DFS Alerts
Easy Value at Power Forward
Marvin Williams is cheap across the industry, and you can’t ask for a much better matchup than the Lakers. Los Angeles is allowing the 11th most fantasy points per game to opposing power forwards while playing at the fastest pace in the league. Williams can disappear any night, but given he’s likely to see over 30 minutes, his floor is high enough that he’s a strong value play due to his cheap price. Plus, he can get hot and post a big score, crushing value in the process. I like him quite a bit in cash games and tournaments, especially on FanDuel where you have to roster two power forwards.
Take the Value Where You Can
For an eight game slate with several injuries, there isn’t much in the way of value out there. However, the Hawks are dealing with a bunch of injuries as Dewayne Dedmon, John Collins, and Mike Muscala are all out. Ilyasova has to play significant minutes tonight, so he should see somewhere north of 30 in a favorable matchup against a Magic team that will be missing Aaron Gordon. He’s a strong value play, especially given the power forward position is pretty ugly. Lock him into your cash game lineups.
Tyson Chander (personal) and Alex Len (knee) available to play Saturday
Chandler will be available to play in tonight’s game against the San Antonio Spurs Chandler after previously being listed as questionable on the Phoenix Suns’ injury report due to personal reasons that forced him to be a late scratch from Thursday’s loss to the Washington Wizards, while Alex Len has also been cleared to play following a prior questionable designation stemming from a hyperextended right knee. Chandler had been slated to start Thursday’s game, but Greg Monrow ended up drawing the start at center after Chandler’s surprise scratch and did not disappoint, easily exceeding salary-based expectations in 27 minutes of action. Interim head coach Jay Triano has yet to confirm his starting lineup, but Chandler is more than likely to start at center and it remains possible that all three centers end up seeing playing time this evening. In fact, prior to Chandler’s unavailability in the previous game, it was reported that Triano was planning to utilize a 20-20-8 split for minutes, essentially removing Chandler, Monroe, and Len from daily fantasy consideration, if that’s the case once again.
As reported by: Scott Bordow via Twitter Other tagged players: Alex Len
Add Some Magic to Your Lineups
Vucevic may be my favorite play on the entire slate. He’ll be taking on a Hawks team that is dealing with a bunch of injuries to their front court, including center Dewayne Dedmon. Further, Orlando will be without both Aaron Gordon and Evan Fournier, insuring Vucevic will take on a massive role on the offensive end. With Gordon off the floor, Vucevic is sporting a a 25.9% usage rate while producing 1.53 fantasy points per minute. Lock him into your lineups in a terrific matchup in a spot where he’s sure to put up huge numbers.
Joe Harris (illness) questionable Saturday
Harris has been listed as questionable on the Brooklyn Nets’ injury report for tonight’s game against the Miami Heat in Mexico City due to an illness. He’s the only Nets player that appeared on the injury report, but neither Jahlil Okafor or Nik Stauskas will be available to make their Brooklyn debut this evening. It’s unlikely we know the status of Harris prior to the lock of the early slate, but if he’s unavailable, Allen Crabbe and Caris LeVert are likely to benefit the most from his absence and LeVert ended up seeing 30 minutes of the bench with Spencer Dinwiddie being plagued by foul trouble in the Nets’ previous game. Additionally, the first game without Trevor Booker, all three of Tyler Zeller, Quincy Acy, and Jarrett Allen saw between 18-20 minutes of playing time, limiting their overall floor and ceiling combinations on a nightly basis if that trend continues.
As reported by: Anthony Puccio via Twitter Tony Parker (rest) ruled out Saturday
Parker has been ruled out and won’t play in tonight’s game against the Phoenix Suns due to rest purposes. He’ll join Pau Gasol and Manu Ginobili among the San Antonio Spurs players resting for Saturday’s back-to-back set, while Danny Green is still a game-time decision due to left groin tightness and looks to be the only remaining Spur with any availability concerns this evening. The Spurs are already without Kyle Anderson and Kawhi Leonard, as well, meaning Rudy Gay will start at small forward once again and Murray is likely to start at point guard following his massive performance the last time Parker sat for rest. The remaining active Spurs players will find themselves in a pristine matchup with a putrid Suns defensive unit, and Murray and Patty Mills have led the way with at least a +7.7% usage rate differential with the aforementioned players off the court this season while LaMarcus Aldridge leads the team by a wide margin with a rate of 1.56 fantasy points per minute and will now be a priority option in all formats on Saturday’s slate.
As reported by: the San Antonio Spurs via Twitter Dario Saric (eye) not expected to play Saturday; T.J. McConnell (shoulder) ruled out
Saric was officially listed as questionable on the Philadelphia 76ers’ injury report for tonight’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers due to a right corneal abrasion and left eye laceration that has already forced him to miss one game, while T.J. McConnell has been ruled out with a nagging left shoulder issue. The Sixers are also without Joel Embiid for Saturday’s contest due to workload management and has yet to be cleared by the medical staff to play in back-to-back situations. Assuming Saric is eventually ruled out, Amir Johnson and Richaun Holmes at center and power forward, respectively, while Trevor Booker, who was just acquired in a trade with the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday, at the time of this writing, was spotted at the team’s morning shootaround and will be available to play off the bench. That said, Ben Simmons and Robert Covington are the ones that stand to benefit the most from a usage standpoint sans Embiid, as each own at least a +3.7% usage rate differential with the big man off the court this season, but Covington has capitalized the most on this extra usage thus far and is averaging 1.14 fantasy points per minute on DraftKings and 1.09 on FanDuel in the aforementioned scenario.
As reported by: Keith Pompey via Twitter Other tagged players: T.J. McConnell, Trevor Booker Pau Gasol (rest) and Manu Ginobil (rest) ruled out Saturday; Danny Green (groin) a game-time decision
Gasol and Ginobili won’t travel with the team to Phoenix for tonight’s game against the Suns and have officially been ruled out for rest purposes, while Danny Green’s status remains uncertain and is likely to be a game-time decision due to left groin tightness. The Spurs are already without Kyle Anderson and Kawhi Leonard and there have been rumblings among the Spurs beat reporters that Tony Parker could be rested, as well, but nothing official has been confirmed by the team at the time of this writing. The remaining active Spurs players will find themselves in a pristine matchup with a putrid Suns defensive unit, and Dejounte Murray and Patty Mills have led the way with at least a +7.7% usage rate differential with the aforementioned players off the court this season (including Parker) while LaMarcus Aldridge leads the team by a wide margin with a rate of 1.56 fantasy points per minute and will now be a priority option in all formats on Saturday’s slate.
As reported by: Jabari Young via Twitter Other tagged players: Manu Ginobili, Danny Green Aaron Gordon (concussion) ruled out Saturday; D.J. Augustin (quad) questionable
Gordon has officially been ruled out and won’t play in tonight’s game against the Atlanta Hawks due to a concussion he sustained in after a collision with Gary Harris in Friday’s loss, while D.J. Augustin has also been added to the Orlando Magic’s injury report with a left quad contusion and is currently listed as questionable. The Magic are already without Evan Fournier, Jonathan Isaac, and Terrence Ross, so their depth on the wing will certainly be tested and, if Augustin is unable to suit up, that would open up plenty of playing time for Shelvin Mack as the primary guard off the bench. Marreese Speights looks to be the likeliest candidate to draw the start at power forward in Gordon’s place and Mario Hezonja is in line to see extended minutes off the bench at the forward positions, though Adreian Payne has been recalled from the G-League to provide some depth in the frontcourt on an emergency basis. There is an extremely small sample size with Gordon, Fournier, Ross, and Isaac off the court this season, but Nikola Vucevic and Jonathon Simmons figure to benefit the most as each own at least a +8.8% usage rate differential in limited minutes in the aforementioned scenario.
As reported by: Josh Robbins via Twitter Other tagged players: D.J. Augustin Joel Embiid (rest) ruled out for Saturday, will play on Sunday
Embiid has been ruled out and won’t play in tomorrow’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers due to load management and has yet to be cleared by the Philadelphia 76ers medical staff to play in back-to-back situations. Head coach Brett Brown has to announce who he plans to start at center in Embiid’s absence, but Amir Johnson or Richaun Holmes appear to be the two likeliest candidates and Johnson has started two of the three games that Embiid has missed this season. There hasn’t been an update on Dario Saric or Trevor Booker, who was just acquired in a trade with the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday, at the time of this writing, but both figures to play key roles in the Sixers rotation if they’re ultimately available. That said, Ben Simmons and Robert Covington are the ones that stand to benefit the most from a usage standpoint sans Embiid, as each own at least a +3.7% usage rate differential with the big man off the court this season, but Covington capitalized the most on this extra usage and has averaged 1.14 fantasy points per minute on DraftKings and 1.09 on FanDuel in the aforementioned scenario.
As reported by: Jessica Camerato via Twitter Shaun Livingston replaces Quinn Cook in the Warriors' starting lineup
Stephen Curry will remain sidelined for at least another week or two, and Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr has already made a change to his starting lineups for tonight’s game against the Detroit Pistons, inserting Shaun Livingston at point guard in place of two-way contract player Quinn Cook, who put up a respectable performance in 22 minutes of action in Wednesday’s win for his lone spot start thus far. Livingston himself saw just 15 minutes in the previous game and, even though he’s starting, it shouldn’t be expected that he suddenly sees starters minutes and will likely fall somewhere in the ballpark of 25 minutes, more or less. Even with the point guard change, Patrick McCaw is probably still the team’s preferred starting point guard once he is able to return from his concussion and nose contusion. That said, the obvious beneficiary of Curry’s absence is Kevin Durant, as he owns a +5.2% usage rate differential and also leads the Warriors with a 36.4% usage rate and averages 1.45 fantasy points per minute on DraftKings and 1.41 points on FanDuel with Curry off the court this season.
As reported by: Anthony Slater via Twitter Other tagged players: Quinn Cook Tony Snell (knee) ruled out Friday; Gary Payton II will start in his place
Snell is a late addition to the Milwaukee Bucks’ injury report and has been ruled out for tonight’s game against the Dallas Mavericks due to left patellar tendinitis, while Matthew Dellavedova will remain sidelined with left knee tendinitis, though he participated in practice on Thursday and appears to be nearing a return to the rotation. In his absence, Gary Payton II will draw the start at shooting guard, sliding Kris Middleton over to the small forward spot. Snell has consistently averaged minutes in the upper-20s or low-30s of late, so there will certainly be some playing time to go around at the wing positions. Payton will easily be the largest beneficiary from a minutes standpoint with Snell sidelined, though that’s not saying much considering he was essentially out the rotation in recent games. The remainder of Snell’s minute workload will likely be spread around to the likes of DeAndre Liggins, Rashad Vaughn, and Malcolm Brogdon, making the latter a viable tournament option if he can approach somewhere around the 30-minute mark this evening.
As reported by: Matt Velazquez via Twitter Other tagged players: Gary Payton II Anthony Davis (adductor strain) likely to play Friday, will play around 25 minutes
Davis is expected to play, barring a setback in pregame warmups, in tonight’s game against the Sacramento Kings after previously being listed as questionable on the New Orleans Pelicans’ injury report with a strained left adductor that had forced him to miss three consecutive games. Assuming Davis makes it through pregame warmups without any issues, he’ll reclaim his normal spot in the starting lineup at power forward, sending Dante Cunningham back to the bench to resume his normal reserve role. That said, head coach Alvin Gentry plans to ease Davis back into action and told reporters that he expects Davis to log somewhere around 25 minutes this evening. Cunningham averaged just under 25 minutes in his last three spot starts and will likely see a slight drop off in playing time, even Davis not expected to see his normal minute workload. Even with Davis at full strength, Darius Miller has been a solid contributor and has consistently seen minutes in the mid-20s, making a usable punt option on smaller slates but is irrelevant for daily fantasy purposes on Friday given the other value options available.
As reported by: Will Guillory via Twitter Paul George (calf) and Jerami Grant (hip) questionable for Saturday
George has officially been listed as questionable on the Oklahoma City Thunder’s injury report for tomorrow’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies due to a right calf contusion that has already forced him to miss one game, while Jerami Grant is also questionable with a left hip contusion that kept him sidelined for the tilt in Mexico City on Thursday night. Alex Abrines ended up drawing the start in George’s place to allow Carmelo Anthony to remain at his normal power forward position and saw 25 minutes en route to a relatively uninspiring performance. If George is ruled out once again, Abrines will continue to be an interesting punt option in tournaments since he, Anthony, and Russell Westbrook each own at least a +5.8% usage rate differential with George and Grant off the court this season, while Anthony sees the largest uptick in production and has averaged 1.18 fantasy points per minute on DraftKings and 1.11 on FanDuel in the aforementioned scenario.
As reported by: Erik Horne via Twitter Other tagged players: Jerami Grant Andre Iguodala (sore knee) will play Friday
Iguodala has been cleared to play and will suit up for tonight’s game against the Detroit Pistons after previously being listed as probable on the Golden State Warriors’ injury report with a sore left knee, while Draymond Green will also be available to play following his earlier probable designation due to a sore right shoulder. Zaza Pachulia underwent an MRI that revealed no structural damage in his injured shoulder but will remain sidelined due to soreness in the aforementioned shoulder. Head coach Steve Kerr declined once again to release his starting lineup with Pachulia officially unavailable, but JaVale McGee figures to draw the start at center for the second time in as many games. With Green officially available, Jordan Bell will be relegated back to the bench to resume his normal reserve role after meeting salary-based expectations in 21 minutes of action in his spot start on Wednesday night. Additionally, Stephen Curry remains out for the next couple of weeks and, in his absence, two-way player Quinn Cook will likely continue to start, signaling that Patrick McCaw is probably the team’s preferred starting point guard once he is able to return from his concussion and nose contusion. That said, the obvious beneficiary of Curry’s absence is Kevin Durant, as he owns a +5.2% usage rate differential and also leads the Warriors with a 36.4% usage rate and averages 1.45 fantasy points per minute on DraftKings and 1.41 points on FanDuel with Curry off the court this season.
As reported by: Mark Medina via Twitter