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As has become the case for most slates down the stretch of the season, there are multiple notable players missing from lineups Monday. That makes it more pertinent than ever to scour the market for low-priced upside plays that will help fill out rosters.
The league’s three highest scoring teams (Milwaukee, Houston, Dallas) are all in action, as are three of the four teams that allow the most points per game (Washington, Atlanta, Minnesota). Seven of the eight matchups feature intra-Conference battles, with the Knicks and Rockets highlighting the lone East vs. West showdown and also potentially the highest projected margin of victory.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 2/24/20. You can also check out today's FanDuel lineup picks. Remember to monitor injury news as the slate can completely change before line-up lock.
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DraftKings DFS Guards
Kendrick Nunn - PG/SG, MIA @ CLE ($5,600)
There are few metrics needed to understand that Nunn dropped 46 DK points on Cleveland when the two squads matched up Saturday. Now, with Jimmy Butler (personal) still out, Nunn’s price tag has not caught up to his production. When Butler has been absent from the mix this season, Nunn has averaged 17.5 points per contest, with three of those outings seeing him go for at least 24 points. No team in the league has struggled to stop opposing point guards as much as Cleveland has, yielding a league-worst 51.8 DK points per contest this year.
RJ Barrett - PG/SG, NY @ HOU ($5,200)
Barrett’s rookie campaign has been one of ebbs and flows; DK owners are just hoping that they can ride his wave Monday during one of his ebbs. The Rockets’ difficulty defending opposing guards has been well-documented, which bodes well for Barrett, who has taken a combined 35 shots over the last two games. He has made one triple since Jan. 16, but with the possibility that Elfrid Payton (ankle) could be absent again, Barrett may see some increased chances at packing the stat sheet. The rookie hasn’t seen 30 minutes in a contest in over a month, so there is considerable risk attached to rostering him, but GPP players could benefit from his rekindled offensive aggression.
DraftKings DFS Forwards
Robert Covington - SF/PF, HOU v. NY ($6,000)
While P.J. Tucker garnered the vast majority of the immediate interest in the Rockets’ new world order of small ball, Covington has actually been the frontcourt player who has benefited most from head coach Mike D’Antoni’s bold doubling down. Covington’s last four games have all exceeded 5x value, as he has averaged nine three-point attempts per contest since arriving in Houston. With New York having a traditional frontcourt attack, Covington should be in line for additional rebounding chances while continuing to see an increase in minutes (31.8 per game) since joining the Rockets.
Al Horford - PF/C, PHI v. ATL ($4,500)
Not much has gone right for Horford offensively over his last four games. Factor in that the last three have all come with him shifting to a reserve role, and the precipitous drop in price becomes understood. But with Tobias Harris (knee) doubtful to play and Ben Simmons (back) out, Horford should re-enter the starting five. That alone cannot translate into immediate success, but the veteran will be facing an Atlanta frontcourt that has been dominated by opposing big men this season. Having spent the first nine years of his career as a Hawk, Horford will undoubtedly have the opportunity to tap into his past skill set due to injuries that should shift him further up the depth chart.
Furkan Korkmaz - SG/SF, PHI v. ATL ($4,000)
In the span of his last five games, these are the point totals that Korkmaz has finished with: 34, 31, 0, 4, and 17. The only constant in that stretch is that he has been consistently inconsistent. But the absences of Simmons (back) and potentially Harris (doubtful, knee), should allow for Korkmaz to see a large offensive role, irrespective of whether he starts or comes off the bench. Many other 76ers are worth a look Monday, including Shake Milton, Alec Burks and Glenn Robinson III, but it’s hard to see who has more upside for Philadelphia than Korkmaz, who could fire at will against a Hawks squad yielding 118.8 points per game (the second-most PPG allowed in the league).
DraftKings DFS Centers
Montrezl Harrell - C, LAC v. MEM ($5,400)
The Harrell price tag freefall appears to have been exaggerated. After an eight-game stretch prior to the All-Star break in which he failed to record a double-double, Harrell has since reeled off two games in a row reaching the double-double column. His two prior meetings with Memphis this season have seen him go for 28 points and nine rebounds on Jan. 4 and 24 points and 10 rebounds on Nov. 27, giving him a track record of having feasted against the Grizzlies’ interior.
Robin Lopez - C, MIL @ WAS ($3,000)
If punt plays are your thing, look no further than Lopez. With brother Brook Lopez out, Robin slots right in for a handful of additional minutes. While not the rebirthed three-point marksman that his brother has become, Lopez has proven adept at compiling points in short bursts, entering play Monday with 21 points across 33 minutes in his last two games. Consider the Wizards’ track record of being dominated by opposing big men this year, and while Lopez may not finish with a staggering stat line, his bottom dollar price tag will allow for bigger names to slot in around him.
