NBA Player News

Murphy finished with 19 points (6-12 FG, 2-7 3Pt, 5-8 FT), five rebounds, three assists and a steal across 32 minutes in Thursday's 132-120 win over the Kings.

Murphy delivered a balanced offensive performance, contributing as both a perimeter scorer and secondary facilitator. His seven three-point attempts reinforced his importance as a floor-spacing option alongside Zion Williamson, although his shooting efficiency from deep remained inconsistent. Murphy's established scoring role and steady playing time provide a useful fantasy foundation, with additional upside when his perimeter shot is falling. The lack of consistency has been an issue so far, but the upside is there -- he has scored in double digits in three of his five appearances to date and is shooting 46.4 percent from the field.

Jones contributed 16 points (7-12 FG, 0-3 3Pt, 2-3 FT), four rebounds, an assist and two steals across 32 minutes in Thursday's 132-120 win over the Kings.

Jones made his first start of the season due to the absence of Dejounte Murray (personal) and delivered an efficient scoring performance inside the arc while adding two steals, reinforcing his value as a defensive specialist. Jones' fantasy appeal is strongest in category-based formats that reward defensive production, but his bench role limits his upside a bit. Before Thursday, he was averaging just 3.5 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.0 steals on 17.5 minutes per game off the bench.

Williamson registered 22 points (10-12 FG, 2-4 FT), six rebounds, two assists, five steals and a block across 31 minutes in Thursday's 132-120 win over the Kings.

Williamson delivered another outstanding fantasy performance, shooting 83.3 percent from the field while recording six combined steals-plus-blocks. His defensive contributions were particularly notable, significantly boosting his value beyond scoring. Williamson has now scored at least 20 points in four of his five appearances this season while shooting an impressive, and likely unsustainable, 64.6 percent from the floor.

LaVine tallied 21 points (7-17 FG, 3-10 3Pt, 4-6 FT), three rebounds, five assists and three steals across 39 minutes in Thursday's 132-120 loss to the Pelicans.

LaVine struggled with perimeter efficiency, connecting on just three of 10 attempts, but made up for it with five assists and three steals while going 4-for-7 from inside the arc. LaVine is off to an excellent start this season, scoring at least 20 points in every game and averaging 26.0 points per game. He's also shooting at an efficient rate, making 50 percent of his attempts and 35.7 percent of his three-pointers.

Achiuwa posted 24 points (12-17 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 0-1 FT), nine rebounds, two assists and four steals across 41 minutes in Thursday's 132-120 loss to the Pelicans.

Achiuwa delivered his strongest scoring performance of the young season, converting 70.6 percent of his field-goal attempts while narrowly missing a double-double. His four steals further enhanced his fantasy output, and the heavy workload was particularly encouraging. Achiuwa has started the Kings' last three games and is averaging 13.3 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game as part of the first unit. He has scored in double digits in all but one of his five outings so far, and he's clearly exceeding expectations while making the most of his expanded role with Keegan Murray (ankle) sidelined.

Sabonis finished with nine points (4-7 FG, 1-2 FT), 15 rebounds, seven assists, two steals and a block across 40 minutes in Thursday's 132-120 loss to the Pelicans.

Sabonis has been absolutely dominant on the glass in the early stages of the season, grabbing at least 14 boards in each game and comfortably leading the NBA in that category at 16.2 per game. The other areas of his game weren't as dominant, however, as he attempted just seven shots while committing seven turnovers. Sabonis' rebounding and playmaking helped offset the single-digit scoring total, though the turnovers were costly for Sacramento. The star big man remains a strong fantasy contributor through his elite rebounding and passing, but his scoring volume can become a concern after back-to-back games with nine points.

Wiggins notched 20 points (8-14 FG, 4-7 3Pt), seven rebounds, three assists and a block across 24 minutes in Thursday's 114-111 win over the Cavaliers.

Wiggins delivered an impressive offensive performance off the bench, and while he's not expected to maintain this efficiency over the season, he's made the most of his role so far. This 20-point output was a season-high mark for Wiggins, but he's scored in double digits in each of his six appearances so far while clearing the 15-point mark four times. Wiggins offers intriguing scoring upside in Atlanta's rotation, but his fantasy reliability will depend almost entirely on his scoring, as he hasn't offered much value in other categories so far.

Alexander-Walker delivered 25 points (8-17 FG, 4-12 3Pt, 5-5 FT), three rebounds, an assist and a block across 31 minutes in Thursday's 114-111 win over the Cavaliers.

Alexander-Walker provided Atlanta with a major scoring boost, connecting on four three-pointers and making two late free throws that proved to be clutch. His 12 attempts from beyond the arc highlight his aggressive perimeter role, although his limited playmaking and rebounding make his fantasy value somewhat scoring-dependent. Continued opportunities to operate as a primary perimeter threat should support his upside, and he's enjoyed a strong start to the season as a scoring weapon -- he has cleared the 20-point mark in three of his first six outings.

Johnson recorded 17 points (7-16 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 1-1 FT), eight rebounds and seven assists across 34 minutes in Thursday's 114-111 win over the Cavaliers.

Johnson delivered another well-rounded performance, contributing as both a rebounder and facilitator despite failing to reach the 20-point mark for the third time in six appearances this season. His seven assists highlighted his importance to Atlanta's offensive scheme, but he also lost the ball four times, his third straight game with at least three turnovers. Johnson's substantial playing time and versatility across points, rebounds, and assists give him a strong fantasy foundation, but his early-season numbers are slightly down in most categories compared to his career-best season in 2025-26.

Merrill registered 16 points (6-11 FG, 4-8 3Pt), two rebounds, three assists and a steal across 27 minutes in Thursday's 114-111 loss to the Hawks.

Merrill provided efficient perimeter scoring, making half of his eight three-point attempts en route to season-high marks in points and three-pointers made. However, Merrill's minimal impact in other categories makes him a better fit for category-based formats, as his value depends heavily on three-point volume and efficiency. His bench role and the fact that this was his first double-digit-point outing don't help his case, either.