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.

Washington Wizards forward/center Marvin Bagley III (hip) is doubtful for Friday's matchup with the Toronto Raptors after starting in place of Alexandre Sarr (toe) on Wednesday. Bagley played 30 minutes in that game and produced 13 points, seven rebounds, three assists, three steals, and one block, but his right hip contusion now puts Washington's frontcourt back in flux. If he sits, Tristan Vukcevic and Cam Whitmore become deeper-league options for rebounds and low-end scoring, while Sarr would return to a heavier role if cleared. Bagley's recent minutes spike appears temporary, and his value depends entirely on Sarr's status. Managers in standard formats can leave him on the wire unless the injury report breaks in his favor.

76ers' G Tyrese Maxey scored 54 points on 18-of-30 shooting in a 123-114 win over Milwaukee on Thursday, Nov. 20.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (toe) is questionable for Friday's meeting with the Pacers. The left Great Toe injury has been an issue all season, limiting him to only three appearances. Garland has also struggled from a production standpoint, averaging 13.0 points, 5.0 assists, and 1.0 steals. If the 24-year-old is able to suit up, he may see fewer minutes than the 33.2 he's averaged per game throughout his career. Still, Garland remains a viable fantasy option in any format based on his upside alone. If he suffers a setback and doesn't play, Nae'Qwan Tomlin, who had 10 points and two rebounds in Wednesday's loss to Houston, may be in line for another start, giving him streaming appeal for deeper fantasy setups.

Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. (ankle) won't play on Thursday versus Sacramento. He tweaked his ankle during the recent loss to the San Antonio Spurs, resulting in his first absence of the 2025 campaign. Fantasy managers are certainly hoping he'll be back on the floor for Saturday's game in Dallas. However, as far as Thursday's contest is concerned, Santi Aldama will make his first start of the year. Aldama is averaging 12.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.1 steals this season, although he should be more productive as a member of the starting lineup, especially with Ja Morant (calf) sidelined.

Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (quadriceps) will play on Thursday against Milwaukee. He appeared on the injury report because of a right quad contusion, although it isn't severe enough to force him to miss his first game of the 2025 campaign. The 25-year-old has had an MVP-caliber season, averaging a career-high 31.9 points and 7.8 assists. Of course, he's a must-start in any fantasy format, and he should remain nearly as productive moving ahead, at least while Joel Embiid (knee) is off the floor and Paul George is still working his way back to a full workload.

Atlanta Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher (hip) is available for Thursday's contest versus the Spurs after missing one game because of a right hip contusion. The 2024 No. 1 overall pick has been decent throughout his sophomore campaign, averaging 12.9 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.2 steals. However, it's safe to say fantasy managers are hoping for more, especially with extra scoring chances up for grabs due to the absence of Trae Young (knee). Until Risacher starts showing signs of consistent production, he's not the safest fantasy option, although the upside is always there for those willing to take a chance. With Risacher on the floor, Vit Krejci, who had nine points in the Hawks' recent loss to the Pistons, will head back to the bench, significantly lowering his fantasy ceiling.

Atlanta Hawks center Kristaps Porzingis (knee) will play on Thursday versus San Antonio after missing the last three contests because of right knee soreness. The 30-year-old has had a down season, averaging 17.3 points, his fewest since his rookie campaign, while logging a career-low 5.7 rebounds and 31.1% shooting from behind the arc. However, that type of production is still good enough to keep him starting in most fantasy formats. He'll have a favorable chance to get something going for managers against a Spurs team that won't have Victor Wembanyama (calf). With Porzingis back in the equation, Onyeka Okongwu will presumably head back to the bench, although he remains a double-double threat even with a reduced role.

Cleveland Cavaliers centerJarrett Allen(finger) is listed as questionable for Friday's contest against the Indiana Pacers. Allen is dealing with a strained finger injury. The 27-year-old's status will likely be a game-time decision. If Allen is unable to suit up, Evan Mobley could see extra scoring opportunities. Dean Wade could be slotted at center as well. However, he doesn't produce much offensively to be on fantasy managers' radar for Friday evening's tilt.