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Daily Fantasy Basketball Injury News and Updates for FanDuel and DraftKings - 3/27/16
Welcome to the daily updates and injury news article. 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!
What We Know
Deron Williams is out
The Dallas Mavericks have announced that Deron Williams will be out for a minimum of 2 games with an abdomen injury. With Chandler Parsons already sidelined, this open up some huge opportunity in the offense. The 2 main beneficiaries will be Raymond Felton and JJ Barea, as well as Wesley Matthews. I expect the Mavs to run a lot of 3 guard offenses with Matthews at the 3. Devin Harris will likely also pick up around 20-25 minutes and could be a great value at min. price around the industry. The Kings struggle to guard anyone and all of these guys mentioned above are in great spots.
Nerlens Noel is out
Nerlens Noel is going to miss his 2nd straight game here on the back end of a back to back. Jerami Grant and Carl Landry are going to be great options against a Warriors team who likes to run small. I could the 76ers moving Grant down to the 5 and getting both of these guys close to 30 minutes with Grant way over that mark. Sticking Grant at the 5 will give the 76ers a fast lineup that will be able to run with the Warriors. This will also benefit Robert Covington as he will pick up a minutes boost if they run small. He is always a candidate to get hot from the perimeter and have a huge game.
What We're Waiting to Know
Will James Harden play?
Harden missed practice on Saturday with an illness not yet disclosed. The Rockets are fighting tooth and nail for the playoffs and Harden knows how bad they need him. I fully expect Harden to play unless he knows he is a liability to the team given his condition. Harden is such a huge part of the offense that you really need to break down what will happen if Harden is not gonna be out there. You can expect Patrick Beverley to become the main ball-handler with Trevor Ariza, Michael Beasley and Dwight Howard taking the majority of shots. I do not think it is a bad idea to run out a few of these guys if Harden is out. Beasley will have an insane usage off the bench and may be a little sneaky. Remember, I expect Harden to be in but keep an eye out.
Will D'Angelo Russell play?
D'Angelo Russell is currently listed as doubtful which leads me to believe he is going to miss this one against the Wizards. This news opens about 30-34 minutes and 15 shots up in the Lakers backcourt. Jordan Clarkson is a terrific play with solidified minutes and a guaranteed usage % over 25. Marcelo Huertas also becomes a very intriguing option at the minimum price around the industry. The Wizards are not a strong defensive team and whoever gets the minutes will put up value. My favorite play of the bunch is definitely Clarkson and will be keeping a look out for any Byron Scott quotes on getting some other guys run.
Will Markieff Morris play?
Markieff was pulled from the game Friday with calf strains and that is all we know for now. The team has not released anything yet on the sattus for Morris tonight. If I had to make a guess I think he sits due to the game being against the Lakers and the Wizards knowing how important Morris is to a playoff run. Nene Hilario will likely play around 25-30 minutes and Jared Dudley will see around the same. Otto Porter may move down to the 4 for some of the game which will give him a better ceiling with rebound upside. Nene and Porter are my favorite plays of the bunch as they are guaranteed production when given minutes against a weak Lakers defense.
The "Every Lineup" Guys
James Harden FD 11000 DK 10700
*Note* - Make sure Harden is available for this one. He missed practice with a bug but should be good to go.
Harden and the Rockets enter this game as the 7 seed in the West. They are only 1 game back from the 9 seed and will need to fight their way into the playoffs. Harden knows this and will be doing whatever he can to get his team into the playoffs. I expect him to shoot the ball over 20 times in this one and get his usual amount of of peripheral stats. Monta Ellis is a very bad defender and Harden should be able to get to the rim with ease as well as find as many open perimeter shots as he desires. Harden is a great cash game and tournament play with a great floor and huge ceiling.
Lets just quickly take a look at who is going to cover Draymond Green in this one. We have Jerami grant and Carl Landry as the only big men on the 76ers. Draymond is going to absolutely destroy this game for however long he is in there. i can see a scenario where Green hits 5x value in around 25 minutes due to his uncanny ability to put up peripheral stats in a hurry. The Warriors will likely blow this game out of the water early but not without the help of Draymond Green. You can expect green to be somewhat low owned with people scared away due to the blowout and wanting to pay up in different spots.
Wesley Matthews - FD 4400 DK 4800
Opponent - SAC
FD Proj. Pts - 23.38 DK Proj. Pts - 26.93
Wesley Matthews has been a terrific option for the better part of the past week. The Mavericks enter this game hobbled as ever with Parsons out for a while and Deron Williams out for a few games at the very least. This is going to be a fast paced game that will have a ton of possessions, turnovers and open 3 points shots. Matthews usage % jumps over 25 with this active roster and I expect it to tbe even higher than that tonight. Matthews is a terrific option in all types of games and is a near lock to hit value. You can expect a great floor around 25 with a ceiling over 40.
These are players that show up in each of the top 10 lineups as produced by our lineup optimizer. This doesn't necessarily mean that they're "safe," it just means that their projected weighted-mean point total is a solid building block for a great lineup foundation today.
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43 Visitor Comments
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I guess I’ll start things off I was looking at holli Thompson for the great 6 ers can’t even type this with a straight face..lol
I do not hate it in tournaments. Thompson has showed a bit of consistency over the past week or so. I would much prefer getting my value elsewhere(Mavs).
-Austyn
@VarneyDFS
Lol I was looking at Wall I think Cousins may under perform
Cousins has not hurt you to roster him in about a month. I personally prefer cousins with all the point guard value out there.
I’ll play Cousins in all cash games tonight.
What are u guys thoughts on the odd chance philly keeps it close with golden state
I think it is very unlikely. If you want to do a full game stack and pray for a miracle, it could pay off..
-Austyn
It’s word that cousins might shut it down for the season he said a day ago he needs surgery
He said he might miss the Olympics because he plans to have two procedures after the season that have 4-6 week recovery times… neither is “surgery” though…
“Cousins said he is planning to undergo Platelet Rich Therapy (PRP) on his feet and possibly shockwave treatment”
I expect him to wait until the end of the season. keep an eye out though as you never know around this time in March
Wayne, without Iggy, anything could hapen with the second unit being somewhat weak on defense, I seenit a lot like the Clippers and Mavericks game, not a blowout, but the Warriors should win by 10 or more in the end…
I’m a little nervous cause I’m playing Beverly tonight? Should I pick collision hill fenton or barea instead? Thoughts?
I like Beverley. His minutes should be there and his price hasn’t moved much.
I may have had one too many already but is Monta Ellis looking like the ultimate SG sleeper, I just can never seem to get him on the right day…(takes sip of whiskey)….lets face it Harden sucks on defense, Rockets play high pace…(chugs rest of whiskey)… oh man
I definitely like Monta as a tournament play. George could take a back seat and let Monta go to work.
Is Howard the only viable C on draftkings?
I think you can go cheap with Mejri if he’s starting. Mahinmi too.
Jokic or Gortat are right there too.
Yea tru brendon makes sense
D. Jordan shreddin’ it up! Nice pick by the system.
I know it’s a different animal with home and away games but when you’re talking a team as elite as GS and as abysmal as Philly (sadly I’m a Sixers fan lol) but Sixers nearly upset GS in Philly earlier in the season losing in the final seconds. Anyone stacking this game could very well clean up in a large tournament.
I’m likely splitting my FD buyins between Lineups 1 and 3 to offset some of the risk with WCS and play for the upside possibilities on Mejri in the even he sees more than 25 minutes
I agree, but you wouldn’t sway Harden for Cousins? I’m leary of WCS, but Morris worries me too. Lineup 2 looks great other than him. If Mejri gets his minutes he’s got a great match up.
I’m dismissing the Markieff lineup because of lack of news. I’m hesitant to downgrade his minutes because I think they are right if he plays. It’s that weird in between thing. I know what you are saying on Harden/ Cousins but Harden tough to fade that chalk here.
Felton or barrea
Sticking with my GSW Big 3, Beal and Porter, Mejri and Matthews and Ariza
PG – Steph
SG – Klay
SF – Otto
PF – Dray
C – Mejri
F – Ariza
G – Beal
Util – Matthews
mej is a big gamble. Whose to say Zaza won’t come off the bench and play double the minutes?
You have to gamble to win these things…
I don’t disagree here. But the building blocks of both lineups have a bit of risk in them in favor of getting high floors just about everywhere else. Mejri and WCS represent some of that risk at low prices. I’m ok with that.
But it’s not gambling… Remember? (ahem)
Dirks gonna go HAM
He’s a must play on DK
@ Doug and Brendon. I understand that. I made lineups with both mej and Zaza. I got frustrated bc I hate that situation and went another way. If there was a day to gamble on center its today. Harden makes me queasy when I lock him into lineups.
Yup. It’s risky, but Kings play a bunch of bigs and I think Mejri has a solid floor for his price in a projected close game. Don’t need to lock Harden into anything, he’s showing up everywhere 🙂
You don’t take down GPPs without some risk. I’m all in on Nene and Zaza as it really opens up cash to spend up elsewhere.
Best of luck to everyone tonight.
rolling with Zaza because Merji is matched up with Boogie and I’m expecting 3 fouls in five minutes 🙂
keep bombing turner and dirk. faded both. Also, give WCS some minutes! went 4-4 and was spectacular early.
I actually got out of the Mavs Center deal right before lock by trading Matthews for Barea and Mejri for Mahinmi, working out great, just neeing Ariza to wake up!
Anyone know what happened to Jerami?
He hit his knee or leg in the first and went out the rest of the game. Him and Turner killed me in one of my lineups.
Thanks for the info…yeah he killed me too – i had Landry in and swapped him out for Jerami in 3 lineups
…oops…lol
Drat. So close. Took Zaza and his 2.2 points but had room for Mahimi and didn’t take him. Ended up with 285. Would have been right around 320 with one swap. next time 🙂
I staked gsw game n finished in the top 100 made some nice money….guess u have to take risk to win