Fantasy basketball: Who steps up while Chet, KD, Zion and other stars are injured

It feels like we’ve gone through an injury fest every fantasy season in the last 10 years, but the names of players lost this season have been overwhelming, leaving fantasy managers frustrated and scratching their heads over injuries.

Here’s a rundown of the latest injured stars and some tips on who might be worth watching on your waiver wire during their absence.

Chet Holmgren, C, Oklahoma City Thunder: Holmgren landed on his right hip on Sunday and suffered a fracture that will keep him out 8 to 10 weeks. This is a huge blow to his managers and they will have to hide him on IL until further notice. The Thunder will likely go small, and Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins could be the guys to pick up most of his slack. We may not see Holmgren again until February.

Kevin Durant, PF, Phoenix Suns:

Durant, who had a Top 10 fantasy season, suffered a left hamstring injury on Friday and will be re-evaluated in two weeks. This is another devastating fantasy hit and Royce O’Neale is the best bet for a player to fill the gaps while KD is out. O’Neale played 28 minutes Sunday and had eight points, nine rebounds, two dimes, a steal, a block and two 3-pointers. But it could have been much better, as he hit only 3 of 14 shots, which was a fluke. He is shooting better than 47% from the floor this season.

Zion Williamson, PF, New Orleans Pelicans: Williamson has a left hamstring injury and will be re-evaluated in four to six weeks. CJ McCollum will be out at least another week with a right adductor injury, Dejounte Murray will be out at least two to three weeks with a left hand injury, and Herbert Jones is currently out with a right shoulder injury. On Tuesday afternoon came the shocking news that Jose Alvarado will be out for six weeks with a hamstring injury. Brandon Boston Jr. is now a must list when they arrive. Yves Missi and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl will fill the gap for the loss of Williamson, but they may be shaky fantasy options. Some good news is that Trey Murphy III is back for the Pelicans and played well on Monday night.

Trae Young, PG, Atlanta Hawks: Young is struggling with Achilles tendonitis and was ruled out very early for Tuesday’s game. It could be an everyday injury, but Achilles injuries are serious business. Dyson Daniels, who has been a steal machine, should be even better on nights when Young is in street clothes. And it wouldn’t be surprising if Keaton Wallace, the backup quarterback, and freshmen Zaccharie Risacher and Jalen Johnson get additional additions as well.

Tyrese Maxey, PG/SG, Philadelphia 76ers: Maxey is dealing with a right hamstring injury and will be out for several weeks. Kyle Lowry filled in during Maxey’s absence, and while he’s far from matching Maxey’s production, he’s worth at least a brief look. Paul George will need to step up his game without Maxey and the return of Joel Embiid should also help the Sixers.

Ja Morant, PG, Memphis Grizzlies: Morant has a hip subluxation and a pelvic muscle strain and is considered week-to-week going forward. Desmond Bane and Marcus Smart are also injured week-to-week, leaving Scotty Pippen Jr. ‘must list’. In addition to Pippen, Jaren Jackson Jr. should get reinforcements. and Santi Aldama, and Jaylen Wells should continue to play well for the Grizzlies so far. Wells has scored in double figures in five of his last six games.

Paolo Banchero, SF/PF, Orlando Magic: Banchero got off to a fantastic start before going down with a torn right oblique and will be re-evaluated in four to six weeks. There’s no clear fantasy winner here, but Goga Bitadze has looked good early on, while Gary Harris, Jonathan Isaac and Anthony Black are all candidates to feature in his absence. Moritz Wagner and Tristan da Silva should also see more opportunities with Banchero sidelined.

Scottie Barnes, SG/SF/PF, Toronto Raptors: Barnes will be out for another week or two due to the orbital fracture he suffered on October 30th and thankfully does not require surgery. It’s possible he could return as early as next week, while Ochai Agbaji looks set to benefit the most from his absence. Chris Boucher should also continue to shine in his absence, while Jonathan Mogbo is worth keeping a close eye on in the deep leagues if he succeeds.

Jimmy Butler, SG/SF/PF, Miami Heat: Butler injured his right ankle on Friday and then missed Sunday’s and Tuesday’s games. When he’s injured, he usually takes a while to come back, but for now it’s day-to-day. Haywood Highsmith should be a reasonable fantasy option on nights Butler is out, while Jaime Jaquez Jr. could flourish as long as Butler is in street clothes. Nikola Jovic and Duncan Robinson could also see a short-term boost.

Miles Bridges, SF/PF, Charlotte Hornets: Bridges went down last week with a right knee hyperextension and missed Friday and Tuesday’s games, but he may not miss as much time as first feared. He’s off to a slow start and Brandon Miller has stepped up in his absence, while Tre Mann should also get a boost while he’s out. Cody Martin and Grant Williams are also worth keeping an eye on while Bridges is out, as it may take more players to help fill the void in Charlotte.