Boston Celtics forward Al Horford (toe) won't play in Thursday's rematch against the Hawks. He continues to be bothered by a toe sprain. However, the 37-year-old logged 36 minutes in Monday's loss to Atlanta, so it's surprising he's unavailable. Fortunately, the C's will get back Jrue Holiday (shoulder) from a five-game absence. But without Horford on the floor, Sam Hauser, averaging 12.6 points and 5.0 rebounds in 10 starts this season, remains a viable fantasy asset.

Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday (shoulder) will play on Thursday against the Hawks. The 33-year-old has been sidelined for the last five games because of an AC joint sprain and was listed as questionable for the rematch versus Atlanta. However, he's good to go and won't have any restrictions, which is certainly good news for fantasy managers. Sam Hauser, who has averaged 12.6 points and 5.0 rebounds in 10 starts this year, will head back to the bench. Yet, with Al Horford (toe) out, Hauser could remain involved enough to warrant DFS consideration.

Chicago Bulls guards Alex Caruso (ankle) and Ayo Dosunmu (illness) are probable for Friday's tilt against the Brooklyn Nets. Caruso continues to deal with a sprained left ankle, and Dosunmu is managing an upper respiratory illness, but they are likely to suit up for the Bulls on Friday. Both guards are offering top-50 value in nine-category leagues over the past two weeks of action, with Caruso notching double scoring figures as well as multiple triples and steals in six of his past seven showings and Dosunmu averaging 22.3 points, 5.3 assists, 1.2 swipes, and 2.7 triples across his last six games. They will both be worth deploying against a Nets squad permitting the most three-pointers (3.6) to opposing point guards this season.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (knee, nose) is listed as questionable for Friday's game versus the Philadelphia 76ers. The upgrade coincides with a report on Wednesday from The Athletic's Shams Charania that Mitchell was targeting a return on Friday from a six-game absence with a knee injury and nasal fracture. Even so, the two-way superstar's status could ultimately come down to a game-time decision based on pregame warmups. Point forward Caris LeVert's run as a primary ball handler for the Cavs could be nearing a close, averaging 11.8 points, 7.8 assists, 4.8 rebounds, 1.2 threes, and 1.4 steals through his last 12 games (seven starts). He should remain held in all fantasy leagues until Mitchell is officially cleared, though.

Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (illness) is probable for Friday's tilt versus the Portland Trail Blazers. Butler was expected to play through his illness in Tuesday's win over the Cleveland Cavaliers before being surprisingly ruled out, but the Miami Herald's Anthony Chiang also reports the 34-year-old two-way superstar was a limited participant in Thursday's practice. Over 13 games since the All-Star Break, Butler is collecting a strong 21.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.7 steals, and 0.9 three-pointers per contest. His return for the Heat would send first-round rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. to Miami's bench, and Butler would be a must-start season-long fantasy option in a soft matchup with the 19-54 Blazers on Friday.

Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray (back) is questionable for Thursday's game against the Boston Celtics. Murray was iffy for Wednesday's win over the Portland Trail Blazers with lower back soreness, and his status remains up in air on the second night of Atlanta's back-to-back. Bogdan Bogdanovic would play more as a point forward if the star guard sits out on Thursday, while 2020 second-rounder Vit Krejci would handle the bulk of the ball-handling duties in this case. Krejci has started the last five games for the Hawks and averaged 10.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 2.0 three-pointers in 31.9 minutes, but Boston ranks first in the Eastern Conference in opponent field-goal percentage (45.4%).

Boston Celtics forward/center Al Horford (toe) is in danger of missing Wednesday's rematch against the Hawks. He is questionable because of a left big toe sprain, an injury he's been battling for the last week. But the 37-year-old has mostly played through the pain and logged 36 minutes when these clubs met on Monday night. With Jrue Holiday (shoulder) potentially in line to miss a sixth consecutive contest, Horford could stay with the starting unit. But if Holiday and Horford are out, Sam Hauser, averaging 12.6 points and 5.0 rebounds in 10 starts this season, should continue to receive extra work.

Boston Celtics guard Derrick White isn't listed on the league's official injury report heading toward Thursday's rematch with the Hawks. White wasn't in the lineup when these clubs met on Monday because of a hand issue. Yet, this injury isn't new, so he likely just got the night off to take a breather. Sam Hauser got the start, although he finished with just six points. With Al Horford (toe) and Jrue Holiday (shoulder) questionable for Thursday, there could still be room for Hauser to remain with the first five. Considering Hauser had double-digit scoring performances in five of his previous seven games means he has an excellent chance to bounce back.

Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon (foot) will play on Thursday against Phoenix. He's been battling a right plantar fascia strain for at least a few games. However, the 28-year-old finally sat out, missing Monday's win over the Memphis Grizzlies. Christian Braun got the start and played exceptionally well, finishing with 17 points off 8-for-10 shooting from the field. But with Gordon back in the lineup, Braun's fantasy ceiling will come crashing down.

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (back, hip) will play on Wednesday versus the Suns. He didn't suit up for Saturday's win over the Portland Trail Blazers because of back and hip soreness. However, the multi-time MVP returned for Monday's meeting with Memphis, finishing two assists shy of a triple-double. Jokic has averaged 23.0 points, 10.5 boards, and 10.5 assists versus Phoenix this season, making him an ideal option for any fantasy lineup.

Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday (shoulder) is questionable for Thursday's game against Atlanta. He's missed the last five games with an AC joint sprain, so this could be his first appearance in nearly two weeks. But the C's are sitting comfortably atop the Eastern Conference, meaning Holiday won't be on the floor until he's fully healthy. Nonetheless, if he sits out another game, Sam Hauser, averaging 12.6 points and 5.0 rebounds in 10 starts during the 2023-24 campaign, could remain with the first five.

Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton (ankle) is expected to play on Thursday against the Pelicans. The veteran was sidelined for over a month because of a sprained ankle. However, he's been back in the lineup in four of Milwaukee's previous five games. Middleton has had a few solid showings since his return. But he scored only 12 points in Tuesday's double-overtime loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. At any rate, his fantasy ceiling is still higher than most. Yet, the 32-year-old is not as consistent as he used to be.

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (knee) might return before the end of the regular season. Wojnarowski stated that it's not a matter of "if" but "when," while adding the team hopes to get him back with at least a few games left before the postseason begins. The 30-year-old averaged a career-high 35.3 points with 11.3 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 1.8 blocks before going down with a knee injury at the end of January. Of course, it could take him a few games to get back up to speed. However, Embiid's presence will immediately mean less work for Mo Bamba and Paul Reed, who have seen an uptick in production while the reigning MVP has been sidelined.

Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (ankle) remains out for Wednesday's matchup with Phoenix. This will be there veteran's third consecutive absence after tweaking his ankle during a recent meeting with the New York Knicks. With that said, his next chance to return will be Friday against Minnesota. However, Reggie Jackson, coming off a 15-point performance on Monday versus Memphis, will remain a worthwhile DFS option.

Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (ribs) has shaken off a questionable tag and will be in the lineup on Wednesday against Detroit. Health issues have limited Gobert to only three outings across the last seven games, but he will make his third consecutive appearance on Wednesday. The French giant should have a good game against a mediocre rebounding team that allows centers to shoot 59.2 percent from the field. Gobert bagged 19 points and 16 rebounds against the Pistons in this season's first head-to-head matchup in January.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (ankle) will play on Wednesday versus the Memphis Grizzlies. James didn't suit up for Tuesday's double-overtime win over the Bucks because of his nagging ankle injury. However, the Lakers need him healthy for the postseason, so he got a night off for the first half of back-to-back contests. The 39-year-old has averaged 24.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 6.5 assists, and 3.0 steals in two meetings with Memphis this season. Yet, with Anthony Davis (knee) sidelined, James could be more productive.

Los Angeles Lakers forward/center Anthony Davis (knee) will sit out Wednesday's game against Memphis. This should come as a surprise to no one after Davis put in a mammoth of an effort across a career-high 52 minutes in a double-overtime win against Milwaukee on Tuesday. Jaxson Hayes will pick up his fourth start of the year in Davis' stead. He's averaged 10.0 points and 7.7 rebounds in the role and should do well against a weak Memphis squad that has the league's third-lowest rebounding rate.

New York Knicks guard/forward Alec Burks (shoulder) will miss a second consecutive game on Wednesday versus Toronto. There was initially hope of him returning when the team listed him as questionable for the game, but Burks has now been downgraded to out. Burks' absence leaves the Knicks without a good scoring option off the bench. He's averaged around 15 minutes a night in the Big Apple, and Bojan Bogdanovic will have a chance to get some extra action off the Knicks bench without Burks.

Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray (back) will play in Wednesday's matchup against Portland. He landed on the initial injury report with a sore back and a questionable designation, but the 2022 All-Star has now been cleared to play. Murray has been a beast for fantasy managers throughout the month, averaging 25.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 9.3 assists, 2.3 steals, and 3.8 three-point makes. He's already faced the Trail Blazers once in March, and Murray went off for 40 points in the contest. A similar performance on Wednesday isn't out of the question, with Trae Young (finger) and Jalen Johnson (ankle) still absent and Murray getting a lot of shots because of it.

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (hamstring) is expected to play on Thursday in New Orleans. The multi-time MVP has been plagued by left hamstring tendinopathy over the last few weeks. However, the injury appears to be getting better, considering he logged 46 minutes in Tuesday's double-overtime loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. But Milwaukee has a few relatively easy matchups on the horizon, meaning he may get a night off heading toward the postseason. With that in mind, Antetokounmpo amassed 30 points, 12 boards, and two blocks against the Pelicans the first time these clubs met earlier in the season, keeping him on the radar for DFS managers on Thursday night.