DFS Alerts
Norman Powell (hip pointer) remains out Wednesday
Powell has officially been ruled out and won’t play in tonight’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans after previously being listed as out on the Toronto Raptor’s injury report with a right hip pointer that has now forced him to miss two consecutive games. OG Anunoby will draw the start at small forward for the second time in as many games with Casey seemingly preferring to keep C.J. Miles as the primary scoring option in the second unit. He saw 29 minutes of action in his first spot start on Tuesday night, firmly putting him in play for daily fantasy formats on Wednesday’s slate. Somewhat surprisingly, DeMar DeRozan sees a substantial +5.9% usage rate differential with Powell off the court this season while averaging a lofty 48 fantasy points per 36 minutes, which makes him an elite option for all formats at his price tag in a solid matchup with the Pelicans defensive unit.
As reported by: Eric Koreen via Twitter
Mike Conley (sore Achilles) ruled out Wednesday
Conley has been ruled out and won’t play in tonight’s game against the Indiana Pacers after previously being listed as questionable on the Memphis Grizzlies’ injury report with a sore left Achilles that has nagged him on-and-off all season, while JaMychal Green will make his season debut after dealing with a sprained left foot and ankle. Green will have his minutes monitored in his first game back and will be limited to around 18 minutes of action on Wednesday night. His return will almost certainly send Jarell Martin back the bench to resume a tertiary reserve role as Chandler Parsons is expected to continuing to soak up a majority of the backup power forward minutes. With Conley is unable to suit up, look for Mario Chalmers to the start at point guard, while Tyreke Evans should see some extended run off the bench and leads the Grizzlies with a 30.7% usage rate with Conley off the court this season, resulting in a +3.3% usage rate differential in the aforementioned scenario.
As reported by: Michael Wallace via Twitter Tony Allen (knee) ruled out Wednesday; Rajon Rondo (sports hernia) will start and play 14-16 minutes
Allen has been ruled out and won’t play in tonight’s game against the Toronto Raptors after previously being listed as questionable on the Memphis Grizzlies’ injury report with left knee inflammation that has now forced him to miss three consecutive games. Meanwhile, Rajon Rondo will suit up for his second game of the season after being a surprise late-addition to the Pelicans active roster on Monday night and, according to head coach Alvin Gentry, will start and see somewhere around 14-16 minutes of action on Wednesday evening. Somewhat surprisingly, Cheick Diallo has entered the Pelicans rotation in Allen’s absence, though E’Twaun Moore has been the main beneficiary of extended run over his normal minute workload and will continue to be on the radar for daily fantasy formats as long as Allen is sidelined, though the return of Rondo douses some of that intrigue as he continues to work his way back from sports hernia surgery.
As reported by: Jennifer Hale via Twitter Other tagged players: Rajon Rondo Matthew Dellavedova (knee) officially ruled out Wednesday
Dellavedova has officially been ruled out and won’t play in tonight’s game against the Detroit Pistons after previously being listed as out on Milwaukee Bucks’ injury report with left knee tendinitis. This injury news would be a bigger deal if the Bucks didn’t recently acquire Eric Bledsoe in a trade, as Dellavedova has really seen his playing time dwindle in recent games. His absence won’t necessarily benefit one particular player off the bench either since head coach Jason Kidd was quoted saying “there’s no shortage of guards on the bench who can fill his minutes tonight”.
As reported by: Matt Velazquez via Twitter Carmelo Anthony (back) will start Wednesday; Steven Adams (calf) ruled out
Anthony will play and start in tonight’s game against the Chicago Bulls after previously being listed as questionable on the Oklahoma City Thunder’s injury report with a sore back that forced him to be a late scratch in the previous game. Meanwhile, Adams has officially been ruled out with a right calf contusion that has now forced him to miss three consecutive games. This means that Dakari Johnson will likely draw the start at center for the third time in as many games, but both he and Patrick Patterson have been largely ineffective replacements for Adams in terms of fantasy production. As for Carmelo, he will take back his typical spot in the starting lineup and won’t be subject to a minute restriction, meaning Jerami Grant will be relegated back to the bench to resume his normal reserve role
As reported by: Brett Dawson via Twitter Other tagged players: Steven Adams Nicolas Batum (elbow) expected to play 20-22 minutes Wednesday
Batum will play and start in tonight’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers after missing every regular season game to this point and most of the preseason with a torn left elbow ligament. Batum will be limited to 20-22 minutes in his return and will likely displace Jeremy Lamb from the Charlotte Hornets’ starting lineup at the shooting guard spot. That said, Lamb will essentially serve as the Hornets sixth-man off the bench and isn’t expected to see his playing time drastically reduced. This will make Lamb an intriguing tournament option in a matchup with the Cavaliers leaky defensive unit, especially with Batum’s minute restriction being on the stricter side of things.
As reported by: Charlotte Hornets PR via Twitter Vince Carter (illness) remains out Wednesday
Carter has been ruled out and won’t play in tonight’s game against the Atlanta Hawks as he continues to deal with kidney stones that have now forced him to miss four consecutive games. It’s tough to pinpoint exactly where Carter’s playing time will be allocated given Sacramento Kings head coach Dave Joerger’s inconsistent rotations, but Justin Jackson has seen at least 25 minutes or more in each of the last three games Carter has been sidelined. That said, Jackson is priced near minimum salary across the industry and collects enough peripheral stats on the defensive end to be viable as a deep flier in tournaments on Wednesday’s slate, especially if he continues to average double-digit shot attempts per game like he has in three of the four Kings’ previous matchups.
As reported by: Sean Cunningham via Twitter Steph Curry (thigh contusion) probable for Thursday
Curry has officially been listed as probable on the Golden State Warriors’ injury report for tomorrow’s game against the Boston Celtics with a right thigh contusion that had forced him to miss Monday’s win over the Orlando Magic. He returned to practice on Tuesday and is expected to suit up Thursday evening. Curry’s probable return will send Shaun Livingston back to the bench to resume his normal reserve role. Livingston performed well in 20 minutes of action on Monday night but is now relegated back to daily fantasy purgatory with Curry likely to play, even on a two-game slate, as he doesn’t even receive blowout run if the Warriors are up big to begin the fourth quarter.
As reported by: Warriors PR via Twitter Tyson Chandler (illness) and Greg Monroe (calf) questionable for Thursday
Chandler and Monroe have officially been listed as questionable on the Phoenix Suns’ injury report for tomorrow’s game against the Houston Rockets due to an illness and a sore left calf, respectively. Chandler is one of the Suns’ players currently dealing with an illness, a group that includes Devin Booker, though Booker did not receive a designation on the injury report and appears on track to play on Thursday evening. If Chandler is unable to suit up, Alex Len would likely step into the starting lineup and has been a source of value on previous occasions as long as he manages to stay out of foul trouble. That should be less of a problem in an individual matchup with Clint Capela, who typically plays primarily in the pick and roll game and above the rim. That said, James Harden makes a living driving to the basket, which is the situation Len will need to avoid fouling in order to stay on the court and put up solid fantasy production.
As reported by: Scott Bordow via Twitter Other tagged players: Greg Monroe Justin Anderson (shin) questionable Wednesday; Jerryd Bayless (wrist) remains out
Anderson is a late-addition to the Philadelphia 76ers injury report for tonight’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers and has been listed as questionable with left shin soreness. The Sixers are still without Jerryd Bayless, Markelle Fultz, and Nik Stauskas, while Jahlil Okafor has been upgraded to questionable with an illness, though he has yet to play in a game this season where Joel Embiid is active and available to play as he is Wednesday night. If Anderson is ruled out, that would leave Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot as essentially the only wing player available of the Sixers bench and should allow him to approach minutes in the mid-20s, putting him in play as a deep flier for large-field tournaments.
As reported by: Jessica Camerato via Twitter Other tagged players: Jerryd Bayless Chris Paul (knee) expected to play on Thursday; Nene (foot) doubtful
Paul participated in the Houston Rockets’ practice on Wednesday but has officially been listed as questionable on the injury report for tomorrow’s game against the Phoenix Suns with a left knee contusion that has forced him to miss every game but the season opener to this point. Meanwhile, Nene has been listed as doubtful with a sprained right foot and is not likely to suit up. Despite the questionable designation, head coach Mike D’Antonio told reporters that he expects Paul to play and start on Thursday but will limit him to around 20 minutes of action, assuming he gives it a go. If Paul does make his return, he will displace Eric Gordon from the starting lineup, sending him back to the bench to resume his normal sixth-man role. That said, there will still be plenty of minutes available for Gordon as Paul remains limited and is working his way back from the left knee contusion that kept him sidelined for such an extended period of time.
As reported by: Jonathan Feigen via Twitter Other tagged players: Nene Hilario Carmelo Anthony (back) questionable Wednesday; Steven Adams (calf) doubtful
Anthony has officially been listed as questionable on the Oklahoma City Thunder’s injury report for tonight’s game against the Chicago Bulls with a sore back that has already forced him to miss one game, while Steven Adams remains doubtful and is not expected to play with a right calf contusion that has now in all likelihood forced him to miss three consecutive games. This means that Dakari Johnson will likely draw the start at center for the third time in as many games, but both he and Patrick Patterson have been largely ineffective replacements for Adams in terms of fantasy production. Should Anthony eventually be ruled out, Jerami Grant would be expected to draw the start at power forward and would become a viable option after playing 34 minutes in Carmelo’s absence on Sunday night. That said, both Russell Westbrook and Paul George have been the primary beneficiaries with Adams and Anthony off the court this season, as Westbrook sees his usage rate balloon to 43.3%, good for a +9.8% increase, while George has averaged roughly 50 fantasy points per 36 minutes to the tune of a 31.4% usage rate, making each elite options on Wednesday’s slate if Carmelo is unable to suit up for the second time in as many games.
As reported by: Royce Young via Twitter Other tagged players: Steven Adams Stanley Johnson (hip) and Jon Leuer (ankle) available to play Wednesday
Johnson will play and start in tonight’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks after previously being listed as questionable on the Detroit Pistons’ injury report with a sore right hip flexor that had forced him to miss three consecutive games. Meanwhile, Jon Leuer will also be available to play despite the prior questionable designation with a sprained left ankle that had kept him sidelined for five straight games. Johnson told the media at the Pistons’ practice on Tuesday that he expected to play on Wednesday night, so his availability is far from a surprise. Anthony Tolliver had ended up being a tertiary beneficiary of Johnson’s playing time during the last three games, but he and Reggie Bullock will revert back to minimal roles off the bench with Johnson reclaiming his normal starting spot at small forward. In Leuer’s absence, Eric Moreland had served as the backup center behind Andre Drummond but will likely find himself on the outside looking in at the rotation with Leuer now available to absorb the aforementioned backup center minutes.
As reported by: Rod Beard via Twitter Other tagged players: Jon Leuer Top Center Option
Marc Gasol will be a popular selection tonight, but it is justified in all formats. The Grizzlies will possibly be without Mike Conley tonight, which means Gasol might be tasked with doing a little more in the offense. Indiana struggles at times against solid big men, and Gasol’s price is very reasonable on all the DFS sites. Whether you are playing cash games or GPPs, Gasol is a top selection at the center spot this evening.
Great Price and a Great Matchup
Dario Saric may fly under the radar tonight, despite an elite matchup against the Lakers. He doesn’t have the highest usage rate in the Sixers’ offense, but he has played at least 30 minutes in three of his last four games. Jerryd Bayless is not expected to play tonight, so Saric should be locked into a heavy workload once again. We know that the Lakers have struggled against frontcourts this season and they have one of the worst defenses in basketball as a whole.
