Washington Wizards forward Kyshawn George (ankle) has been ruled out for Saturday's game against the Denver Nuggets due to a sprained left ankle. This will be George's second consecutive game missed. In his absence, Carlton Carrington, Johnny Davis, and Jared Butler are expected to see more playing time. George has been a bit inconsistent this season but has averaged 26.2 minutes per game as part of the young Wizards squad. His next opportunity to return will be Sunday's game against Memphis.

Dallas Mavericks forward Naji Marshall (illness) will not be ready to return to the lineup on Saturday against Toronto. An illness will keep him out of action for a fourth straight game. Quentin Grimes and Spencer Dinwiddie have larger roles in the rotation with Marshall out. Both players have enjoyed strong stretches lately. Grimes has averaged 16.7 points for the month with 4.0 rebounds and 2.3 steals, while Dinwiddie has produced 16.0 points with 3.7 assists in December.

Toronto Raptors guard Davion Mitchell (hip) is listed as questionable for Saturday's matchup against the Dallas Mavericks due to right hip stiffness. This injury could cause him to miss his first game of the season. While his scoring has been modest at 6.8 points per game, his value lies in his playmaking and defense. Averaging 5.2 assists per game, Mitchell is an important part of Toronto's rotation, distributing the ball and setting up plays. If he's unable to play on Saturday, Jamal Shead could see more playing time and step up in Mitchell's absence.

Portland Trail Blazers point guard Scoot Henderson (quadriceps) will remain out of the lineup for Friday's matchup against Utah. He's sitting out a fourth consecutive contest after the team initially listed him as questionable for Friday's game. Portland's starting backcourt of Anfernee Simons and Shaedon Sharpe should be in for another busy night, with Dalano Banton seeing additional action off the bench due to Henderson's absence. Banton is a streaky scorer but appears to be in a good spot on Friday, as the Jazz have the leakiest defense in the Western Conference, with 118.6 points allowed per contest.

Detroit Pistons forward Ausar Thompson (groin) is listed as questionable for Saturday's game against the New York Knicks due to left adductor soreness. Thompson missed Wednesday's game against the Celtics due to illness, and now his groin issue is putting his availability for Saturday in doubt. In his five games this season, Thompson has averaged 15.2 minutes, 6.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.8 assists. If he's unable to play, Ron Holland and Simone Fontecchio are likely to see more minutes off the bench. Fantasy managers will be hoping Thompson can stay healthy and consistently contribute moving forward.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Isaac Okoro (knee) has been listed as questionable for Saturday's matchup against Charlotte. The three-and-d wing hurt his left knee in Thursday's game against Denver and might have to sit out the meeting with the Hornets entirely. If that's the case, Caris LeVert, Georges Niang, and Dean Wade should share Okoro's minutes. LeVert is the best fantasy option of the three. He had his second-best offensive outing on Thursday with 21 points and six assists.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart (ankle) is listed as questionable for Saturday's game against the Boston Celtics. Smart reportedly sprained his right ankle during the Grizzlies' game against the Kings, and his availability for Saturday's contest is now in doubt. If Smart is unable to play, Scotty Pippen Jr. and Jake LaRavia could see an uptick in playing time off the bench. Smart has been averaging 21.5 minutes per game, with 9.8 points and 1.5 steals, but his most significant impact for Memphis comes on the defensive end. He's also been playing well recently, especially with his playmaking, registering five straight games with five or more assists. Fantasy managers should check back for updates on his status.

Charlotte Hornets center Nick Richards is listed as questionable for Saturday's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers due to an ankle injury. Richards rolled his ankle during Thursday's game against the Knicks but was able to finish the contest. The injury may have flared up since then, leaving his availability for Saturday in doubt. If Richards is unable to play, Mark Williams is expected to take on a larger role, with Moussa Diabate potentially seeing increased minutes as the backup center. Despite only appearing in eight games this season, Richards has been productive, averaging 11.9 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game. Fantasy managers will be hoping for his return to the court soon.

San Antonio Spurs forward/center Zach Collins will re-enter the starting lineup on Friday against Sacramento. He will replace Jeremy Sochan, who filled in for Victor Wembanyama (back) on Thursday. Sochan has just returned from injury, and it looks like the team wants to manage his load after he had a 36-minute outing Thursday night against Chicago. He should still play a significant role in Friday's game. Collins has averaged 16.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks in three previous starts this season. He faces a tough matchup against Domantas Sabonis on Friday, which might limit Collins' offensive contributions.

Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (knee) will play against Chicago on Friday. He's back in the lineup after missing Wednesday's loss to Brooklyn. Nembhard only recently returned from a 12-game absence and has been far from his best in the couple of outings he's had. Fantasy managers should tame their expectations regarding Nembhard. Quenton Jackson lands back among the reserves due to Nembhard's return, but he hasn't done too well as a starter anyway.

San Antonio Spurs guard/forward Devin Vassell (foot) will exit the lineup on Friday against Sacramento. This is the second leg of a back-to-back for the Spurs, and Vassell will be rested for the contest as he continues to manage a right foot injury. Vassell has been used as a microwave scorer off the bench this season. He's averaged 17.8 points in 23.5 minutes across eight outings. His absence on Friday will give his teammates a lot of additional scoring opportunities. With Victor Wembanyama (back) also on the shelf, Keldon Johnson will be expected to lead the offense alongside Chris Paul and Jeremy Sochan. Johnson led the Spurs with 28 points in Thursday's 139-124 loss to Chicago.

Los Angeles Lakers point guard Gabe Vincent will make his second start of the campaign Friday versus Atlanta. He will replace D'Angelo Russell in the starting unit. Vincent's only previous start came last Sunday in a 105-104 win over Utah. The 28-year-old had a quiet but effective game with 10 points, three rebounds, two assists, and one steal. Russell should still see a good amount of minutes on Friday, and he actually has performed better as a reserve this season.

San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (back) will remain sidelined on Friday against Sacramento. A back problem will keep the French phenom out for a second consecutive contest after he was labeled as a game-time decision earlier in the evening. Jeremy Sochan moved to the first unit as Wembanyama's replacement on Thursday against Chicago, with Zach Collins and Charles Bassey seeing additional action as reserve bigs. Sochan had a nice 16-point, 14-rebound double-double, while Collins put together a decent all-around line. Both players should be good options for fantasy managers again on Friday.

Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey (foot) is active ahead of Friday's game against the Indiana Pacers. Giddey appears ready to play after being a late addition to the injury report due to right foot soreness. Giddey was quiet on Wednesday, but finished with a triple-double during Monday's contest. The 22-year-old is averaging 11.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 6.7 assists across 27 minutes this season. Fantasy managers can go ahead and get Giddey active in their lineups on Friday.

Milwaukee Bucks forward Taurean Prince (illness) will play against Boston on Friday. He was initially iffy for the contest due to an illness. Prince has recently had a productive spell with the Bucks, scoring in double figures five times in the past six games. He's shot an amazing 16-for-23 from behind the three-point line during the stretch. However, Boston gives up the third-fewest three-point attempts in the league, so it might be difficult for Prince to keep his hot shooting spell going.

Milwaukee Bucks guard/forward Khris Middleton (ankle) is officially good to go for his season debut on Friday versus Boston. The team has upgraded him from probable to available. He will come off the bench in his first game since May. It will likely take some time before Middleton is fully up to speed, so fantasy managers shouldn't expect too much from him initially. Gary Trent Jr., Andre Jackson Jr., and Taurean Price are all in danger of losing playing time to Middleton.

Los Angeles Lakers forward/center Anthony Davis (foot) will take the court on Friday against Atlanta. He has been upgraded from probable to available. This has become the norm this season with Davis, who has sat out only one game. The nine-time All-Star will look to break out of a funk after shooting just 7-for-28 in his past two outings, producing 20 total points. He's not in a favorable position to do so on Friday, as the Hawks allow a league-low 18.4 points per 48 minutes to opposing centers.

Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine (back) is available ahead of Friday's game against the Indiana Pacers. As expected, LaVine will suit up as he was listed as probable on the injury report due to back soreness. LaVine nearly notched a triple-double during Thursday's win over the San Antonio Spurs. This season, LaVine is averaging 21.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.3 assists across 33 minutes per game this season. He'll be good to go on Friday despite it being a back-to-back set. Fantasy managers can safely get LaVine active in their lineups ahead of tip-off.

Chicago Bulls guard Coby White (ankle) is available ahead of Friday's game against the Indiana Pacers. White is back in the mix after missing each of the last two games due to a sprained ankle. The expectation is that he'll have his normal workload given the team said nothing about him being limited. The return of White will probably mean less playing time for Ayo Dosunmu and Dalen Terry in the rotation. Fantasy managers can safely get White back in their lineups ahead of tip-off on Friday.

Philadelphia 76ers center Andre Drummond (ankle) will suit up against Orlando on Friday. The 31-year-old rebounding machine will return from a two-game absence. With the 76ers frontcourt battling injuries, Drummond has carved out a decent role in the rotation. He has averaged 8.1 points and 8.2 rebounds with 1.3 steals in 20.4 minutes this season. Orlando is a mediocre rebounding team, so Drummond should have a productive night at the office. He will start the contest alongside Guerschon Yabusele, Paul George, Kelly Oubre Jr., and Tyrese Maxey.