NBA Injury Report & Waiver Wire Ahead of Week 2 Games: Joel Embiid, Dyson Daniels
Week 1 of the NBA season is in the books but it wasn't without it's injury casualties and surprise performances that will have fantasy basketball managers scrambling to improve their rosters from the waiver wire ahead of Week 2 of the NBA season.
The season began with shocking news that Joel Embiid would not be ready to start the year. This has led to a league investigation regarding the injury, reporting and subsequent resting of Embiid by the 76ers to begin this season.
Embiid wasn't the only injury the 76ers are dealing with however as Paul George has also yet to play after suffering a knee injury during the preseason.
With Embiid and George out, we see Andre Drummond headlining the waiver wire pickups this week.
Who else are we looking for on the fantasy basketball waiver wire and what other injury updates do we have ahead of Week 2?
Check all the info and recommendations below!
Fantasy Basketball Week 2 Injury Report
Joel Embiid Injury Update - Knee
We saw Joel Embiid travel with the 76ers to Toronto and he was seen going through a pregame workout before the game. He’s ramping up to return to the floor and there is hope within the 76ers building that he’ll be able to return at some point this upcoming week. Philadelphia has just two games this week with their first game not coming until Wednesday. We could see Embiid back later in the week, but proceed with caution.
Paul George Injury Update - Knee
It looks as if Paul George will make his season debut at some point this week and possibly during their first game of the week on Wednesday. George’s absence has been missed as the 76ers have started 0-2 on the year. I believe George’s minutes won’t reach full capacity until the end of Week 2, possibly into Week 3.
Bradley Beal Injury Update - Elbow
On the second leg of a back-to-back for the Suns, Bradley Beal sat out with an elbow injury. There’s been nothing suggesting any sort of extended absence for Beal. The Suns have a three-game week starting on Monday.
Brandon Miller Injury Update - Hip
Charlotte has a three-game week and Brandon Miller is poised to miss at least two of them, possibly three depending on how their evaluation of him goes later in the week. Pass on using him in weekly roster locks.
Dejounte Murray Injury Update - Hand
After fracturing his hand, Dejounte Murray has undergone surgery and will miss four-to-six weeks according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Expect Jordan Hawkins to continue to fill in as a big member of the Pelicans bench.
RJ Barrett Injury Update - Shoulder
Despite missing a third consecutive game to start the year, RJ Barrett is expected to return sooner rather than later from a shoulder injury he suffered during the preseason. Barrett was seen going through a workout before their matchup with the 76ers and in that game, he was upgraded to questionable. It’s only a matter of time before he’s back.
Immanuel Quickley Injury Update - Pelvis
It seems likely that we’re going to see the return of Immanuel Quickley this week and that’s great news for his fantasy owners. He’s poised to have a big role once he’s back.
Fantasy Basketball Week 2 Waiver Wire
Dyson Daniels, Atlanta Hawks - 59% on Yahoo!
My top waiver wire add this week is Dyson Daniels. His role has expanded more than anyone could have imagined when he was traded to Atlanta. Daniels, an already elite stocks (steals & blocks) guy has seen a massive uptick in his offensive game scoring 15 and a career-high 18 points in his first two outings. He’s very good peripherally and if the scoring can stick, he’s going to be a fantasy darling this year.
Andre Drummond, Philadelphia 76ers - 46% on Yahoo!
OK, so, what you have to understand with Andre Drummond is that he’s not going to start EVERY game, but in every back-to-back, he’ll start at least one game and he’s still going to play a prominent role behind Joel Embiid when Embiid does suit up. He’s an elite fantasy player when he’s extended and is a walking double-double any time he sees 20-plus minutes.
Dennis Schroder, Brooklyn Nets - 39% on Yahoo!
New head coach Jordi Fernandez has full confidence in Dennis Schroder from what it seems as he’s deployed him in full in each of the first two games of the year. He’s started, played at least 32 minutes, and has been a stat-sheet stuffer. He figures to have a slightly less ball-handling role if and when Ben Simmons’ minutes limit is lifted, but is that EVER a guarantee? We’re always one game away from the next Simmons injury. You don’t find many combo guards available in over 60% of fantasy leagues.
De’Andre Hunter, Atlanta Hawks - 34% on Yahoo!
With Bogdan Bogdanovic out for an extended period, Hunter figures to be one of the primary beneficiaries. He played big minutes (33) in the first game without Bogdanovic and the Hawks are going to need his scoring with Dejounte Murray in New Orleans. He’s a solid secondary rebounder as well coming up with six or more in each of the first two games of the year.
Jeremy Sochan, San Antonio Spurs - 34% on Yahoo!
We saw it in the preseason and it’s carried over into the regular season. The Spurs are going to lean on Jeremy Sochan a LOT more, despite all the hype surrounding Victor Wembanyama. The hype behind Wemby is real, but Sochan is a former lottery pick himself. He’s a VERY good rebounder, played point-guard for a long stretch last year so he can handle the ball, and has poured in 17-plus points in each game he’s played in. The 37 minutes in the second game solidified for me his role moving forward.
Player News
Max Strus shot 0-of-9 from the field in Tuesday’s Game 5 loss to the Pacers, going scoreless with seven rebounds and two assists in 26 minutes.
Game 5 was brutal for Strus, who missed all six of his three-point attempts and could not make a shot from the field overall. While he did grab seven rebounds, three more than fellow starter Jarrett Allen, the Cavaliers needed more offensive production from Strus. Due to offseason ankle surgery, Strus did not make his first appearance until just before Christmas, which put him in a difficult spot regarding fantasy value. While many managers did not expect much from Strus beyond offering late-round value, he finished outside the top-175 in eight- and nine-cat formats. Look for him again to be a late-round pick in most fantasy leagues.
Jarrett Allen accumulated nine points (4-of-6 FGs, 1-of-2 FTs), four rebounds and one steal in 30 minutes in Tuesday’s Game 5 loss to the Pacers.
After scoring 12 points or more in the first three games of this series, Allen was a shell of himself in Games 4 and 5. While more effective as a scorer in Game 5, the Cavaliers’ center’s impact was once again muted as the East’s top seed watched its season end. That’s an unfortunate conclusion for Allen, who matched his Yahoo! ADP (53) in nine-cat formats during the regular season, according to Basketball Monster. While he was a sixth-round player in eight-cat formats, Allen’s value taking a hit due to Evan Mobley’s emergence was unsurprising. He may not come off the board within the first 50 picks in most drafts next fall, but Allen should remain a dependable option for fantasy managers needing a center.
Evan Mobley logged 37 minutes in Tuesday’s Game 5 loss to the Pacers, scoring 24 points (8-of-12 FGs, 7-of-9 FTs) with 11 rebounds, one assist, two blocks and one three-pointer.
Recording his third double-double in four games, Mobley had his best performance of the series in Game 5. Unfortunately for him, it wasn’t good enough to force a Game 6, as Cleveland combined to shoot 9-of-35 from beyond the arc. A sprained ankle sidelined Mobley for Game 2, and the blown lead in that contest set the tone for the Cavaliers. Regarding fantasy basketball, the Cavaliers forward exceeded his Yahoo! ADP (38) in eight- and nine-cat formats, providing top-25 value in the latter. Mobley’s ADP should be considerably higher next fall as he continues establishing himself as one of the NBA’s top frontcourt players.
Darius Garland shot 4-of-16 from the field and 3-of-4 from the foul line in Tuesday’s Game 5 loss to the Pacers, scoring 11 points with four rebounds and three assists in 33 minutes.
On a night when the Cavaliers needed Garland to be his best, the point guard could not rise to the challenge. Not only did he miss all six of his three-point attempts, but Garland was also responsible for five turnovers. His toe injury suffered during the first round did Garland no favors, but this was a disappointing way for him to end the 2024-25 season. While having a Yahoo! ADP outside the top-50, the Cavaliers’ point guard finished within that threshold in eight- and nine-cat formats. Playing alongside Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley may limit his ceiling, but Garland’s fantasy floor is relatively safe.
Donovan Mitchell accumulated 35 points (8-of-25 FGs, 15-of-21 FTs), nine rebounds, one assist, four steals, one block and four three-pointers in 37 minutes in Tuesday’s Game 5 loss to the Pacers.
Mitchell scored at least 33 points in four of the series’ five games, but efficiency was an issue in Tuesday’s series finale. He shot just 32 percent from the field, boosting his point total with frequent trips to the foul line. Sometimes, Mitchell appeared to be impacted by his injured left ankle, but many players are dealing with an injury at this stage in the season. While he did not live up to his Yahoo! ADP of 17, the Cavaliers’ star offered third-round value in nine-cat formats during the regular season. Mitchell won’t be worth selecting with a first-round pick in 12-team drafts next fall, but he should not drop out of the second round.
Aaron Nesmith finished Tuesday’s Game 5 win over the Cavaliers with 13 points (5-of-14 FGs, 2-of-3 FTs), 13 rebounds, two assists, two steals and one three-pointer in 37 minutes.
Nesmith didn’t have the best night as a three-point shooter, making one of his seven attempts. However, he finished the series 13-of-29 from deep and recorded his first double-double in Tuesday’s clincher. While he had a limited defensive impact on Donovan Mitchell (he shot well over 50 percent when Nesmith was his primary defender), the Pacers’ wing has been a valuable contributor on both ends of the floor. Next up for Indiana is New York or Boston in the Eastern Conference Finals.