RADIO
Dennis Clausen highlights the top FanDuel NBA DFS lineup picks for 3/9/20, and a couple of sleepers to consider while building daily rosters.
I hope everyone had a fantastic weekend. We saw some solid performances on Sunday, notably, Luka Doncic, who hit 60 fantasy points, as well as Andre Drummond, Dejounte Murray, Kyle Lowry, Shabazz Napier, Domantas Sabonis, and Bam Adebayo, who each accrued at least 50 fantasy points. We also had some guys who stepped up, namely Cedi Osman, Matthew Dellavedova, and D.J. Augustin, who all surpassed their value by a large margin.
As we head toward this three-game slate on Monday, we are already aware that Giannis Antetokoumpo won't be in the lineup once again as he continues to deal with a left knee ailment. As a result, we can almost guarantee that Khris Middleton, Eric Bledsoe, and even Ersan Ilyasova will see a surge in ownership--and for good reason. Looking at the latest injury report, we have an abundance of players for the Hawks, more specifically, Cam Reddish, Deandre Bembry, John Collins, Kevin Huerter, De'Andre Hunter, and Jeff Teague, who are all in danger of not suiting up against the Hornets. Malik Monk--who is suspended indefinitely--is still out, while Fred Vanvleet, who has missed time with a shoulder issue, is on the fence regarding his availability against the Utah Jazz. With the Raptors playing the second of a back-to-back before four days off, it wouldn't be surprising if VanVleet isn't in the picture on Monday night.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for FanDuel on 3/9/20. These DFS lineup picks can vary from higher-priced players and elite options to lower-priced players and value picks on FanDuel. You can also check out today's DraftKings lineup picks. Give me a follow on Twitter @DennisMClausen. Good luck.
FanDuel DFS Guards
Khris Middleton - SG, @ DEN ($7,000)
With the freak sitting against Phoenix, Middleton was extra productive, finishing just shy of 40 points on a healthy 26 shots. He had it rough from beyond the arc, draining just three of his 10 attempts, but he made up for it by missing only one of his 11 tries from the charity stripe. As mentioned, Middleton will be a popular addition in DFS lineups on Monday night, but this isn't the place to get cute. Make sure he is on your roster.
Eric Bledsoe - PG, @ DEN ($6,200)
Bledsoe is the top beneficiary without Giannis in the lineup--at least from an analytical standpoint--gaining an 8.9 percent bump in usage in addition to an increase of 9.7 in +/- differential. Against the Suns on Sunday, which was the second outing of the team's three-game road trip, the 30-year-old produced 28 points on an effective 12-for-19 shooting from the floor, while also adding in seven assists, three rebounds, and a steal. If you are looking for another bargain option, check out George Hill ($3,900), who is another Buck who could be in line for extended run against Nuggets.
Terry Rozier - PG, @ ATL ($5,900)
Scary Terry didn't have a memorable outing against the Hawks back in December. He walked away from that one with only eight points, doing so while shooting a miserable 23.1 percent from the field and draining only two of his seven attempts from deep. We can give him a free pass, however, as we look to capitalize on the misfortune of those apprehensive that a repeat performance is on the horizon. Rozier has played too well as of late and is currently enjoying one of his best stretches as a professional by averaging 19 points over his last four contests. Ride the hot hand with confidence against one of the worst teams in the league.
Norman Powell - SG, @ UTA ($5,500)
If Fred VanVleet, who continues to work his way back from a shoulder injury, is indeed out once again, Powell will continue to get additional chances on the offensive end as the Raptors look to hold off the Celtics for the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. In a game with the Kings that went down to the wire on Sunday night, Powell logged nearly 43 minutes of work to finish with 48.9 fantasy points, which translated to an 8.3 times return in value. He has thrived with VanVleet out, so it isn't out of the question for him to hit value--at the very least--against the Jazz.
FanDuel DFS Forwards
Pascal Siakam - PF, @ UTA ($7,900)
I recommended Siakam for the Sunday slate, and I'm going to do it again. He has logged a minimum of 48.1 fantasy points in three of his last five outings and could get even more offensive opportunities if Nick Nurse decides to take it easy on the aging Kyle Lowry in the second game in as many days. He was solid against Sacramento and was also active on the defensive end by coming away with three steals. He has a promising chance to keep it going against the Jazz, even if Fred VanVleet is back.
Serge Ibaka - PF, @ UTA ($5,700)
Ibaka missed three games with a bum knee but hasn't been limited minutes wise since his return, logging at least 29 during his previous two games. Though Marc Gasol returned against the Kings after missing the entire month of February, Ibaka still got plenty of run on Sunday. He is averaging 37.3 fantasy points during that two-game span as well and has a favorable outlook despite going up against Rudy Gobert.
Will Barton - SF, vs. MIL ($5,300)
After a knee injury cost him four games to go along with a few rough performances upon his return, Barton saw his asking price drop significantly from where it was not too long ago. The reduction in price is justified, nonetheless, but he is coming off of an efficient outing against the Cavaliers a few nights back that saw the 29-year-old amass 35.6 fantasy points. While Cleveland is a long way away from matching the defensive prowess of the Milwaukee Bucks, it will help that Giannis won't be on the floor to terrorize those on the offensive end. The ceiling is there, and the price will help those looking to acquire the services of Trae Young ($9,600) against Charlotte. If you are still nervous about rostering Barton, which is understandable, OG Anunoby is available for $100 less.
PJ Washington - PF, @ ATL ($5,200)
The options at the four spot are ugly on Monday night, and with John Collins questionable, you can expect Washington to see at least 40-50 percent ownership, primarily if Collins isn't available. If he does play, that may drop somewhat. Nonetheless, the rookie has put together some impressive performances, especially over the last three games. He has hit at least 29.3 fantasy points during that span, and with this price, his potential output is too good to pass up.
FanDuel DFS Centers
Brook Lopez - C, @ DEN ($5,100)
Lopez is averaging 14 points and three boards in the seven games that Giannis has missed so far on the year. While those aren't eye-popping numbers, he could easily hit his value of 25.5 fantasy points against the Nuggets. If you are looking to save some cash at the center position, this may be the place to do it.
