Fantasy Basketball Pickups: Peyton Watson is an emergency signing

The Denver Nuggets are already playing without Jamal Murray, who is in the league’s concussion protocol, and lost another key player in Monday’s win over the Raptors. Aaron Gordon suffered a strained calf in the first quarter and played only four minutes. His departure opened the door for Peyton Watson, who has only played in one percent of Yahoo leagues, to now be worth a roll of the dice. And his performance against the Raptors was certainly encouraging.

Watson played 31 minutes off the bench and finished with 16 points (4 of 7 FGs, 7 of 9 FTs), three rebounds, one assist, two steals, two blocks and a 3-pointer. You can expect such offensive production from him on offense, but there’s no reason to doubt Watson’s ability to provide defensive value if Gordon misses time. More on the severity of Gordon’s calf strain should be learned on either Tuesday or Wednesday, with the Nuggets playing 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 aren’t the Nuggets to target after this game. Watson is. Let’s take a 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 biggest problem with his stat line. Sarr finished the game 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 makes it difficult for Sarr to play much more. However, the rebounding and shot blocking help make up for the poor shots and we hope Sarr can fix that as he gains more experience.

Jose Alvarado (31%), New Orleans Pelicans

Alvarado has started the Pelicans’ last four games, with his promotion to the starting lineup coinciding with the injury list of CJ McCollum and Dejounte Murray. Even though he didn’t shoot well in Monday’s loss to Portland, making four of 14 field throws, Alvarado’s performance was fine overall. He scored 18 points and produced one rebound, six assists and three 3-pointers in 34 minutes. Alvarado was the only point guard in the Pelicans’ rotation, with backup Jaylen Nowell providing more of a combination. McCollum is out for at least two more 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 didn’t push Mathurin back to the bench, as Aaron Nesmith missed Monday’s win against the Mavericks with a sprained ankle. Mathurin played 32 minutes and contributed 16 points, seven rebounds, three assists, one steal and a 3-pointer. Performance outside the points may 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 going forward will depend on how much time Nesmith misses as he wears a walking boot and has no timetable for his return.

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

Since Gradey Dick has a roster share of up to 56%, he is not eligible for this list. However, it’s Agbaji and Mitchell, and both had their moments in Monday’s loss to the Nuggets. Agbaji scored 16 points at solid rates and also had five rebounds, four assists, two steals and two 3-pointers in 22 minutes. Mitchell finished the game with 13 points, eight assists, one steal and no turnovers in 30 minutes. Agbaji’s offensive performance can be volatile, but the loss of Scottie Barnes (broken orbital bone) for at least two more weeks gives him room to make an impact. As for Mitchell, he’s worth targeting in spots where production assistance is needed. He had at least five goals in six straight games.

Bub Carrington (14%), Washington Wizards

Carrington’s approach to the top 100 and nights like Monday will only increase his fantasy value. The rookie guard played 33 minutes against the Warriors, recording 16 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and a 3-pointer while having a 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 dished out at least six assists in three consecutive games. While we’ll have to wait and see how Malcolm Brogdon’s eventual return will impact Carrington’s playing time, minutes shouldn’t be an issue for him in a rebuilding team.

Julian Champagnie (9%), San Antonio Spurs

After four straight games with seven or fewer points, Champagnie was able to break out of that panic on Monday. He shot 7 of 12 from the field and 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 being without Devin Vassell, who is recovering from a foot injury, Jeremy Sochan injured his thumb in the first half of Monday’s game and did not return.

These injuries made Champagnie a viable deep league option, even if the production wasn’t there yet. As for when Vassell might return, it’s unlikely to be Wednesday’s game in Houston. Following this contest, the Spurs will play games on Thursday (Portland) and Saturday (Utah). These excellent matchups are not only a real eye-catcher for unheralded players, but are also played on less busy days. That could be a good sign for Champagnie’s value, especially if Sochan misses time.

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

After Jordan Hawkins recently struggled with back spasms, he had to sit out the Pelicans’ second 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. He shot 9 of 15 from the field and finished the game with 20 points, three rebounds, four assists, two steals, one block and two 3-pointers. Boston’s future value depends on Hawkins’ availability, but he made a positive impression on Monday.