Fantasy Basketball Transfers: Peyton Watson is an immediate addition

Playing without Jamal Murray, who is already in the league’s concussion protocol, the Denver Nuggets lost another critical player in Monday’s win over the Raptors. Aaron Gordon suffered a calf injury, playing just four minutes in the first quarter. His exit opened the door for Peyton Watson, who is only in one percent of Yahoo leagues and is now worth rolling the dice. And his performance against the Raptors was undoubtedly encouraging.

Watson came off the bench and played 31 minutes and finished the game with 16 points (4/7 shooting, 7/9 free throws), 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 2 blocks and 1 three-pointer. Expecting that kind of offensive production from him might be a stretch going forward, but there’s no reason to doubt Watson is ready to provide defensive value should Gordon miss time. More information about the severity of Gordon’s calf strain should be known on Tuesday or Wednesday before the Nuggets play games on Wednesday (Oklahoma City), Friday (Miami) and Sunday (Dallas).

Russell Westbrook (25% on the roster) and Julian Strawther (2%) also had good games on Monday, but they are not the Nuggets to target after this game. Watson it is. Let’s look at a few more of Monday’s top picks:

Alex Sarr (43%), Washington Wizards

Sarr has struggled to shoot, making 36.2% of his shots, and Monday’s loss to the Warriors was a tough game in that regard. The rookie forward shot 3/10 from the field and 4/6 from the foul line, but that was the major issue with his stat line. Sarr played with 10 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 blocks in 27 minutes. The minutes matched a season-high and the presence of Jonas Valanciunas in the rotation makes it difficult for Sarr to play more than that. But rebounding and blocking help make up for poor shots, and there is hope Sarr can rectify this as he gains more experience.

Jose Alvarado (31%), New Orleans Pelicans

Alvarado started the Pelicans’ last four games, and his rise to the starting lineup coincided with CJ McCollum joining Dejounte Murray on the injured list. While he didn’t shoot well in Monday’s loss to Portland, making four of 14 shots from the field, Alvarado’s overall line was good. He scored 18 points with one rebound, six assists and three three-pointers in 34 minutes. Alvarado was the only point guard in the Pelicans rotation, and backup Jaylen Nowell was more of a combo. McCollum is out for at least another two weeks and Murray could be out longer, making Alvarado a player worth adding.

Bennedict Mathurin (28%), Indiana Pacers

Andrew Nembhard’s return to the Pacers lineup did not force Mathurin back to the bench as Aaron Nesmith missed Monday’s win over the Mavericks with an ankle sprain. Mathurin played 32 minutes and contributed 16 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and 1 three-pointer. Production outside of scoring may be limited, but give Benn credit for his work rebounding (only Myles Turner of the Pacers in action had more rebounds). Mathurin’s fantasy value going forward will depend on how much time Nesmith misses, as he is in a walking boot and there is no timeline for his return.

Ochai Agbaji (26%) and Davion Mitchell (11%), Toronto Raptors

Gradey Dick does not qualify for this list as his percentage on the roster is up to 56%. But Agbaji and Mitchell are, and both had big moments in Monday’s loss to the Nuggets. Agbaji recorded 16 points and 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals and 2 three-pointers in 22 minutes. Mitchell finished the match with 13 points, 8 assists, 1 steal and no turnovers in 30 minutes. Agbaji’s offensive performance may be variable, but with Scottie Barnes (orbital bone fracture) sidelined for at least another two weeks, it gives him room to make an impact. Mitchell, on the other hand, is worth targeting at points where assist production is needed. Won at least five of six consecutive matches.

Bub Carrington (14%), Washington Wizards

Carrington’s move closer to top 100 value and nights like Monday will further increase his fantasy value. Playing 33 minutes against the Warriors, the rookie guard scored 16 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists and 1 three-pointer, and made one turnover. Carrington hasn’t had more than two turnovers in any of Washington’s six games and has scored in double figures in three of the last four. As for assists, he has made at least six assists in three straight games. While we’ll have to wait and see how the eventual return of Malcolm Brogdon affects Carrington’s playing time, minutes shouldn’t be an issue for him on a rebuilding team.

Julian Champagnie (9%), San Antonio Spurs

After four straight games of seven points or less, Champagnie shook off that scare on Monday. The player, who shot 7/12 from the field, reached a season-high 21 points with 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 5 three-pointers in 38 minutes. In addition to the Spurs being without Devin Vassell, who is recovering from a foot injury, Jeremy Sochan suffered a thumb injury in the first half of Monday’s game and did not return.

These injuries made Champagnie a viable option in the deep league, even if the production wasn’t there. As for when Vassell could return, Wednesday’s game in Houston is unlikely to be that day. After this match, Spurs will play matches on Thursday (Portland) and Saturday (Utah). Not only are these excellent matchups for unheralded players to shine, but they are also played on lighter game days. This could bode well for Champagnie’s value, especially if Sochan misses time.

Brandon Boston Jr. (2%), New Orleans Pelicans

Jordan Hawkins, who has been dealing with back spasms in recent days, was finally sidelined for the Pelicans’ second consecutive game on Monday. Boston filled the void in the starting lineup and had one of the best games of his NBA career in a loss to Portland. The player, who shot 9/15 from the field, finished the game with 20 points, three rebounds, four assists, two steals, one block and two three-pointers. Boston’s value going forward depends on Hawkins’ availability, but he made a positive impression on Monday.