NBA Player News

DeRozan posted nine points (3-7 FG, 3-3 FT) and a rebound across 20 minutes in Monday's 118-110 loss to the Trail Blazers.

DeRozan endured another subpar showing in what has been a disappointing start to the season for the veteran scorer. The lack of playing time has been an issue to open the season, as DeRozan has failed to reach the 25-minute mark in three of his last five appearances, including the last two. That reduction in playing time, as well as his limited role offensively, limits his fantasy upside considerably.

Braun finished with 14 points (4-7 FG, 1-2 3Pt, 5-6 FT), three rebounds, three assists and two steals across 36 minutes in Monday's 118-110 loss to the Trail Blazers.

Braun delivered efficient scoring while continuing to impact the game defensively, as this was his fifth straight outing with at least two steals. His 36-minute workload reinforced his established role in Denver's starting lineup, although his limited rebounding and playmaking restrict his overall ceiling. Braun's steady playing time and defensive contributions support his fantasy relevance, particularly in category-based formats, even when scoring isn't his strongest suit. That said, he has scored at least 14 points in four of his last five games, so at least he's putting up consistent numbers in that regard as well.

Jokic registered 26 points (10-22 FG, 2-7 3Pt, 4-4 FT), nine rebounds, eight assists, four steals and a block across 35 minutes in Monday's 118-110 loss to the Trail Blazers.

Jokic narrowly missed another triple-double, finishing one rebound and two assists short despite a strong all-around performance. His four steals provided a substantial fantasy boost, helping compensate for relatively inefficient shooting. Jokic remains one of fantasy basketball's most reliable contributors thanks to his exceptional involvement across scoring, rebounding and playmaking, with defensive production offering additional upside. He's averaging 22.0 points, 9.7 rebounds, 9.0 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.3 blocks per game to open the season.

Holiday tallied 17 points (7-11 FG, 3-4 3Pt), eight rebounds, 10 assists and a steal across 29 minutes in Monday's 118-110 win over the Nuggets.

Holiday delivered an excellent all-around performance off the bench, finishing just two rebounds shy of a triple-double. His 10 assists highlighted his importance as a facilitator, while efficient perimeter shooting further boosted his fantasy production. Holiday's ability to contribute across several categories provides considerable value, although his reserve role could lead to occasional fluctuations in playing time and overall production. He should be fine as long as his minutes hover around the 25-30 range, though.

Clingan delivered 17 points (8-16 FG, 1-3 3Pt), 18 rebounds, three assists and four blocks across 32 minutes in Monday's 118-110 win over the Nuggets.

Clingan delivered an outstanding fantasy performance, grabbing nine offensive rebounds while providing elite rim protection against Denver's frontcourt led by none other than Nikola Jokic. Clingan's combination of rebounding volume and shot-blocking makes him an appealing option at center, and even though he's not likely to hover around the 15-point mark on a regular basis, his floor remains very high due to his two-way contributions.

Lillard posted 20 points (5-11 FG, 1-5 3Pt, 9-10 FT), six rebounds, six assists and a steal across 30 minutes in Monday's 118-110 win over the Nuggets.

Lillard made up for a quiet perimeter shooting night by making nine free throws and contributing across multiple categories. His six rebounds and six assists boosted his fantasy output, while the 30-minute workload gave him meaningful opportunities as both a scorer and playmaker. His ability to generate points at the foul line remains valuable when his outside shot isn't falling. Lillard hasn't shown any signs of rust and has scored at least 20 points in four of his first six outings this season.

Edgecombe notched 21 points (9-12 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 1-3 FT), three rebounds, five assists, a steal and a block across 33 minutes in Monday's 126-107 win over the Bulls.

Edgecombe delivered an impressive offensive performance, converting 75 percent of his field-goal attempts en route to his best scoring output of the season while adding five assists and two defensive stats. His 33-minute workload reinforced his established role in Philadelphia's starting backcourt, although his shooting efficiency is unlikely to remain this high consistently. Edgecombe's combination of scoring, playmaking and defensive contributions offers considerable fantasy upside in his second year in the league. He's scored in double digits in five of his last six outings.

Brown delivered 25 points (9-15 FG, 4-7 3Pt, 3-4 FT), 11 rebounds, five assists and a steal across 33 minutes in Monday's 126-107 win over the Bulls.

Brown grabbed a season-high mark in rebounds and also dished out five assists, ending just one away from his season-best output. His scoring has been inconsistent, and this is only the second time he's scored at least 25 points. Some regression compared to his Boston days, and especially last season, was due to the fact that the Sixers offense now has to go through several players and not just him, as it was the case in 2025-26 with the Celtics. He's still posting a respectable line of 20.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.3 steals per game, though.

James finished with 15 points (6-13 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 3-5 FT), seven rebounds, nine assists and a steal across 31 minutes in Monday's 126-107 win over the Bulls.

James has yet to score more than 20 points in a game this season, but he's still adding value elsewhere -- he finished just one assist shy of a double-double while grabbing seven rebounds. James' relatively modest scoring output reflected Philadelphia's balanced offensive approach, although his playmaking and rebounding continue to provide a dependable fantasy foundation. Through six games, James is averaging 16.2 points, 7.0 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game.

Smith registered 13 points (6-10 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 0-1 FT), seven rebounds and four assists across 28 minutes in Monday's 126-107 loss to the 76ers.

Smith provided efficient interior scoring and useful contributions on the glass while coming close to matching his season-high assist total. This was Smith's fifth double-digit scoring performance this season, and he has also recorded at least seven rebounds five times. His scoring and rebounding will drive his fantasy appeal on a young Chicago roster.