Injuries shape the fantasy basketball landscape more than any other variable, and staying ahead of each team’s rotation changes can be the difference between winning and falling behind. Each week, we will be bringing you an Injury Impact Report, where we break down the most important injuries around the league and highlight the players most likely to benefit. Let’s get started!
NBA Fantasy Basketball Injury Impact Report
- Kelly Oubre Jr. (PHI – Left Elbow Strain): Two Weeks
- Keyonte George (UTA – Hamstring Strain): Two Weeks
- Al Horford (GSW – Right Calf Strain): One Week
Three Key Injuries Across the League:
Kelly Oubre Jr. (Philadelphia 76ers) – Left Elbow Strain – Two Weeks
Oubre suffered the injury early last week, and an MRI on Thursday revealed an LCL strain in his left elbow. He will be re-evaluated in about two weeks and could be out even longer. It is a big blow for the 76ers as Oubre is 3rd in minutes(32.4) and 5th in both usage(18.4%) and scoring(14.7 pts/g) this season.
Who Benefits?
Justin Edwards made his first start since mid-November and looked terrific in place of Oubre. He played just over 29 minutes, tallying 12 points, nine rebounds, five assists, and four steals for a season high 37.8 fantasy points. He is available in about 85% of Fantrax leagues, and if he continues to start, we will see that number rise rapidly. Get on it now!
Trendon Watford also got the start on Thursday, but unfortunately, he was nowhere near as good. He played just 19 minutes, putting up four points, two rebounds, and an assist. There is a lot more risk with Watford, but he is definitely someone to keep an eye on moving forward.
Keyonte George (Utah Jazz) – Hamstring Strain – Two Weeks
George was diagnosed with a Grade 2 Hamstring Strain that he suffered during a game against the Knicks last Wednesday. That is a big blow for Utah as George is 2nd in both minutes(33.1) and usage(28.1) to Lauri Markkanen, who is also battling an injury of his own.
Who Benefits?
The first player that stands out is Brice Sensabaugh, who is on a heater. He has made three straight starts, scored 40+ fantasy points in two straight, and 20+ fantasy points in five straight. The only risk here for fantasy is that he is very scoring dependent, but I completely approve of riding the hot streak right now. Sensabaugh is available in 32% of Fantrax leagues.
For a stronger guard correlation, we need to consider Cody Williams, who jumped into the starting lineup in early March and hasn’t looked back. While he has averaged just 17 fantasy points over his last 30 games since first getting a start, he has been red-hot recently, averaging over 26 per game. It has also been a fairly balanced attack with 12.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game. He is just 35% rostered in Fantrax leagues and is on my radar as a top pickup this week, especially in deeper leagues.
Al Horford (Golden State Warriors) – Right Calf Strain – One Week
Horford suffered the injury early in a game against the Timberwolves on Friday. He will be re-evaluated in a week and will miss the Warriors’ next four to five games.
Who Benefits?
The Warriors have been extremely short-handed lately and have a few players who should be on your radar if looking for help on the waiver wire. First up is Gui Santos, who has been incredible for the Warriors lately. He has started 17 of the team’s last 20 games and during that stretch has averaged 15.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 2.0 steals + blocks. That is a very balanced attack across all categories, which has resulted in an average of 31.5 fantasy points. He’s somehow still available in 36% of leagues, so get shopping!
Quinten Post is more widely available at just 23% rostered right now and is another player who has provided a ton of fantasy value for the Warriors. He has averaged 18.8 fantasy points over 34 starts this season, but has been even better in the short term, scoring 19 or more fantasy points in his last six starts while averaging 23.9 per game.
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