Daily Fantasy Basketball Injury News and Updates for FanDuel and DraftKings - 2/4/16

Day #3 of our daily updates article! We're dedicated to bringing this piece to you every day where it's feasible. We'll try and update it right up to line-up locks with as much information as comes across our desks. Let's get to it!

Last night's picks can be found here, so you can wrap your mind around what you need to be looking at before lineups lock tonight.

By the way - we keep our projection system updated with all of the changes as they occur throughout the day right up until lineup lock. Every day. If you want access to that system so you can cut out a lot of the research element, click the button below!

Now let’s look at some news that’s come in throughout the day to see if anything’s changed in our minds or in the NBA landscape.

What We Know

James Johnson is Out
This will be the second straight game the wing has missed though I'm not sure it has a ton of fantasy impact. Last game Patrick Patterson saw some increased minutes, as did Terrence Ross. The Raptors spread the love a little too much to hone in on one particular player. Johnson isn't much of a usage guy in the starting five as it is so I don't think this one has much fantasy impact. For tournaments I might take a stab at Ross or Patterson (more on DK than anything else) because there is some sneaky upside if the minutes for either trend toward 30. But by and large I'm ignoring this situation.

Terrence Jones is Out
He was involved in a car accident on Wednesday and ruled out early because of it. This doesn't have enormous fantasy impact either mostly because his minutes were really all over the place after the arrival of J-Smoove. The Rockets now have redundant assets at the position (from a fantasy perspective that is) and everyone's minutes suffer. Dwight is back and Capela might play. I gave Smoove a bump in our system because, of anyone, he stands to see a tick up in playing time. But even with Dwight out last game, Smith didn't see a ton of extra run.

Jose Calderon's Probable
With him out of the lineup, Langston Galloway's saw the majority of point guard minutes. But that's over now that Calderon looks like he's coming back. Shots are passed around the Knicks and I am avoiding this situation completely.

What We’re Waiting to Know

Will Tyreke Evans Play?
This one really has a cascading effect down the Pelicans' lineup. Evans playing would mean minutes' decreases for Norris Cole, Jrue Holiday and Bryce DeJean-Mustard-Jones for starters. Right now Cole is showing up in optimal lineups because he seems to have Gentry's blessing with Reke out. But that would certainly change is Evans returned. Even the threat of not knowing is scary considering this game rolls off 2.5 hours after lineup lock. Here's the injury news cycle getting us up-to-speed well before we need to sweat it out. Right now he's considered doubtful, but until he's listed as out, I'm keeping an ear out.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is Questionable/ Doubtful
He left the game in the second quarter yesterday with a groin strain. Stanley Johnson is the clear benefactor if KCP misses the game. Johnson's been a per minute stud this season and has a knack for the offensive side of things. He does take a usage dip when joining the starters which does effect some of his top-end upside. But I think the minutes will be there.

Is Brandon Knight Officially Out?
As of right now he's a game time decision. I think that's in name only. There's been no talk (that I've seen) of him participating in basketball activities or really doing much of anything. The reason it's important to pay attention to though is that Archie Goodwin is nearly a must play on FanDuel tonight. Knight sniffing minutes would jeopardize Goodwin's run in a serious way.

What We May Never Know

When Will Kristaps Porzingis Ever Get Those Good Minutes?
The NBA season is a funny thing. Especially in the DFS world. Players can look great for short periods of time, only to disappear in the haze of price increases and minutes' decreases. Such is the case for the Zinger who looked like a world beater early in the season (and is destined to be a superstar) only to fall victim to rotations and 21 minute games. The price needs to drop considerably for me to think of him as safe again. What a shame because there's nothing like cheering for 18 points off of defensive stats from the guy.

How Will Gentry Use Jrue?
Right now I have Holiday projected for 28.5 minutes. This is the problem with projecting bench players. Even with Evans out of the lineup Holiday has seen the minutes fluctuate thanks to rotations, hot hands, etc. It's frustrating because it sure feels like he should be on the court for more run if the minutes' restriction is off. If he was in the starting lineup at looking down the barrel at something in the mid 30's, he'd be nearly a must play. But when guys come off the pine it makes for uncertain status. Holiday is a tournament play though.

The "every lineup" guys

Another new feature, where I'll share the fundamental building blocks of our lineups tonight, per optimal lineups from our projection system (powered by LineUp Lab.).

Anthony Davis - The Brow against the Lakers on a short slate is just the kind of "too good to be true" scenario that sucks in on DFS. I think you're hard pressed to fade him on this slate considering some of the other cheap value out there. But this is Davis we are talking about and there is increasing evidence he's made of quick-shatter glass. I'm playing him everywhere, but I understand if the "Anthony Davis Will Not Return" notes have given you PTSD this season.

Markieff Morris - Total lock and will most likely be the highest % owned player on the slate today. With Earl Watson throwing him in the starting lineup, heaping praise on the guy and then claiming the offense would run through him, well I just don't see why you'd not play the guy. Additionally, his price is massively depressed because of injury, minutes'-yanking, doghouse sitting and a bunch of other factors. This is clear as day.

Andre Drummond - Center is so very weak today and I will have Drummond in every lineup on every site. You can play a few big money guys easily today (mostly because of the Suns and their starting five of value) and there is no reason to fade the big man at this position.

Good luck out there today! If you want access to all of our numbers, get started with a free trial below - on us!