Charlotte Hornets guard Sion James (groin) is probable for Saturday's matchup against the Clippers. He is expected to keep his usual role after playing 23 minutes in Wednesday's loss to Indiana. James scored one point with two rebounds, one assist and one steal in that game, and he is averaging 7.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists on 43.8 percent shooting this season. His usage stays low and his last five games include 0.8 points and 3.2 rebounds in roughly 26 minutes, making him a deep-league option only. His value improves slightly if Tre Mann (ankle), who is questionable, sits. Brandon Miller's return and Collin Sexton's steady workload keeps James capped to a complementary role.

Washington Wizards forward/center Marvin Bagley III (hip) has been ruled out for Friday's game against the Raptors after being downgraded from doubtful, leaving Washington without both of its primary bigs. Bagley started for Alexandre Sarr (toe) on Wednesday and logged 13 points, seven rebounds, and three assists in 30 minutes, and he has averaged 7.6 points and 4.4 rebounds in 15.8 minutes this season. With Bagley and Sarr sidelined, the Wizards are forced into a thin frontcourt rotation featuring Tristan Vukcevic and Anthony Gill, with Vukcevic offering the most short-term appeal for deep formats. Cam Whitmore and Kyshawn George may also see steadier usage as Washington redistributes possessions and rebounding opportunities.

According to Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra, forward Andrew Wiggins (hip) is "day-to-day." The 30-year-old has played well this season, averaging 16.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.1 steals. He also appeared in all 15 games so far this season. While Wiggins will miss his first contest of the 2025 campaign on Friday night when the Heat host the Chicago Bulls, there's a chance he'll be available on Sunday afternoon versus the 76ers. There are several directions Spoelstra can go while Wiggins is sidelined, although all of them should mean more minutes for Simone Fontecchio and Jaime Jaquez Jr., with the latter potentially on track to enter the starting lineup.

Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller (shoulder) is available to make his return to the lineup on Saturday afternoon against the Los Angeles Clippers. The third-year forward injured his shoulder in the second game of the season and has been inactive since. There's no word on any potential minutes restriction for the former second-overall pick. Rookie guard Sion James (groin) has been starting in Miller's place and should move back to the bench in short order. Miller scored 25 points and dished out seven assists in his one full game this season.

New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (ankle) is probable for Saturday's contest against the Orlando Magic. There's little worry here about Brunson sitting this one out. The All-NBA guard returned to action on Wednesday in Dallas after a two-game absence and played 34 minutes, right in line with his season-long average. He scored 28 points against the Mavericks, also in line with his scoring average. The reigning Clutch Player of the Year has seen a slight dip in his shooting percentages, but remains one of the league's best guards.

Utah Jazz forward Kyle Filipowski (wrist) is available to play in Friday night's NBA Cup group play tilt with the Oklahoma City Thunder. The second-year forward missed just one game, on Tuesday night, with a wrist sprain. The former Duke Blue Devil hasn't built on a successful rookie season. He's seen a decrease in minutes, points, rebounds, and shooting percentage in his second year. Filipowski hasn't started a game since the calendar flipped to November and isn't on fantasy basketball radars right now.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe (calf) will be sidelined when his team faces off against the Golden State Warriors in tonight's NBA Cup game. To make matters worse for Portland, Sharpe's starting backcourt mate, Jrue Holiday (calf), is also out. This will be the second straight game Sharpe has been sidelined. Sidy Cissoko started in Sharpe's absence in Wednesday's loss to the Chicago Bulls. Sharpe had picked up some of the scoring and ball-handling slack with Holiday out of the lineup. Forwards Deni Avdija and Jerami Grant will handle those responsibilities against Golden State. The 22-year-old is averaging a career-best 22.6 points and 1.4 steals per game.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Jrue Holiday (calf) won't suit up for tonight's NBA Cup game against the Golden State Warriors, despite the questionable tag. This will be the fourth consecutive game that Holiday has been sidelined, with the Trail Blazers losing all three of the previous contests. His fellow backcourt member, Shadeon Sharpe (calf), is also out. Jerami Grant has replaced Holiday in the starting lineup, with Deni Avdija playing the "point guard" role. The 35-year-old has enjoyed a statistical resurgence in his first season in Portland, averaging 16.7 points, 8.3 assists, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game.

Phoenix Suns guard Grayson Allen (quad) will officially miss a third consecutive game with a right quad contusion. The team ruled him out ahead of time on Friday, so they'll take on the Minnesota Timberwolves in their NBA Cup game without Allen's 18.5 points per game. Ryan Dunn and Collin Gillespie should both continue to see added opportunities in Allen's absence. Dunn has averaged 10.5 points, 4.0 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.5 steals per contest in his two starts since Allen was hurt. Gillespie is still coming off the bench, but has averaged 17.0 points, 6.5 assists, 5.5 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 2.5 threes, and 2.5 turnovers per game in the same span. That means both can serve as quality streaming options in category leagues. Dunn gives a bit more value in the stocks department.

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels (wrist) may only need to miss one game after picking up a questionable tag for Friday's game against the Phoenix Suns. He's dealing with a sprained wrist that he suffered on Monday in their win over the Dallas Mavericks. The 25-year-old doesn't miss games very often, so he has a real chance to return. If he is forced to miss one more game, however, Mike Conley would likely remain in the starting five. In their last game against the Washington Wizards, Conley registered 10 points, six assists, one rebound, and one steal across 27 minutes. He'd be the best streaming option, especially for guard stats in category leagues.

Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (thumb) will play with a splint on his right thumb and has been listed as available for the team's NBA Cup matchup with the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday. He was forced to miss one game on Wednesday, but luckily, he is already set to return. It remains to be seen if the splint affects his game. Through 15 games of his rookie season, Flagg is averaging 15.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.3 steals, 2.2 turnovers, and 1.1 threes per contest with shooting splits of .455/.293/.783. With his return, Klay Thompson will likely be the one that returns to the bench.

Dallas Mavericks guard D'Angelo Russell (illness) appeared on the injury report ahead of Friday's NBA Cup game because he's dealing with some sort of illness. He's currently tagged as questionable, and the assumption is that the team will monitor him until warmups. Over the last few games, Russell has averaged 23.0 minutes per contest while coming off the bench. If he's unable to suit up, Jaden Hardy would be the next one from the bench to receive some minutes, while Brandon Williams probably sees more minutes in the starting five. Williams would be the best streaming option, if available, with averages of 13.7 points, 4.8 assists, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game across the last six games (all starts).

Toronto Raptors forward Collin Murray-Boyles (knee) is still dealing with an MCL sprain in his right knee and has been ruled out for Friday's NBA Cup matchup with the Washington Wizards. This will be the second consecutive absence for the rookie. The ninth-overall pick has been a solid rotational power forward so far for the Raptors, but has been a bit inconsistent for standard-sized fantasy leagues. While he's out, the starting five will likely get some more run while Gradey Dick sees some added minutes off the bench. He's only more of a streaming option in deeper leagues, however, after posting four points, one rebound, two steals, and one block in their last game.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Sam Merrill (hand) will miss a second consecutive game with a right hand sprain. The 29-year-old drew four starts right before getting hurt and was a solid supporting piece to the team's offense. He's been viable in category leagues as well for fantasy managers that need threes with an average of 3.0 made per game over his last four games. While he's sidelined, there would be some extra minutes for Darius Garland (toe) and Jaylon Tyson (concussion) if they were to be upgraded from questionable. Otherwise, Nae'Qwan Tomlin might be a sneaky play in DFS or deeper leagues. He registered 10 points and two rebounds in 19 minutes in their last game. If De'Andre Hunter is available, though, he'd be the more consistent streaming option.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Jaylon Tyson (concussion) drew a questionable status heading into Friday's NBA Cup game against the Indiana Pacers. The second-year guard has seen a sizeable jump in all of his stats across the board, and has seen a big increase in playing time. He's missed the last five games due to a concussion, but has a chance to return to the court now. If he's able to suit up, there could be plenty of minutes available with Darius Garland (toe) also questionable and Sam Merrill (hand) ruled out. On the other hand, De'Andre Hunter and Nae'Qwan Tomlin will see more minutes in the starting five if Tyson is downgraded. Hunter would be the more consistent streaming option after registering 25 points, four rebounds, two assists, and five threes in his last game.

Chicago Bulls guard Tre Jones (ankle) is questionable for Friday's matchup with the Miami Heat after missing three straight games. Jones averaged 13.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 2.1 steals before the injury and had been holding a steady role while Coby White (calf) was out. White has since returned for two of the past three games and produced well, but he is also questionable. If both guards sit, Ayo Dosunmu and Kevin Huerter stand to gain the most, with Dosunmu likely picking up extra ball-handling duties and Huerter sliding into a larger scoring role. Jones remains a reasonable hold in most formats, though his workload may fluctuate depending on White's availability.

Chicago Bulls guard Coby White (calf) is questionable for Friday's meeting with the Miami Heat after appearing in two of the last three games. White has been sharp since returning. He is averaging 26.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 7.5 assists while shooting 45.2 percent from the field and 47.1 percent from three. Meanwhile, Tre Jones (ankle) is also questionable. That puts Chicago's backcourt in a tight spot on the second leg of a back-to-back. If both guards sit, Ayo Dosunmu and Kevin Huerter are in line for usage bumps and extra touches. Josh Giddey would also take on more on-ball work. White remains a hold given his recent production and efficiency.

Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon (hamstring) is probable for Friday's matchup with the Houston Rockets after missing the previous game. Whenever Gordon is available, he delivers steady counting stats. He's averaging 20.3 points and 6.3 rebounds while shooting 53.6 percent overall and 45.2 percent from long range. His return should stabilize Denver's forward rotation and push Peyton Watson back into a secondary role after Watson delivered 32 points and 12 rebounds on Wednesday. Gordon remains a locked-in starter with steady efficiency, but Christian Braun's (ankle) multiweek absence keeps minutes available on the perimeter. Gordon's return limits the ceiling for the bench group, yet Watson should continue to see enough run to stay on the radar in deeper leagues.

Golden State Warriors guard/forward Jimmy Butler III (back) is probable for Friday's matchup with the Portland Trail Blazers after missing Wednesday's loss to Miami. Butler has been steady all season, averaging 20.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.7 assists on 53.5 percent shooting with efficient work from three. His return should bring structure back to Golden State's rotation. When Butler sits, Moses Moody, Brandin Podziemski and Buddy Hield take on larger roles, and all three saw extra shot volume in his absence. Managers in deeper formats should expect those usage bumps to fade if Butler is active. He remains a strong all-category starter, especially with his recent stretch that includes scoring lines of 33 and 28 points in two of his last five appearances.

Golden State Warriors forward/center Draymond Green (illness) is probable for Friday's matchup with the Portland Trail Blazers after missing Wednesday's loss to Miami. Green has appeared in 15 games and continues to offer balanced production with 7.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 5.7 assists while shooting 39.1 percent from the field and 35.9 percent from three. His likely return brings stability back to Golden State's frontcourt. When Green sits, the Warriors lean on Quinten Post, Trayce Jackson-Davis, and Al Horford for frontcourt minutes. Those bumps disappear once Green is active, leaving all three as short-term deep-league plays. Green remains a low-scoring but useful facilitator in most formats.