Oklahoma City Thunder guard Nikola Topic (back) will miss his second consecutive game Thursday against the Denver Nuggets. Topic still has no timetable for his return and could be sidelined for an extended period. The 21-year-old has endured a difficult start to his NBA career, suffering a torn left ACL that wiped out his rookie season, receiving a testicular cancer diagnosis that delayed his debut until February, and undergoing offseason back surgery. Topic has appeared in just 10 NBA games thus far and remains off the fantasy radar in most formats.

The Dallas Mavericks announced that guard/forward Jett Howard (calf) will miss Wednesday's regular-season opener against the Houston Rockets due to right calf tightness. The 23-year-old's next opportunity to make his Mavericks debut comes Friday against the Indiana Pacers. Before joining Dallas, Howard spent three seasons with the Orlando Magic, averaging 4.5 points and 1.2 rebounds in 11.0 minutes per contest. Howard is unlikely to have a significant fantasy impact once healthy, as he is expected to play a limited role in Dallas' rotation.

Memphis Grizzlies forward/center Isaiah Stewart (ankle) will miss Wednesday's regular-season opener against the Utah Jazz. Stewart continues to deal with an ankle injury and will have to wait to make his regular-season debut with his new team. His next chance to suit up comes Friday against the Golden State Warriors. The 25-year-old was acquired from Detroit during the offseason after averaging 10.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks last season while finishing seventh in Sixth Man of the Year voting. With Stewart sidelined, Taylor Hendricks and Quinten Post could see additional frontcourt minutes, potentially providing a short-term boost to their fantasy value.

Per Khobi Price of The California Post, Los Angeles Lakers guard Collin Sexton (calf) is unavailable for Wednesday's regular-season opener against the Golden State Warriors. The 27-year-old won't make his Lakers debut because of a calf strain. His next chance to suit up comes on Friday against the Clippers. Quentin Grimes and Jake LaRavia will likely get extra minutes while Sexton is out. Once healthy, Sexton's fantasy upside could be limited in 2026-27, with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves expected to handle the bulk of the Lakers' offensive responsibilities.

Golden State Warriors forward/center Charles Bassey (knee) will miss Wednesday's regular-season opener against the Los Angeles Lakers. Bassey is dealing with right patellar tendinopathy and is considered day-to-day. With Kristaps Porzingis' (undisclosed) future in question, Bassey could take on a larger frontcourt role than expected once healthy. However, his fantasy value will likely remain limited unless he can secure consistent minutes in Golden State's rotation.

According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the Golden State Warriors have begun exploring trade options for center Kristaps Porzingis (illness), who is seriously contemplating his basketball future as he deals with recurring symptoms of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). The 31-year-old remains sidelined indefinitely after missing training camp and the entire preseason. Porzingis averaged 16.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.1 blocks in 15 games with Golden State last season. His uncertain playing status and potential departure make him a risky fantasy option heading into the 2026-27 campaign.

Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski (back) will miss Wednesday's regular-season opener against the Los Angeles Lakers due to back soreness. The 23-year-old's absence comes as a surprise after he appeared in all 82 games last season, making him one of Golden State's most durable rotation players. His next opportunity to suit up will be Friday against the Memphis Grizzlies. Podziemski averaged a career-high 13.8 points in 28.5 minutes per contest during the 2025-26 campaign and could remain a reliable fantasy contributor once healthy.

Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell (hamstring) will miss Wednesday's regular-season opener against the New Orleans Pelicans. McConnell was sidelined for the entire preseason with a hamstring injury after playing just 56 games last season while dealing with similar issues. Once healthy, the 34-year-old is expected to serve as Indiana's backup point guard, but his return timeline remains unclear.

Indiana Pacers guard/forward Aaron Nesmith (hamstring) will miss Wednesday's regular-season opener against the New Orleans Pelicans. Nesmith was sidelined for Indiana's final two preseason games with a left hamstring strain, and he'll next have the chance to return Friday against the Dallas Mavericks. The 27-year-old averaged 13.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.9 assists last season while shooting 41.4 percent from the field and 37.9 percent from three-point range. Nesmith is expected to reclaim his starting role once healthy. In the meantime, Jarace Walker, Ben Sheppard, and Kelly Oubre could see increased playing time, making them worth monitoring in deeper fantasy leagues.

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (ankle) is probable for Wednesday's season opener against the Los Angeles Lakers. Curry rolled his ankle during Sunday's open practice but participated fully Monday, and head coach Steve Kerr expects him to play. The 38-year-old averaged 26.6 points, 4.7 assists, and 4.4 threes in 30.9 minutes across 43 games last season. With Brandin Podziemski (back) and Jimmy Butler III (knee) sidelined, Curry should remain the clear offensive focal point, while De'Anthony Melton could pick up additional backcourt minutes.

Los Angeles Lakers center Walker Kessler (finger) is available for Wednesday's season opener against the Golden State Warriors. The 25-year-old jammed his left pinkie on the backboard early in training camp and will play with a splint after appearing in only two preseason games. He posted 11 points and nine rebounds in 16 minutes in his debut. Kessler played just five games last season before undergoing surgery for a torn left shoulder labrum. He averaged 11.1 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks in 2024-25, and playing next to Luka Doncic should give him plenty of easy looks around the rim.

Orlando Magic guard Anthony Black (ankle) will miss Wednesday's season opener against the Atlanta Hawks. Black sprained his ankle during voluntary workouts before training camp and sat out the entire preseason, though he returned to practice Sunday as he continues to ramp up. The 22-year-old also enters the season without a rookie-scale extension after Monday's deadline passed without a deal. Black averaged 15.0 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.4 steals across 64 games last season. Jevon Carter and Jase Richardson could see extra backcourt minutes until Black is cleared.

Charlotte Hornets guard Coby White (calf) will miss Wednesday's season opener against the Brooklyn Nets despite returning to individual on-court work. White suffered the strain during training camp and missed the entire preseason, leaving Dennis Schroder in line to handle the starting point guard duties. White signed a three-year, $74 million deal in June after Charlotte traded LaMelo Ball, but his calf history remains a concern. He dealt with strains in both legs last season and missed 22 games with Chicago before being traded. Schroder averaged 10.8 points and 4.9 assists in 2025-26 and should carry short-term fantasy value while White is sidelined.

Washington Wizards forward AJ Dybantsa (ankle) will miss Wednesday's season opener against the Milwaukee Bucks, according to The Athletic's Josh Robbins. The No. 1 overall pick suffered a mild sprain in Friday's preseason finale and will be considered day-to-day afterward. Dybantsa averaged 12.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.5 steals across four preseason games despite shooting 18.2% from three. Bilal Coulibaly and Tre Johnson are candidates for extra minutes in his absence. Friday's matchup with Toronto is Dybantsa's next chance to debut, though Washington also plays Saturday in Chicago.

Charlotte Hornets guard/forward Kon Knueppel (hamstring) has been ruled out for Wednesday's season opener against the Brooklyn Nets. Knueppel has resumed individual on-court work after missing the entire preseason, but Charlotte has yet to announce a return date. The 21-year-old averaged 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 3.4 threes across 81 games as a rookie while leading the NBA with 273 made triples. Grayson Allen should see more opportunity while Knueppel is sidelined and carries some short-term fantasy appeal, though Knueppel's shooting volume will be difficult for Charlotte to replace.

Boston's F Paul George scored 38 points on 12-of-21 shooting in a 113-121 loss to Detroit on Tuesday, Oct. 20. George is owned in only 72.2% leagues.

Houston Rockets center Steven Adams (calf) is listed as questionable for Wednesday's regular-season opener against the Dallas Mavericks. The 33-year-old underwent season-ending ankle surgery in January and returned to play 14 minutes in a preseason game against Dallas. Adams averaged 5.8 points and 8.6 rebounds in 22.8 minutes per game last season and enters the 2026-27 campaign as Alperen Sengun's primary backup. His rebounding gives him some fantasy appeal in deeper leagues, and Clint Capela could see more minutes when Adams is sidelined. Houston is expected to manage Adams' workload early in the season, including sitting him for one game of back-to-back sets.

According to The Athletic, Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka said guard Fred VanVleet will sit out one game in a back-to-back sets early in the regular season. The 32-year-old missed the entire 2025-26 campaign after tearing his right ACL. Houston will likely manage VanVleet's workload carefully as he works his way back to full strength. While his playing time could be limited early on, his ability to contribute three-pointers, assists, and steals should keep him fantasy-relevant once he returns to a full workload.

Dallas Mavericks guard/forward Max Christie (foot) is available for Wednesday's regular-season opener against the Houston Rockets, according to Grant Afseth of DallasHoopsJournal.com. Christie has been dealing with foot soreness but is ready to suit up for the season opener. The 23-year-old could see some ball-handling responsibilities, although he'll have to compete with Kyrie Irving and Marcus Sasser for backcourt minutes this season. Christie's playmaking ability and three-point shooting could make him a valuable streaming option in fantasy leagues throughout the 2026-27 campaign.

According to Chris Fedor of The Cleveland Plain Dealer, Cleveland Cavaliers forward Nae'Qwan Tomlin (back) will miss several weeks due to a lower back stress reaction. The 25-year-old averaged 5.8 points and 2.9 rebounds in 15.7 minutes per game last season while shooting 47.8 percent from the field. Tomlin is scheduled to be re-evaluated in three to four weeks, but there's no guarantee he'll be cleared to return at that point. Given his limited production and uncertain recovery timeline, Tomlin is unlikely to be on the fantasy radar outside of deeper leagues.