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.
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards led his team with 24 points in Wednesday's blowout loss against Milwaukee, shooting 8-for-21 from the field and 3-for-5 at the foul line. The top pick of last year's draft had a very inefficient performance from the field, but he actually shot a nice 5-for-11 from downtown. Edwards added three assists and three steals to his line with two turnovers in 31 minutes. The 19-year-old is having a prolific month, failing to reach the 20-point mark just twice in eight games. Next up, he will try to impress against Jimmy Butler and the Heat on Friday.
Milwaukee Bucks forward/center Bobby Portis had another start on Wednesday with Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee) still out, and he provided a good fantasy line in a 130-105 win over Minnesota with 13 points, seven rebounds, five assists and two steals, shooting 6-for-13 from the field and 1-for-2 from outside. The game sadly marked the end of Portis' four-game double-double streak, but the assists and steals were nice to see. The 26-year-old could be in for a huge game on Thursday if the Bucks also decide to rest Khris Middleton. Giannis has been back at practice, but it's still uncertain when he'll return.
Milwaukee Bucks small forward Khris Middleton needed only 25 minutes of action to rack up 27 points in Wednesday's blowout win over Minnesota, finishing with 9-for-15 shooting from the field and with a 6-for-6 record at the foul line. He also found time to pick up eight rebounds, seven assists and one steal, while shooting 3-for-7 from downtown. The Bucks had another game without Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee) here and the stage is always nicely set for Middleton if the Greek Freak is out. He might end up missing some action as well now with Milwaukee back in action on Thursday against Atlanta.
Toronto Raptors guard Fred VanVleet (suspension) could make his return to the court on Friday. VanVleet is serving his one-game suspension, which indicates that he is past his hip injury. In a confusing turn of events, head coach Nick Nurse initially said that the update on VanVleet's injury was not good on Tuesday night, though he said that "he would assume" that the guard would be available for Friday's contest when asked. This is definitely a situation to monitor closely if you have VanVleet rostered, as it sounds like he'll play, though there's always the threat of a potential late scratch from the lineup.
New York Knicks center Nerlens Noel (ankle) was scratched from Wednesday's game against the Pelicans. Noel was initially listed as a starter though he was ruled out late with a sore ankle. Backup big man Taj Gibson drew the start in his absence. It doesn't sound like something that will keep Noel, who is averaging 3.9 combined steals and blocks per game this month, out for long.
Sacramento Kings center Richaun Holmes (hamstring) will miss the team's next three contests as he deals with a hamstring injury. Holmes had to leave Monday's game early due to a sore right hamstring- and an MRI confirmed a strain to the muscle, meaning the 27-year-old big man will miss Wednesday's contest and won't travel with the team on their upcoming road trip. Holmes' absence should open the door for Hassan Whiteside, who is averaging 19.7 points, 14.4 rebounds, and 3.3 blocks per 36 minutes this season. Damian Jones could also see added minutes in the frontcourt.
Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (ankle) is available for Wednesday's game against the Denver Nuggets. Butler was listed as questionable after spraining his right ankle during Tuesday's game, though he'll be out there for the contest against Denver. The veteran forward struggled against Phoenix his last time out but had scored 20-plus points on 50 percent shooting or better with at least two steals in each of his three previous games. Denver has allowed the fifth-most FanDuel points to small forwards, so Butler should be well-positioned for a great night, provided his ankle cooperates.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk will enter the starting five with Luguentz Dort (shoulder) sidelined Wednesday. Mykhailiuk should be headed for 25-plus minutes against the Warriors, a workload that has yielded double-figure scoring efforts from the 23-year-old each time this season. Golden State allows the 13th-most points per game to shooting guards, so Mykhailiuk makes for an interesting DFS play on Wednesday night, given his three-and-D ability.
Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner (ankle) and forward Doug McDermott (ankle) have been ruled out for Wednesday's matchup with Houston. Both were listed as questionable, with Turner missing his fifth consecutive contest and McDermott his first, as the latter recently tweaked his ankle during Tuesday's game. Turner's continued absence will mean more defensive opportunities for Goga Bitadze, who has averaged 2.4 blocks per game in the past five contests. Justin Holiday should be in position for more scoring chances with McDermott sidelined.
Orlando Magic guard Gary Harris (rest) and Chuma Okeke (hip) are suiting up for Wednesday's contest against the Bulls. Harris returns after a one-game absence due to rest, meaning Dwayne Bacon will go back to a bench role. Okeke is dealing with a hip ailment and will be on a minutes' restriction once again- knocking some shine off of his potential DFS value.
