Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner (knee) won't play against the Pacers on Friday. Orlando is already locked into the Play-In tournament. As such, Paolo Banchero (ankle), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (knee), and Wendell Carter Jr. (hip) will join Wagner on the shelf. With that in mind, Cole Anthony is still available, so it's logical to assume he could be the most productive on the offensive end. However, guys like Caleb Houstan, Anthony Black, and Goga Bitadze could easily surpass the 5x value mark for DFS participants.
Franz Wagner Will Start And Be Limited To 24 Minutes
Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner (oblique) is available to return on Thursday when his Magic host the Trail Blazers. He'll be limited to 24 minutes in his return, according to coach Jamahl Mosley. He will start alongside Paolo Banchero for the first time since October 30, but both will continue to play limited minutes while they work their way back to full strength. Before missing the last 20 games for the Magic, Wagner averaged 24.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 2.0 three-pointers, and 1.7 steals in 33.2 minutes per game. His return will be a huge boost for the Magic, as they start to get back to full strength.
Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner (oblique) has been upgraded to questionable ahead of Thursday's matchup against Portland. This indicates that Wagner is getting close to returning to action. He has been out since Dec. 6 with a right oblique tear. Before suffering the injury, Wagner was on fire at the start of the year. He has averaged 24.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 5.7 assists for the campaign. Fantasy managers likely won't get the same production out of Wagner in his first games back, but it shouldn't take him long to shake off any rust. Wagner's return is bad news for Tristan Da Silva, who will be bumped to the bench.
Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner (oblique) is not ready to return just yet as he's listed as out while he continues to ramp up his conditioning. While he's sidelined against the Boston Celtics on Friday, Tristan Da Silva will likely remain in the starting five. Anthony Black, however, has been the better streaming option as he posted 10 points, four assists, and two steals in their last game while clocking 30 minutes off of the bench. Over the last three games, he's averaged 14.0 points, 4.0 assists, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game.
Franz Wagner Ruled Out Indefinitely With Torn Oblique
Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner (oblique) has been ruled out indefinitely. He suffered a torn right oblique in Friday's 102-94 loss to Philadelphia. Wagner recorded his third consecutive 30-point outing on Friday and has carried the Magic offense during Paolo Banchero's (oblique) absence. Orlando also lost Banchero to a torn oblique at the end of October. The team plans to re-evaluate Wagner in four weeks. With the Magic's two best scorers now out of the lineup, the rest of the group will have to step it up big time. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Tristan Da Silva have had limited offensive roles so far but may be asked to contribute more going forward.
Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner (illness) will play on Friday versus the undefeated Cavaliers. The 23-year-old has been under the weather, forcing his premature exit in the Magic's previous two contests. Hopefully, he'll see his usual workload against Cleveland. If that's the case, Wagner could finish the game as Orlando's highest scorer, considering Paolo Banchero (oblique) is on the shelf.
Franz Wagner Questionable, Expected To Play Friday
Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner (illness) is officially listed as questionable heading into their Friday night matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The good news is that head coach Jamahl Mosley expects Wagner to play and said that he's "feeling better." The 23-year-old has been dealing with the illness all week and has been able to suit up but his performances have suffered. The Magic will need him more than ever with Paolo Banchero (oblique) out indefinitely.
Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner left a second consecutive game early due to an illness on Wednesday. He logged 23 minutes in a 102-99 loss to Chicago, scoring seven points while registering three rebounds, four assists, one steal, and one block. The German star was limited to 11 minutes on Monday versus Indiana. Fantasy managers are currently in a tough spot regarding Wagner, but hopefully, he can fully shake off the illness before the next game. Orlando returns to the court on Friday against Cleveland.
Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner (illness) won't return to Monday's game against Indiana. He is under the weather, resulting in a questionable tag early on Monday. While the 23-year-old was active to begin the contest, he'll finish this one with seven points and a steal in 11 minutes of work. For now, fantasy managers should consider Wagner as questionable for Wednesday's matchup with the Chicago Bulls. If he can't get on the floor for that one, Gary Harris would presumably take his spot in the rotation. There would also be room for Moritz Wagner to receive more minutes.
Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner (illness) will play on Monday against the Pacers. He wasn't feeling well, resulting in a questionable tag earlier on Monday. However, it won't be enough to keep the 25-year-old off the floor. Wagner has played extremely well so far this season, averaging 25.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 45.5% shooting from deep. Fantasy managers must keep him in the starting lineup, even if there is a chance he sees fewer minutes due to his illness.