Fantasy Basketball Pickups: Peyton Watson is an emergency add

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

Watson played 31 minutes off the bench, finishing with 16 points (4-of-7 FGs, 7-of-9 FTs), three rebounds, one assist, two steals, two blocks, and one 3-pointer. Expecting that kind of offensive production from him moving forward may be a reach, but there’s no reason to doubt Watson’s availability to supply defensive value if Gordon misses time. More should be learned about the severity of Gordon’s calf strain either Tuesday or Wednesday, with the Nuggets playing games on Wednesday (Oklahoma City), Friday (Miami), and Sunday (Dallas).

Russell Westbrook (25% rostered) and Julian Strawther (2%) also had good games on Monday, but they aren’t the Nuggets to target in the aftermath of this one. Watson is. Let’s look at a few more of Monday’s top pickups:

Alex Sarr (43%), Washington Wizards

Sarr has struggled with his shot, making 36.2% of his attempts, and Monday’s loss to the Warriors was another challenging game in that regard. The rookie forward shot 3-of-10 from the field and 4-of-6 from the foul line, but that was the most significant issue with his stat line. Sarr finished with 10 points, 11 rebounds, two assists, and three blocked shots in 27 minutes. The minutes matched his season-high, and the presence of Jonas Valanciunas in the rotation make it difficult for Sarr to play much more than that. However, the rebounding and shot-blocking help compensate for the poor shooting, with the hope that Sarr can clean that up as he gains more experience.

Jose Alvarado (31%), New Orleans Pelicans

Alvarado has started the Pelicans’ last four games, with his ascension into the starting lineup coinciding with CJ McCollum joining Dejounte Murray on the injured list. While he did not shoot well in Monday’s loss to Portland, making four of 14 shots from the field, Alvarado’s overall line was decent. He scored 18 points while producing one rebound, six assists, and three 3-pointers in 34 minutes. Alvarado was the lone point guard in the Pelicans’ rotation, with reserve Jaylen Nowell being more of a combo. McCollum is out for another two weeks, at a minimum, and Murray may be out longer, making Alvarado a player worth adding.

Bennedict Mathurin (28%), Indiana Pacers

Andrew Nembhard’s return to the Pacers lineup did not push Mathurin back to the bench because Aaron Nesmith missed Monday’s win over the Mavericks with a sprained ankle. Mathurin played 32 minutes, contributing 16 points, seven rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one 3-pointer. The production outside of points can be limited, but give Benn credit for his work on the boards (only Myles Turner had more rebounds among the Pacers who saw action). Mathurin’s fantasy value moving forward will depend on how much time Nesmith misses, as he’s in a walking boot and does not have a timeline for return.

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

With Gradey Dick’s rostered percentage up to 56%, he isn’t eligible for this list. However, Agbaji and Mitchell are, and both had their moments in Monday’s loss to the Nuggets. Agbaji scored 16 points on solid percentages while also tallying five rebounds, four assists, two steals, and two 3-pointers in 22 minutes. Mitchell finished with 13 points, eight assists, one steal, and no turnovers in 30 minutes. Agbaji’s offensive production can be volatile, but Scottie Barnes (orbital bone fracture) being sidelined for at least two more weeks gives him room to make an impact. As for Mitchell, he’s worth targeting in spots where there is a need for assist production. He’s had at least five in six straight games.

Bub Carrington (14%), Washington Wizards

Carrington’s closing in on top 100 value and nights like Monday will only enhance his fantasy value. Playing 33 minutes against the Warriors, the rookie guard put up 16 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, and one 3-pointer while committing one turnover. Carrington’s had no more than two turnovers in any of Washington’s six games, and he’s hit double figures in scoring in three of the last four. As for the assists, he’s dished out at least six in three straight games. While we’ll have to wait and see how Malcolm Brogdon’s eventual return will impact Carrington’s playing time, minutes should not be an issue for him on a rebuilding team.

Julian Champagnie (9%), San Antonio Spurs

After four consecutive games of seven points or less, Champagnie snapped out of that funk on Monday. Shooting 7-of-12 from the field, he scored a season-high 21 points with five rebounds, two assists, and five 3-pointers in a season-high 38 minutes. In addition to the Spurs not having Devin Vassell, who’s working his way back from a foot injury, Jeremy Sochan injured his thumb during the first half of Monday’s game and did not return.

Those injuries have made Champagnie a viable deep-league option, even if the production hasn’t been there. As for when Vassell may return, Wednesday’s game in Houston is unlikely to be the day. After that contest, the Spurs play games on Thursday (Portland) and Saturday (Utah). Not only are those excellent matchups for unheralded players to shine, but they’re also being played on lighter game days. That may bode well for Champagnie’s value, especially if Sochan misses time.

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

Having played through back spasms recently, Jordan Hawkins was finally sidelined in the second game of the Pelicans’ back-to-back 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. Shooting 9-of-15 from the field, he finished with 20 points, three rebounds, four assists, two steals, one block, and two 3-pointers. Boston’s value moving forward depends on Hawkins’ availability, but he made a positive impression on Monday.