DFS Alerts
Shaun Livingston (back strain) available to play tonight
Livingston will play in tonight’s game against the Sacramento Kings after previously being listed as probable on the Warriors’ injury report with a strained back that had forced him to miss two consecutive games. Additionally, Golden State recently signed Briante Weber to a 10-day contract, who will be available to play this evening, just further muddying the backcourt rotation behind Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. All of the Warriors reserves are easy avoids going forward in all formats barring any injuries to the starting five.
As reported by: Warriors PR Other tagged players: Briante Weber
Kris Dunn (sore right hand) active tonight, but is not expected to play
Dunn will be active for tonight’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies, but will only play in the event of an emergency. Dunn was previously listed as questionable on the Timberwolves’ injury report with a sore right hand that kept him sidelined in the previous game. His vacated backup point guard minutes should be absorbed by Tyus Jones, but Jones is highly unlikely to eclipse the 20-minute plateau off the bench. Dunn’s absence seemingly does more to raise the minute floor of Ricky Rubio, making him an intriguing tournament option in an exploitable individual matchup against Mike Conley. With Zach LaVine also unavailable, Andrew Wiggins becomes a clear beneficiary of his absence, as he owns a positive 5.4% usage rate differential (34.7%) with LaVine off the court this season. Wiggins is now an intriguing tournament option despite the difficult matchup with Memphis.
As reported by: Kent Youngblood Grizzlies will start Conley, Andrew Harrison, James Ennis, Green, Randolph tonight
Marc Gasol, Tony Allen, and Chandler Parsons will all be rested for a planned recovery day and won’t play in tonight’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Grizzlies will start Zach Randolph, Andrew Harrison, and James Ennis in their places. Despite coming off the bench, Vince Carter is seemingly the most intriguing punt option tournaments, though Harrison and Ennis are both certainly viable options as well. According to our CourtIQ tool, Zach Randolph leads the starting unit with a 4.2% usage rate differential (34.1%) with Gasol, Allen, and Parsons off the court this season and should a significant bump in playing time this evening, making him the primary Grizzlies play to target Saturday.
As reported by: Rob Fischer Other tagged players: Zach Randolph, James Ennis III Dragan Bender (ankle) ruled out tonight; Jared Dudley (illness) available to play
Bender will not play in tonight’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks after previously being listed as questionable on the Suns’ injury report with a sore right ankle that has now forced him to miss six of the last seven games. His absence from the rotation will free up some additional playing time for P.J. Tucker and to some extent Marquese Chriss and Alex Len. However, the former remains the primary forward to target in the Phoenix frontcourt outside of T.J. Warren and Tyson Chandler. Additionally, Jared Dudley will be available to play off the bench after being probable due to an illness. Dudley could enter the rotation and see limited minutes with Bender unavailable but is not relevant in daily fantasy formats.
As reported by: Official Twitter Account of the Phoenix Suns Other tagged players: Jared Dudley Spencer Hawes and Roy Hibbert will NOT make their Bucks debut tonight
Hawes and Hibbert will not be available to play in tonight’s game against the Phoenix Suns despite already being with the team in Arizona. Bucks head coach Jason Kidd stated that he preferred that the two big men get a full practice under their belts before seeing game action with their new team. It’s difficult to project exactly how the frontcourt rotation will shake out once Hawes, Hibbert, John Henson, and Greg Monroe are all competing for playing time. Thon Maker is also in the mix for minutes off the bench, so clearly this is a situation to avoid going forward until we get a reasonable idea of Kidd’s rotation. However, he’s shown the willingness to change that up at a moment’s notice consistently in the past.
As reported by: Craig Grialou Other tagged players: Roy Hibbert Kyrie Irving (quad soreness) ruled out tonight
Irving will not play in tonight’s game against the New York Knicks due to a sore right quad. Irving was a late scratch from the lineup despite never appearing on the Cavaliers’ injury report throughout the day. The Cavaliers have yet to announce Irving’s replacement in the starting lineup, but DeAndre Liggins is the likeliest candidate to take over at point guard. According to our CourtIQ tool, LeBron James leads the Cavaliers with a 5.3% usage rate differential (37.0%) with Irving and J.R. Smith off the court this season, while averaging 1.38 FanDuel and 1.47 DraftKings points per minute respectively. The news of Irving’s unavailability only further cements LeBron and even Kevin Love as elite plays this evening, as the Knicks continue to struggle defensively against both forward positions.
As reported by: Jason Lloyd Jahlil Okafor (knee) ruled out tonight; Nerlens Noel (illness) will start at center
Okafor will not play in tonight’s game against the Miami Heat after previously being downgraded to probable on the Sixers’ injury report with a sore right knee. Despite the pregame downgrade to probable, Okafor was still expected to play, so his late scratch comes as a slight surprise. Nerlens Noel will draw the start at center with Okafor and Joel Embiid both unavailable, while Richaun Holmes will see some backup center minutes off the bench.
As reported by: Tom Moore Kevin Love (lower back spasms) will play tonight
Love will play in tonight’s game against the New York Knicks after previously being listed as questionable on the Cavaliers’ injury report with lower back spasms that had forced him to miss two consecutive games. If the Knicks are able to keep this game respectable without Derrick Rose available, Love could be an interesting tournament option after carrying a questionable designation throughout the day. Additionally, he has the matchup working in his favor, as the Knicks rank 26th in DvP against opposing power forwards.
As reported by: Fred McLeod Derrick Rose (sprained left ankle) ruled out tonight
Rose will not play in tonight’s game against the Atlanta Hawks after previously being listed as questionable on the Knicks’ injury report with a sprained left ankle that has now forced him to miss four consecutive games. Brandon Jennings will remain in the Knicks starting lineup and has played at least 37 minutes in each of the last three games with Rose sidelined. Jennings also draws one of the best individual matchups a point guard can have against Kyrie Irving, making him a solid, but not great value option on tonight’s slate given his rising price tag. According to our CourtIQ tool, Carmelo Anthony leads the Knicks by a wide margin with a 6.4% usage rate differential (38.7%) while averaging roughly 41 fantasy points per 36 minutes, presumably allowing him to meet salary-based expectations on both FanDuel and DraftKings.
As reported by: NY_KnicksPR Miles Plumlee officially available to make Hornets debut tonight
Hornets head coach Steve Clifford stated that he will play Miles Plumlee in tonight’s game against the Utah Jazz now the trade with the Milwaukee Bucks is finalized with Spencer Hawes and Roy Hibbert finally passing their physicals. Plumlee’s role and minute workload have obviously yet to be defined with his new team, so he should be ignored as daily fantasy option until further notice. With Plumlee active and available to play, Frank Kaminsky takes a major hit to his projected fantasy value and can be realistically avoided on a 10-game slate in a daunting matchup against Rudy Gobert and the Jazz frontcourt.
As reported by: Rick Bonnell Robert Covington (right hand contusion) ruled out tonight
Covington will not play in tonight’s game against the Miami Heat after previously being listed as questionable on the Sixers’ injury report with a right-hand contusion that has forced him to miss two consecutive games. Gerald Henderson will draw the start at small forward, sending Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot back to the bench to resume his reserve role. Nerlens Noel and Jahlil Okafor currently probable with their respective ailments but are expected to play. Okafor will remain in the starting lineup at center in place of the injured Joel Embiid. However, both big men have been basically splitting the center minutes in Embiid’s absence, limiting their ceilings, but Okafor could possibly be considered in cash gamesvsince he sees a positive 5.0% usage rate differential (29.5%) with both Embiid and Covington off the court this season.
As reported by: Official Twitter Account of the Philadelphia 76ers Thabo Sefolosha (groin) ruled out tonight; Tim Hardaway Jr. starting again
Sefolosha will not play in tonight’s game against the Orlando Magic after previously being listed as questionable on the Hawks’ injury report with a left groin injury that has now forced him to miss four consecutive games. Tim Hardaway Jr. will draw the start at the shooting guard spot in his place once again, sliding Kent Bazemore down to small forward. However, given Sefolosha’s low usage, none of the remaining starting five see a particularly substantial bump from his absence. Mike Dunleavy, who remains probable but is expected to play, and Malcolm Delaney should be expected to pick up additional minutes off the bench. Hardaway becomes a particularly intriguing option, as he has an exploitable matchup with the Magic backcourt defense and has performed extremely well in stretches with the starting unit.
As reported by: Chris Vivlamore Zach LaVine (torn ACL) will miss remainder of season
The Timberwolves announced today that Zach Lavine has been diagnosed with a torn ACL in his left knee which occurred in Friday’s loss to the Detroit Pistons. This injury effectively means that he will miss the remainder of the season. LaVine is scheduled to have surgery on the ligament in the near future, but the date has yet to be determined. Brandon Rush will take over the starting shooting guard spot, barring a trade or free agent signing, as he started and performed relatively well in the previous two games LaVine had missed. The other beneficiary from LaVine’s season-long absence is Andrew Wiggins, who sees a positive 5.4% usage rate differential (34.7%) with him off the court this season.
As reported by: Timberwolves PR Thaddeus Young (wrist) and Rodney Stuckey (ankle) ruled out tonight; Lavoy Allen will start
Young and Stuckey will not play in tonight’s game against the Detroit Pistons after previously being listed as questionable on the Pacers’ injury report due to their respective ailments. Lavoy Allen will draw the start at power forward, which keeps the remaining members of the starting unit at their normal positions. It seems as if Allen and Kevin Seraphin will absorb a majority of the available minutes at power forward with Paul George occasionally sliding down from his typical small forward spot. With Young and Stuckey both officially ruled out, C.J. Miles becomes a particularly interesting tournament target, as he owns a positive 2.0% usage rate differential (21.7%) with the aforementioned duo off the court this season, while averaging roughly 32 fantasy points per 36 minutes. This sample size would presumably allow him to easily exceed his salary-based expectations across the industry even if he only sees minutes in the low 30’s this evening.
As reported by: Official Twitter Account of the Indiana Pacers Other tagged players: Rodney Stuckey Arron Afflalo (stomach virus) now probable tonight
Afflalo has officially been listed as probable for tonight’s game against the Golden State Warriors after being forced to miss Friday’s loss to the Phoenix Suns with a stomach virus. Even if Afflalo is able to suit up, Sacramento is still extremely thin at the wing positions with Garrett Temple, Rudy Gay, and Omri Casspi all already unavailable. Matt Barnes will remain in the starting lineup at small forward in place of Temple, while Afflalo will likely replace Ben McLemore at the shooting guard spot. Regardless of starters, Ben McLemore will still see a sizable boost in minutes with Temple, Gay, and Casspi inactive, making him worthy of tournament consideration on Saturday’s slate after logging a season-high 35 minutes Friday.
As reported by: Sean Cunningham