RotoBaller has assembled NBA injury updates and advice on various injury situations throughout the NBA to help you prepare both your seasonal and daily fantasy league lineups in the NBA season. Understanding the injury landscape, including who's out and who could benefit is a key skill in all forms of fantasy basketball.
Here we will focus on the important questions: Who is injured? When are they coming back? Should you stash an injured player on your roster? Who is getting an opportunity in the mean time? This injury analysis should assist in projecting how to respond to injuries in seasonal leagues. Consider this your one-stop overview of fantasy-relevant injuries in the NBA.
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NBA Injury Roundup for Week One
Playing Through the Pain
Matt Barnes (SG/SF, SAC): Ribs. The injury may cause the Kings to reduce his minutes or workload.
Jahlil Okafor (C, PHI): Knee. Okafor will have a 12-minute cap as the Sixers ease him back into action.
Cody Zeller (C, CHA): Knee. Coach Clifford will play the big man with a minutes cap as he's eased back into action.
Questionable To Play
Gary Harris (SG, DEN): Groin injury. Harris and the Nuggets are playing it safe, so he'll make his return when the pain has subsided, which could be as early as Saturday. Will Barton, Wilson Chandler, and Jamal Murray (in that order) all benefit.
Derrick Favors (PF/C, UTA): Right knee, IT band syndrome. He's been a full participant in practice, but is questionable to play on Friday. Trey Lyles will be the most fantasy relevant player in this situation, but Boris Diaw will get the start.
Out Short Term
Tony Allen (SG/SF, MEM): Right knee injury. Andrew Harrison fills-in as Troy Daniels is out as well.
Darren Collison (PG, SAC): Eight game suspension. Ty Lawson will play full-time minutes.
Marcus Smart (PG, BOS): Ankle sprain. Deep league sleeper Terry Rozier will get backup PG minutes.
Josh Richardson (SG/SF, MIA): Partial right MCL tear. Tyler Johnson, Dion Waiters will share time at SG.
No Timetable to Return
Jrue Holiday (PG, NOP): Personal leave, Tim Frazier will be the full-time starter as Jrue takes care of his family.
Chandler Parsons (SF/PF, MEM): Knee. Parsons is participating in practice and could be nearing a return; nothing concrete just yet. James Ennis will benefit the most.
Out Multiple Weeks
Jerryd Bayless (PG/SG, PHI): Left wrist. Sergio Rodriguez will draw the starts and TJ McConnell will have some deep league value for assists as well.
Gordon Hayward (SG/SF, UTA): Broken finger. The Jazz will lean on Joe Johnson for his offensive output.
Tyreke Evans (PG/SG, NOP): Knee. Solomon Hill will start while Buddy Hield will benefit with the extra run as well.
Nerlens Noel (PF/C, PHI): Left knee surgery. Embiid and Okafor will eat up all the minutes at Center.
Reggie Jackson (PG/SG, DET): Knee tendinitis. Ish Smith gets bumped up to the starting spot and Beno Udrih will back him up.
Danny Green (SG/SF, SAS): Thigh. Kyle Anderson will start, but Jonathan Simmons looks like the biggest beneficiary here.
Patrick Beverley (PG/SG, HOU): Left knee surgery. Eric Gordon will get some extra minutes in the backcourt.
Jared Sullinger (PF/C, PHI): Foot surgery. Pascal Siakam will draw the starts with Patrick Patterson getting most of the minutes.
Kelly Olynyk (C, BOS): Shoulder. Amir Johnson, Tyler Zeller, and Jonas Jerebko will benefit from the congestion relief.
Ben Simmons (SF/PF, PHI): Foot. Saric will start for the next couple of months.
Likely Out for the Season
Khris Middleton (SG/SF, MIL): Torn hamstring. The Bucks push Mirza Teletovic to the starting lineup for his ability to space the floor.
Chris Bosh (PF/C, MIA): Blood clot. Luke Babbitt will get the starts for now, but James Johnson and Willie Reed benefit from the extra frontcourt minutes.