Last Updated on November 25, 2025 12:01 pm by Mike Passador | Published: November 25, 2025

Tonight’s slate is light but still offers several angles for fantasy managers to exploit. Only three games are on the schedule: Hawks at Wizards (7:00 ET), Magic at 76ers (8:00 ET), and Clippers at Lakers (11:00 ET). No teams are playing on the first or second night of a back-to-back. That simplicity doesn’t mean opportunity is absent; rather, it puts a premium on monitoring injuries, rotations, and emerging players who can make an impact in limited minutes.

Joel Embiid’s potential return remains the headline, but even if he suits up, expect a tight minutes cap. Andre Drummond continues to benefit from Embiid’s absence, producing top-65 9-cat numbers over the past two weeks, and remains a hold in all formats. Over in Washington, injuries to Tre Johnson, Marvin Bagley and Kyshawn George (illness) open the door for players like Cam Whitmore and Justin Champagnie to see extra run.

Meanwhile, the Lakers’ frontcourt reshuffles with Deandre Ayton out, making Jaxson Hayes a likely add. Players like Jake LaRavia and Jarred Vanderbilt also get opportunities in small-ball lineups, while Drew Timme’s debut could provide a one-night explosion in deeper formats if he’s featured. Fantasy managers should focus on the intersections of injury-driven opportunity and rotation changes to maximize this concise slate.

Top Pickups

This is the “general must-add” section regardless of the slate. If these players are being overlooked and remain chilling on the waiver wire, consider adding them to your squad.

Jay Huff (10%)

Jay Huff’s fantasy profile has been simmering beneath the surface for weeks and his latest stretch finally pushed the lid off. The minutes haven’t been steady until his last few games and foul trouble kept him under 18 minutes last night, yet he still produced another eye-catching line: 11 points, three boards, three assists, three triples, plus a steal and two blocks. That blend of shooting and rim protection is precisely why managers have been circling him as a potential breakout stash.

Across his last three games, Huff has piled up 36 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists, eight 3-pointers, two steals and nine blocks, great production for a player still searching for consistent minutes and rhythm. There’s no promise that the rotation settles in his favor and the floor remains volatile, but the ceiling is exactly the type managers chase at this point of the season. Even if it eventually levels out into late-round value, the path to real upside is visible. He should be added to see where this goes.

Noah Clowney (22%)

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