Zion Williamson posts 13/8/4/2 line vs. Minnesota

Williamson did not play in Monday’s loss to the Warriors, with Saddiq Bey replacing him in the starting lineup. Zion’s return means that Bey will come off the bench.

The Pelicans will be without two of their top four scorers on Monday, as Williamson has joined Trey Murphy (knee) on the shelf. Saddiq Bey’s role will take on added importance, whether he moves into the starting lineup or not.

Williamson produced excellent percentages in his final game of the week, much to the delight of those rostering him in category leagues. Unfortunately, the production outside of the points and percentages was pretty lean in the Pelicans’ 139-123 defeat. That said, over three weeks, Williamson’s production has exceeded his ADP (69) by a safe distance. The hope is that he can avoid the extended absence that has been a common occurrence throughout his NBA career.

Williamson only scored 15 points against the Hawks on Saturday, which was a season low. However, that came with a season low for shot attempts as well, which can be attributed to the lopsided score. Williamson bounced back in this game with his first double-double of the season, and the Pelicans have now won three games in a row. Williamson has been an incredible source of steals this season, with this game being the first that he didn’t record at least two swipes. He’ll look to keep it going against the Jazz on Wednesday.

While Williamson’s defensive effort has been questioned at times, he’s provided consistent value in steals this season. He’s had at least two in each of the Pelicans’ first six games and is averaging 3.2 per game. His most productive season was 2024-25, when Zion averaged 1.2 steals per game. This early production is definitely out of the norm for him, so fantasy managers should plan for a likely decrease at some point.

Williamson has scored at least 22 points in three of four games, with Wednesday’s total being a season-high. Also of note were the three steals, pushing Zion’s total to 11 through four games. Williamson may not be much of a defender, but he’s still managed to put up numbers in the steals column. If that continues, it could help offset the lack of three-point production.

Zion was aggressive in getting his shot and got a lot of his buckets around the rim. He’s not the highflyer that he once was but he’s still able to get up around the rim. He got you some decent rebounds and got you three steals. It was a very typical Zion game so you should be happy with his performance.

In 62 games last year, Williamson was just 1-of-4 from behind the three-point line. He made two three-pointers Wednesday, giving him more than he had all of last season. With the Pelicans trailing by three and the shot clock off at the end of the fourth quarter, Williamson corralled a rebound and proceeded to attempt another three-pointer in hopes of tying the game. Unfortunately, after getting a defender to leave his feet with a pump fake, Williamson shot an air ball. Still, the fact that he’s taking more three-pointers and even making some will likely prove to be a boon to his fantasy value this season.

Mosley, who was fired by the Magic shortly after their ouster from the NBA Playoffs, was not unemployed for long, as the Pelicans decided to bring him on board. One of his tasks in New Orleans will be to help Williamson tap into his full potential. “He hasn’t even scratched the surface of things he can do,” Mosley told reporters, according to ESPN. “I really do believe that. And I think being able to open the floor up more for him, attacking, being able to play him in different positions, because he’s an excellent basketball player with a high IQ for playmaking, for making guys around him better, knowing when to make plays and the right passes to make.” While he was given some playmaking responsibilities by previous coaches, Zion’s inability to stay healthy limited his overall output. The injury history means Williamson’s fantasy draft outlook won’t be much affected by Mosley’s words. However, the new head coach’s willingness to give Zion more responsibility should bode well for the forward’s immediate future in New Orleans.

The continued absences of Williamson and Missi are most impactful, as Derik Queen and Kevon Looney have served as the starting power forward and center. That should remain the case on Sunday, with Queen more likely to play starters’ minutes. As for Matković, his continued absence does not significantly affect the Pelicans’ rotation.