Fantasy Basketball Injury Updates for Week 3 - CJ McCollum, Jamal Murray, Devin Vassell

November 7, 2023

Max Kulish's NBA injuries report for fantasy basketball in Week 3. He recommends NBA injury replacements to set optimal lineups for seasonal and DFS formats.

Welcome back to another season, RotoBallers! It might be early days, but there are still impactful injuries all across the fantasy basketball landscape. I'm here to help you stay up to date on injury news, and how it impacts your teams.

I'm writing this on Monday for release Tuesday morning, so any news that drops late Monday night won't be covered. I'll just cover what has changed since last week.

Drop me a follow on Twitter (@Maxadelphia) for all things fantasy basketball and nightly NBA plays.

Short-Term Injuries for Fantasy Basketball

Jamal Murray, PG/SG, Denver Nuggets - Hamstring

Murray left Saturday's game against the Bulls after only 10 minutes with a hamstring issue. There's a belief Murray could miss extended time (per Altitude Sports), but for now, coach Michael Malone said he's out for at least one week. Reggie Jackson figures to start at PG for the reigning champs for now.

Devin Booker, PG/SG, Phoenix Suns - Calf

Booker returned from his knee injury for one game last Thursday against the Spurs, and it appears he aggravated his calf this time out. He's been ruled out for Wednesday's game against the Bulls already, but there is optimism he'll be able to return on Friday. We've seen the Suns be cautious when it comes to their Big Three, so I have a feeling he'll return at the same time as:

Bradley Beal, PG/SG, Phoenix Suns - Concussion

Still yet to make his Suns debut, Beal's tenure in Phoenix is off to a less-than-ideal start. However, Beal underwent a pregame workout before Sunday's game in Philly, so there's an expectation he'll return at some point this week. If Jordan Goodwin is still available in your league, he's an A+ streaming option while Beal and Booker remain out, and will still hold a little value after they both return.

Devin Vassell, SG, San Antonio Spurs - Groin

Vassell's injury was initially thought to be pretty serious, but thankfully the next day the Spurs announced it was not as bad as initially thought and have officially ruled him day-to-day. So far, it seems like Cedi Osman is seeing the most increased opportunity in Vassell's absences.

De'Aaron Fox, PG, Sacramento Kings - Ankle

Fox suffered a "moderate" ankle sprain during the Kings' OT victory against the Lakers on Sunday. There's been no official timeline announced by the team, but I'm hoping that no news is good news. Be warned though, ankle sprains are tricky to get a firm timeline on, and I wouldn't be surprised if this turns into a multi-week absence.

Week 2: Fox has missed every game since injuring his ankle, but the reports out of SacTown suggest he'll return by the start of next week.

Scoot Henderson, PG, Portland Trailblazers - Ankle

Henderson got injured last Wednesday against the Pistons. The Blazers haven't provided any further updates yet, but there doesn't seem to be a major concern coming from the team or media. The Blazers are currently very thin at guard and could be a prime spot to keep an eye on to see who emerges as a rotational piece with all the injuries.

Jarred Vanderbilt, SF/PF, Los Angeles Lakers - Ankle

Vanderbilt has been sidelined to start the year, and the Lakers announced his next medical update won't come for two more weeks. I'd lean towards him returning at that point, but until then, Taurean Prince has started every game for the Lakers so far.

Long-Term Injuries for Fantasy Basketball

CJ McCollum, PG/SG, New Orleans Pelicans - Lung

The Pelicans announced on November 5 that McCollum suffered a "small collapse" in his right lung. It was also announced he'd be re-evaluated on Tuesday and further updates would be provided. It's possible that he doesn't miss much time, but it's worth noting he suffered a collapsed lung in the 2021-22 season and missed six weeks. If I were a McCollum owner in fantasy I would prepare for the worst just in case. If you're looking to stay in-team to replace McCollum, Dyson Daniels seems to be the most likely candidate.

Nic Claxton, C, Brooklyn Nets - Ankle

If you guessed that Claxton would be the first player moved from the short-term to the long-term section this year, cash that ticket! Claxton sprained his ankle on October 25 in the Nets' season opener and has been sidelined since. It was officially diagnosed as a "high ankle sprain", with an estimated six-to-eight-week recovery period, which would slate him to return in mid-late December.

Robert Williams III, C, Portland Trailblazers - Knee

Williams has a history of knee problems, and the latest report is that he "needs surgery to repair bone and ligament damage in his right kneecap". Williams is facing either a two-t0-three-month recovery or missing the rest of the year, depending on which recovery path he wants to follow.

Amen Thompson, PG, Houston Rockets - Ankle

This year's fourth overall pick is scheduled to miss two to four weeks thanks to a Grade 2 ankle sprain he picked up on November 1 against the Hornets. This is a tough break for the rookie who already finds himself in a crowded backcourt.

Anfernee Simons, PG/SG, Portland Trailblazers - Knee

Simons tore his right UCL ligament only 27 minutes into the season. His diagnosis is a four-to-six-week recovery period, which means the Blazers' young backcourt will only get younger.

Steven Adams, C, Memphis Grizzlies - Knee

One of the league's best rebounders, and best personalities, Adams and the Grizzlies announced on October 22 that his knee injury from last season never properly healed on its own, and he'd be missing the season to get surgery and recover. This news came on the same day the team announced Brandon Clarke was still without a timetable for his return as well. The Grizzlies are getting thin fast in the frontcourt. This is a situation to monitor with no other proven bigs besides Jaren Jackson.

The Tank Corner 

Closed until later in the season, we'll get here when teams start trotting out G-Leaguers none of us have ever heard of.

More Fantasy Basketball Analysis