Celtics' Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown Fantasy Outlook After Kemba Walker Injury
Boston Celtics point guard Kemba Walker was released from the hospital after being diagnosed with concussion-like symptoms following a scary collision with teammate Semi Ojeleye during Friday night's game against the Denver Nuggets.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported the initial indications suggest Walker "did not suffer a significant injury," but there's no immediate timetable for his return.
The Celtics' backcourt rotation and offensive pecking order will be altered until the three-time All-Star returns, which is going to have an impact in the world of fantasy basketball.
Jayson Tatum was already leading the C's with 18.4 field-goal attempts per game, and he should now operate as the team's unquestioned No. 1 offensive option, especially in crunch time.
The increase in usage shouldn't only lead to an uptick in points but also assists. That should make Tatum, who already ranks 29th in Yahoo standard leagues for the 2019-20 season, a fringe top-15 player in the short term.
Jaylen Brown should also see a small increase in points and assists as he takes on a couple of extra minutes per night to fill Walker's void.
"Our prayers and our energy are with him," Brown told reporters. "He's probably the smallest dude on the floor every time he steps out, but he's probably got the biggest heart. We definitely lean on him, and we'll welcome him back when he rests up and everything is taken care of."
While Marcus Smart will likely take over the main ball-handling duties, his poor shooting percentage is going to keep a ceiling on his fantasy value in standard formats.
Brad Wanamaker is a name to keep in mind for those fantasy owners looking for a potential short-term sleeper. He had already started to see more playing time in the rotation with three straight games of at least 27 minutes, and now he could lead the offense on a more regular basis.
He's a more efficient shooter than Smart, though he doesn't provide as many threes, assists or steals, and his 93.9 free-throw percentage can provide a major boost in that category if he's able to get to the line.
Ultimately, the Celtics' depth is one of the key reasons they're off to an 11-4 start. Of course, they are also without Gordon Hayward, who was looking worlds better than he did last season before he went down with a broken hand.
Without Walker, Tatum and Wanamaker should see their values rise most, but even those jumps will be modest.
