Zion

Williamson

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.

Friday’s game will be the second straight that Williamson has missed, but he was never ruled out for Tuesday’s win over the Jazz. He won’t play against the Celtics for injury management reasons, which may result in a second consecutive start for Kevon Looney.

Williamson, Saddiq Bey and Herb Jones are all expected to sit out Tuesday’s game despite not being on the injury report. They will be in uniform, likely making this a “break in case of emergency” situation for them. Rookies Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen should see their usage rates skyrocket due to the absences.

Williamson’s final line was adequate, but most fantasy managers who roster the forward expect more. He was more productive on Sunday than in Friday’s loss to the Kings, but the biggest positive regarding Williamson this season has been his availability. The 62 games he’s played in are the second-most in a season in Zion’s career, trailing only 2023-24 70. The improved availability may push Williamson up some draft boards next fall, but many fantasy managers will remain skeptical.

Williamson had a relatively quiet outing. He played under 30 minutes and scored his fewest points since February 28 against the Jazz. The former first-overall pick’s numbers currently some of the lowest of his career. He’s not currently finishing the fantasy season strong and likely isn’t someone fantasy managers can trust on Sunday’s fantasy finale against the Magic.

Williamson put up solid percentages in Sunday’s defeat, but the overall stat line was limited. However, that has not been an issue for him on most nights since the All-Star break. Providing eighth-round value since the break, Williamson has shot 65.2 percent from the field and 71.3 percent from the foul line during this stretch. The Pelicans play three games in Week 23, but they’re off until Thursday.

This was Zion’s fourth straight game with at least 20 points, though he continues to not contribute much for fantasy managers in other categories. The field goal percentage and points will continue to be strong, but Williamson remains a liability in other categories. He continues to be available, which is a great development for him, and should be an encouraging sign entering drafts next year. They have one more game this week, which will be on Sunday against the Rockets.

Williamson has scored at least 21 points in three straight and five of his last seven appearances. And availability remains a strength for the Pelicans’ forward, which has not been the case for most of his NBA career. Williamson has only missed one game since December 14, allowing fantasy managers to benefit from him being a top-100 player since the All-Star break. The Pelicans have two more games in Week 22, starting with the Raptors on Friday. Zion has played back-to-backs, so managers should anticipate him being on the floor in Toronto.

Murphy is dealing with a sprained right ankle, casting some doubt on his availability for Thursday’s game. If he’s unable to go, Yves Missi could be the replacement in the starting lineup, which would push Zion Williamson back to his usual power forward role.

Williamson was able to lead the team in scoring once again, and he has now shot at least 70 percent from the floor in six straight games. Unfortunately, he hasn’t been as productive in other categories, which has limited his impact in category leagues. Still, he continues to play games, which is a huge development for him; he has only missed one game since returning from a six-game absence on Dec. 14. He’ll continue to pour in the efficient buckets with three more games on the schedule this week.