Joel Embiid and the 76ers host Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks at Wells Fargo Center on Friday. 

SLATE OVERVIEW

We have a massive 11-game slate on Friday night. And though that provides an ample player pool to work with, the injury report is also extensive and loaded with big names. Consequently, it’ll be one of those days where it’s particularly important to keep an eye on news leading to tip-off.

INJURIES

***NOTE: This section only mentions new and notable injuries. Use your best judgment for ongoing injury situations. Check back throughout the course of the day with RotoWire for the latest news regarding the status of all players on that night’s slate, including those carrying injury designations that aren’t listed in this section.

Anthony Davis, LAL (back): PROBABLE

Nikola Jokic, DEN (Healthy & Safety protocols): OUT

LeBron James, LAL (adductor): QUESTIONABLE

Paolo Banchero, ORL (ankle): OUT

Zion Williamson, NOP (foot): QUESTIONABLE

LaMelo Ball, CHA (ankle): OUT

Jrue Holiday, MIL (ankle): QUESTIONABLE

Bam Adebayo, MIA (knee): QUESTIONABLE

Cade Cunningham, DET (lower leg): OUT

Other notable injuries:

Desmond Bane, MEM (toe): OUT

Chris Paul, PHX (heel): QUESTIONABLE

Kevin Porter, HOU (back): QUESTIONABLE

Khris Middleton, MIL (wrist): OUT

Tyler Herro, MIA (ankle): OUT

Jamal Murray, DEN (COVID-19 protocols): OUT

Wendell Carter, ORL (foot): PROBABLE

Jarrett Allen, CLE (illness): QUESTIONABLE

Marcus Smart, BOS (ankle): QUESTIONABLE

Malcolm Brogdon, BOS (hamstring): PROBABLE

Aaron Gordon, ORL (illness): QUESTIONABLE

Gordon Hayward, CHA (shoulder): DOUBTFUL

Dennis Smith, CHA (ankle): DOUBTFUL

Isaiah Stewart, DET (toe): OUT

ELITE PLAYERS

We have nine players with five-figure salaries that have a chance to play on Friday’s slate – Luka Doncic ($12,000), Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,500), Joel Embiid ($11,200), Anthony Davis ($11,000), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($10,800), Stephen Curry ($10,500), Jayson Tatum ($10,500), Ja Morant ($10,100) and LeBron James ($10,000).

Doncic continues to churn out spectacular production with regularity, leading to a 61.6 FD- average. He also faces a depleted Nuggets team on Friday, giving him even more appeal than usual.

Antetokounmpo is averaging 55.2 FD points and seems to have his knee issues behind him, at least for the time being, after appearing in consecutive games Monday and Wednesday.

Embiid is averaging 53.6 FD points and is coming off a jaw-dropping 103 FD points on the strength of a 59-point, 11-rebound outpouring on Sunday. And that means he’ll come into Friday’s showdown with the Bucks well-rested.

Davis is expected to play through his probable tag and could once again take the floor without LeBron James, giving him even more appeal.

SGA should be locked into a back-and-forth affair against the Grizzlies and has posted between 58.8 to 64 FD points in his last three games.

Curry has been the lone bright spot in what’s been a forgettable start for the Warriors, and he’ll head into Friday having put up between 53.3 to 69.8 FD points in three of his last five outings.

Tatum had a quiet game by his standards Wednesday against the Hawks with only 19 points, but still found his way to 43.4 FD and hasn’t dipped below that total since Oct. 30. He also may avoid Zion Williamson in the Pelicans’ frontcourt.

Morant has scored 54 and 57.6 FD points in his last two games and has exceeded 50 in three of his last four.

The fact James has been upgraded to questionable seemingly gives him a 50/50 chance of taking the court, and he just produced 50.1 FD points in his most recent game on Nov. 9.

EXPECTED CHALK AND OTHER TARGETS

Donovan Mitchell, CLE vs. CHA ($9,700) 

Mitchell has already offered the upside of a five-figure player on multiple occasions. Even though he only managed 33.9 FD points in his last matchup, he went off for 50 and 60.5 FD in the previous two.

Jimmy Butler, MIA @ WAS ($9,200) 

Butler only produced 19.7 FD points in his most recent game, but registered between 43.4 to 63 FD in the four before.

Tyrese Haliburton, IND @ HOU ($8,900)

Haliburton will be involved in a matchup that list the highest projected total and has scored at least 43.7 FD points in five straight games and seven of the last eight.

Myles Turner, IND @ HOU ($7,800) 

Turner has tallied 42.2 to 60.9 FD points in his last four outings and boasts a premium matchup against the Rockets.

VALUE PLAYS

As usual, look to the Injuries section for budget options.

Max Strus, MIA @ WAS ($5,600)

Strus faces a Wizards squad that’s surrendering the second-highest three-point shooting percentage of any team on its home floor (39.2), and should be in line to draw another start with Tyler Herro (ankle) still out of action. He’s averaging 15.9 points (on 48.8 percent shooting, including 39.7 percent from distance), 2.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.3 steals in his current seven-game run as a starter while posting at least 29.6 FD points on three occasions during that span. Washington is also yielding the fourth-highest offensive efficiency rating to two guards (24.9), furthering Strus’s case at his salary.

Jabari Smith, HOU vs. IND ($5,500)

Smith has managed 26 to 35 FD points from his last four appearances, a stretch during which he’s averaging 10.3 points, 10.0 rebounds and 1.0 block. He’s already scored at least 24.7 FD points on seven occasions, and Friday will face a Pacers team that’s allowing the sixth-highest offensive efficiency rating to power forwards (29.5) and the sixth-highest in the paint (60.8).

Bruce Brown, DEN @ DAL ($5,100)

Brown will take the floor Friday without both Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, and there’s even a chance Aaron Gordon (illness) also misses out. Murray’s absence should afford Brown a start at point guard, which makes his salary even more appealing if he operates as the primary ball handler. He’s also sporting an impressive 24.5 percent usage rate without Jokic and Murray on the floor this season. The Mavericks rank 17th in offensive efficiency rating surrendered to point guards (26.6), and Brown already checks in averaging 23.8 FD points coming off the bench. He’s posted 28.7 to 42 FD points in his last three games, and the Mavs are conceding over 41 FD per game to ones this year.

ALSO CONSIDER: Kelly Olynyk, UTA vs. PHX ($5,300)

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Winner of the FSWA 2016 Newcomer of the Year Award, Juan Carlos Blanco has been playing fantasy sports for over 20 years and covers NBA, MLB, NFL, CFL and Arena Football for Rotowire.com, including serving as the beat writer for teams in multiple sports. He has previously written for KFFL.com and remains an avid season-long and daily fantasy player in multiple sports as well.