Toronto Raptors forward Bruce Brown (knee) has been ruled out ahead of Friday's game against the Philadelphia 76ers. Brown is still working his way back from having knee surgery last year. The team hasn't given a timetable for Brown's return, but the hope is that he's back sooner rather than later. The Raptors will likely use a committee approach to fill the void. That means, Gradey Dick, Davion Mitchell, and Ochai Agbaji could all absorb more playing time. Out of the trio, Dick has the highest upside and could be worth a look in deep leagues.

Toronto Raptors center Kelly Olynyk (back) has been ruled out ahead of Friday's game against the Philadelphia 76ers. This marks the second game in a row due to back stiffness. The organization is hopeful Olynyk won't miss an extended period of time, but he'll at least miss two games. The Raptors are already banged up one game into the regular season. That being said, Chris Boucher and Davion Mitchell should see plenty of run on Friday. Boucher finished with 18 points across 19 minutes of action in the opener. He should be the primary backup center until Olynyk returns.

Indiana Pacers center James Wiseman (Achilles) was forced to exit early during Wednesday's season opener against the Detroit Pistons. Wiseman exited the contest after only four minutes of action due to what was being considered a calf injury. Now, it's being revealed that Wiseman suffered a ruptured left Achilles tendon in the win. The team hasn't announced it, but Wiseman is expected to miss the rest of the season. The Pacers are also without Isaiah Jackson (groin) right now, so Obi Toppin could see a larger role behind Myles Turner at the center spot. Toppin could be a possible streaming option if Jackson has a lengthy absence.

Toronto Raptors forward RJ Barrett (shoulder) is doubtful heading into Friday's matchup with Philly. The 24-year-old suffered an AC joint sprain during the preseason and has been working his way back since. He wasn't available for Wednesday's loss to the Cavaliers. However, Barrett practiced on Thursday, so it appears there's a shot he'll be on the floor on Saturday versus Minnesota. With Immanuel Quickley (pelvis) also not expected to suit up, Scottie Barnes and Gradey Dick are must-starts for any fantasy format. There is also streaming potential for Ochai Agbaji, Davion Mitchell, and Chris Boucher.

Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball (injury management) won't play on Friday versus the Milwaukee Bucks. Due to a knee injury, Ball appeared in his first contest in over two years in Wednesday's opener against the Pelicans. He looked better than expected, amassing five points, four assists, and two boards in 14 minutes of work. With Chicago also playing on Saturday versus OKC, the 26-year-old will likely be back in the lineup for that one. As far as the contest with Milwaukee is concerned, Ayo Dosunmu and Talen Horton-Tucker are the favorites to absorb the minutes caused by Ball's absence.

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (illness) isn't listed on the league's official injury report ahead of Friday's matchup with the Trail Blazers. The former Duke Blue Devil missed Wednesday's opener versus the Chicago Bulls due to an illness. However, he practiced in full on Thursday, with head coach Willie Green stating he "looks like he's good to go." While fantasy managers were discouraged to see him miss the first game of the 2024-25 campaign, they are delighted regarding the latest update. The Pelicans could certainly use him on the floor, considering New Orleans will be without Dejounte Murray (hand) and Trey Murphy III (hamstring) for the foreseeable future. Keep Williamson starting in all fantasy lineups, although his presence may mean fewer scorer opportunities for Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum, who combined for 56 points in the opener.

New Orleans Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III (hamstring) will be sidelined for at least the new two weeks due to a hamstring strain he obtained in early October. Murphy III has not yet been cleared for sprinting or physical contact, though he mentioned earlier this week that he's "making steady progress with his rehab." The additional time missed for the 24-year-old isn't a great sign to start the season, but New Orleans is sure to be a bit cautious with his recovery given his importance to the team whether being the sixth man or a spot starter. While Murphy III rehabs his hamstring, fantasy managers should look to target Javonte Green as a potential replacement. Green scored nine points and recorded four steals while posting up a +14 plus/minus in 25 minutes of action against the Chicago Bulls in their season opener. Jordan Hawkins is also likely to be a beneficiary of additional shooting volume as the 22-year-old put up 13 points and seven rebounds Wednesday.

Toronto Raptors forward Kelly Olynyk (back) missed practice on Thursday. Olynyk has been dealing with a back strain that kept him out of Wednesday's season opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The strain will also keep him out of Friday night's matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers as he has officially been ruled out. No official timetable has been released for the 33-year-old's return to action but given the nature of back injuries it would not be surprising to see him get an ample amount of time to rest up and prepare. With his absence, the Raptors deployed a three guard lineup against Cleveland that may be likely to continue. Gradey Dick appeared to be the beneficiary and scored 16 points with two blocks on Wednesday. Fantasy managers looking for sneaky value may want to target the 20-year-old.

Toronto Raptors guard RJ Barrett (shoulder) was able to participate in practice on Thursday. Barrett suffered an AC joint strain during the preseason and has been sidelined since October 6th. The initial plan was to target a return during the season opener but he was held out of action in Wednesday's opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Barrett's participation on Thursday is certainly a positive sign, though the 24-year-old is still listed as doubtful for Friday night's matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers. Toronto plays in a back-to--back starting with Friday's game, so a more likely return date for Barrett may be Monday night against the Denver Nuggets. In his absence, along with the absence of fellow forward Kelly Olynyk, the Raptors deployed a three guard lineup that saw Gradey Dick be the beneficiary of additional volume. Dick put up 16 points and two blocks on Wednesday. Fantasy managers should consider targeting the 20-year-old as a viable fill-in option while both Barrett and Olynyk are out.

Toronto Raptors point guard Immanuel Quickley (pelvic) did not participate in Thursday's practice for the Raptors after being pulled from Wednesday's season opener during the second quarter after suffering a right pelvis contusion. His status for tomorrow is officially listed as doubtful. Initially head coach Darko Rajakovic had said Quickley would be questionable for tomorrow's matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers. The downgrade in status is discouraging for fantasy owners but the initial thought that Quickley may be questionable should help ease concerns about the seriousness of the injury. Toronto plays a back-to-back starting tomorrow and it would not be surprising if the team gives the 25-year-old extra rest to be ready for Monday's game against the Denver Nuggets. In the meantime, fantasy managers should look to Davion Mitchell as the man who will pick up starts for Quickley. Mitchell put up eight points and three assists in 25 minutes of action last night, though that was buoyed with five turnovers. His fantasy value may be iffy as a sub, though he should continue to log high minutes as long as Quickley is out.

Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George (knee) participated in the Sixers' practice on Thursday and looks like he's progressing according to head coach Nick Nurse. George suffered a bone bruise in a preseason game against the Atlanta Hawks and has been sidelined from most basketball action since. Philadelphia is likely to be very cautious in their approach to George's health, especially given their extremely cautious approach to teammate Joel Embiid's knee. The 34-year-old was set to have his knee re-evaluated this week but there has been no update on his knee's overall health since the bone bruise diagnosis last week. Fantasy managers shouldn't be surprised not to see George play in regular season action for at least another week or two. In the meantime, Eric Gordon should continue to get starts for Philly, though his fantasy value may not impress much as the veteran went 1-6 for just two points in their season opener against Milwaukee on Wednesday.

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (knee) participated in practice on Thursday and looks like he's progressing according to head coach Nick Nurse. Embiid has been nursing a left knee injury he obtained in Golden State in late January that forced him to miss 29 straight regular season games, though he was able to participate in all six games of Philadelphia's first round loss to the New York Knicks. The Sixers have taken a very cautious approach with the big man's health this year with a rest management plan that's causing him to miss the team's first three games of the season, which is now officially being investigated by the NBA as of Thursday. With the current plan, Embiid should be expected to start the season in a game against the Detroit Pistons next Wednesday. Fantasy managers looking for value until then should keep their eyes on Andre Drummond, who grabbed 13 rebounds and scored 10 points last night in the season opener. Drummond should provide solid fantasy value for those in need of production at the center position.

Sacramento Kings guard/forward Malik Monk (hand) isn't on the injury report ahead of Thursday's season opener against the Timberwolves. He appears to be good to go for the contest after battling right-hand soreness last week. Monk, who has been among the NBA's top bench scorers in recent years, will begin another campaign as a member of the Kings' second unit. However, he should still get a lot of action and can do big damage once he gets going. Minnesota had no answer to Monk the last time these teams met, as the 26-year-old went off for 39 points off the bench in a 124-120 overtime win.

Sacramento Kings forward DeMar DeRozan (personal) will be in the lineup on Thursday versus Minnesota. DeRozan sat out Friday's practice for personal reasons but isn't listed on the injury report. This will mark DeRozan's debut with the Kings following a big sign-and-trade deal that brought him to Sacramento in the summer. With De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis next to him, DeRozan's usage rate looks bound to drop in 2024-25, but the presence of two costars should also help him get plenty of good looks.

Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac was limited to 11 minutes in Wednesday's season opener against Miami due to left hip soreness. He came off the bench in the contest to log three points, three rebounds, one steal, and two blocks. Isaac has been troubled by injuries throughout his career, and unfortunately, he has to deal with another issue right at the beginning of a new campaign. Moritz Wagner will likely pick up most of Isaac's minutes if he can't play on Friday versus Brooklyn. Wagner is a great energy guy off the bench and had seven points and six rebounds with two assists in 16 minutes versus the Heat.

Charlotte Hornets guard/forward Brandon Miller (hip) played only 11 minutes in Wednesday's season opener against Houston. He left the game shortly before halftime with left hip soreness. Miller shot 2-for-4 in the contest to register six points and had one rebound and one assist with one steal. With Josh Green (Achilles) already unavailable, Seth Curry and Tre Mann played a big part in the rotation on Wednesday. The latter finished as the team's second-highest scorer, with 24 points, behind LaMelo Ball. Mann, who was 4-for-8 with the three-ball versus the Rockets, could replace Miller in the starting unit if he isn't healthy enough to play Friday night against Atlanta.

New Orleans Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray (hand) had the worst possible debut with the team on Wednesday when he was injured in the season opener against Chicago. Per ESPN's Shams Charania, Murray exited the contest with a fractured left hand. He will be sidelined for an "extended period." Murray totaled 14 points, eight rebounds, and 10 assists with one steal in 30 minutes before being forced to exit. His absence should allow Jose Alvarado and Jordan Hawkins to see more action, while CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram get a usage boost, especially with Zion Williamson (illness) out.

Utah's F Lauri Markkanen scored 35 points on 9-of-15 shooting in a 124-126 loss to the Grizzlies on Wednesday, Oct. 23. Markkanen is owned in very few, if any leagues.

Pelicans' F Brandon Ingram scored 33 points on 13-of-23 shooting in a 123-111 win over the Bulls on Wednesday, Oct. 23. Ingram is owned in very few, if any leagues.

Bucks' G Damian Lillard scored 30 points on 9-of-19 shooting in a 124-109 win over Philadelphia on Wednesday, Oct. 23. Lillard is owned in very few, if any leagues.