Fantasy Basketball Week 1 Schedule Primer: How Much Will Joel Embiid Play?
The 2025-26 regular season is finally here. The Thunder will receive their championship rings on Tuesday and then look to stay on top in what is expected to be a loaded Western Conference. Which teams are best equipped to challenge Oklahoma City? Will Cleveland and New York live up to lofty expectations in the East? Are Detroit and Orlando ready to take the next step and establish themselves as real factors? Beyond those questions, there’s plenty for fantasy managers to sift through in the days leading up to Tuesday’s opener. Here’s a look at the Week 1 schedule and some key storylines.
Week 1 games played
3 games: ATL, BOS, BRK, CHA, CLE, DAL, DET, GSW, IND, LAC, LAL, MEM, MIA, MIL, MIN, NYK, OKC, ORL, PHX, POR, SAC, SAS, TOR, WAS
Announcement
2 games: CHI, DEN, HOU, NOR, PHI, UTA
Week 1 Consecutive
Tuesday-Wednesday: Nobody
Wednesday-Thursday: Nobody
Thursday-Friday: GSW
Friday-Saturday: ATL, MEM, ENT, PHX
Saturday-Sunday: CHA, IND
Sunday-Monday (Week 2): BOS, BRK, CLE, DAL, DET, LAL, MIN, POR, SAS, TOR
Notable plots from Week 1
– Tuesday and Thursday are the days of the opening week lighting program.
As has become tradition, the NBA regular season opens with a Tuesday night doubleheader. Houston will visit Oklahoma City (6:30 p.m. Eastern, NBC and Peacock) in the opener against the Thunder, who could be without Jalen Williamsreceive their championship rings, with the nightcap being Golden State’s trip south to face the Lakers (10 p.m. Eastern, NBC and Peacock). The most notable injury for the four teams playing Tuesday is LeBron James‘absence due to sciatica. Gabe Vincent he was part of the Lakers’ starting lineup for Friday’s preseason finale and will remain in that role for the foreseeable future. It is mainly an option for managers who need three points. While those who have Luca Donĉić OR Austin Reaves subscribers should expect their usage numbers to increase.
Announcement
Thursday’s doubleheader opens with an NBA Finals rematch, with the Thunder visiting the Pacers, followed by the Warriors hosting the Nuggets. Indiana’s perimeter situation will catch the attention of many fantasy managers. Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles) is out for the year and is a reserve TJ McConnell (hamstring) is unlikely to return to action before November. Andrea Nembhard draft fees raised due to injuries, as they did Benedict Mathurinas he will fill the void left in the starting lineup by Haliburton’s injury. Fantasy managers can also bet Pasquale Siakam he is asked to do even more offensive.
The Pacers must be accountable too Myles Turner go out, with Isaiah Jackson ready to move into the starting center role. He comes from a ruptured Achilles tendon, therefore out of season Jay Huff and forward power Obi Toppin he will also be fundamental in the Pacers’ frontcourt. As for the other teams in action Thursday, Denver added Cameron Johnson, Tim Hardaway Jr., Jonas Valanĉiūnas AND Bruce Brown during the offseason, with Johnson expected to be the most influential of the four in fantasy basketball.
– Houston, New Orleans and Utah have the worst Week 1 schedules.
In addition to playing just two games, these teams will finish their Week 1 schedule on Friday. For those who play the new Yahoo! fantasy game High scoreThese are the teams to avoid when scouring the waiver wire for potential difference makers to end the week. This won’t be an issue for key contributors like Houston’s Kevin Durant, Amen Thompson AND Alperen Şengün or New Orleans’ Zion Williamson, Jordan Poole AND Trey Murphy. But role players who have the potential to add value off the bench are best left on waivers until Sunday night in preparation for Week 2. All three teams will be active that Monday as part of an 11-game schedule.
Announcement
– Wednesday, Friday and Sunday are the busiest days of week 1.
The Wednesday and Friday schedule features 12 games, with nine games played on Sunday to complete Week 1. Teams active on all three days include the Celtics, Cavaliers, Mavericks, Pistons, Clippers and Knicks, to name a few. Boston’s roster looks much different than the one that started last season Jayson Tatum (Achilles) out and multiple frontcourt contributors in new spots. Jaylen Brown AND Derrick White should lead the way, with Anfernee Simons AND Payton Pritchard while also representing solid fantasy value on the perimeter.
As far as the frontcourt goes, it’s this year Chris Boucher emerge as a consistent fantasy option? He will have every opportunity to step up, as he will Luca Garza, Neemias Queta AND Xavier Tillman Sr. What happens during Week 1 will determine which Celtics frontcourt players are considered reliable fantasy options; Queta (24%) and Garza (12%) have the highest percentages among these four, and Josh Minott they might even emerge.
– Who will be the starting point guard for the Grizzlies?
The good news for Memphis is that Jaren Jackson Jr. (foot) made his preseason debut Friday and looked good. However, the Grizzlies have been hit hard by point guard injuries. Ja Morant (ankle) did not play during the preseason and is unsure whether he will be available for Wednesday’s season opener against the Pelicans. Scotty Pippen Jr. (big toe) is out indefinitely because he has to undergo surgery, and Ty Jerome (calf) injured during the first quarter of Friday’s win over the Heat.
Announcement
The best-case scenario would be that Morant can play Wednesday and Jerome’s calf doesn’t keep him on the sidelines. The worst case scenario would be that Morant and Jerome are unable to play against New Orleans, resulting in them likely being rookies Javon Piccolo be filed to fill the void. Small, which is less than 1% of Yahoo! championships, played well during the preseason. Depending on what the Grizzlies reveal Monday and Tuesday about Morant and Jerome, there could be a mad dash for the computers to add Small before Wednesday’s opener. Additionally, Memphis’ three-game Week 1 includes a back-to-back Friday and Saturday; it’s not hard to imagine an injury management day for Morant (if available) due to the missed time and his overall injury history.
– The program works well for fantasy managers who have Joel Embiid on the roster.
Yes, the 76ers only play two games in Week 1. However, that could be a good thing for Embiid, who is returning from knee surgery and played 19 minutes in his first (and only) preseason action on Friday against the Timberwolves. He recorded 14 points, seven rebounds, eight assists, three steals and two 3-pointers, a reminder that Embiid doesn’t need too much time to get going. However, the 76ers will be careful in increasing the workload of the 2023 MVP.
Hopefully, Embiid can play in both Week 1 games, as the 76ers begin Week 2 with a back-to-back Monday/Tuesday duel. Adem Bonawhich figures in the 8% of Yahoo! championships and started alongside Embiid on Friday, they would have more to gain in terms of fantasy if the 76ers limited their star center’s workload or decided to rest him outright at some point.
Announcement
– Ten teams, including the Celtics, Lakers and Spurs, conclude Week 1 with a Sunday/Monday matchup.
There shouldn’t be much concern about back-to-back player availability at this point in the season. However, this is not guaranteed. Boston’s back-to-back looks to be the busiest from a travel perspective, as they will play road games against the Pistons (Sunday) and Pelicans (Monday). The aforementioned Tillman might be the one to watch in terms of availability, as he only appeared in 33 games last season due to injuries. His moments of fantasy relevance have been rare, and he is featured in less than 1% of Yahoo! leagues.
– Phoenix will have Mark Williams for week 1 and how much will he play?
Williams, who didn’t play at all during the preseason as the Suns cautiously increased his workload, participated in a controlled scrimmage Saturday. His status for Week 1 will be determined after the Suns ramp up practices on Monday and Tuesday, but it appears the trend is in the right direction. Phoenix’s three-game Week 1 schedule concludes with a road Friday and Saturday against the Clippers and Nuggets, two teams that pose significant challenges at the center position.
Announcement
I dare Ighodaro (one percent on the roster) was the starting center during the preseason, with Nick Richards (three percent) e Khaman Maluach (seven percent) coming off the bench. Even if Williams can play in Wednesday’s season opener against the Kings, this will likely be a two-game week at best.
– The Kings will have two starters in Week 1.
Keegan Murray (thumb) won’t be back until mid-November, meanwhile Domantas Sabonis (hamstring) will miss at least the first two games. Add Monk Malik misses the end of the preseason due to illness, and coach Doug Christie won’t be working with a full deck when the regular season begins. Drew Eubanks (1% on the roster) started the preseason finale for Sabonis, but replacing Murray isn’t so simple. Dario Sarić (less than 1%) started Wednesday but came off the bench two nights later, with Isaac Jones (less than 1%) as of Friday.
Keon Ellis (13%) might be the best option with Murray sidelined, especially when taking into account Monk’s recent absence. For managers willing to roll the dice, especially in deeper leagues, why not kick the rookie’s tires Nique Clifford (two percent)? He doesn’t offer the size of Murray, but the first-round pick is a versatile player who can be used at all three perimeter positions. He may not be an immediate fit for Clifford, but he’s a rookie who could prove more valuable to fantasy managers as the season progresses.