X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Join the Best Live Fantasy Chat Community!

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

NBA DFS Strategy: Injury Management

If the first half of the 2015-2016 NBA season can prove anything it's that injuries happen. Often.

Eric Bledsoe and Jarrett Jack, some of the bigger names, and Daily Fantasy favorites, have been shelved for the season, while Mr. Lob City, Blake Griffin, has missed an extend amount of time as the timetable for his return is still in question after his recent Mayweather-like impression during practice. Plenty of questions emerged in the wake of their absences.

Does this mean Brandon Knight is a sure thing now?

Featured Promo: Get any DFS Premium Bundle for for 10% off using code BALLER! Win more with expert advice from proven winners and exclusive DFS tools. Get instant access to RotoBaller's Lineup Optimizers, Research Stations, daily picks and VIP chat rooms across 10 sports! Go Premium, Win More!

Should I pick Shane Larkin or Donald Sloan? Which one will start? Who will play more minutes?

Will Chris Paul benefit the most from Griffin's absence, or will DeAndre Jordan?

These are all warranted, for sure, so we can start here, before addressing other questions that should be asked, and answered, in the case of unexpected injuries.

Now, the Phoenix Suns weren't exactly contenders with Eric Bledsoe in the lineup, as they were 12-18 in games he started before being sidelined with a torn meniscus in his knee. Considering the Suns currently stand at 14-31, winning just two games since, I'd say his loss and his 20 20-plus point performances in 30 contests are direly missed on the court. In the midst of his own battle with injuries, Brandon Knight hasn't done anything spectacular filling in for his fellow backcourt mate, but was the automatic go-to option once Bledsoe went down.

Knight has strung together a couple of solid performances, but the problem with relying heavily on him is that 1) He plays better with Bledsoe in the lineup, shown by his stats earlier in the season (16 20-plus point performances before to five after Bledsoe's injury, including a triple double, three double-double's, and three 30-point showings) 2) Knight was heavily owned, cancelling out his hopeful performances, especially in head-to-heads.

So instead of looking to the Suns' second best player, why don't we check out who's replacing Bledsoe, and other unlikely producers on the court around him. Devin Booker, Bledsoe's replacement at the two-spot, has averaged a little over 16 points a game since Bledsoe went down; especially productive for his lower, more affordable price. Archie Goodwin, third-string shooting guard, has recently emerged with two straight 20-point performances. And that's really all there is to say about the Suns.

Of course this isn't always the case, but now let's look at one scenario where two, young, unestablished point guards step in for a seasoned veteran.

In 12 games without Jarret Jack this season, the Brooklyn Nets have gone 2-10, rounding their record out to 12-33. But they have been able to showcase two of their potentially promising guards, Shane Larkin and Donald Sloan. They're both very cheap in DFS, and not necessarily threats, but both could give your lineup a boost. Although the question to be asked is: which one? There really is no clear favorite here, as both have performed sporadically, as both have appeared to emerge as the favorite at times, despite who starts or comes off the bench. In this situation, it's best to pay attention to the trends, to who's been getting the ball more. Sloan has been playing more minutes, but that doesn't always equate to better stat lines for Daily Fantasy. So when dealing with an injury in this situation, observe who can sprinkle more stats, the assists, rebounds, and steals, into more categories.

When it comes to Blake Griffin missing an extended amount of court-time, it becomes a bit easier. Good problems arise. For Griffin's case, it's not a matter of if Paul or Jordan will shine, it's more so who will shine brighter. Which would then fall on situational matters, matchups, and what team gives up more fantasy points to their respective positions.

Side-stepping away from these three examples, let's move out from within, away from inner-team matters, and focus on how else we could benefit from injuries, how else we can manage our lineups in wake of them.

It's also important to pay attention to who the injured player's team is facing. With a star held out of action, plenty of doors open to take advantage of that leak in both offense and defense. For example, Hassan Whiteside, center of the Miami Heat, recently missed a game against the Chicago Bulls. The intriguing play here would be Pau Gasol, the opposing center, who happened to drop 19 points and grabbed 17 rebounds, along with two assists and two blocks in the loss, resulting in close to 50 fantasy points. Miami is weak at the center position behind Whiteside, so the right move would be staying away from any replacements. The best bet is to study a team's depth chart, and go from there.

It's pretty obvious to jump on players that'll likely see a boost in minutes because of an injury. And that's a productive strategy as well. But the team they're playing against, especially if good, will most of the time remain the same, as backups are now called upon to shut down starters.

Injuries are inevitable. But instead of letting them hurt us as well, let's use them to better our lineups.

POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Jacob Melton32 mins ago

Facing Challenging Start To The Season
James Triantos48 mins ago

Struggling At Double-A
Dak Prescott60 mins ago

Hasn't Started Contract Negotiations With Cowboys
Rhett Lowder1 hour ago

Settling In At High-A
Roman Anthony1 hour ago

Performing Well At Double-A
Brett Baty1 hour ago

Remains Out Of The Lineup
Harry Ford1 hour ago

Off To Slow Start In 2024
Los Angeles Dodgers1 hour ago

Walker Buehler Needs Another Rehab Outing
TJ Friedl1 hour ago

To Begin Rehab Assignment Soon
John Brebbia2 hours ago

To Begin Rehab Assignment
Nick Burdi2 hours ago

Heading To Injured List
Kyle Bradish2 hours ago

To Make Rehab Start On Sunday
Jake Cronenworth2 hours ago

Returning On Friday
Jhoan Duran2 hours ago

Close To Going On Rehab Assignment
Riley Greene2 hours ago

Absent On Friday
Duncan Robinson3 hours ago

Will Play Against Chicago
Andre Drummond3 hours ago

Available For Play-In Matchup
Ayo Dosunmu3 hours ago

Good To Face Miami
Alex Caruso3 hours ago

Cleared For Friday Night
Ian Happ4 hours ago

Exits With Hamstring Tightness On Friday
Framber Valdez4 hours ago

Plays Catch Friday
Taijuan Walker4 hours ago

To Make Another Rehab Start Sunday
MLB4 hours ago

Rockies-Mariners Postponed On Friday
Aroldis Chapman4 hours ago

Suspension Reduced To One Game
Michael Massey4 hours ago

Activated And Starting Friday
Jarred Kelenic4 hours ago

Sitting Against Left-Hander
Bobby McMann4 hours ago

Could Play In Postseason Opener
Calle Jarnkrok5 hours ago

Practices Friday
William Nylander5 hours ago

Doesn't Practice Friday
Jean-Gabriel Pageau5 hours ago

Listed As Day-To-Day
Aaron Ekblad5 hours ago

Back For Game 1 Sunday
Zach Wilson5 hours ago

Not At Voluntary Workouts
Noah Dobson5 hours ago

Returning For Game 1
Dean Wade5 hours ago

Ruled Out For Game 1
Max Domi5 hours ago

Ready To Go For Game 1
Giannis Antetokounmpo5 hours ago

Not Participating In Live Practice
De'Anthony Melton5 hours ago

Remains Sidelined For Game 1
Joel Embiid5 hours ago

Deemed Questionable For Game 1 Against Knicks
Tobias Harris5 hours ago

76ers Expected To Part Ways This Summer
Alex Caruso6 hours ago

Expects To Play Against Heat
Jayden Daniels6 hours ago

Not Interested In Playing In D.C.?
DJ Chark Jr.7 hours ago

Visits With Chargers
Courtland Sutton7 hours ago

Broncos Not Concerned With Courtland Sutton
Brandon Ingram22 hours ago

Has "A Great Practice" On Thursday
Darren Waller23 hours ago

Giants Haven't Given Darren Waller A Deadline For His Decision
J.K. Dobbins23 hours ago

"Should Be" Ready For Training Camp
Trevor Lawrence24 hours ago

Jaguars Making Progress On Extension For Trevor Lawrence
Zach Collins1 day ago

To Undergo Surgery
Duncan Robinson1 day ago

Probable Versus Chicago
Terry Rozier1 day ago

Out Again On Friday Evening
Jimmy Butler1 day ago

Out Several Weeks
Andre Drummond1 day ago

Back On The Injury Report
Ayo Dosunmu1 day ago

Questionable Against The Heat
Alex Caruso1 day ago

Questionable For Friday Night
Justus Annunen1 day ago

Starting On Thursday
Dustin Wolf1 day ago

Starting Thursday's Series Finale
Devin Cooley1 day ago

To Start Regular Season Finale
Sidney Crosby1 day ago

To Discuss Extension With Penguins
Rasmus Ristolainen1 day ago

Undergoes Triceps Surgery
Washington Commanders1 day ago

Commanders Won't Trade Down From No. 2 Pick
NFL1 day ago

NFL Reinstates Five Suspended Players On Thursday
Zay Flowers1 day ago

Won't Face Discipline From NFL
Washington Commanders1 day ago

Commanders "Feel Great About Staying At No. 2"
Jayden Daniels1 day ago

Vikings To Meet With Jayden Daniels On Thursday
Buffalo Bills1 day ago

Terrel Bernard Feels Good Health-Wise
Nick Chubb1 day ago

Running On Land
New England Patriots1 day ago

Patriots "Open For Business" On Trades For NFL Draft
Andrew Wiggins1 day ago

To Be On The Trade Block In Offseason
Damian Lillard1 day ago

Expected To Log Full Practice On Friday
Kawhi Leonard1 day ago

Clippers "Preparing" To Have Kawhi Leonard Available In Game 1
Dougie Hamilton2 days ago

Could Have Returned For Playoffs
Nikita Kucherov2 days ago

Reaches 100 Assists
Auston Matthews2 days ago

Fails To Score Goal No. 70 Wednesday
J.K. Dobbins2 days ago

Planning To Sign With Chargers
Calvin Pickard2 days ago

Getting The Start Wednesday
Matt Tomkins2 days ago

Starting Regular Season Finale Wednesday
Luke Hughes2 days ago

To Play For USA At World Championships
NYI2 days ago

Ruslan Iskhakov Could Make NHL Debut Wednesday
Timo Meier2 days ago

Dealt With MCL, Oblique Injuries In 2023-24
MON2 days ago

Canadiens Exercise Two-Year Option On Martin St. Louis
De'Von Achane2 days ago

Looking Shredded
Brock Bowers2 days ago

Visiting With Chargers
Spencer Rattler2 days ago

Giants Visit With Bo Nix, Spencer Rattler
Adam Hadwin2 days ago

Too Volatile To Touch At RBC Heritage
Kurt Kitayama2 days ago

A Boring Play At RBC Heritage
Tom Kim2 days ago

Heads To Hilton Head Looking For Consistency
Emiliano Grillo2 days ago

Looking To Bounce Back At RBC Heritage
Chris Kirk2 days ago

A Safe Option For RBC Heritage
Adam Schenk2 days ago

Trending Up Ahead of RBC Heritage
Lucas Glover2 days ago

Looks To Reverse Fortune At Harbour Town
Taylor Moore2 days ago

Should Contend At Harbour Town
Max Homa2 days ago

Be Wary Of Max Homas At RBC Heritage
Rickie Fowler2 days ago

In Poor Form Heading To Harbour Town
Eric Cole2 days ago

Out Of Form Heading To RBC Heritage
Sepp Straka2 days ago

Continues Maddening Run Of Inconsistent Play
Keegan Bradley2 days ago

Looking To Get Over The Hump At Harbour Town
Tony Finau2 days ago

Looking To Find Putting Stroke At RBC Heritage
Will Zalatoris2 days ago

Makes Return To Harbour Town
PGA2 days ago

J.T. Poston A Decent Leverage Play With Upside At RBC Heritage
Patrick Cantlay2 days ago

Brings Near-Perfect Course History To Harbour Town
Akshay Bhatia3 days ago

A Perfect Fit For Harbour Town, But Take Caution
Jake Knapp3 days ago

In Solid Form Heading To Harbour Town
Nick Taylor3 days ago

In Bounce-Back Spot At Harbour Town
Justin Rose3 days ago

Searching For Form Heading To RBC Heritage
Royce Freeman3 days ago

Cowboys Sign Royce Freeman To One-Year Deal
Alex Pereira4 days ago

Defends Light-Heavyweight Title At UFC 300
Jamahal Hill4 days ago

Knocked Out At UFC 300
Yan Xiaonan4 days ago

Unsuccessful In Bid To Capture UFC Title
Arman Tsarukyan4 days ago

Edges Out Competitive Decision At UFC 300
Charles Oliveira4 days ago

Drops Decision Matchup
NASCAR4 days ago

Bubba Wallace Finishes Seventh At Texas Motor Speedway
Kyle Busch4 days ago

Earns Top 10 Finish In Backup Car At Texas Motor Speedway
Chase Elliott4 days ago

Emerges Victorious in Texas Race Riddled with Cautions
William Byron4 days ago

Finishes Third at Texas After Wrecking Ross Chastain
Ross Chastain4 days ago

Gets Wrecked on Final Lap at Texas While Battling for the Lead
Kyle Larson4 days ago

Sees Dominant Day Slip Away at Texas Due To Loose Wheel
NASCAR5 days ago

Daniel Suárez the Luckiest Driver at Texas, Scores Top Five
Denny Hamlin5 days ago

Late Spinout Costs Denny Hamlin Likely Second-Place Finish
Ty Gibbs5 days ago

Had Speed at Texas, But Burnt by Pit Crew
Ryan Blaney5 days ago

Was Best Ford Driver Until Wreck With Ryan Preece
Tyler Reddick5 days ago

Earns Hard-Fought Fourth Place Finish At Texas
Austin Dillon5 days ago

Gains His Best Finish Of The Year At Texas
Carson Hocevar5 days ago

Rounds Out Top Ten At Texas
Chase Briscoe5 days ago

Ends Up Sixth At Texas
Christopher Bell5 days ago

Is A Great Tournament Option At Texas
Kyle Busch5 days ago

Starts From the Rear After Texas Practice Crash
Chase Elliott5 days ago

Should Chase Elliott Be Rostered In DFS For Texas?
Ty Gibbs5 days ago

Can Ty Gibbs Score His First Win At Texas?
Cody Brundage5 days ago

Gets Submitted At UFC 300
Todd Gilliland5 days ago

Is A Quality Value Play For Texas
Bo Nickal5 days ago

Remains Undefeated At UFC 300
Denny Hamlin5 days ago

Will Start 11th At Texas On Sunday
Ryan Preece5 days ago

Brings Continued Upside To Texas
Justin Gaethje5 days ago

Gets KO'd At UFC 300
Max Holloway5 days ago

Scores Highlight-Reel KO At UFC 300
Zhang Weili5 days ago

Retains Strawweight Title At UFC 300