Chris

Boucher

Boucher had been out since Christmas for personal reasons, but he will be available to play on Thursday. He has not been a huge part of the Celtics’ rotation this year and should not be counted on in fantasy leagues.

Boucher has been out since Christmas Day due to personal reasons but could return to take on Sacramento. However, when available, Boucher hasn’t been part of the rotation in Boston, so his return won’t alter the minutes allocation.

Boucher will miss a second straight game for personal reasons, and it’s unknown when he’ll be available. He had not been in the Celtics’ rotation before his departure.

Boucher is away from the Celtics for personal reasons and has no clearly defined return timeline. He has not been in the rotation recently.

Queta sprained his left ankle during the first quarter of Sunday’s win over the Magic and did not return. His absence gave John Minott and Chris Boucher more minutes, but Wednesday’s matchup may lead to additional playing time for Luka Garza or Xavier Tillman. Of the four, Minott offers the highest fantasy ceiling.

Queta sprained his ankle during the first quarter of Sunday’s game. While the Celtics announced at halftime that he was questionable to return, the 7-footer never did. To account for his absence, Boston went small for extended periods, with Josh Minott (16/7/1/0/1 with two three-pointers) and Chris Boucher (1/1/1/1/1) being the only interior reserves to play rotation minutes. Boston is off until Wednesday, when it kicks off a three-game Week 6 with a home game against the red-hot Pistons.

Garza is available after sitting out Friday’s loss to the Knicks. His return could result in fewer minutes for Chris Boucher or Xavier Tillman Sr., but none are worth the risk in fantasy leagues until one sets himself apart from the pack.

Garza played six minutes in the first half on Wednesday before exiting with a concussion, and now he’s expected to miss multiple games. Concussions shouldn’t lead to a multi-week absence, but until Garza is back, Neemias Queta, Chris Boucher and Xavier Tillman will occupy the center minutes. Garza will likely only take a few minutes away from the aforementioned trio when he returns.

Playing against the Raptors for the first time, Boucher received a warm welcome in Toronto. The return to Canada may have gotten the Montreal native fired up, as he was excellent in 23 minutes of action. After years of unfulfilled fantasy potential, this may be the year when Boucher comes through for those who refused to give up on him. Boston’s frontcourt rotation is anything but settled, which may mean consistent playing time for Boucher. He’s worth taking a late-round flier on.

Wednesday’s game is the preseason opener for the Celtics, so fantasy managers should not read too much into the team’s starting lineup. White and Brown are the expected starters and should see their fantasy ceilings rise due to Jayson Tatum’s Achilles injury and the departure of multiple rotation players. As for Hauser, Boucher and Tillman, they’ll be in the mix for rotation minutes throughout the season, but none is guaranteed to be a starter on Opening Night.