Zach

Edey

Stewart played 22 minutes in Sunday’s win over the Kings, filling in at center for Zach Edey. With Edey also available for Monday’s game, Beef Stew will come off the bench.

Edey will sit out the first leg of this back-to-back, which means he should be back to take on the Jazz on Monday. Expect Isaiah Stewart to start in his place, with Quinten Post filling out the backup minutes.

Stewart made his official Grizzlies debut on Friday, playing most of his minutes when starting center Zach Edey (8/10/3/1/2) was not on the floor. Unfortunately, Beef Stew picked up four fouls in the first half, including three in the first quarter, which limited him to 16 minutes. It remains to be seen what his role will look like once the ankle is no longer a concern, but Stewart isn’t someone worth rostering in most redraft leagues just yet.

The Grizzlies didn’t need Edey to play heavy minutes in this game to get the win. The Grizzlies have a couple of capable backup centers with Isaiah Stewart and Quentin Post. Given Edey’s injury history, it’s very possible that Edey doesn’t get heavy minutes this season, so the fantasy upside is more limited.

The Grizzlies have a new frontcourt, with Boozer, the third overall pick in last summer’s draft, and Edey, returning from a season-ending ankle injury. They’ll play prominent roles in the Grizzlies’ lineup as the franchise rebuilds after trading Jaren Jackson Jr. and Ja Morant. Jerome and Coward also offer high fantasy upside with their starting roles.

Edey made his preseason debut earlier this week after returning from offseason ankle surgery. The 24-year-old big man from Purdue played well in 16 minutes. He had 10 points, five rebounds, two steals and a block. Healthy again, Edey is a solid pick in the middle of the fifth-round of fantasy drafts this year.

Stewart’s preseason debut with the Grizzlies lasted just two minutes when he sprained his left ankle in Monday’s game against the Pistons. He has since been diagnosed with a moderate sprain and will be re-evaluated in two weeks. Based on the timeline, Stewart will miss the regular-season opener on October 21, but could return shortly after. His absence won’t significantly affect fantasy basketball, especially since Zach Edey is healthy.

Edey made his preseason debut in this one and managed to pile up four rebounds in a statsheet-stuffing performance that lasted just 10 minutes. The 24-year-old center is one of the more challenging big men to forecast for fantasy purposes because he’s shown some flashes of immense all-around potential as an impact interior defender with significant offensive upside. He was limited to just 11 games last year due to lingering left ankle issues that ultimately required season-ending surgery. It’s unrealistic to count on Edey from a volume standpoint, but even a moderately healthy campaign would make him easily worthy of an early-round pick as a top-60 range selection in fantasy drafts this fall.

Kleiman said Edey could be ready for the start of the regular season. After having season-ending ankle surgery in March, Edey is right where he needs to be in his rehab, according to Kleiman. It doesn’t sound like the 24-year-old center will miss too much time, making Edey a worthwhile selection in the fifth-round of fantasy drafts.

Boozer is one of the top prospects in the draft class, regardless of position. While he offers a high floor, that may be selling his long-term ceiling short. A consensus All-American, the 6-foot-8 forward averaged 22.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.4 three-pointers in 33.4 minutes at Duke, shooting 55.6 percent from the field, 39.1 percent from three and 78.9 percent from the foul line. Boozer’s physicality and work ethic make him a good choice for any franchise looking to reset its roster. He should slot in as the starting power forward for Memphis after they traded Jaren Jackson Jr. to Utah at the trade deadline. Boozer should fit in well alongside Zach Edey in the starting unit and become the franchise cornerstone for the Grizzlies.