Lowry's injury derails season-long fantasy leagues, but opens daily doors

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Here are the fantasy implications following the news Toronto Raptors PG Kyle Lowry could miss the remainder of the season due to wrist surgery.

The loss of Lowry is a brutal blow for a Toronto team fresh off acquiring PF Serge Ibaka in the hopes of a deep playoff run. Luckily for the franchise, there may be a chance Lowry returns for the actual NBA playoffs. Unfortunately for fantasy owners, many can now expect to operate sans Lowry for the entirety of their playoff push.

The biggest hurdle in deciding what to do with Lowry will be specific to your league's playoff schedule and Lowry's immediate rehabilitation.

If your league is set to run its playoffs between Weeks 20-23, dropping Lowry now may be your best maneuver. Assuming a minimum of four weeks on the sidelines, Lowry won't be available to return until the start of April, which roughly coincides with Week 24 in fantasy. Week 24 specifically begins on April 3.

If your league goes until the completion of the regular season, moving Lowry to an available IR spot can be considered. Should he return for Toronto's final five games, he will retain value. Keep in mind, however, the Raptors play just once in the NBA's final week of action.

Overall, the unfortunate but sensible choice for the majority of owners is to drop Lowry. Unless you have an IR spot to spare, allowing an injured Lowry to occupy a roster spot during the fantasy playoffs isn't recommended. Moving onto a waiver wire pick up or weekly streaming candidate is best.

In-house impact

The loss of Lowry is going to have a massive impact in Toronto. SG DeMar DeRozan should be the biggest beneficiary, as his usage rate skyrockets to 42.1 percent with Lowry off the court, according to nbawowy.com. DeRozan's season-high in points came just two games ago, as Lowry watched him drop 43 against Boston. DeRozan then followed with an impressive 33-point outing against Portland.

For those lucky enough to own DeRozan, he'll be a major piece in your chase for a fantasy championship.

In order to fill the now-vacant PG spot, Cory Joseph should start Toronto's remaining 13 games. In three starts this year, Joseph has averaged 19.3 points and 5.3 assists. This opportunity immediately makes him an intriguing waiver wire option. Consistent lines of 15 points and five assists should be expected.

A more unknown development will be what happens to the value of Ibaka. Many pegged the defensive-minded forward to lose value by joining Toronto's backcourt-dominated offense. That narrative is now obviously in question.

Through two games with the Raptors, both of which have been without Lowry, Ibaka has totaled 33 points and 15 rebounds. Luckily, his fantasy outlook should be safe without Lowry, as he'll be expected to produce at both ends of the floor on a nightly basis. Hold Ibaka and look for him to maintain his Orlando averages of 16.5 points and 8.5 rebounds with a healthy FG percentage.

Daily fantasy

For those more invested in daily fantasy, the loss of Lowry also has some notable ripple effects.

Joseph obviously becomes an immediate target, as his price won't adequately reflect his usage for at least a handful of games. As a result, Joseph is best utilized immediately in both cash and tournament formats. Once his price readjusts, though, conserve him for cash games as Joseph's offensive profile is limited.

SGs Norman Powell and P.J. Tucker can also expect increases in their respective usage rates and production. Considering they will battle one another for minutes, daily players should remain wary of drafting either until the dust settles. Whether they can turn a jump in usage into real fantasy impact is far from proven.

For those trying to identify real bargain plays, PGs Fred VanVleet and Delon Wright are two names to watch.

After failing to play in Toronto's first 55 games, Wright has averaged 16 minutes through Toronto's past four. He's scored in double-digits in two of those games. He'll be a strict punt play in tournament lineups where you have almost nothing left to spend after bolstering your lineup with proven stars.

Of the two, VanVleet has actually seen more action this season despite picking up DNP-CDs through the Raptors' past seven games. Daily players should monitor Toronto's rotation for the next game or two to ensure VanVleet does indeed re-enter the fold.

Waiver wire targets

SG Terrence Ross, Orlando Magic

If you're unable to replace Lowry with a current Raptor, go with a former Raptor. Ross, now a member of the Magic, has played 68 minutes through his first two games with Orlando, knocking down six 3-pointers on his way to 37 total points. With such a dramatic uptick in workload, Ross is a functional source of points and 3-pointers going forward.

PG Yogi Ferrell, Dallas Mavericks

After bursting on the scene, the buzz around Ferrell has quieted. But with PG Deron Williams out of the mix and J.J. Barea dealing with injury issues, Ferrell should be locked into 30 minutes a night for the remainder of the season. Through his 12 games with Dallas, Ferrell is averaging 12.8 points, 4.8 assists, and two 3-pointers a night.

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)