Jaylin

Williams

Williams was yet to appear in a game this season and now he’ll have to wait even longer. Osumane Dieng figures to fill in for Williams in the Thunder big man rotation, though he doesn’t carry much fantasy value. Williams’ injury is a blow to the Thunder’s big man depth behind Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein.

Williams has yet to appear in a game this season and does not have a concrete timeline for his return. Ousmane Dieng has played rotation minutes in JayWill’s and Isaiah Hartenstein’s (hand) absences, but he hasn’t done enough to merit streaming consideration.

Williams remains sidelined for another game, joining Isaiah Hartenstein and Kenrich Williams on the sideline. While Ousmane Dieng did play rotation minutes off the bench in Thursday’s win over the Nuggets, starter Chet Holmgren played 36 minutes and the Thunder. There’s no need to consider streaming Dieng.

Williams injured his hamstring during the preseason, so he’s likely to need a ramp-up process once fully cleared for on-court work. With Isaiah Harteinstein (hand) also sidelined, the Thunder will be light on interior options when they visit Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets on Thursday. Ousmane Dieng may pick up a few minutes behind Chet Holmgren, but he is not worth the streaming risk.

Hartenstein is heading back West after multiple seasons in New York. He was excellent when Mitchell Robinson was out last season, and now he’ll fill out the center minutes behind Chet Holmgren. Hartenstein will provide OKC with a bigger center to help match up with players like Nikola Jokic out West. He won’t be as productive in fantasy, but he will be an important part of the team’s rotation. In New York, Robinson and Jericho Sims are the only centers currently on the roster. That could mean that another move is coming for them, but right now, it’s looking like Robinson will see a minutes boost.

Despite scoring 21 points, Holmgren’s final game of the season wasn’t his best. More concerning than the 1-of-7 night from three was the rebounding, with the rookie only grabbing three. By comparison, Mavericks rookie Dereck Lively II grabbed 15 by himself. Holmgren’s struggles to rebound prompted Thunder coach Mark Daigneault to go with a bigger lineup down the stretch, with Jaylin Williams (6/2/2/1/1 with one 3-pointer in 18 minutes) joining the rookie in the frontcourt. Overall, Holmgren had an excellent rookie campaign, finishing second to Victor Wembanyama in Rookie of the Year voting and providing top-20 per-game value in 9-cat formats. Based on his Yahoo ADP, Chet was expected by many to be a 4th-round player. Those days are over; he should not get out of the third round in standard league drafts, and that’s being conservative.

Hayward and Wiliams are available, with the former returning after a two-game absence. Both will come off the bench, limiting their value in active fantasy leagues. Feel free to leave them on the waiver wire.

Both reserves are questionable to play in this game, with Hayward having missed their last two games. He started the last time he suited up, but with the rest of their starting unit available, he will likely come off the bench if he returns. If Williams sits out, Mike Muscala will likely fill out the backup center minutes, but none of these players are intriguing streaming options.

With the other Jalen Williams sidelined for this game, JWill moved into the starting unit. While he provided them with a bigger presence in the frontcourt alongside Chet Holmgren than they are accustomed to, he was also able to take over their playmaking duties. He had nine assists before halftime, which was enough to break his previous career high. Williams is a good passer for a big, but that hasn’t led to this level of production often this season. He played well in this game, and if JDub remains out against Boston on Wednesday, he may be worth streaming. However, if JDub is back, JWill should be left on the waiver wire.

The Thunder will play this game without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams, which allows for Wiggins and Williams to fill the two open spots in the starting unit. This is a bigger starting unit than the Thunder usually have, and both new starters should have some fantasy upside in increased roles.