Steve Alexander

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Steve Alexander is a contributing writer for men’s fantasy basketball at ESPN. Steve is a member of the FSWA Hall of Fame.

Nov 7, 2025, 06:37 AM ET

We are three weeks into the new NBA season and injuries are starting to take over, but there are also plenty of healthy players who are having pleasantly surprising seasons thus far. Risers and fallers breaks down a few players on each side of the spectrum and can help fantasy managers when considering trade options or player moves in their leagues.

Risers

Russell Westbrook, PG, Sacramento Kings (72% rostered in ESPN leagues)

Westbrook has suddenly become a focal point for the Kings and he went off for a huge triple-double (his 204th) on Wednesday with 23 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists in a win over the Warriors. He became the all-time rebounds leader for guards in the process, passing Jason Kidd. He also had 26 points, 12 rebounds and six dimes in his previous game and has benefited from the absences of Zach LaVine (back) and Domantas Sabonis (ribs). He might take a slight hit once the Kings are fully healthy again, but it looks like Westbrook will get heavy minutes in Sacramento for the foreseeable future.

Jusuf Nurkic, C, Utah Jazz (19% rostered)

Walker Kessler is out for the season with a shoulder injury that will require surgery. Nurkic will take over starting center duties and had six points, 17 rebounds, four assists, four steals and a block on Wednesday against the Pistons. He also double-doubled with 11 points, 11 boards, four assists and a block in his previous game and should only get better in the near term. The assists have been nice and while they should start trending down, he’ll be a solid source of points, rebounds and blocks going forward. Power forward Kyle Filipowski (7% rostered) will also see a boost in Kessler’s absence and could end up being a silly-season hero later in the season.

Quentin Grimes, SG, Philadelphia 76ers (50%)

Grimes has scored at least 22 points in four of his last seven games and hit 9-of-15 shots on his way to 27 points, three rebounds, three assists and a 3-pointer on Wednesday versus Cleveland. He had four steals and a block in his previous game and hit four triples with 22 points and a career-high 13 assists last Sunday against the Nets. He’s averaging 18.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.1 steals, 0.5 blocks and 2.5 3-pointers on the season and is a player that can help fantasy managers in nearly every category. He’ll likely take a hit once Paul George finally plays, but no one really knows when that might happen.

Ajay Mitchell, PG, Oklahoma City Thunder (37%)

Mitchell started Wednesday in Portland and contributed 21 points, four rebounds, three assists and a steal in 31 minutes. He’s not likely to start consistently, but he gets decent minutes off the bench and is having a nice season. He’s getting nearly 27 minutes per game and has averaged 16.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.1 3-pointers through eight games on the season. He’s not a must-roster player, but his numbers have been solid and he won’t hurt fantasy teams anywhere. If he’s available in your league and you need guard help, he warrants a pickup in most instances.

Jaime Jaquez Jr., SG/SF, Miami Heat (59%)

Jaquez hit 9-of-14 shots and a 3-pointer for 21 points, three rebounds, two assists and a steal in 26 minutes at Denver on Wednesday and has been an integral piece for the Heat through their first eight games. He has scored 21, 28 and 31 points in three of those eight games and has been a solid source of points, rebounds, assists and steals. He’s likely to take a bit of a hit once Tyler Herro is healthy, but unlike last season, Erik Spoelstra appears ready to lean on Jaquez this season.

Kel’el Ware, C, Heat (40%)

Bam Adebayo suffered a left foot injury Wednesday and played just eight minutes. Ware has been wildly inconsistent this season, but it’s not really his fault. Prior to Wednesday’s game when he played 27 minutes and racked up 13 points, 13 rebounds, four steals, a block and two 3-pointers, he saw just 18 and 12 minutes in his previous two. Despite the inconsistent minutes, he’s averaged 10.1 points, 7.4 rebounds, 0.9 blocks and 1.3 3-pointers in just 20 minutes per game. He’s young and has a stat set built for fantasy if Spoelstra will give him 25 minutes a night. And if Adebayo is going to miss time, Ware could really take off.

Terance Mann, SG/SF, Brooklyn Nets (10%)

Mann has quietly been a valuable fantasy asset of late, despite his low rostership in ESPN leagues. He had 15 points, six assists, two steals and a 3-pointer on Wednesday against the Pacers and has scored in double digits in four of his past five games, playing at least 30 minutes in three of his past four. Cam Thomas suffered a hamstring injury on Wednesday, so Mann should continue to get solid run for the foreseeable future. He’s averaging a career-high 11.9 points this season to go along with 3.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.1 3-pointers in 28 minutes a game. The Nets are a mess, but Mann looks like he’s locked into the starting lineup in Brooklyn. And if Thomas misses time, Mann could take another step forward.

Fallers

Victor Wembanyama, C, San Antonio Spurs (100% rostered)

Wembanyama has struggled over his past two games, hitting just 9-of-28 shots and averaging 14.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.0 steals, 2.5 blocks and 0.5 3-pointers. That’s as bad as it can get for Wemby. Despite the aforementioned bad games, he’s still averaging 25.6 points, 12.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 4.1 blocks and 0.9 3-pointers through his first seven games. He should bounce back against the Rockets on Friday, and if you have been thinking about trying to trade for Wembanyama, now is the time to do it. His fantasy value won’t be lower than it is right now, and as long as he stays healthy, he can single-handedly win you a fantasy championship.

Desmond Bane, SG/SF, Orlando Magic (90%)

Bane has been a bit of a disaster for his new team and he’s been getting worse as the season progresses. He has failed to score in double figures in three straight games and has scored a grand total of just 23 points in them for an average of 7.7 points. He’s scoring just 13.9 PPG thus far and is shooting a career-low 41.4%, frustrating his fantasy managers along the way. He’s still trying to figure out his role playing alongside Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, but I believe they will eventually figure it out. Now is a great time to try to acquire Bane, as his fantasy value likely won’t be lower than it is right now. And the chances of him curing his shooting woes and posting big numbers going forward are high.

CJ McCollum, PG/SG, Washington Wizards (64%)

The Wizards have been blown out in four straight games and McCollum has played 22 or fewer minutes in three straight, scoring a total of 8 points in his latest two outings thanks to hitting just three of his last 19 shots. He has played well in only one game this season – he had 24 points, six boards, five assists and four 3-pointers against Charlotte on Oct. 26 – and I’m starting to worry about his role in Washington for the rest of the season. Hopefully, the low minutes of late were due to the blowout factor, but it’s possible the Wizards, who are 1-7 on the season, could turn to a youth movement in what looks to be another lost season. Chances are McCollum will bounce back and get it turned around, but I think fantasy managers might sleep better at night if McCollum is playing for someone else’s team.

Zion Williamson, PF, New Orleans Pelicans (97%)

Williamson will be out for the next 10 days or so due to a left hamstring injury, and the Pelicans finally got their second win without him on Wednesday when they beat the Mavericks 101-99. Williamson was playing fairly well before the injury with 22.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 2.0 steals, but he is a bad free throw shooter (66.7%) and doesn’t hit 3-pointers or block shots. His trade value is low right now due to the injury, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he deals with it for the rest of the season. He has been a disaster in New Orleans, and I’d recommend trying to trade him once he’s playing again and has a decent game or two. Otherwise, he’ll likely be an ongoing headache for his fantasy managers.

Trey Murphy III, SG/SF, Pelicans (88%)

Murphy’s shooting (38.3%) has been a problem this season and bottomed out with a 3-for-12 performance in Wednesday’s win over Dallas. His scoring is down more than six points from last season, though he’s averaging career highs in rebounds, assists and steals. The good news is he’s healthy and is a much better player than he has shown thus far. He should get his shot figured out sooner than later, and now is a great time to try to make a trade for Murphy. He can only go up from here.

Kawhi Leonard, SF/PF, Los Angeles Clippers (96%)

Leonard had been a model of health this season and was returning top-10 fantasy value with his strong, consistent play. However, a red flag was raised when he sat out Tuesday’s game against the Thunder with a sprained ankle that many of us believed was simply load management in a back-to-back situation. However, he was also ruled out of Thursday’s game against the Suns well in advance, leaving his fantasy managers wondering just how hurt he is. Leonard is day-to-day with the injury and has been one of the more valuable players in fantasy thus far. But his injury history will always be a dark cloud hanging over his head, and he could fall into an injury abyss just as quickly as he tore up the league for his first six games. Managers have to make a decision on whether to keep rolling with Leonard in hopes that his injury is minor, or try to move him for a healthier and more stable option. If you decide to move him, he should bring back a strong haul based on his production thus far ... unless the other managers in your league are scared off by the injury history.