Pelicans PF Zion Williamson (back) will miss his third game in a row Monday vs. the 76ers. CJ McCollum (rest) and Bruce Brown (conditioning) are also out, while Yves Missi ($4,500, hip) is questionable.
Williamson has only played in 30 games this season, but he has been effective in those tilts, averaging 24.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists in 28.6 minutes per game with a team-high 34.7% usage rate. McCollum ranks second to Williamson in usage for the Pelicans at 27.5% and with these two starters sidelined Monday, Jose Alvarado ($4,900) and Kelly Olynyk ($5,300) should see increased usage rates. Additionally, Jordan Hawkins ($4,000) should get the spot start and garner a large usage rate, making him an elite punt play for DFS against this 76ers team that ranks dead last in defensive rating since the All-Star break.
Let’s not forget New Orleans just lost Trey Murphy III (shoulder) for the season last week. With he, Williamson and McCollum off the floor this season, Hawkins’ usage increases 9.1 percentage points to a team-high 30.1% and he scores 22.5 points per 36 minutes. From a fantasy perspective, Hawkins produces 0.93 FPTS per minute in this situation.
The Pelicans have played five games with Williamson, McCollum and Murphy all inactive this season — New Orleans has lost all five of these contests. Still, with a tanking Philadelphia team that has lost eight of their last 10 on the other side, New Orleans is a four-point home favorite over the 76ers on DraftKings Sportsbook.
