.
As reported by: Jake Chapman via Twitter Kyle Lowry (bruised tailbone) remains out Saturday
Lowry has officially been ruled out and won’t play in tonight’s game against the Golden State Warriors after previously being considered as doubtful on the Toronto Raptors’ injury report with a bruised tailbone and back spasms that have now forced him to miss three consecutive games. Additionally, Serge Ibaka will make his return from a one-game suspension handed down by the NBA for his physical altercation with James Johnson in Tuesday’s loss and will displace C.J. Miles from the starting lineup. In Lowry’s absence, Delon Wright will draw the start at point guard for the third time in as many games, and Wright should possess the higher minute floor and potential ceiling than Fred VanVleet, even after VanVleet’s impressive performance in 24 minutes on Thursday, making him the preferred option in daily fantasy formats. That said, DeMar DeRozan is still the clear beneficiary of Lowry’s absence and owns a massive +9.0% usage rate with him off the court this season, equating to a 40.5% usage rate overall. Not only that, but DeRozan has also seen his per minute production skyrocket in this scenario and is averaging 1.45 fantasy points per minute on DraftKings and 1.41 on FanDuel.
As reported by: Josh Lewenberg via Twitter DeAndre Jordan (ankle sprain) ruled out Saturday
Jordan has officially been ruled out and won’t play in today’s game against the Sacramento Kings after previously being listed as questionable on the Los Angeles Clippers’ injury report with a sprained left ankle during Thursday’s loss. He was replaced in the starting lineup to begin the second half by Willie Reed, who will also start in his place this afternoon, but Montrezl Harrell was the much more productive reserve big man in that contest and has logged at least 25 minutes in back-to-back games. The Clippers got Blake Griffin back on Thursday evening, but they remain decimated by injuries and are still without Austin Rivers, Danilo Gallinari, Patrick Beverley, and most likely C.J. Williams, so there obviously isn’t a tremendous sample size of data with Griffin active and the aforementioned players off the court this season. However, Griffin has recorded a 29.0% usage rate in this scenario and is averaging 1.29 fantasy points per minute on DraftKings and 1.26 on FanDuel, putting him firmly in play for all formats on the early slate after logging 32 minutes in his return to action on Thursday night.
As reported by: Tomer Azarly via Twitter Stephen Curry (ankle) probable Saturday; Andre Iguodala (hip) and Omri Casspi (back) questionable
Curry has officially been upgraded to probable on the Golden State Warriors’ injury report for tonight’s game against the Toronto Raptors after previously being listed as questionable with a sprained right ankle that has forced him to miss two consecutive games. Meanwhile, Andre Iguodala and Omri Casspi have been listed as questionable due to their respective ailments, the latter in danger of missing his second straight game with low back soreness. Curry’s likely return will displace both Patrick McCaw and Shaun Livingston from starting lineup consideration and both were relatively ineffective from a daily fantasy perspective in their respective spot starts. Curry appears to still be overpriced across the industry following his massive fantasy performances while Durant was sidelined, making Durant the preferred target of the two on the main slate and sports a more than sufficient 32.0% usage rate on the season while averaging 1.38 fantasy points per minute on DraftKings and 1.37 on FanDuel.
As reported by: Warriors PR via Twitter Other tagged players: Andre Iguodala, Omri Casspi Tyler Zeller (sore hip) ruled out Saturday
Zeller has been added to the Brooklyn Nets’ injury report and won’t play in tonight’s game against the Washington Wizards due to a sore left hip. Zeller typically only sees around 10-15 minutes per game, so his absence won’t have a huge effect on the remainder of the Nets frontcourt rotation, but it should allow either Jahlil Okafor or Jarrett Allen to enter the starting lineup at the center spot. Regardless of starter, they’ll likely only split Zeller’s typical minute allotment, relegating them to tournament-only consideration. Quincy Acy is a terrible fantasy producer on a per-minute basis, but he’ll continue to log a majority of the playing time at center in head coach Kenny Atkinson’s frontcourt rotation, despite coming off the bench.
As reported by: Anthony Puccio via Twitter Lock This Stud in if Curry Sits
With Durant producing around 1.40 fantasy points per minute while sporting a usage rate over 35 with Curry off the floor, he becomes an absolute must for on a short game slate with few strong options. Tonight’s matchup between the Warriors and Raptors is projected to be close, and very high-scoring, so you’re going to want Durant in your lineups if Curry takes one more game off. Even if Curry plays, Durant is a strong option given the lack of other options at the small forward position. He’s a cash game must for me regardless of Curry’s status, but if Curry is out, I’d lean toward using him in 100% of my tournament lineups as well.