Fantasy Basketball Injury Updates for Week 16

Each week of the NBA season unfortunately brings injuries to key players across the league. The goal of this column is to break down those injuries and understand which players could benefit in fantasy from an injury to a teammate.

As a reminder, COVID-19 related absences from players will now be included in this column.

There are quite a few injuries to cover this week for fantasy-relevant players, so let’s get to it.

Short-Term Injuries

John Wall, PG, Houston Rockets- knee

A knee injury sidelined Wall for the fourth-straight game on Monday. In the three games he last played, Wall scored 14 or fewer points, so he hasn’t been a potent fantasy option lately. D.J. Augustin will likely see more playing time for the time being, but’s he not fantasy-relevant at this point.

Domantas Sabonis, PF, Indiana Pacers- ankle

An ankle injury held Sabonis out of Saturday’s game and there’s no clear timetable on his return. It’s worth noting the forward didn’t practice on Monday. If Sabonis can’t go on Tuesday, Doug McDermott would see more playing time, but he’s not worth picking up in fantasy.

Malcolm Brogdon, PG, Indiana Pacers- hip

A hip injury has held Brogdon out of the past two games, but he did practice on Monday, meaning there is a chance the guard could return to action on Tuesday. He is averaging a stellar 21.2 points per game this season. If Brogdon can’t play on Tuesday, T.J. McConnell would be a solid streaming option, he’s posted 12 and 18 points in the two games Brogdon was absent.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, PF, Milwaukee Bucks- knee

Giannis is considered questionable for Tuesday’s game due to a knee injury after missing out on Saturday’s game. What’s encouraging is the forward was at practice on Monday, which is a hopeful sign he will be able to take the court. If Giannis ultimately can’t go, Bobby Portis would be a great streaming option. He did post 18 points and six boards on Saturday.

Zion Williamson, PF, New Orleans Pelicans- thumb

Williamson is questionable to play on Tuesday due to a thumb injury that’s sidelined him for the past three games. James Johnson would see more playing time if Zion can’t play in any more games. Johnson is actually an intriguing streamer as the 34-year-old has posted at least 16 points in the three games Zion has missed.

Brandon Ingram, SF, New Orleans Pelicans- toe

Ingram is questionable for Tuesday’s contest because of a toe injury that has caused him to miss the past three games. Again, James Johnson would be an intriguing streaming option considering his great output in the three games Ingram and Zion Williamson have missed.

Kyle Lowry, PG, Toronto Raptors- foot

A foot infection will likely hold Lowry out for at least the rest of this week. With the Raptors dealing with other injuries at the guard position, Malachi Flynn is an intriguing streaming candidate right now. He posted 16 points, five rebounds, and five assists on Friday.

Rui Hachimura, PF, Washington Wizards- shoulder

Hachimura missed his second consecutive game on Monday because of a shoulder injury. The forward had been on a roll, posting at least 21 points in three of the past five games he played. Davis Bertans could see more playing time for now and he’s worth keeping an eye on.

John Collins, PF, Atlanta Hawks- ankle

Collins is dealing with an ankle sprain and will be out for at least a week. He’s missed three games already but was having a fantastic campaign, averaging 18.2 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. Danilo Gallinari is a solid add right now as he posted 16 points and 12 rebounds on Thursday and 25 points and 10 boards on Saturday.

Long-Term Injuries

Gordon Hayward, SF, Charlotte Hornets- foot

A foot injury will cause Hayward to miss close to a month at the minimum. The veteran had been averaging a stellar 19.6 points per game this season. With the Hornets down LaMelo Ball already, adding Hayward to the injury list weakens the team by a lot. Nevertheless, Miles Bridges should see more playing time now. He is a great addition in fantasy as he has posted at least 10 rebounds and five assists in the last three games.

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