Fantasy Basketball Start/Sit Guide: Key Players to Start & Sit in Postseason Matchups

The fantasy basketball postseason often comes down to tough lineup calls, especially with schedules, injuries and roles constantly shifting. Monitoring the NBA injury report, projected NBA starting lineups, and updated NBA depth charts can help managers spot advantages before setting weekly lineups. Staying current with fantasy basketball news, NBA player stats, and NBA player projections also provides valuable context when weighing close start/sit decisions. Championships in NBA fantasy leagues are frequently decided by smart in-season lineup management. Here are several key start/sit calls for the week ahead.

TEAMS WITH FIVE GAMES: Phoenix Suns, Washington Wizards

TEAMS WITH FOUR GAMES: Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, New Orleans Pelicans, Orlando Magic, Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs

TEAMS WITH THREE GAMES: Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Philadelphia 76ers, Sacramento Kings, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz

Fantasy Basketball Start/Sit Guide

Guards

Start: CJ McCollum, Hawks

38% start rate

McCollum has been remarkably consistent throughout his career irrespective of what uniform he's donned, and that trait has persisted even when changing teams mid-season this year. A key piece of the Trae Young trade, McCollum never missed a beat upon arriving in Atlanta and continues to hold down a starting role as the Hawks push for postseason positioning. McCollum enters his four-game week having just put up 30 points in just 27 minutes against the Bucks on Saturday, a game where he drained eight 3-pointers. The veteran is averaging 19.4 points, 4.4 assists and 4.1 rebounds over his seven-game starting run overall, and he's about as reliable as it gets game to game for a player with such a modest start rate at such a key part of the fantasy season.

Start: Bennedict Mathurin, Clippers

43% start rate

Mathurin is another player who's had to adapt to new digs after starting the season elsewhere, and like McCollum, the former has proven a very good fit on his new team. Mathurin has become a key second-unit component for the Clippers, averaging 24.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists across his last five games alone. Mathurin is averaging a robust 31.8 minutes per contest in that span despite coming off the bench, and with Kawhi Leonard already doubtful for Monday's game with an ankle injury that could linger, the former could be set for what would be some very timely spot starts and a corresponding bump in usage.

ALSO CONSIDER: Brandin Podziemski, Warriors (39% start rate)

Sit: Tyrese Maxey, 76ers

60% start rate

Maxey is one of several 76ers among the walking wounded at the moment, with the star guard's affliction being a tendon injury in his right pinkie finger. His absence, which already stands at five games entering the scoring period, is a significant one considering his career-best numbers and Philadelphia's quest to try and escape the play-in level. There's no indication Maxey will have a chance to play during the Sixers' three-game week, meaning he'll have to be on your bench despite the importance of this coming scoring period.

Forwards

Start: Jalen Green, Suns

 37% start rate

When Green's hamstring hasn't been relegating him to the bench this season, the 2021 second overall pick has been productive in his first Suns season. Green has now played in 12 consecutive games since his most recent absence, and he's started to deliver outstanding returns while forming quite the formidable tandem with Devin Booker. Green is coming off having put up 36- and 34-point tallies against the Pacers and Raptors, respectively, in the last two games, and he's averaging 21.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.8 steals across that aforementioned sample. While his career-long struggles with efficiency continue, there's no questioning Green will be aggressive when on the floor and can therefore be extremely valuable to you in your postseason matchups while playing out a five-game week.

Start: Jerami Grant, Trail Blazers

35% start rate

The Blazers are almost certainly headed toward the SoFi Play-In Tournament, a surprising development given their performance in recent seasons and the tumultuous start to the current campaign. Grant has been a key reason why, offering solid veteran leadership and putting together an all-around resurgent season after a downturn in 2024-25. Grant has pushed his scoring average back up to 18.8 points per contest after sinking to 14.4 last season, and he's also enjoyed an 8.0% bump in field-goal percentage to 45.3%. Grant also comes into the scoring period on a multi-week streak of strong play, contributing 20.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.0 steals across 32.5 minutes per contest in his last 11 games. A four-game week and Portland's incentive to keep stacking up wins makes Grant a very viable candidate this week.

ALSO CONSIDER: Cameron Johnson, Nuggets (15% start rate)

Sit: Jalen Williams, Thunder

48% start rate

Williams' hamstring injury continues to drag on, as those types of issues tend to do, and the star forward remains without a firm timetable for return as a critical scoring period begins. Williams missed his 13th consecutive game Sunday against the Timberwolves, and there have been no updated reports on his condition coming out of OKC. With so much uncertainty hanging over him, he'll have to remain inactive this week as the fantasy postseason pushes on.

Centers

Start: Onyeka Okongwu, Hawks

48% start rate 

Okongwu has capitalized on a long-awaited opportunity to serve as the unquestioned starter down low for the Hawks, putting together a career-best season that includes new personal bests in points (15.8), assists (3.2) and steals (1.2). The big man is also draining a career-high 38.3% of his shots from behind the arc on a career-high 5.3 3-point attempts per game, flashing unprecedented versatility. As mentioned earlier in McCollum's entry, Atlanta will be in the postseason this year. Okongwu, who's averaging a very well-rounded 14.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.8 blocks and 1.3 steals over his last 10 games, will undoubtedly be a key part of the upcoming four-game schedule that gives the Hawks a chance to continue tunneling up the standings.

Start: Wendell Carter, Magic

31% start rate 

Carter is typically a serviceable source of scoring and rebounding year in and year out, but the veteran has been especially productive down the stretch for a playoff-bound Orlando team. Carter checks into the scoring period on a tear, having put up 13.4 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists per contest over the last 10 games. That sample includes a quartet of double-doubles, as well as a trio of multi-steal performances. The Magic have to continue winning to ensure they remain in the top six seeds in the East, and with Franz Wagner still sidelined by his ankle injury, Carter should continue to enjoy an elevated role during Orlando's busy week.

ALSO CONSIDER: Olivier-Maxence Prosper, Grizzlies (9% roster rate)

Sit: Joel Embiid, 76ers

52% start rate

Embiid's oblique injury continues to plague him, robbing the Sixers and fantasy managers of another key component at a critical juncture of the season. The big man has now been sidelined for nine consecutive games entering Week 22, and Philadelphia now has just three games to work with this week. While head coach Nick Nurse confirmed Embiid returned to basketball activities Friday and didn't rule out a potential return during Philadelphia's upcoming three-game week, there's certainly a noteworthy amount of risk in locking him into your starting lineups without any clear indication of a return.