DFS Alerts
Back and Rolling
Victor Oladipo is back from injury, and he didn’t miss a beat against the Bulls over the weekend. He put up an effortless 23/6/9 line on 9-for-11 shooting in that game, and he would have had a massive game if not for the blowout. DFS players don’t like to play him at his high prices, but I am more than willing to buy in against the Bucks. He’s playing at another level this year.
Top Value Play
With Kawhi Leonard and Rudy Gay sidelined, the value doesn’t get a whole lot better than Kyle Anderson on this slate. The Spurs will likely be cautious with their veterans on the tail end of a back to back, too, opening up more minutes for a younger guy like Anderson. He’s a logical value in all formats against a weak Kings squad, and he should rebound from a poor game on Sunday. Despite the overall struggles, he still managed an all around line with eight points, six rebounds, and five assists in 36 minutes on Sunday. Expect a better game tonight.
Andre Drummond (rib contusion) probable Monday
Drummond participated in shootaround this morning and has been upgraded to probable for tonight’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans after previously being listed as questionable in the Detroit Pistons’ game notes with a right rib contusion that has forced him to miss two of the last three games. Meanwhile, Stanley Johnson also went through shootaround and remains listed as questionable on the latest version of game notes due to a strained right hip flexor that has kept him sidelined for four consecutive games, but according to head coach Stan Van Gundy, he is expected to be a game-time decision this evening. With Drummond on track to play, Boban Marjanovic and Eric Moreland will resume their normal reserve roles after each drawing a spot start at center in Drummond’s absence. In Friday’s blowout loss, Marjanovic was the first big man off the bench with Drummond available but saw just seven minutes of court time, so it remains to be seen if he or Moreland fill that role moving forward. That said, when Drummond is healthy, neither of them are viable options in daily fantasy formats given their minuscule minute floors.
As reported by: Rod Beard via Twitter
Can I Shoot The Ball Well Tonight?
I always seem to play Justin Holiday on bad shooting nights, but he has one of the best matchups on paper tonight. The Bulls implied team total is 6.6 points higher than their season average this season. They’re receiving a solid pace bump here, and the Rockets rank in the bottom six in defensive efficiency against wing players this season. Eric Gordon is ranked 79th out of 104 shooting guards in DRPM this season. With him starting, it’s another bump to Holiday tonight.
Caris LeVert (groin strain) will play Monday
LeVert confirmed with reporters following shootaround this morning that he will play in tonight’s game against the Toronto Raptors after previously being listed as probable on the Brooklyn Nets’ injury report with a strained left groin that had forced him to miss two consecutive games. Meanwhile, DeMarre Carroll has already been ruled out due to a right knee injury he sustained in Saturday’s loss. His absence will likely allow Joe Harris to enter the starting lineup alongside Allen Crabbe on the wing, and there will be some extended minutes available for Harris, LeVert, and Nik Stauskas since Carroll has led the Nets with an average of nearly 29 minutes per game this season. However, the main beneficiary of his unavailability in terms of usage and production appears to be Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, as he owns a +2.8% usage rate differential with Carroll off the court this season and has averaged 1.13 fantasy points per minute on DraftKings and 1.15 on FanDuel in this scenario, as well.
As reported by: Brian Lewis via Twitter A Solid GPP Center Choice
Blake Griffin is out again with a concussion, so that should open up plenty of minutes in the Los Angeles frontcourt. They lack other true rebounding threats outside of Jordan, so he is always a candidate for a monster 20 rebound type of game. He also always tends to have low ownership no matter the matchup. I love the matchup tonight against a weak Hawks frontcourt, making Jordan one of my favorite GPP plays on the Monday slate.
High Usage Off The Bench
Eric Gordon’s price has caught up with his production, so I’m looking at Green over Gordon tonight. I like the discount Green presents, and he’s scored at least 35 fantasy points in two of the last three games with James Harden out. He has a 27.2% usage rate in that span, and with Gordon starting, Green has been the scorer off the bench for the Rockets. I love high usage bench guys, and that’s exactly what Green is for the Rockets.
Crushing In My Current Role
Trey Lyles is a little pricey now, but he’s certainly earned his new price tag. I think he’s more in play on DraftKings tonight. Over the last two weeks, he has a 24.5% usage rate, and he’s averaging 1.12 fantasy points per minute. He continues to be the first big man off the bench, and has a great role with the second unit. He’s scored at least 30 fantasy points in five straight games, and he has at least 27 minutes in eight straight games.
Increased Opportunity Because Of Injuries
With Austin Rivers already ruled out for tonight, and Milos Teodosic dealing with a foot injury, Evans could be in line for some solid minutes tonight. The rookie played 27 minutes on Saturday with both guards out, and he played 23 minutes against the Thunder the game before that. If he draws the start tonight, he’s one of my favorite value plays on the slate. The Hawks rank 22nd in defensive efficiency against point guards this season.
Alex Abrines (groin strain) available to play Sunday
Abrines has been cleared to play and will be available off the bench for tonight’s game against the Phoenix Suns after participating in Saturday’s practice, but his status was previously considered uncertain due to a strained right groin that had forced him to miss two consecutive games. Head coach Billy Donovan already confirmed that Terrance Ferguson would remain in the starting lineup for the injured Andre Roberson, though the mere presence of Abrines on the bench could eat into the playing time of Ferguson and Josh Huestis at the wing positions. Ferguson has played at least 31 minutes in each of his two starts and is more than worth a shot in tournaments on an abbreviated four-game slate at his near stone-minimum price tag across the industry, even is Abrines reclaims a small portion of those available minutes at the shooting guard position.
As reported by: Steve McGehee via Twitter T.J. Warren (illness) will play Sunday
Warren has been cleared to play and will suit up for tonight’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, according to interim head coach Jay Triano, after previously being listed as questionable on the Phoenix Suns’ injury report with an illness that had forced him to miss one game. Meanwhile, Isaiah Canaan has been listed as out in the media notes for Sunday’s contest due to a strained left adductor and will reportedly miss 7-10 days with the respective ailment. This news will presumably shift Josh Jackson back to the bench to resume his normal reserve role after he drew the spot start at small forward for Friday’s contest, despite a recent DNP-CD, and is coming off of two-straight solid performances in 23 minutes per game over that stretch. With Canaan and Warren unavailable Friday night, Tyler Ulis and Troy Daniels absorbed a majority of the available minutes, as they logged 35 and 30 minutes, respectively, but should be expected to see some of that playing time evaporate with Warren now available and likely healthy enough to play a full complement minutes. Devin Booker actually owns a noteworthy +3.6% usage rate differential with Canaan, Greg Monroe, and the recently-waived Mike James off the court this season and has averaged 1.27 fantasy points per minute on DraftKings and 1.20 on FanDuel in this scenario.
As reported by: Craig Grialou via Twitter Michael Beasley (ankle sprain) ruled out Sunday
Beasley has been ruled out and won’t play in tonight’s game against the Dallas Mavericks after previously being listed as questionable on the New York Knicks’ injury report with a sprained left ankle he sustained in overtime of Friday’s loss. He was unable to participate in Saturday’s practice, so his lack of availability for Sunday’s contest is far from a surprise. Beasley has really settled into a mid-20s minutes role off the bench, at the expense of Enes Kanter’s playing time, which means Kanter could be an interesting tournament target at the center position on Sunday’s slate given his likely elevated minute floor. The Knicks are still without Tim Hardaway Jr., who will be re-evaluated next week after taking part in his practice, and with him and Beasley off the court this season, Jarrett Jack actually owns a +4.1% usage rate differential and has logged at least 32 minutes in three of the past five games, adding to his potential appeal in tournament formats this evening.
As reported by: Steve Popper via Twitter Isaiah Canaan (adductor) listed out Sunday
Canaan has been listed as out in the media notes for tonight’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder after previously being listed as questionable on the Phoenix Suns’ injury report and originally expected to play with a strained left adductor. Meanwhile, T.J. Warren remains questionable due to an illness that has already forced him to miss one game. Should Warren be ruled out, Josh Jackson would likely draw the start at small forward for the second time in as many games, despite a recent DNP-CD, and is coming off of two-straight solid performances in 23 minutes per game over that stretch. With Canaan and Warren unavailable Friday night, Tyler Ulis and Troy Daniels absorbed a majority of the available minutes, as they logged 35 and 30 minutes, respectively. Somewhat surprisingly, Jackson, Ulis, and Tyson Chandler have been the main beneficiaries with Warren and Greg Monroe off the court this season, each owning at least a +2.9% usage rate differential, while Ulis has seen his per minute production spike to 0.84 fantasy points on DraftKings and 0.83 on FanDuel in this scenario.
As reported by: Scott Bordow via Twitter Larry Nance (illness) expected to be available to play Sunday
Nance did not participate in shootaround this morning and was absent from Saturday’s practice, but according to head coach Luke Walton, he is expected to be available off the bench for tonight’s game against the Atlanta Hawks after previously being listed as questionable on the Los Angeles Lakers’ injury report with an illness. With Brook Lopez healthy and back in the frontcourt rotation, Nance has gradually seen his playing time decrease in the second unit and has eclipsed 20 minutes in just two of the previous nine games, as Julius Randle and Kyle Kuzma appeared to have secured a majority of the available minutes at the center and power forward positions in Walton’s always-fluid rotations. Lopez displaced Kuzma from the starting lineup the Lakers’ last time out but logged just 19 minutes in his second game since returning from injury, and it remains to be seen whether this will be a permanent change moving forward or if Walton will opt to alter his starting big men based on matchup.
As reported by: Bill Oram via Twitter Keep Rolling With This Value Play
Ilyasova has been a consistent, solid cash game value play with Dewayne Dedmon out. He draws a fantastic matchup with a fast-paced Lakers team that hemorrhages fantasy points, and with the power forward lacking good options, he’s a must play for me.
