Portland Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic (leg) was expected to make his season debut against the Houston Rockets on March 15. However, the NBA has currently suspended play which means Nurkic will have to wait to take the court. The Blazers were expected to ease him back into action giving him around 15 minutes of play during his first game back. Nurkic will get more time to prepare himself now, so it wouldn't be surprising to see him getting more than 15 minutes when the NBA returns. Hassan Whiteside has been fantastic this season, so it's unlikely that Nurkic takes away many minutes from him. Nurkic could find himself having some fantasy value, but fantasy owners will have to wait and see.
Denver Nuggets point guard Jamal Murray (shoulder) has been given the green light to suit up for Saturday's contest versus the Suns despite receiving a questionable tag earlier in the day with a sprained left shoulder. Murray logged 40 minutes in Friday's overtime win against Phoenix and showed no worse for wear, but the combination of injury and back-to-back could still funnel a handful of additional minutes in the direction of Monte Morris on Saturday. Both of Murray's outings when facing the Suns this year have resulted in strong production, raising his fantasy floor despite the ailment concerns.
Boston Celtics small/power forward Jayson Tatum will continue his absence under the league's health and safety protocols for Sunday's contest against the Cavaliers. Tatum will be unavailable for the fifth straight contest, paving the way for Jaylen Brown to remain the focal point of the offense and a borderline elite fantasy candidate. Grant Williams has entered the starting five in place of Tatum, but he has combined for 12 points in those four contests and has not proven to be a reliable fantasy asset. Tatum had been practicing with the team earlier in the week, but until fantasy managers get a better read of the situation, they can assume that he'll remain unavailable.
Boston Celtics point guard Payton Pritchard (knee) has been diagnosed with a sprained MCL, which is expected to keep him sidelined for at least two weeks. Pritchard's minutes figured to be on the downswing upon the return of Kemba Walker, but the injury is a tough blow for the rookie, who showcased DFS upside potential earlier in the year when Boston's backcourt was short-handed. Jeff Teague will likely see a slight increase in minutes backing up Walker, while Marcus Smart can pitch in to cover for Pritchard as well. The injury forces the rookie to the waiver wire in nearly all season-long formats for the time being.
The Washington Wizards are set to get back into action for the first time in 13 days Sunday when they face the Spurs, but they won't have their full allotment of players just yet. Forwards Rui Hachimura and Davis Bertans headline a group that includes Deni Avdija, Ish Smith, Moritz Wagner, and Troy Brown Jr. that will remain sidelined under the league's health and safety protocols. Assuming that Washington gets to the requisite numbers of active players, Bradley Beal figures to see considerable DFS upside. There has been little by way of information as to when any of the affected Wizards players could return, so fantasy managers can look elsewhere until an update is provided.
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (back), point guard Ben Simmons, and small/power forward Tobias Harris have all been given the green light to take the floor for Saturday's game versus the Pistons. Embiid spent the past two games demolishing Boston's interior defense to the tune of 42 and 38 points, respectively. He's once again in a prime spot to feast against a Detroit squad that has had extreme difficulty in slowing opposing centers this year. Prior to tip-off, head coach Doc Rivers expressed doubt that Simmons and Harris would play, but the trio has all been announced as a part of the starting five. They carry some DFS risk due to their banged up nature, but with a premium matchup against Detroit's defense, Embiid in particular carries slate-breaking potential.
San Antonio Spurs point/shooting guard Dejounte Murray (ankle) has been listed as questionable for Sunday's game versus Washington after he departed Friday's contest early with a sprained left ankle. Murray's absence funneled considerable minutes toward Patty Mills, which would figure to be the case again Sunday should Murray be unavailable. Check back to get the final word on his status before the game, but if Murray does get the thumbs up, he'll have considerable DFS appeal based on his matchup with a Wizards defense that has allowed a league-worst 121.3 PPG this year.
Toronto Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry (foot) has been bumped up to questionable to participate in Sunday's contest versus the Pacers after missing Friday's outing. Norman Powell drew the start in place of Lowry, and would figure to do so again if the veteran was unavailable. Fred Vanvleet also saw an increase in role without Lowry in the mix, although he remains a sound season-long and DFS option even with his backcourt mate active. Battling a sore right foot, Lowry's most recent outing saw him score in single digits for the first time this season, even as he continues to pack the stat sheet with contributions on the glass and as a passer. Toronto is set for an early tip-off Sunday, so fantasy managers will want to check back early to get the final word on Lowry's status.
Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young (back) and small/power forward De'Andre Hunter (knee) have both been listed as questionable to suit up for Sunday's game versus Milwaukee. Young is coming off back-to-back masterful offensive efforts of 38 and 43 points scored, respectively, while Hunter returned to the mix Friday with a minutes cap. Should Young be unavailable, Rajon Rondo would presumably enter the starting five, but Kevin Huerter would likely see the most significant increased DFS appeal. An absence or further limited minutes from Hunter would allow Danilo Gallinari and Cam Reddish to see larger roles. Check back prior to tip-off to get final word on both of Atlanta's key pieces during what should be a fast-paced outing.
Washington Wizards point guards Russell Westbrook (quad) and Raul Neto (groin) have both been tagged as questionable to suit up for the team's return to action Sunday versus the Spurs. While the Wizards haven't played since Jan. 11, Westbrook has been out since Jan. 8 as he battles a quad injury. Should both men be ruled out, Bradley Beal would likely handle the vast majority of ball-handling duties if the team has enough healthy players to take the floor. Conversely, an absence from Westbrook, but a return from Neto would garner him significant DFS appeal. Check back prior to tip-off to see not only who is available for D.C., but whether they'll take the floor at all.
Chicago Bulls center Wendell Carter Jr. (quad) will miss his second straight game Saturday versus the Lakers, paving the way for Daniel Gafford to remain among the starting five. Carter has scored in double figures in each of his last seven contests, two of which have been double-doubles. Despite averaging just 26.9 minutes on a nightly basis, Carter has garnered season-long appeal in mid-to-deep season-long formats when healthy. His absence allows Gafford to remain a chalk DFS option due to his bargain of a price tag. The next chance that Carter has to return to action comes Monday against Boston.
