Dallas Mavericks forward P.J. Washington (ankle) will be absent for a third consecutive game on Saturday against the Chicago Bulls. He has landed on the shelf with a right ankle sprain and will get his next opportunity to return on Monday night in a meeting with the Brooklyn Nets. Naji Marshall is likely to keep his starting spot on Saturday and deserves fantasy attention. He is averaging 16.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.1 steals in a starting role this campaign.

Dallas Mavericks point guard Brandon Williams (illness) won't be available on Saturday against the Chicago Bulls. An illness limited Williams to nine minutes on Thursday against the Utah Jazz, and he will now sit out the entire game on Saturday to give his body a chance to recover. With Williams out, Ryan Nembhard and Klay Thompson are likely to be more involved in the rotation on Saturday night. Thompson matched his season high with 23 points on Thursday, entering the weekend with positive momentum.

Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (back) is in danger of missing a second consecutive game, as the team listed him as questionable for Saturday's game against the Miami Heat. Nembhard couldn't play on Thursday versus the Charlotte Hornets due to a sore lower back. Quenton Jackson started in his place, while T.J. McConnell and Ben Sheppard saw more action off the bench. McConnell had by far the best game of the trio, producing 23 points with four rebounds, eight assists, and four steals. If Nembhard remains out on Saturday, McConnell will be an appealing fantasy target in a matchup against a team that gives up the fifth-most fantasy points to point guards.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (foot/sciatica) will play on Friday night against the Milwaukee Bucks. The NBA's all-time leading scorer has received a couple of upgrades throughout the day and has now officially been listed as available for the game. James will return from a one-game absence, and as a result, Jarred Vanderbilt must likely settle for a bench role on Friday night.

Utah Jazz center Jusuf Nurkic (toe) is considered questionable for a meeting with the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday. The Bosnian big man could miss a second consecutive game with a toe injury. Kevin Love, who had 10 points and 10 rebounds in Thursday's win over the Dallas Mavericks, is looking at a second straight start if Nurkic isn't healthy enough to return. Kyle Filipowski would also have a more meaningful role to play, especially with Lauri Markkanen (rest) out of the lineup.

Denver Nuggets guard/forward Bruce Brown (knee) has been upgraded from questionable to available for Friday's encounter with the Atlanta Hawks. The veteran swingman is ready to play despite dealing with inflammation in his right knee. Brown had a busy night as a starter on Monday against the Philadelphia 76ers, but he will come off the bench on Friday night, limiting his fantasy appeal.

Charlotte Hornets center Ryan Kalkbrenner (elbow) is listed as probable for Saturday's contest against the Utah Jazz. This is a sign that the rookie big man is ready to end a 10-game absence. He departed the lineup before the holidays due to a left elbow sprain. Kalkbrenner's return would mark the end of Moussa Diabate's run as a starter. Meanwhile, PJ Hall could fall out of the rotation. Kalkbrenner has chosen a good spot for his return, as Utah has some of the weakest defensive numbers in the league against opposing centers.

Denver Nuggets guard/forward Spencer Jones (ankle, illness) will not play on Friday night against the Atlanta Hawks. He's dealing with inflammation in his right ankle and an illness. Jones has been a regular starter for Denver since late November. The team has several options to replace him in the starting unit, including Aaron Gordon, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Bruce Brown (knee), who has shaken off a questionable tag.

Denver Nuggets guard/forward Christian Braun (ankle) will suit up for Friday's clash against the Atlanta Hawks. The team upgraded Braun's status from probable to available. This will be Braun's third game since his return from an ankle injury. His first couple of efforts since the injury have been underwhelming, as the 24-year-old has averaged 4.0 points and 3.5 rebounds. On Friday, Braun could have a more prominent role on offense, with Jamal Murray (ankle, illness) joining Nikola Jokic (knee) on the shelf.

Denver Nuggets forward/center Aaron Gordon (hamstring) is active against the Atlanta Hawks on Friday. Denver upgraded his status from probable to available ahead of tip-off. Gordon has averaged 16.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in 22.5 minutes since returning from a hamstring injury. He has been used off the bench since his comeback, and Gordon will remain part of the second unit on Friday night.

Denver Nuggets point guard Jamal Murray (ankle, illness) has been ruled out for Friday's matchup against the Atlanta Hawks. The star guard was initially on the injury report as probable with a left ankle injury. However, he was downgraded to questionable earlier in the day due to illness, and the team has now ruled him out. Jalen Pickett recently had a big game against the Philadelphia 76ers as Murray's replacement in the starting unit, and he will likely play a larger role again on Friday night.

Minnesota Timberwolves power forward Julius Randle (thumb) is considered questionable for Saturday's meeting with the Cleveland Cavaliers. The veteran is dealing with a sore thumb on his shooting hand. If he can't shake off the injury, Randle would be out for the first time this campaign. There is also a question mark hanging over Anthony Edwards (foot), so Minnesota's attack could have a completely different look on Saturday. Randle's departure from the lineup would likely mean larger roles for Naz Reid and Jaylen Clark.

Atlanta Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher (knee) won't play on Friday night against the Denver Nuggets. The team downgraded the French youngster from questionable to out, resulting in Risacher's fourth absence of the season. This opens the door for Vit Krejci and Luke Kennard to see increased minutes, with Kennard the more appealing fantasy option given his five-game double-digit scoring run.

Atlanta Hawks forward/center Kristaps Porzingis (Achilles) won't play on Friday night against the Denver Nuggets. The team has ruled him out after Porzingis was a late addition to the injury report due to a sore left Achilles. His exit from the lineup opens up additional minutes for Mouhamed Gueye, who will operate as the backup center behind Onyeka Okongwu. With no Nikola Jokic (knee) for the Nuggets, it could be a field day for Atlanta's centers inside the paint.

Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (rest) won't play on Saturday against the Charlotte Hornets. The former All-Star has logged 40-plus minutes in three of the last four games, and the team has decided to give him some rest on Saturday. Without Markkanen, Kyle Filipowski, Cody Williams, and Taylor Hendricks all have more playing opportunities. Filipowski has the best fantasy upside among them, but his inconsistency is a concern. On Saturday, Filipowski may also benefit from Jusuf Nurkic's (toe) absence, as he is listed as questionable on the injury report.

Detroit Pistons point guard Cade Cunningham (wrist) is questionable for Saturday's matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers. He missed his fourth game of the season on Wednesday night against the Chicago Bulls due to a wrist injury. In Cunningham's absence, Jaden Ivey started the game, while Daniss Jenkins stood out with a career-high 15 assists off the bench. Both guards will have additional fantasy value again on Saturday if Cunningham remains out of the lineup.

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Alex Caruso (back) is available to play Friday night against the Memphis Grizzlies. Caruso has missed the last two games with a back injury but is set to return Friday. The veteran has averaged 6,9 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 18 minutes, all down from his 2024-25 averages. With key starters Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren (shin) ruled out for Friday's contest against the Grizzlies, Caruso may have a larger role despite playing his first game this week. While he could play more minutes than usual, Caruso remains on the low end of fantasy relevance at this point.

Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren (ankle) has been ruled out for Saturday's contest against the Los Angeles Clippers. He continues to nurse a right ankle sprain sustained during New Year's Day's game against the Miami Heat. Isaiah Stewart's workload has significantly increased during Duren's absence. After initially struggling as a starter, Stewart finally came through for fantasy managers on Wednesday against the Chicago Bulls. The 24-year-old scored a career-high 31 points on 14-for-17 shooting. Stewart has a good chance to do more damage on Saturday against one of the league's weakest defensive squads.

Minnesota Timberwolves guard/forward Anthony Edwards (foot) is listed as questionable for Saturday's clash against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Even though he's been listed as questionable for a number of games recently due to a right foot injury, the Timberwolves star has managed to stay in the lineup. He also went head-to-head with the Cavaliers on Thursday, producing 25 points, seven rebounds, nine assists, one steal, and one block. Bones Hyland would probably assume a more prominent role if Edwards takes some time off because of his injury.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Jrue Holiday (calf) will remain on the shelf for Friday's tilt against the Houston Rockets. The team has downgraded Holiday on the injury report from doubtful to out. The veteran guard will miss his 27th straight game due to a right calf strain. Although Holiday will sit out again on Friday, he seems to be moving in the right direction. He was cleared for on-court activities last week and hadn't been listed as doubtful before. With Holiday sidelined, Caleb Love will continue to have additional fantasy value on Friday night. He has notched 15.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game since the turn of the year.