Franz

Wagner

Friday’s game will be the fifth that Wagner has missed due to injury management for a high left ankle sprain. How long he’ll remain out is unknown. However, what is known is that Anthony Black will remain in the starting lineup, and the third-year guard should be rostered in 12-team leagues by now.

Wagner is set to miss his fourth consecutive game. The 24-year-old small forward is listed as out for high left ankle sprain injury management reasons. Anthony Black will continue to start and should be rostered in standard formats until Wagner returns.

Monday’s game will be the third that Wagner has missed, with the description being changed from “left ankle soreness” to “high left ankle sprain injury management.” Before Saturday’s loss to the Cavaliers, Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley said Wagner did some light, non-contact shooting during the pregame shootaround. As long as Wagner is out, Anthony Black will start, and he should be rostered in standard leagues.

Wagner will miss a second straight game after playing just two games following a 16-game absence. Anthony Black will remain a starter despite Jalen Suggs (knee) being upgraded to probable. They’ll continue to manage this injury as he recovers, but it is slightly alarming that he will miss two games this quickly. Black has been productive as a fill-in.

This is mildly concerning, considering how much time Wagner missed with an ankle injury over the holidays. The team “is going to monitor how he responds to treatment moving forward,” which will determine how long Wagner will be sidelined. Tristan Da Silva should move back into the starting lineup in the meantime.

After missing 16 games with a high ankle sprain, Wagner was back on the court Thursday afternoon in his hometown of Berlin. While the stat line did not include any steals or blocks, the rebounds and three-pointers were solid. Also encouraging for fantasy managers was his playing 27 minutes in his first game back. Wagner’s return meant fewer minutes for Noah Penda (nine points, five rebounds, two assists, one block and one three-pointer in 18 minutes), who is more valuable to dynasty leagues than redrafts.

Wagner has missed 16 straight games, but the German forward will be back in action for this international matchup. Tristan da Silva should see a reduction in playing time and usage, but Wagner may be on a minutes restriction after so much time on the sideline. Anthony Black is worth holding, as he has played well enough to remain in the rotation regardless of Wagner’s health.

Wagner has missed Orlando’s last nine games with a left high ankle sprain. He’s been replaced in the starting lineup by Anthony Black, and that should remain the case for the foreseeable future. Black is worth picking up, as he has provided top-50 per-game value over the past two weeks.

In Orlando’s first game without Franz Wagner (ankle), Black will slide into the starting unit. This will be Black’s fifth start this season, and he has generally been productive. Wagner is expected to miss multiple weeks, and if Black is able to maintain this starting role, he will be a must-roster player in most formats.

Franz landed awkwardly on his left leg during Sunday’s game, and while Charania’s report doesn’t include an official timeline from the team, managers should expect a multi-week absence. Anthony Black and Tristan da Silva both stepped up when Paolo Banchero missed time, and both should get a similar boost with Wagner unavailable.