With the calendar flipping to March on Sunday, it’s crunch time in fantasy basketball. While most leagues will have a few more weeks before the playoffs, others have already begun their postseason. And since teams have a better idea of where they stand in terms of the NBA Playoffs or the draft lottery, we’re seeing more players ruled out for the rest of the season. That makes the task of finding value on the waiver wire that much more difficult. Let’s look at some of the key injuries affecting fantasy basketball in Week 18, starting with the Hawks losing their All-Star forward during Tuesday’s win over the Wizards.
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F Jalen Johnson, Atlanta Hawks
Johnson has been one of the best players in fantasy basketball this season, so a potential extended absence at this point in the season would have a significant impact. The Hawks forward injured his left hip flexor during Tuesday’s win over the Wizards, exiting during the first half. Johnson’s early departure coincided with Jonathan Kuminga (28 percent rostered, Yahoo!) making his Hawks’ debut, and the former Warrior did not disappoint.
In 24 minutes off the bench, Kuminga shot 9-of-12 from the field and 6-of-7 from the foul line, finishing with 27 points, seven rebounds, four assists, two steals and three three-pointers. While the opposition wasn’t the best, there’s no denying how good Kuminga looked in his first game action in a month. While the performance alone was good enough to boost his rostership, Kuminga stands to be an even more popular add in the aftermath of Johnson’s injury, especially if the All-Star has to miss multiple games.
G Anfernee Simons, G Jaden Ivey, F/C Jalen Smith and F/C Zach Collins, Chicago Bulls
This past week was a rough one for the Bulls in terms of injuries. The news that Collins will undergo season-ending toe surgery was made official, and with Smith suffering a strained right calf during Sunday’s loss to the Knicks, Chicago will be extremely shorthanded in the frontcourt. While his production has tailed off since his stellar Bulls debut, Guerschon Yabusele (10 percent) becomes a player worth picking up. Fantasy managers should also keep an eye on Nick Richards (three percent), and while Patrick Williams (one percent) should play plenty, he’s done little to gain any semblance of trust in fantasy basketball.
On the perimeter, Simons was diagnosed with a small fracture of his left wrist, with Bulls head coach Billy Donovan noting that the guard aggravated an injury initially suffered early in the season while with the Celtics. The team has not provided a timeline, but it would make no sense for them to rush Simons back onto the court. Also sidelined is Ivey, who will have his left knee re-evaluated in two weeks. Regarding Ivey, hopefully, he can get back to a point where he’s playing consistently, even though the guard said last week he doesn’t believe he’ll be the player he was before fracturing his fibula last January.
In theory, those injuries should create more opportunities for Rob Dillingham (one percent), as there is far less known about his ability to fit into an NBA roster than for established vets Josh Giddey, Tre Jones (15 percent) and Collin Sexton (16 percent). In seven appearances for the Bulls, Dillingham has averaged 7.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.3 steals in 20 minutes, shooting 39.2 percent from the field. He hasn’t done enough to merit being added in redraft leagues, especially with Giddey, Jones and Sexton in the rotation. Still, Dillingham is someone whose opportunities should increase as the Bulls, losers of ten straight, drift further out of the play-in tournament picture.
F/C Kristaps Porziņǵis, Golden State Warriors
Porziņǵis made his Warriors debut immediately after the All-Star break, playing 17 minutes in a loss to the Celtics. Unfortunately, the 7-foot-2 forward/center has not played since due to an illness. Tuesday’s loss to the Pelicans was the first of two games he has been ruled out for, as POTS continues to be an issue. With Al Horford (six percent) also out due to a toe injury, Quinten Post (one percent) was inserted back into the rotation in New Orleans. He played 23 minutes, finishing with six points, nine rebounds, one assist and one blocked shot. There isn’t much to gain from streaming Post, especially if Horford is made available for Wednesday’s game against the Grizzlies.
G/F Aaron Nesmith, Indiana Pacers
Nesmith suffered a sprained right ankle during Indiana’s February 19 loss to the Wizards, with head coach Rick Carlisle saying on Sunday that the wing would be out for at least one week. Rookie Kam Jones (less than one percent) has moved into the starting lineup, averaging 9.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.7 three-pointers in 33 minutes per game. While this production isn’t enough to make Jones a viable option in redraft leagues, he is a player worth watching for those competing in dynasty formats. Of course, the Pacers’ rotation won’t have as much room next season with Tyrese Haliburton back on the floor, so Jones’ role for the rest of this season won’t align with what’s to come in 2026-27.
G/F Cedric Coward, Memphis Grizzlies
It’s unknown when Santi Aldama (37 percent) will play again this season, and Coward has missed four straight and five of Memphis’ last six games with a posterior capsule sprain in his right knee. Given where the Grizzlies are in the standings, fantasy managers would be wise to seek alternatives rather than wait this out. Jaylen Wells (21 percent) has been a top-100 player since the trade deadline, while Ty Jerome (34 percent) has hovered around the top-50 according to Basketball Monster.
For managers seeking players with forward eligibility, GG Jackson (31 percent) is another solid option despite coming off the bench. Olivier-Maxence Prosper (12 percent) has also been productive recently, and he now has center eligibility in Yahoo! leagues. Memphis may be 11th in the Western Conference standings, but they trail the Clippers by five games in the loss column for the final play-in spot. Given the injuries, a rally isn’t happening.
G Dejounte Murray and F Trey Murphy, New Orleans Pelicans
After suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon last January, Murray made his season debut in Tuesday’s win over the Warriors. And he did so as a starter, finishing with 13 points, two rebounds, three assists, one steal and one three-pointer in 25 minutes. While Murray did commit five turnovers, some of that can be attributed to rust. What was interesting about the lineup was that interim head coach James Borrego started DeAndre Jordan (one percent), with Derik Queen (51 percent) moved to the bench.
Jordan played 22 minutes while Queen logged 18 on Tuesday, and that’s something to watch, more from the angle of what it means for the latter’s rest-of-season value than deciding whether or not to pick up the former. Fantasy managers can, and should, leave Jordan on the waiver wire.
As for Murphy, Tuesday’s game was the third that he’s missed since suffering a right shoulder contusion during the Pelicans’ February 11 loss to the Heat. He’s been day-to-day since, with Bryce McGowens (less than one percent) starting New Orleans’ February 20 loss to the Bucks and then Jordan starting the next two. Would Murphy’s return bump Jordan to the bench, or would Saddiq Bey (43 percent) be the odd man out? Of the two, Bey is more capable of providing reliable fantasy value in a reserve role.
G Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, G Ajay Mitchell and F Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City Thunder
Gilgeous-Alexander (abdominal strain) and Mitchell (abdominal strain and right ankle sprain) are due to be re-evaluated later this week, so more clarity should be gained on their respective statuses. As for J-Dub, he’ll be re-evaluated at some point next week as he continues to recover from a strained right hamstring.
Cason Wallace (30 percent) has been part of the Thunder starting lineup since the beginning of February and has offered third-round per-game value, according to Basketball Monster. He should be a more popular option within 12-team leagues while fantasy managers await SGA’s return. Isaiah Joe (21 percent) has averaged nearly four three-pointers per game since February 1, and his overall fantasy value has skyrocketed. Joe has started Oklahoma City’s last two games, and he’s another player who should be a bit more popular due to the current injury situation.
G Jalen Suggs, Orlando Magic
Already without Franz Wagner, the Magic played their last three games without Suggs, who has been sidelined by a strained back. With Anthony Black (56 percent) already in the starting lineup, Tristan da Silva (two percent) has filled the void left by Suggs. Da Silva played 32 minutes in Tuesday’s win over the Lakers, finishing with 13 points, six rebounds, three assists, two steals and three three-pointers, shooting 5-of-9 from the field. While he isn’t a must-stream player, da Silva would be worth a look for Thursday’s game against the Rockets if Suggs remains out.
G Devin Booker, F Dillon Brooks and G Jordan Goodwin, Phoenix Suns
The Suns are another team that’s had terrible injury luck recently. Already without Booker due to a strained right hip (he should be re-evaluated toward the end of this week), the Suns lost Brooks to a fractured right hand and Goodwin to a strained left calf during their February 21 double-overtime win over the Magic. Brooks will be re-evaluated in four to six weeks, while Goodwin will be re-evaluated in one to two weeks.
Ryan Dunn (one percent) has moved into the starting lineup, totaling 12 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, one steal and two three-pointers in losses to the Trail Blazers and Celtics. While he did shoot the ball better in Tuesday’s loss to the Celtics, that production isn’t enough to move the needle in fantasy basketball. The injuries have also led to rotation minutes for Amir Coffey (less than one percent), Jamaree Bouyea (less than one percent) and Rasheer Fleming (less than one percent), with none doing enough to merit streaming. Fleming is the most intriguing of the three, and that’s solely for dynasty league purposes.
G/F Deni Avdija and G Shaedon Sharpe, Portland Trail Blazers
Avdija’s lower back has remained an issue for the All-Star wing, as he left Sunday’s win over the Suns after playing one minute due to it flaring up. He sat out Tuesday’s loss to the Timberwolves, resulting in a spot start for Kris Murray (less than one percent). In 29 minutes, Murray accounted for 16 points, five rebounds, one assist, two blocks and two three-pointers, shooting 7-of-10 from the field.
Redraft league managers will want to see more from Murray before committing to him, and that’s understandable. Despite coming off the bench, Scoot Henderson (17 percent) also receives a boost if Avdija misses time, and he finished Tuesday’s defeat with 19 points, six rebounds, five assists and one three-pointer. While he shot 7-of-18 from the field, Scoot committed just two turnovers.
As for Sharpe, further examination of his strained left calf revealed a stress reaction in his left tibia, and he was given a re-evaluation timeline of four to six weeks. Still rostered in 86 percent of Yahoo! leagues, he’s unlikely to be a factor in most fantasy leagues once he’s cleared to return. Rebounding woes aside, Jerami Grant (36 percent) will be worth a look for Sharpe managers looking for more scoring, while Tourmani Camara (42 percent) can provide a little more value to category-league managers.
F De’Andre Hunter, Sacramento Kings
Unfortunately for Hunter and the Kings, he made just two appearances for the team before suffering a season-ending left eye injury. Initially diagnosed with left eye iritis after being inadvertently poked in the eye during a February 6 loss to the Clippers, Hunter was found to have suffered a detached retina, which required surgery to address.
Keegan Murray (43 percent) has returned to the starting lineup after missing time with a sprained ankle, and he’s playing starters’ minutes. However, for those looking to the fantasy playoff weeks, Nique Clifford (13 percent) may be a more intriguing prospect, especially for those who are operating under the assumption that the Kings will play Russell Westbrook (60 percent) and DeMar DeRozan (96 percent) less as the franchise focuses on the future.
C Jusuf Nurkić and G Vince Williams Jr., Utah Jazz
While it was a bit perplexing to see Nurkić’s name on the Jazz injury reports due to nose injury management, the 7-footer has undergone season-ending surgery to address the issue. With Jaren Jackson Jr. already out for the rest of the season, this frees up more opportunities for Kyle Filipowski (37 percent). However, while he has started Utah’s last three games, the second-year forward/center did not exceed 30 minutes in any of them. In those starts, Filipowski averaged 16.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 4.3 steals, 1.0 blocks and 1.0 three-pointers in 27.3 minutes, so the value is certainly there. We aren’t going to expect Filipowski to sustain the steals production for the rest of the season, but it is a nice bonus.
And Nurkić wasn’t the only Jazz player ruled out for the rest of the season, as Williams suffered a torn left ACL during Monday’s loss to the Rockets. While his injury won’t have a significant impact on the Jazz rotation, there is now even more playing time available for Brice Sensabaugh (15 percent), who has the potential to be a silly season standout despite coming off the bench.
G Trae Young and F/C Anthony Davis, Washington Wizards
Young, who is still recovering from knee and quad injuries suffered while with the Hawks, is due to be re-evaluated in one week, while Davis will have his left hand re-evaluated in two weeks. In the latter’s case, he still has not been cleared to resume basketball activities. Bub Carrington (nine percent) and Tristan Vukčević (nine percent) are the players who will be impacted the most by the availability of Young and Davis. Still, it’s very difficult to envision a scenario in which those established stars are asked to play anywhere near starters’ minutes. Washington is also awaiting Alex Sarr‘s return from a strained right hamstring, and he should also be re-evaluated toward the end of this week.
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