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UPDATE: Aug. 5, 1:01 p.m. — Brandon Clarke will start at PF in place of Jackson for the Grizzlies in their important matchup vs. the Utah Jazz on Wednesday. Clarke has been very efficient when given the minutes this season, so he will almost certainly be a chalky play on DK at $4,600. Also expect Kyle Anderson ($4,300) to get additional minutes in the front court.
The Memphis Grizzlies lost their third straight seeding game and will have to finish the year without one of their most important players. Jaren Jackson Jr. tore his meniscus and is out for the remainder of the season, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Memphis is holding on to the eighth seed in the Western Conference for now, but will have a tough time holding off the approaching Portland Trail Blazers and Phoenix Suns without its starting power forward.
Memphis’ PR department announced Monday that Jackson suffered the injury landing awkwardly after making contact with a Pelicans player while contesting a shot in his last game. A medical evaluation revealed a tear in his left knee. While he won’t play again in 2019-20, he is expected to make a full recover. Jackson’s 17.4 points per game is only second to Ja Morant among Grizzlies players. Now he’ll join Justise Winslow, who saw his season ended prematurely by a hip injury ahead of the NBA’s restart.
Fantasy basketball impact
Memphis will have to adjust its starting lineup moving forward, and no player will benefit more than Brandon Clarke when it comes to DFS. Clarke has been one of the most efficient rookies in the NBA while backing Jackson and should see his value skyrocket.
Clarke is averaging 12.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 24.1 DKFP per game this year. His 62.4 percent shooting percentage ranks fifth in the NBA and his 21.65 PER ranks just outside the top 25. He’s sure to get a lot more exposure than usual for the remaining seeding games and will be a popular DFS pick while his price is relatively low. His price of $4,600 for Wednesday’s classic slate is a steal.