It’s been a tough injury week for the NBA Injury Report Week 3 as key names such as Paolo Banchero, Desmond Bane, and Lauri Markkanen all suffered something that has and will keep them out for an extended period. Between the injuries and waiver wire additions, let's dive into everything you need to look at heading into Week 3 of the fantasy basketball season.

 

 

 

Fantasy Basketball Week 3 Injury Report

 

Paolo Banchero Injury Update - Oblique

After completing a game against the Chicago Bulls last week, Paolo Banchero sought out tests on his oblique to find out he had an oblique strain that would sideline him for at least four weeks. Anthony Black started in his place in the first game he missed. Black isn’t a priority add.

https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/1852165370196463794

Desmond Bane Injury Update - Oblique

Desmond Bane has a right oblique strain and the Memphis Grizzlies have deemed him week-to-week. He’s likely going to miss the entire third week of the NBA season and possibly the fourth as well.

https://x.com/GrizzliesPR/status/1852480037896819097

Lauri Markkanen Injury Update - Back

After speaking with reporters over the weekend, Lauri Markkanen expects to be back during this current road trip that the Utah Jazz are on. They play three games in the upcoming week on Monday, Thursday, and Saturday. If the Jazz want to get him back at 100%, we could possibly not see him back until Thursday. That would impact this upcoming week tremendously.

https://x.com/desnewssports/status/1852943571114225800

Jamal Murray Injury Update - Concussion

Jamal Murray is currently in concussion protocol. He’s already missed one game due to the concussion and we’ll see if he’s able to clear it before Monday’s game. Russell Westbrook started in his place and will do so if Murray misses any more time.

CJ McCollum Injury Update - Thigh

Per Shams Charania of ESPN, CJ McCollum suffered a right adductor strain and is out for 2-3 weeks. Jose Alvarado will start in his place and is a very solid fantasy addition while McCollum is out.

https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/1852410755204952333

Jordan Clarkson Injury Update - Heel

Jordan Clarkson will be unavailable for at least the next week with plantar fasciitis in his left foot. He’s not playable in this three-game week for Utah Jazz and if you previously moved on from Collin Sexton, not so fast my friend. Check to see if he’s available as a short-term fantasy option.

https://x.com/utahjazz/status/1852486339473899690

Marcus Smart Injury Update - Ankle

Marcus Smart is dealing with an ankle sprain that the Grizzlies are calling a week-to-week injury. He should remain sidelined throughout Week 3 of the fantasy basketball season.

https://x.com/GrizzliesPR/status/1852480037896819097

Mark Williams Injury Update - Foot

It doesn’t seem like we’re any closer heading into the third week of the NBA season as we were before the season began because all Williams is doing at practice is individual work according to head coach Charles Lee. Continue to stash the very talented Williams in your IR spots.

https://x.com/HornetsReddit/status/1852464870911824351

 

 

 

Fantasy Basketball Week 3 Waiver Wire

Bilal Coulibaly, Washington Wizards - 47% on Yahoo! Fantasy

Some..SOME of Bilal Coulibaly’s recent production is aided by Kyle Kuzma being out of the lineup, but again, the key word is some. Coulibaly has now scored 17-plus points in four straight games and Kuzma was active in two of them. Coulibaly looks like a different player offensively because we knew his pedigree as a defender, what we didn’t realize was the leap he would take offensively and how FAST it was hit us in the face. He’s averaging 19.4 points per game while still averaging 6.2 rebounds and 1.2 steals. Go get him NOW.

Santi Aldama, Memphis Grizzlies - 44% on Yahoo! Fantasy

Watching the Memphis Grizzlies makes you wonder how sustainable their formula is but then you watch everyone play and you think it could work long-term. Aldama is one of 10 guys that plays significant roles nightly and right now, while they’re dealing with injuries, he’s their starting small forward. He’s played more minutes than anyone and is averaging 13.3 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.3 stocks. He’s in the top 50 amongst all fantasy producers this year and was drafted closer to 200 than 100.

Payton Pritchard, Boston Celtics - 37% on Yahoo! Fantasy

We’ve seen enough from Payton Pritchard early on in the year to know he’s a must-own roster moving forward. The Celtics are shorter on depth than last year with Kristaps Porzingis out and are willing to ride the hot hand with Pritchard when he has it going. Through seven games he’s averaging 15.7 points, which is fourth on the team behind Tatum, Brown, and White. He’s almost averaging 27.9 minutes despite playing exclusively off the bench. Pritchard’s still rostered in less than 40% of Yahoo! Fantasy leagues and that’s simply a mistake.

Scotty Pippen Jr., Memphis Grizzlies - 39% on Yahoo! Fantasy

There’s no reason to think Scottie Pippen Jr. cannot continue to have success day in and day out as long as Marcus Smart and Desmond Bane are off the court. Pipopen has three double-doubles through seven games and has settled into 20+ minutes per game and he’s an absolute elite fantasy producer when on the court. He’s averaging 11 points, 7.3 assists, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game. He contributes on both ends and his production will be sky-high with absences in the backcourt.

Jose Alvarado, New Orleans Pelicans - 30% on Yahoo! Fantasy

With CJ McCollum and Dejounte Murray out for the Pelicans, they’ve turned to Jose Alvarado in back-to-back games and will for the foreseeable future. As stated in the injury section of this article, McCollum will be out for 2-to-3 weeks. That means all eyes are on Jose Alvarado for that period. He won’t ALWAYS be as productive offensively as he has been in the last two games scoring 12 and 15 points, but he is always coming away with steals, assists, and rebounds. He earned his contract thanks to his gritty, tough play.