NBA Minutes Report: Franz Wagner returning, Wizards guards shining post-trade

Welcome to the Fantasy Basketball Minutes Report. Every week, I will review each team’s updated minutes per game to see which players are seeing the court more or less than in previous weeks. With this information in hand, I’ll try to discuss any relevant fantasy risers or fallers; players who we should be adding off waivers or removing from our teams.

The charts below are also great for exploring on your own. You can track the minutes over the last three, five, and ten games, and for the entire season, to see which trends stand out to you.

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All of this data was made accessible by Kyle Bland, who is incredibly talented and also extremely generous. Be sure to follow him to check out all of his baseball data as well.

2025-26 Fantasy Basketball Top 200 Rankings: Should Trae Young managers be concerned?

Young is the newest member of the Washington Wizards, but how much will he play the rest of this season?

Atlanta Hawks

We now have a few games in the post-Trae Young era, and, as expected, Nickeil Alexander-Walker has taken on the same big role he had when Young was hurt. He’s been a top-40 player in fantasy basketball over the last two weeks and should be treated as one going forward. I don’t believe CJ McCollom is going to take his minutes. Zaccharie Risacher has missed the last three games with a knee injury, and Kristaps Porzingis remains out with an Achilles injury as well. I expect more moves coming for the Hawks.

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Boston Celtics

As I’ve been saying for the past few weeks, the Celtics’ situation has remained steady, and they have been much better than many expected. For fantasy purposes, the only truly relevant players are Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, and Payton Pritchard. It’s best not to hunt on the margins for others.

Brooklyn Nets

Nic Claxton missed a couple of games for personal reasons, which allowed Day’Ron Sharpe to step up and cement a role for himself in the rotation. Egor Dëmin has also emerged as a fringe top 100 player in fantasy basketball due to improved shooting, but aside from Michael Porter Jr., this is a large rotation of fringe-type players.

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Charlotte Hornets

Ryan Kalkbrenner returned this week, but Moussa Diabaté has been a top 100 player over the last month, which I discussed in a video this week. Aside from that change, it’s pretty much status quo for the Hornets, with LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Miles Bridges, and Kon Knueppel handling the vast majority of the load.

Chicago Bulls

The Bulls got back Coby White this week, but Josh Giddey and Zach Collins both remain out. Collins will be out until the middle of February with his toe injury, but Giddey should return next week. Tre Jones had stepped up with White out, but scored just seven points in 26 minutes with White back on Wednesday. The assists will be there, but it’s not a really enticing profile. Ayo Dosunmu has been a top 80 player in fantasy basketball this month and is having his best season yet.

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Cleveland Cavaliers

It was a rough Wednesday night for the Cavaliers, who endured injuries to both Darius Garland and Sam Merrill. Garland had been coming on of late. After being slowed by a toe injury early in the season, he was a top 50 player in fantasy basketball over his last seven games, and the Cavs had started to click a bit. Losing him would be a big blow for this team, and would likely lead to more minutes for Jaylon Tyson and Craig Porter Jr. With Dean Wade also sidelined, De’Andre Hunter should pick up more minutes if Merrill were to miss time.

Dallas Mavericks

It’s also been a rough week for the Mavs. We found out that Anthony Davis will be out about six weeks with a fractured hand, which I covered in a video this week, and then Cooper Flagg sprained his ankle on Wednesday night. Naji Marshall remains the biggest beneficiary of the Davis injury, but this whole team may be in for a rough stretch if Flagg is out for a while.

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Denver Nuggets

Even without Nikola Jokić, the Nuggets continue to win games. Their rotation has narrowed considerably over the last few weeks, especially with Christian Braun hurt again. Aaron Gordon has returned, and his minutes are slowly starting to tick back up, but Peyton Watson emerging as a top 35 player in fantasy basketball over the last two weeks has been huge. In his last eight games, he’s averaging 23.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.1 blocks per game. He will continue to play a big role on this team until Jokic is back.

Detroit Pistons

With Jalen Duren (ankle) sidelined, Isaiah Stewart has moved into the starting lineup and been really productive. However, Duren should be back this week, as should Cade Cunningham, who missed two games with a wrist injury. That has led to more minutes for Daniss Jenkins and Ronald Holland II. But things should settle back to normal this weekend.

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Golden State Warriors

This is really just a two-man team with Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler; however, De’Anthony Melton is starting to settle into his role as a shooter and has been a top-150 player in fantasy basketball over the last two weeks. He could be a nice piece for this team as the season goes on.

Houston Rockets

Tari Eason is dealing with an ankle injury, but he’s not expected to be out for too much longer, so he should return to his normal 25+ minutes per night. Aaron Holiday had one start in Eason’s place, but his minutes should dry up again when Eason is back.

Indiana Pacers

Isaiah Jackson (concussion) has cleared protocols and should be back this week, and Bennedict Mathurin also could return this weekend from his thumb injury. That will take minutes away from Jarace Walker, Quenton Jackson, and Johnny Furphy. This team just isn’t super interesting in a year where they are not trying to contend.

Fantasy Basketball Week 2 Injury Report: Luka Dončić, Anthony Edwards headline the list of sidelined stars

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The Pacers, Lakers and Thunder are among the teams with lengthy injury reports at the halfway point of Week 2.

Los Angeles Clippers

Ivica Zubac returned last week but is still dealing with some soreness in his ankle, so has missed some time this week. John Collins is also dealing with a groin injury, which is a bummer because he has started to emerge as a strong option for this team. Otherwise, it’s just James Harden and Kawhi Leonard having All-Star seasons.

Los Angeles Lakers

This remains a two-man team with Luka Doncic and LeBron James, and LeBron in particular has really come on of late, pushing up top-10 value over the last two weeks. Jake LaRavia and DeAndre Ayton are playing enough minutes to be usable in fantasy leagues, and Rui Hachimura returned to play 18 minutes after missing two weeks. There’s not much of note here.

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Memphis Grizzlies

This Grizzlies team has been banged up all year and cannot seem to get healthy. Zach Edey will now be out at least another six weeks. Ja Morant has missed the last five games with a calf injury and seems fully disinterested in being a part of the team. Brandon Clarke remains sidelined with a calf injury. Ty Jerome is probably out another week or two. That has led to Cam Spencer being the most consistent producer as Jaren Jackson Jr. continues to have a pretty mediocre year by his standards. Sant Aldama has been a top 100 player with Edey sidelined, and that value should continue.

Miami Heat

Last week, Tyler Herro returned after missing 11 games with a toe injury, and I recorded a video on the fallout of that. As I mentioned in the video, Nikola Jović will take a hit in both his minutes and usage.

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Milwaukee Bucks

The Bucks are fully healthy right now (well, aside from Taurean Prince being out), so the minutes allotment of late is what we should expect going forward. Ryan Rollins has become a fringe top 100 player with both Kevin Porter Jr. and Giannis Antetokounmpo playing nearly 30 minutes a game. Rollins has remained a fringe top-50 player over the last two weeks with Giannis back. Those are really the only three players performing with any sort of consistency.

Minnesota Timberwolves

Anthony Edwards has missed a few games with injury management on his right foot, and that could continue for a few weeks, but the Wolves are pretty healthy otherwise. Terrance Shannon is out for a couple of weeks with a foot injury, which has allowed Bones Hyland to see a small uptick in usage and for Joan Beringer to enter the rotation, but neither is producing much.

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New Orleans Pelicans

Herbert Jones and Jose Alvarado continue to be sidelined by injuries, but Trey Murphy III has had a legit breakout season, emerging as a top-20 player in fantasy basketball. Derik Queen and Zion Williamson have also remained top-60 players, but those are the only players of note in New Orleans for now. Jeremiah Fears is averaging 14.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 3.4 assists over the last two weeks and has an intriguing skillset that he should continue to get to show off with Dejounte Murray out another three weeks or more.

New York Knicks

What a poor effort from the Knicks on Wednesday against a bad Kings team. Yes, Jalen Brunson did twist his ankle in the first quarter, but this team was playing poorly then and failed to respond after their captain went down. Things need to change in New York, starting with its center. On a more positive note, Josh Hart is back and right back to producing. Tyler Kolek should see more minutes if Brunson misses any time with his ankle injury.

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Oklahoma City Thunder

Well, the Thunder finally beat the Spurs. Isaiah Hartenstein hasn’t played since December 28th with his calf injury, but Jaylin Williams returned and had a good showing against the Spurs. Luguentz Dort is also battling an ankle injury, which has led to more minutes for Aaron Wiggins, but the Thunder are more than happy to spread out production on the fringes of their rotation, so they aren’t missing a beat.

Orlando Magic

Franz Wagner is set to return on Thursday just in time for the Magic’s game in Berlin, Germany. I covered the fallout from his return in a video this week.

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Philadelphia 76ers

Kelly Oubre Jr. returned last week, so the 76ers have been fully healthy for at least a week now, which gives us a good sense of how they want their rotation to stack up. For now, that does not include Jared McCain; however, Dominick Barlow did get hurt on Wednesday. X-rays came back negative, but he may miss a few games, which would open up some more minutes for McCain or Trendon Watford.

Phoenix Suns

The Suns are getting Grayson Allen back up to his normal minutes, which makes this team better. Devin Booker did hurt his ankle on Tuesday, so there’s a chance he misses a game or two, which would only increase Allen’s usage and maybe Collin Gillespie, who has struggled of late, averaging just 9.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3.3 assists over his last seven games.

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Portland Trail Blazers

Jrue Holiday returned for two games this week, but Caleb Love has been tremendous for the Trail Blazers this month, which I discussed in a video this week. I do think Holiday will eventually take minutes away from Love, but the undrafted rookie has cemented himself as a real role player for this Blazers team. Kris Murray, Scoot Henderson, and Jerami Grant could all return within the next week, so that could shift minutes a lot.

Sacramento Kings

Keegan Murray will be sidelined until early February with a back injury, but that has just meant extra production for Russell Westbrook and DeMar DeRozan. Zach LaVine has had some solid games and is a borderline top 100 player in fantasy basketball leagues, but there’s little to be excited about in Sacramento.

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San Antonio Spurs

Victor Wembanyama is still having his minutes monitored, but he’s been productive, and the Spurs are winning, so we may have to assume that continues, which is why Luke Kornet continues to see solid minutes. Keldon Johnsonis also seeing an uptick in minutes with Devin Vassell out with an adductor injury; yet, it’s been Julian Champagnie who has seen the biggest increase in usage and been a top 100 player in fantasy basketball over the last two weeks, averaging 14.6 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game.

Toronto Raptors

The vibes are not great in Toronto. RJ Barrett is dealing with an ankle sprain, Jakob Poeltl has his back injury, and Immanuel Quickley is also battling a back injury. Plus, there are now trade rumors swirling about Barrett and Quickley, among others. This team could undergo a major upheaval in the next few weeks.

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Utah Jazz

The minutes are evening out a bit in Utah as the team takes turns resting players to avoid being too competitive and losing their first-round pick. Brice Sensabaugh was electric on Wednesday, scoring 43 points against the Bulls. That’s not likely to continue, and was primarily because Lauri Markkanen sat out that game.

Washington Wizards

The Wizards traded for Trae Young, but they have no intention of playing him as they try to tank for a higher draft pick. The latest report is that Young will be out until mid-February with MCL/quad injuries. He’ll probably return for a few games and then sit again to ensure the Wizards don’t win too much. That means that young guards like Tre Johnson and Bub Carrington are going to get a lot of run the rest of the season.