Fantasy Basketball Week Ahead: Sleeper Adds & Week 5 Schedule

  • By Keston Paul

    Last Updated on November 14, 2025 4:01 pm by Keston Paul | Published: November 14, 2025

    Four weeks of fantasy basketball are almost in the books, but we have a really nice schedule upcoming in Week 5 that should benefit managers who put the time in to plan out moves.

    Interested? Well, you’ll have to keep reading of course.

    Injuries to Watch

    This is for November 15th to 24th.

    Impending Evaluations

    Brandon Miller (left shoulder subluxation) will likely be evaluated in the early half of Week 5. That doesn’t mean he will return, but it may not be too far away after the update.

    Jordan Poole (left quad) should be set for an update, but the Pelicans are a team that usually hits us something along the lines of “beginning return-to-play activities” or something like that, so it would not be an immediate return.

    Jaden Ivey (right knee) is a player I initially noted, but on Friday, we were told he is beginning on-court activities and the return is not imminent. I’d give him another two or three weeks before a return.

    Ty Jerome (right calf) should be evaluated and the Grizzlies will typically outline a return-to-play timeline, so look out for that. It may still be multiple weeks away for Jerome, however.

    Zach Collins (left wrist) removed his splint on Friday and is beginning to restrengthen his wrist/hand. I’d expect a couple more weeks on the sideline, but we got the evaluation before this article was released.

    This Friday will be about four weeks into the 4-6 week re-evaluation timeline for Keegan Murray (left hand). So he could be given an update, but is not guaranteed to get one yet.

    The Jazz just told us Georges Niang (left foot) will be evaluated again next week as he has begun ramping up. He could be another guy to muddy up the frontcourt rotation.

    Timelines Getting Close

    Coby White (right calf strain) is practically telling us he will be back this upcoming week, if not as soon as Sunday. The Bulls have a 5-in-7 run and White will be on a minutes restriction most likely, so I’d hold Tre Jones regardless.

    LeBron James (right sciatica) seems on the brink of a return after his successful G League practices.

    Gabe Vincent (left ankle) will be in the third week of the 2-to-4 week timeline, so the Lakers are close to having their full house available.

    We’re about six weeks into 4-to-8 week timeline of Scoot Henderson (left hamstring), so we may or may not get an update.

    Other Injury Notes

    Bennedict Mathurin (right foot) is week-to-week so he could return at literally any point.

    Kawhi Leonard (right ankle & foot sprain) is out in the short term, so he could also be back at any time.

    Zion Williamson (left hamstring) was recently cleared for contact, but I think he’s 10-to-14 days away at the earliest, if not longer.

    Jalen Williams (right wrist) has been seen shooting with both hands again after his recent cleanup procedure, so he might be back soon.

    Paul George (left knee) is only waiting for the final medical clearance from doctors to play.

    Dylan Harper (left calf) is week-to-week, so he could return at any time.

    Bilal Coulibaly (left calf) has no timeline because the Wizards don’t provide those.

    Schedule Breakdown

    Weekly Info

    Games played:

    14 teams with 4 games: TOR, OKC, DAL, DEN, ATL, CHI, LAC, CLE, PHI, CHA, MIA, POR, ORL, NOR

    14 teams with 3 games: BOS, MIN, SAS, IND, WAS, PHO, MEM, UTA, GSW, DET, SAC, NYK, MIL, BKN

    2 teams with 2 games: LAL, HOU

    Weekly Lineup Leagues: Obviously, two-game weeks suck for weekly lineups. You would still start the top names like Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun. I think Deandre Ayton and Amen Thompson could be borderline for a weekly lineup in a two-game week, but it depends on your depth. A four-game player who is slightly worse but is a starter can get 50 to 60 extra minutes in the week to match or surpass Ayton and Thompson. I don’t think you should genuinely start anyone else from those teams in a weekly lineup.

    Are there any three-game or four-game players with a risk of a two-game week due to a back-to-back stuff?

    The Mavs’ two back-to-backs would likely limit Anthony Davis (calf strain) to a two-game week if he returns, but that depends on if he sits on Sunday (Week 4) or Monday (Week 5) and whether you know if he will even play. So it could be a three-game week. I don’t think I’d start Dereck Lively II for the week if I see him playing on Sunday (has been cleared for Friday night), as that could become a two-game week.

    Check out the back-to-back teams below. The Sixers (Embiid, George if available), Warriors (Curry, Butler, Draymond), Hawks (Porzingis), Hornets (Ball) and Kings (Sabonis?) could have one game subtracted for some key players.

    The Pistons have a back-to-back too. They gave Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren a night off on a back-to-back earlier this week, but I think that might have been genuine injury/wear-and-tear concern. I don’t think they will regularly sit back-to-backs, at least, they don’t have the history of doing so.

    Note for Daily Lineup Leagues: With the Lakers and Rockets having two-game weeks, I would drop guys like Marcus Smart and Jake LaRavia who don’t have guaranteed long-term upside for standard formats, to stream their spot instead. I think Rui Hachimura could be on that list too.

    I would hold Reed Sheppard, Tari Eason and Jabari Smith Jr. because they may have real rest-of-season value.

    Daily Info

    Back-to-backs (B2B):

    4 teams with 2 B2Bs: DAL, CHI, LAC, NOR

    10 teams with 1 B2B: DEN, ATL, PHI, CHA, POR, ORL, WAS, GSW, DET, SAC

    16 teams with no B2B: TOR, OKC, CLE, MIA, BOS, MIN, SAS, IND, PHO, MEM, UTA, NYK, MIL, BKN, LAL, HOU

    Low-traffic game days:

    Tuesday (6 games): DET, PHO, GSW, BKN, MEM, POR, SAS, LAL, ORL, ATL, BOS, UTA

    Thursday (4 games): SAS, ORL, MIL, LAC, ATL, SAC, MEM, PHI

    Saturday (7 games): MEM, SAC, NOR, WAS, CHA, LAC, NYK, ATL, CHI, DAL, MIL, DEN, ORL, DET

    High volume days:

    Monday: 8 games
    Wednesday: 9 games
    Friday: 9 games
    Sunday: 8 games

    Unlike with most weeks, it is possible that you could fit a streamer into your lineup every day. The nine-game days might be close, as some managers’ lineups will be full, and some may not, but overall, it is still a lighter week.

    Daily Back-to-Back Breakdown:

    (W4) Sun-Mon (W5) B2B: CHI, DAL, NOR, LAC
    Mon-Tues B2B: DET
    Tues-Wed B2B: POR, GSW
    Wed-Thurs B2B: SAC, PHI
    Thurs-Fri B2B: None
    Fri-Sat B2B: CHI, DAL, NOR, DEN, WAS
    Sat-Sun B2B: ATL, ORL, LAC, CHA
    (W5) Sun-Mon (W6) B2B: POR, TOR, CLE, PHO, BKN, MIA, UTA

    Detailed Streaming Plans

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    November 14, 2025, 4:01 pm