When Tyrus Thomas returns from his sprained ankle, he'll have to earn the starting PF job ahead of D.J. White.

White scored 21 points on Sunday and has been playing well recently, and coach Paul Silas said that "Tyrus is going to have to show that he can play better." We like Thomas to emerge with the job eventually, but he's always inconsistent and this is one more reason to be skeptical.

Tyrus Thomas (ankle sprain) will not play on Sunday, but he is traveling with the team.

Thomas continues to work out with the team but we haven't heard any dates mentioned for his return. His eventual return will be a big boost for the Bobcats' thin frontcourt.

Coach Paul Silas said that Tyrus Thomas (ankle) cannot move laterally, but that it's possible that he plays next week.

That doesn't sound like a guy who can play next week, so if you're staring at a must-grab option we wouldn't blame you for cutting bait. Thomas may end up having decent value, but his history shows that he cannot be trusted. If you need a forward or big man stats, it's probably worth hanging on to see is Silas is right. Otherwise, target him for pickup sometime next week.

Tyrus Thomas (sprained ankle) still cannot run or jump.

The swelling has gone down but Thomas suffered a relatively severe sprained ankle, and a recent report stated that there's no timetable for his return. He's worth stashing due to his eternal fantasy upside (primarily steals and blocks), but we wouldn't blame you for moving on if you're in a daily-lineup league with no injury reserves.

As expected, Tyrus Thomas (ankle) will sit out Wednesday night's game against the Heat.

An earlier report from Wednesday indicated that there's no timetable for Thomas' return, but Charlotte's starting PF is still worth a roster spot in most leagues while we await a more definitive update. D.J. White gets another start in Thomas' absence, but is only a consideration in deeper leagues.

Tyrus Thomas (ankle) still has no timetable for his return.

Thomas could have some serious appeal to owners if he could stay healthy, but that just hasn't been the case. Owners should monitor any progress he makes in his return, as he should be a nice source of blocks and steals when he does get onto the court. Boris Diaw will continue to play sizable minutes down low for the Bobcats.

Tyrus Thomas (ankle) will not play in Monday's season opener against the Bucks.

Thomas has been hobbled throughout the preseason and this comes as no surprise, but he has shed his walking boot and continues to make progress. He's worth stashing on your bench despite his injury history and inconsistency over the years.

Tyrus Thomas (sprained left ankle) didn't practice on Saturday and beat writer Rick Bonnell writes that "it feels unlikely he'll play [in Monday's season opener]."

This isn't an official prognosis but we concur with Bonnell. Fantasy owners and Bobcats fans can only hope that when Thomas returns he's actually 100% healthy, as injuries have limited him for years.

Tyrus Thomas (ankle) is still in a walking boot and although he is improving, head coach Paul Silas has no idea if Thomas will be ready to play in Monday's season opener.

Thomas continues to tease his fantasy owners with his potential, but he can never seem to stay healthy enough to exploit it. If you are relying on Thomas for your fantasy team's first week, be sure to check back over the weekend for any updates on his status.

Bobcats beat writer Rick Bonnell reports that Tyrus Thomas (ankle) is "highly unlikely" to play in Thursday's preseason game.

Thomas hasn't practiced for two days. Hopefully Charlotte is just exercising caution with its starting power forward, but this is a situation to monitor closely as the week progresses if you're in a position to potentially start Thomas next week.

Tyrus Thomas (ankle) is not practicing on Tuesday and is receiving treatment instead.

Thomas is listed as day-to-day with the injury so it shouldn't be a cause for concern. The athletic power forward remains an intriguing sleeper, and he comes with enormous upside if he can stay healthy.

Tyrus Thomas appeared to have tweaked his ankle in Monday's exhibition game, and the Bobcats sideline reporters called it a mild sprain.

Thomas hit just 3-of-14 shots for six points, but he also grabbed nine boards and had two blocks. Owners collectively groaned hearing this news, but let's not overreact until we know the injury is serious. Thomas enters draft week as an injury-prone, post-hype sleeper pick with plenty of risk. He also has high mid-round upside and the price is right at his current ADP of a late round pick.

Tyrus Thomas is projected as the Bobcats' starting power forward.

Boris Diaw is being pressed into duty at center, leaving Thomas a clear path to playing time. No news is good news on his knee. As one of the game's elite shot-blockers, Thomas could easily push for 2.0 blocks per game this season. He swatted 1.6 per night last season while playing just 21.0 minutes.

Tyrus Thomas is working on the mental aspect of his game.

Thomas got married over the summer, and it's possible that it could spark a maturation in the talented forward, who has yet to live up to his potential. He adds that he's been more analytical in his approach, and it's conceivable that Thomas could finally break out for the Bobcats if given the playing time and he remains healthy. He averaged 10.2 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.6 blocks last season in just 41 games.

Coach Paul Silas said he has no long-term worries about Tyrus Thomas' knee.

The setback Thomas suffered late in the season may not be overly serious, but we have concerns about how the shot-blocker played when he was on the floor. In 41 games for the Bobcats this year, Thomas logged just 21 minutes a night and grabbed 5.5 rebounds to go with 1.6 blocks. He'll return as a likely backup behind Boris Diaw again next season.

Tyrus Thomas (knee) is not expected to return this season.

No surprise here, as Thomas has missed five straight games and Charlotte isn't playing for anything but the lottery. This marks yet another season when his output failed to match fantasy owners' expectations.

Tyrus Thomas (knee) won't play again on Wednesday.

This will mark the fifth straight missed game for Thomas, who has been unable to capitalize on potential opportunities in the Charlotte frontcourt due to his own lingering knee trouble.

Tyrus Thomas (knee) won't play in Tuesday's game against the Cavs.

Thomas' inability to sustain health or get consistent minutes marred his season. Even next year, he'll be the kind of player we make "prove it" before reaching for his upside on draft day.

The Bobcats will play without Tyrus Thomas (knee) on Sunday, and are down to just nine healthy players.

Stephen Jackson, Shaun Livingston, and Eduardo Najera are also sidelined, leaving plenty of playing time for everyone else. Thomas' ribs hurt him, his surgically-repaired knees are aching, and his rest-of-season prospects are quite dim.

Tyrus Thomas will not play on Friday due to a sore knee.

It's been another disappointing and nearly lost season for Thomas, but there's always next year.