X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

NBA Injuries and Who Can Benefit Instead (Week 8)

The injury bug has been real this season, and it's like a plague that continues to spread across the league. Understanding the injury landscape is key in all forms of fantasy basketball.

Unfortunately, injuries will happen more often than not. It is just the nature of the game. However, in order to stay ahead of your opponents, you need to stay a top of these injury-related news. One significant add to the waiver wire could potentially make or break your season.

Consider this your one-stop overview of fantasy-relevant injuries around the NBA. Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @RotoBaller @RotoBallerNBA and @fungo24!

Upgrade To VIP: Win more with our NBA and DFS Premium Pass, get expert tools and advice from proven winners! Jamie Calandro and Dan Palyo lead the RotoBaller team in 2024-25 with exclusive DFS picks, Prop picks and more. Gain VIP access to our Lineup Optimizer, Research Station, DFS Cheat Sheets and VIP Chat Rooms. Go Premium, Win More!

 

Notable Injury Updates Around The NBA

Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry (ankle) will miss up to two weeks with a bad ankle sprain. The MRI results were negative and came back clean, so that's great news. Patrick McCaw got hit in the nose on Monday against the Pelicans and will enter the NBA concussion protocol. He did not play Wednesday against the Hornets and could be out a couple more games. It's a shame because he was worth a pick-up in most leagues after the Curry news. However, he could still have nice short-term value next week. We'll keep you updated on his status going forward. Guard Quinn Cook made the start Wednesday but isn't worth adding. Forward Draymond Green also missed Wednesday's contest due to shoulder soreness. He is considered day-to-day. Anytime Green misses time, rookie Jordan Bell is a near must-start player due to his upside in blocks and steals. Obviously, Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson will post monster lines with Curry sidelined. Center Zaza Pachulia (shoulder) re aggravated his shoulder and did not return. Bell could continue to start even if Draymond Green is able to play Friday against the Pistons.

New Orleans power forward Anthony Davis (groin) avoided a disaster after Tuesday's MRI results. It came back clean and he is considered day-to-day. He was in a lot of pain and had to be carried off the court, so owners were probably sweating it out. The Pelicans will not rush him back, so DeMarcus Cousins will go off where his usage goes up by nearly four percent without Davis on the floor. Cousins went off for 40 points and pulled down 22 boards in a win over the Nuggets. Guards like Jrue Holiday, E'Twaun Moore, and Rajon Rondo gets a nice bump as well. Forward Dante Cunningham is a decent deep-league add.

Phoenix Suns shooting guard Devin Booker (groin strain) will miss the next 2-3 weeks to recover from his groin injury which he suffered on Tuesday. It's unfortunate for Booker, who was having a great season. The Suns will let his heal 100 percent before they think about bringing him back, as they want more lottery balls anyways. Rookie Josh Jackson will likely be injected into the starting lineup where TJ Warren gets a nice boost as long as Booker is out. Josh Jackson does have some upside, but he could really mess you up with turnovers and awful percentages. Point guard Tyler Ulis can get a chance and run the offense, so owners who need assists can give him a look. I'm not fully sold on anyone other than Warren on the Suns though.  They're a complete mess.

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (ankle) went down last Thursday and is expected to miss a couple more games. He will travel with the Nuggets on their road-trip, so the injury isn't considered serious. Meanwhile, Kenneth Faried has filled in nicely and is worth a standard league add until Jokic is back. Mason Plumlee has started for Jokic but is best suited for deeper leagues.

Orlando Magic forward Evan Fournier (ankle) sprained his ankle late in the game of Wednesday's contest against the Hawks and was limping pretty bad. He was in a lot in a pain and had to be assisted off the court. He looks like he's going to miss some time. It's not clear who will get the bulk of his minutes. X-rays showed no fracture, according to head coach Frank Vogel. It's worth noting Jonathan Isaac (ankle) is close to a return and could be the main beneficiary of this news. D.J. Augustine is also worth a look in deeper leagues as he subbed in for Fournier late to close the game with the starters.

New York Knicks guard Tim Hardaway Jr. (lower leg stress injury) has begun a treatment and rehabilitation plan and he will be re-evaluated in two weeks. The Knicks did receive positive news as Kristaps Porzingis (ankle/illness) was able to come back for Wednesday's contest. Lance Thomas started for Hardaway Jr. on Wednesday against the Grizzlies, but coach Jeff Hornacek said to the media the nightly starter will depend on match-ups with Doug McDermott and Damyean Dotson in consideration. It seems like a timeshare we'd like to avoid, so there are no real standard league adds here.

Charlotte Hornets center Cody Zeller (knee) and Frank Kaminsky (ankle) both left Wedneday's game vs. the Warriors and did not return. Both players were canceling out each other's value and production. With this news, Dwight Howard will play more minutes while Marvin Williams, Jeremy Lamb and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist all get a slight boost.

Sacramento Kings center Willie Cauley-Stein (lower back) tweaked his back last Saturday and did not travel with the team on their two-game road trip, which means he's out at least a couple of games. I'm not sure the Kings know what they're really doing, having sent Skal Labissiere to the G-League following the Cauley-Stein injury. There's no real winners besides perhaps Zach Randolph, who had a great game against Cleveland with 18 points, 10 boards, and six assists to go along with three steals. Jakarr Sampson started and joined the fun with six boards and a team-high 16 rebounds. He can be viewed as a deep league add, but don't expect this type of performance. Cauley-Stein should be considered day-to-day.

Atlanta Hawks center John Collins (shoulder) will miss the next 2-3 weeks following a shoulder injury. The Hawks are desperately thin more now than ever, with Miles Plumlee (disclosed injury) heading into the locker room against the Magic. He did not come out at half time and Tyler Cavanaugh started the 2nd-half for the Hawks on Wednesday. Ersan Ilyasova should be picked up in most leagues due to upside and the minutes he'll be asked to play. Not a great add, but you can certainly do worse.

San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard (quad) is getting close to a return. The Spurs was originally going to play him Monday, but held him out and want to make sure their franchise star is 100 percent before game action. He's been a full participant in practices and we could see him as early as this weekend. Kyle Anderson (MCL sprain) will miss 2-3 weeks and can be dropped in most leagues now that Leonard is close. This is your LAST chance to buy low on Leonard. Don't underestimate "The Claw", he's that good.

Los Angeles Clippers point guard Milos Teodosic (foot) is close to a return. He is projected to be the starting point guard for the Clippers when he comes back, and is worth grabbing in most formats right now. There's a real chance he could average close to 12 points and seven assists per game. He's capable of shooting the 3-pointer as well, as he shot over 38 percent in his career over in Europe.

Chicago Bulls guard Zachary LaVine (knee) continues to progress well and but reports states he will not return January instead of December. There are rumors saying the Bulls will not rush him back and risk winning more games, since they're in full tank mode already. His return will likely send either Justin Holiday or Denzel Valentine to the bench. I suspect the Bulls to roll out a lineup of Robin Lopez, Lauri Markkanen, Justin Holiday , Zach LaVine, and Kris Dunn in 2018. Holiday will not be this good with LaVine back in the lineup. If you want to sell high on Justin Holiday, go for it. Forward Nikola Mirotic should be back sometime this weekend, if not next week for the Bulls. With Markkanen and Portis playing well, it's probably wise to monitor the minutes rotation when he's back before making a move.

Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Isaiah Thomas (hip) has progressed to on court drills, where his next step will be taking contact in practices. He will be brought along slowly to ensure his hip doesn't flare up. However, he seems to be ahead of schedule for a mid-to-late December return and all signs points to him being the player he was. If you are sitting comfortably on top of your standings in your league and have an IR spot, it wouldn't hurt to send an offer out to see if you can get him now.

Brooklyn Nets guard D'Angelo Russell (knee) continues to be sidelined after an arthroscopic surgery last month to remove loose bodies. There is still currently no timetable for his return, but Spencer Dinwiddie continues to fill the void nicely as he's become an early-round player on the year. Guys like Allen Crabbe, Rondae Hollis Jefferson will continue to have increased usage. Trevor Booker deserves a look in most leagues, but I don't fully trust him.

Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside (knee) will miss another week or so for to rest his ailing sore knee. He has said to the media he will not return unless he feels 100 percent right, so he could be held out longer. Goran Dragic will continue to do the heavy lifting on offense. Josh Richardson has picked up his play lately and deserves a look in all leagues if he was dropped. Kelly Olynyk is also a nice short-term standard league add. 

Washington Wizards point guard John Wall (knee) is going to be out for another week or so with knee soreness. He received platelet-rich plasma and viscosupplementation injections to reduce the inflammation in his left knee. Bradley Beal and Otto Porter will eat up most of his usage while Kelly Oubre Jr. will look at more minutes. Tim Frazier has not played well filling in for the injured Wall, as backup point guard Tomas Satoransky has played well and deserves a look in deeper leagues.

 

More Fantasy Basketball Analysis

 

NBA DFS Premium Subscription

Get a free trial of our powerful NBA Premium Tools. Our famous DFS Cheat Sheets, and NBA Lineup Optimizer & Generator with daily matchup projections.

Win more. Try the most advanced lineup optimizer in daily fantasy basketball.

Sign Up Now!




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Yordan Alvarez

Resumes Swinging -- Return Imminent?
Jake Burger

to Miss an Additional 2-3 Weeks
TreVeyon Henderson

Signs Rookie Contract
Christian Watson

Goes on PUP List
Austin Riley

Hopes to be Activated Next Week
Ketel Marte

Lands on Restricted List After Burglary
Ricky Pearsall

Heads to PUP List
Brandon Aiyuk

Placed on PUP List
Luther Burden III

Signs Rookie Deal
Washington Nationals

Eli Willits Expected to Sign Contract on Saturday
Grayson Rodriguez

Being Shut Down Again - Will We See Him Again This Year?
Ezequiel Tovar

Activated and Back in Lineup on Friday
Max Fried

"Hopeful" to Pitch Next Week - Looks Like He'll Avoid IL Stint
Steven Kwan

Receives Injection in Wrist, Considered Day-to-Day
CJ Abrams

Back to Start Second Half
Alec Bohm

Back From Rib Injury on Friday
Trey Hendrickson

Holdout to Spill into Regular Season?
Jalen McMillan

Bucs Offensive Coordinator Not Forgetting About Jalen McMillan
Levi Onwuzurike

to Miss at Least Four Games
Nick Emmanwori

Seahawks, Nick Emmanwori Reach Agreement on Rookie Deal
Max Holloway

Set For Main Event
Brandon Lowe

Back From 10-Day Injured List
Dustin Poirier

Set For His Final UFC Fight
Roman Kopylov

Set For Co-Main Event
Paulo Costa

Returns At UFC 318
Luis L. Ortiz

to Remain on Leave for Another Month - Will he Pitch Again?
Daniel Rodriguez

Looks For Third Win In A Row
Kevin Holland

Set For His Fourth Fight This Year
Dan Ige

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
MMA

Patricio Freire Set For His Second UFC Fight
Daniel Zellhuber

Set To Open Up UFC 318 Main Card
Michael Johnson

Looks For Third Consecutive Win
Elijah Arroyo

Signs Rookie Deal
Jaydon Blue

Described as "Borderline Lazy"
T.J. Sanders

Bills Sign T.J. Sanders to Rookie Deal
Christian Wilkins

Raiders Put Christian Wilkins on PUP List
Jabari Small

Lions Add Jabari Small to Backfield
Quinshon Judkins

Remains Unsigned, Won't Report With Rest of Rookies
Mason Taylor

Agrees to Rookie Contract with Jets
Hendon Hooker

Leading Lions QB2 Battle Entering Training Camp
Ozzy Trapilo

Agrees to Rookie Contract with Bears
Tate Ratledge

Agrees to Rookie Contract with Lions
Jack Bech

Signs Rookie Contract with Raiders
Yegor Chinakhov

Requests Trade
Dakota Joshua

Maple Leafs Acquire Dakota Joshua
Lukas Dostal

Signs Five-Year Extension with Ducks
Shemar Stewart

Not Practicing With College Team
Eugenio Suárez

Eugenio Suarez Expected Back Friday
Damian Lillard

Returning to Portland
Paul Skenes

Pirates Could Preserve Paul Skenes in Second Half
Brooks Barnhizer

Grabs 19 Points, Nine Boards in Summer League Win
Jeremiah Fears

Scores 22 Points in Summer League Loss to Thunder
Isaiah Collier

Collects 17 Points In Summer League Win
Caleb Houstan

Joins Hawks
AJ Johnson

Erupts for 25 Points in Summer League Loss
Washington Wizards

Leaky Black Logs Double-Double in Loss to Jazz
Connor Norby

Undergoes Surgery, Expected to Miss 6-8 Weeks
Trey Alexander

Tallies 25 Points in Losing Effort
Johni Broome

Records Second Consecutive Double-Double
Jahmir Young

Has Historic Summer League Outing
Rob Dillingham

Plays Big Role in Wednesday's Win
Tyrese Proctor

Erupts for 35 Points Against Kings
Cody Williams

Leads Jazz to Victory Against Wizards
LeBron James

Mavs Not Interested in "Gutting its Roster" For LeBron James
Josh Hart

Undergoes a Procedure on Right Finger
Jake Burger

Goes on 10-Day Injured List With Quad Strain
Sal Frelick

Dealing With Grade 1 Hamstring Strain, TBD for Start of Second Half
Chris Sale

Plays Catch
Los Angeles Clippers

Bradley Beal Heading to Los Angeles to Join Clippers After Contract Buyout
Rayan Rupert

Scores 24 Points in Summer League Win
Derik Queen

Collects Third Consecutive Double-Double in Summer League Loss
GG Jackson II

Records 13 Points in Summer League Action on Tuesday
Johni Broome

Logs Double-Double Against Wizards
DaRon Holmes II

Records Double-Double in Summer League Loss to Raptors
Kyle Schwarber

Named All-Star Game MVP
Harris English

Takes Stellar 2025 Performance to The Open Championship
Aldrich Potgieter

Seeks Better Result in Northern Ireland
Cameron Young

Likely to Hang Around at The Open Championship
Cameron Smith

Just Trying to Make the Cut at Royal Portrush
Jordan Spieth

Is Jordan Spieth Still a Natural for Links Style Golf?
Patrick Reed

a Viable Option at The Open Championship
PGA

Sungjae Im Wants to Rebound from Last Experience at Royal Portrush
Xander Schauffele

Looks to Defend His Claret Jug at Royal Portrush
Tony Finau

Trying to Turn Tide at Royal Portrush
Daniel Brown

Seeks a Rebound at The Open Championship
Rory McIlroy

Will be the Most Watched Player This Week at Royal Portrush
Daniel Berger

Trending Poorly as The Open Championship Looms
Clayton Kershaw

Retires Both Batters In ASG Appearance
Robert MacIntyre

Hoping to Bounce Back at Open Championship
Shane Lowry

Hopes to Repeat at Royal Portrush
Brian Harman

Hopes to Rekindle Some Magic at the 153rd Open
UTA

Michael Carcone Returns to Utah on One-Year Contract
Bowen Byram

Signs Two-Year Deal with Sabres
Morgan Barron

Jets Re-Sign Morgan Barron for Two Years
PGA

Chris Gotterup Punches Ticket to Royal Portrush With Win at Scottish Open
Bryson DeChambeau

Hopes to Reverse Links Golf Struggle at the 153rd Open
Keegan Bradley

Needs to Find The Weekend at Royal Portrush for Ryder Cup Hopes
Justin Thomas

Finishes Tied For 22nd at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Genesis Scottish Open
Jon Rahm

Finishes in Second at LIV Andalucia
Tallison Teixeira

Suffers First-Round TKO
Derrick Lewis

Scores First-Round TKO
Stephen Thompson

Loses Controversial Split Decision
Gabriel Bonfim

Wins Controversial Split Decision
Calvin Kattar

Gets Outclassed At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Extends His Win Streak
Nate Landwehr

Gets Knocked Out
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere Scores Third-Round Knockout
Austen Lane

Suffers Submission Loss
Vitor Petrino

Scores First-Round Submission In Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Earns His First UFC Win
Chase Elliott

Charges to A Finish of Third At Sonoma
Chase Briscoe

Finishes Second With his First Career Road-Course Top-Five at Sonoma
Christopher Bell

Rollercoaster Day Ends With Top-5 Finish at Sonoma
William Byron

Maintains the Regular-Season Points Lead
Kyle Busch

Earns A Hard-Fought Top-10 Finish At Sonoma
Alex Ovechkin

Not Thinking About Retirement
PIT

Penguins Acquire Arturs Silovs
NHL

Nikolai Kovalenko Returns to Russia
Tyler Reddick

Evades Near Upset to Remain Alive in In-Season Challenge
Ty Gibbs

One of Three Tylers to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinals
Kyle Larson

Curiously Mediocre at Sonoma Before Late-Race Crash
NASCAR

John H. Nemechek Edges Out Teammate to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Alex Bowman

Ty Dillon Bumps Alex Bowman to Advance to In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Shane Van Gisbergen

Can Anyone Beat Shane van Gisbergen at Sonoma?
Tyler Reddick

Better at Sonoma Than Record Shows
Chase Elliott

a Prime DFS Option at Sonoma
Michael McDowell

Struggling a Bit at Sonoma
NASCAR

Christopher Bell Has Never Finished Better Than Ninth at Sonoma
Ryan Blaney

Has Top-10 Upside at Sonoma
NASCAR

Sunday at Sonoma Will Likely Be a Long Race for Bubba Wallace
Kyle Larson

Is A Likely Top-Five Contender for Sonoma
Ryan Preece

Points Position Could Affect Race at Sonoma
Todd Gilliland

Struggling to Find Speed at Sonoma
Ty Gibbs

May be an Underrated Favorite to Compete for the Win at Sonoma