Fantasy Basketball Week 3 Major Injuries

Week 3 of the 2024-2025 season includes the first day off for the entire league, as no one will be playing on Election Day (Tuesday). All 30 teams will be in action Monday, with games starting every 15 minutes beginning at 7:00 PM Eastern. Like every week, fantasy managers will have to deal with some significant injuries when building their rosters, especially in leagues where the lineups for the week are set on Monday nights. Here are some of the most impactful injuries in fantasy basketball heading into Week 3.

Paul George and Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers

Well, this weekend brought some clarity on the status of George (knee) and Embiid (knee). Both have participated in 5-on-5 scrimmages with their teammates, with the former reportedly closer to a return. George is officially questionable for Monday’s game in Phoenix, while Embiid remains sidelined. Philadelphia will play four games without a back-to-back in Week 3, but it may be unrealistic to expect George to appear in all four games given the missed time.

As for Embiid, will he play in any of Philadelphia’s games in Los Angeles (Wednesday vs. LAC, Friday vs. LAL)? Or will the return wait until the 76ers’ home game against Charlotte on Sunday? Andre Drummond (Embiid), Kelly Oubre Jr. and Caleb Martin (George) are three players directly affected by George and Embiid’s status. Tyrese Maxey’s efficiency could improve once these two are allowed to play.

Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors

Curry has missed the Warriors’ last three games due to a left peroneal nerve injury, but a return appears to be on the horizon. He went through his entire pregame routine ahead of Saturday’s win at Houston and is listed as questionable for Monday’s game against the Wizards. Saturday’s starting backcourt consisted of Brandin Podziemski and Moses Moody, while Buddy Hield remained in a reserve role.

Who of Podziemski or Moody will go to the bench once Curry returns? Or could it be both? One change made following Curry’s injury was moving Jonathan Kuminga to the bench, with Steve Kerr citing the team’s attacking lineup as the reason. Kuminga has played well this past week, but will Curry’s return put him back in the starting lineup? That’s something else to consider as the Warriors play four games in Week 3 with no back-to-backs.

Lauri Markkanen and Jordan Clarkson, Utah Jazz

Utah’s season has gotten off to a miserable start, with Will Hardy’s squad the only winless team in the NBA (0-6). And then there are the injuries. Taylor Hendricks (leg/ankle) is done for the season, while Lauri Markkanen (back) missed two games last week and Jordan Clarkson (foot) missed one. Markkanen’s absence led to rookie Kyle Filipowski moving into the starting lineup, while previously benched Collin Sexton came in for the injured Clarkson. Where can fantasy managers find reliable value in this roster if Markkanen is unavailable? Walker Kessler is currently talking about it.

Keyonte George has played a lot, but his inefficiency makes him difficult to rely on, especially in shallow leagues. John Collins was a top 100 player, but the minutes (22.3 per game) limited his lead as he rarely played alongside Kessler. Neither Filipowski nor Cody Williams, who filled in for Hendricks, have logged starting minutes since entering the starting lineup. If anything, these weeks of watching the Jazz are about determining who can add fantasy value once the “silly season” starts in earnest.

Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics

After playing in Friday’s win over the Hornets, Brown missed the second game of that back-to-back with a strained hip flexor. He has also been ruled out for Monday’s game against the Hawks, the first of four games the reigning champions will play in Week 3. The Celtics went out big on Saturday, starting Luke Kornet next to Al Horford instead of Sam Hauser. Hauser’s recent struggles limit his streaming value, as he played 20 minutes off the bench on Saturday. The Celtics player whose value could increase the most with Brown sidelined is Payton Pritchard, who has been a top-50 player thus far. He’s still included in just 38% of Yahoo leagues, and that number should increase before Week 3 begins.

Paolo Banchero and Wendell Carter Jr., Orlando Magic

After starting Week 2 with 50- and 31-point performances against the Pacers and Bulls, Paolo Banchero was sidelined with a torn oblique muscle. He is expected to miss at least four to six weeks, leaving a huge hole in the Magic lineup. And that’s not the only injury the team is dealing with, as knee and foot injuries have affected starting player Wendell Carter Jr. limited to nine minutes (all in Sunday’s loss to Dallas) in Orlando’s last two games.

The one potential streamer we should focus on, especially before Monday’s game in Oklahoma City, is Moritz Wagner, even though he ranks outside the top 200 in per-game value. The injuries to Banchero and Carter will require him to play more minutes , while younger talents Anthony Black and Tristan da Silva have also seen their playing time increase. Da Silva made his first NBA start on Sunday and struggled in a loss to the Mavericks. He and Black are worth following, but it is not easy to fully trust as a streamer.

Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets

Murray was injured during the third quarter of Friday’s loss to Minnesota when he collided with Julius Randle. The Nuggets point guard has entered the league’s concussion protocol and is expected to miss five to seven days. Russell Westbrook started Saturday’s win over Utah and efficiency was a serious issue. Is he a valuable pickup at this stage of his career? Probably not, even with the possibility of starting with Murray sidelined. Fantasy managers would be better served targeting Julian Strawther at this spot because of his ability to shoot to the perimeter. Also, starter Christian Braun is included in 41% of Yahoo leagues, which is a bit low with Murray unavailable.

Bradley Beal, Phoenix Suns

Beal dealt with a sore right elbow for most of Week 2 and missed Thursday’s win over the Clippers before playing 34 minutes in Saturday’s win over Portland. He is back on the injury report ahead of Monday’s game against Philadelphia, but the injury listed is a sprained elbow instead of the initial pain description. That’s a concern, especially since the Suns played four games in Week 3. Rookie Ryan Dunn played well as Beal’s replacement in the starting lineup, but Royce O’Neale offered more fantasy value despite coming off the bench, and he’s a top 75 player for the season so far.

Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans

Not according to the Pelicans’ initial injury report ahead of Sunday’s game against the Hawks, Williamson was ruled out due to tightness in his right hamstring. Considering the lower body injuries he has dealt with during his NBA career, Zion being late isn’t a good thing. Javonte Green replaced him in the starting lineup for Sunday’s loss but offered little production, with Jamal Cain and Brandon Boston Jr. had solid nights behind the bench. The potential streamers don’t change much, even with Zion sidelined. Jose Alvarado and Jordan Hawkins are the ones to target given their status as starters (Dejounte Murray, CJ McCollum, Herb Jones and Trey Murphy are also out), and Yves Missi is included in 17% of Yahoo leagues, replacing Daniel Theis in the starting lineup prior to the Pelicans’ win over Indiana.

Kyle Kuzma, Washington Wizards

Kuzma has missed Washington’s last two games, and Monday’s game against the Warriors will be three. As a result, the Wizards started three rookies, with Kyshawn George joining Alex Sarr and Bub Carrington. Sarr, who is a top 50 player despite shooting 37.5% from the field, is still in just 36% of Yahoo leagues. Understandably, Carrington (11%) and George (1%) have low roster percentages, but this could be the time for more managers to roll the dice on Sarr. Another Wizard worth targeting with Kuzma is Bilal Coulibaly (47%), who he believes has provided fourth-round value on a game-by-play basis. Basketball monster.

Nick Richards, Charlotte Hornets

The Hornets were already playing without Mark Williams (foot) and lost Richards to a shoulder injury in Friday’s loss to the Celtics. He sat out Saturday’s rematch and has been ruled out for Monday’s game against the Timberwolves. Grant Williams started in place of Richards and should retain that role for the foreseeable future due to Charlotte’s lack of options. Moussa Diabate has entered the rotation as Williams’ backup, but there is even less streaming value to be had there. Charlotte’s four-game Week 3 schedule features no back-to-backs, which is good news for a team lacking interior depth.

Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith and Isaiah Jackson, Indiana Pacers

Even with their win over the Celtics, Week 2 was tough for the Pacers, especially on the injury front. Myles Turner (ankle) missed a game but has since returned, while Nembhard (knee), Nesmith (ankle) and Jackson (Achilles) were all injured. In Jackson’s case, he is the second major Pacer to suffer an Achilles tendon injury during the season, with James Wiseman injuring his on opening night. The Jackson injury makes it more likely that Obi Toppin will spend some time at center, while the injuries to Nembhard and Nesmith have had the biggest impact on Bennedict Mathurin and Jarace Walker, respectively. Indiana will play four games in Week 3 without a back-to-back, starting with the Mavericks on Monday.