DaRon Holmes II

Gordon strained his right hamstring during the second quarter of Friday's win over the Bucks. This is the second time he's injured his hamstring this season, so an extended absence may be in play. While DaRon Holmes II may pick up a few more minutes, Zeke Nnaji is the player fantasy managers should consider after he logged 37 productive minutes in Milwaukee.

Valanciunas returned to the lineup on Thursday and posted a 16/9 line across 22 minutes. After multiple weeks on the shelf, it's understandable that he's questionable for the second leg of the Nuggets' back-to-back set. If JV sits this one out, Zeke Nnaji and DaRon Holmes II could handle additional playing time.

On January 1, Valanciunas was given a four-week timeline for re-evaluation, but the questionable tag indicates that he is ahead of schedule in his recovery from a right calf strain. If Valanciunas is cleared to return, he'll likely face a minutes restriction, but DaRon Holmes II and Zeke Nnaji could see their playing times reduced.

Gordon was back in the Nuggets' lineup after sitting out Sunday's loss to the Hornets, pushing DaRon Holmes II (DNP-CD) out of the rotation entirely. While he didn't record any defensive stats, Gordon's points, rebounds, assists and three-pointers were solid. The combination of decreased defensive production and poor foul shooting has negatively affected Gordon's fantasy value recently, pushing him outside the top-100. That said, he'll be worth holding onto as long as the Nuggets are without Nikola Jokic.

The Nuggets won't have Jamal Murray or Spencer Jones for Friday's game, opening two spots in the starting lineup. Pickett and Tyson will fill the voids, with the latter's inclusion an indication that Aaron Gordon remains under a strict minutes restriction. While fantasy managers don't need to consider streaming Tyson, Pickett is worth the risk in deeper formats.