Washington

Wizards

Williams is on a 10-day contract, so his opportunities to impress are limited. Give him credit for making the most of his opportunity on Friday, playing 29 minutes and recording his first career double-double. Not selected in the 2022 draft, Williams’ fingerprints were all over the Wizards’ second victory in as many games. However, even with this performance, he isn’t worth the risk in most leagues for Sunday’s game against the Hornets.

Before Friday’s game, Wizards head coach Brian Keefe said that he hoped to use Riley some at the point during Thursday’s win over the Pacers. Why the inability to do so led to the rookie playing for only four minutes was a question that went unanswered. And for those hoping to see more of Riley on Friday, he played 12 minutes. The good news is that the 6-foot-8 wing was productive, but this is something to watch moving forward. Hopefully, the low minutes don’t become the norm for Riley.

Johnson shot the ball well on Friday, but the lack of playing time was a disappointment for fantasy managers. Due to the ankle injury suffered in late January, the rookie guard remains on a minutes restriction. While Johnson’s overall stat line was lean, there were signs that he could be a silly-season standout. However, that depends on how the Wizards handle the playing time, especially with fellow rookie Will Riley playing 12 minutes despite being healthy.

Vukčević, who was in the starting lineup for Friday’s game, has been ruled out for the rest of the night with a hand contusion. He played 20 minutes, finishing with 14 points (7-of-12 FGs), eight rebounds, one assist, one steal and one blocked shot. Vukčević’s absence should result in more minutes for Anthony Gill, as he’s the only other healthy big in the Wizards’ rotation.

Champagnie, who was inserted into the starting lineup for Friday’s game, was ruled out for the rest of the night toward the end of the third quarter. The Wizards’ forward finished with seven rebounds and one assist in 11 minutes, missing his lone shot attempt. Champagnie’s absence has led to more minutes for Alondes Williams.

The Wizards won’t have Kyshawn George for Friday’s game, as he’s out with a toe injury. Champagnie moves into the starting lineup, raising his ceiling and making him a player worth streaming. That’s the lone change to the starting five.

While George started Thursday’s win over the Pacers, the second-year wing only played 19 minutes. His absence for Friday’s rematch should result in more minutes for Will Riley, who played just four on Thursday. While he has silly-season standout potential, Riley may be hard to rely on in the short term, given how the Wizards have handled their rotation.

Gill has played at least 28 minutes in three of his last four appearances, and Thursday’s was one of his best. The veteran forward/center finished a steal shy of a complete stat line, shooting 66.7 percent from the field. Given the playing time, Gill may not be available for Friday’s rematch. At the very least, he’s unlikely to play as much if available, especially with starter Tristan Vukčević being limited to 17 minutes.

Hardy shot 3-of-6 from beyond the arc, providing solid value in the points and three-point categories. However, he logged just 18 minutes, and the overall stat line was lean. If the Wizards decide to sit any of their mainstays for Friday’s game against the Pacers, there may be a few more minutes available to Hardy. However, with Will Riley (six points) playing just four minutes on Thursday, he’ll likely be the Wizard who benefits the most.

Coulibaly may not offer much in the way of scoring, but his ability to fill a stat line ensures that he’ll have value in deeper category leagues. The five assists were the most in a game for the Wizards’ wing since January 27, and he’s recorded at least one steal in six straight and eight of his last nine appearances. Coulibaly and the Wizards have two more games in Week 17, starting with Friday’s rematch with the Pacers.