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
Three Key Injuries Across the League:
- Steph Curry (GSW – Quad Contusion): Day to Day
- Domantas Sabonis (SAC – Partially Torn Meniscus): Week to Week
- R.J. Barrett (TOR – Right Knee Sprain): Day to Day
Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors) – Quad contusion – Day to Day
The Warriors’ injury woes continued this past Wednesday as Curry went down with a quad injury towards the end of a home loss against the Rockets. The good news is that the injury isn’t considered long-term, and Curry will be re-evaluated this week.
Who Benefits?
The Warriors have four games this week, which opens up some fantasy value in the lineup, and it starts with Brandin Podziemski. Primarily a bench player, Podziemski has started at point guard in each of the five games Curry has missed this season. In those games, he has seen an increase in usage with double-digit shot attempts in each, including 32 over the last two starts. During those five starts with Curry’s absence, Podziemski has shot just 37% from the field. The good news is that it is 7% lower than his season average, leading me to believe we haven’t seen his best yet. He is likely to continue starting and should be rostered in all formats.
If you missed the train on Podziemski, who is now over 90% rostered on FanTrax, there is another option. Moses Moody is only about 50% owned in FanTrax leagues and has seen a small increase in usage(19.9% to 21.2%) with Curry out. Moody has also tallied 20+ fantasy points in four of the five games Curry has missed this season.
Domantas Sabonis (Sacramento Kings) – Partially Torn Meniscus – Week to Week
Sabonis is now two weeks into his originally projected three to four week timeline after suffering a partially torn meniscus in his left knee back in mid-November. With no real updates since the injury, we are probably looking at a mid to late December return for Sabonis at the earliest.
Who Benefits?
Sabonis has missed six straight games, which has given us some solid data to help us move forward with the Kings for fantasy purposes. Keegan Murray made his season debut on November 20, shortly after Sabonis went down, and has been averaging nearly 38 minutes a game and leading the team with 15.3 field goal attempts per game. No one player has seen a big boost as the minute distribution has been spread evenly across the other four starters in Murray, DeRozan, LaVine, and Westbrook.
At center, Drew Eubanks has been getting the starts but has only topped 25 minutes once in those six games and hasn’t topped 15 minutes in three straight. Instead, it has been Maxime Raynaud and Precious Achiuwa splitting most of the work at the position. If you are in a pinch and need a center in your lineup, Achiuwa would be my choice. Over the last six games without Sabonis, Achiuwa has seen an increase in minutes(4.8), field goal attempts(1.4), points(1.5), and rebounds(1.2) per game while also averaging 20 fantasy points per game during that time. He is only 17% rostered in FanTrax leagues.
R.J. Barrett (Toronto Raptors) – Sprained Right Knee – Day to Day
Barrett was diagnosed with a right knee sprain during a game against the Nets last Sunday. He has now missed four straight games for the Raptors and will be re-evaluated later this week.
Who Benefits?
Before the injury, Barrett was third on the team in both minutes per game(30.9) and usage rate(24%), so his absence opens up some value for the rest of the lineup. No one has taken on more than Brandon Ingram, who has seen his usage rate jump nearly 10% over the last four games while tallying 35+ minutes in each.
While Ingram is already likely a staple in your lineup and not available on waivers, let’s have a look at some potential value. Ja’Kobe Walter is only about 20% rostered in FanTrax leagues and is very intriguing as he has taken on a larger role, starting three of the four games with Barrett out of the lineup. That has resulted in a huge increase in minutes(+14.4), field goal attempts(+3.5), points(+3.2), and rebounds(+3.2). If you are in need of some guard help, Walter is a viable addition while Barrett is out, and the Raptors also play four games this week.
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