Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (ankle) will play on Friday against the Grizzlies. The 39-year-old has battled an ankle injury for months. He also most recently missed a meeting against the Timberwolves because of Flu-like symptoms. But despite the constant mentions on the injury report, he's coming off a strong showing, amassing 33 points, 11 assists, seven rebounds, and two steals in Tuesday's loss to Golden State. With that in mind, James could have a tough time being as productive if the Lakers build a decisive lead against the injury-plagued Grizzlies.

Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon (foot) will play on Friday against the Spurs. He's been dealing with a foot issue for at least a few weeks. While it cost him a couple of games, he was available for Wednesday's pivotal win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Nuggets are looking for a solid end to the regular season, meaning Gordon could be in for a big night.

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (hip) will play on Friday versus San Antonio. No surprise here, as the multi-time MVP has been on the injury report over the last few weeks. With that said, Jokic has had a fantastic year. However, he's dominated the Spurs this season, most recently amassing 42 points, 16 rebounds, six assists, and two blocks when these clubs met on April 2.

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (knee) will play on Friday versus the Magic. He was listed as questionable for this contest. But with the Sixers looking to bolster their chances of avoiding the Play-In, the reigning MVP will be on the floor. With that said, although Embiid is still working his way back from his lengthy layoff, he could still finish as one of the highest-scoring DFS options on Friday night.

Atlanta Hawks center Clint Capela will be in the lineup on Friday against Minnesota. He was initially listed as questionable for the game, as Atlanta considered resting Capela, but the Swiss big man has been upgraded to available. However, the Hawks have nothing left to play for, so Capela's role could be limited in Friday's contest. It's a tough matchup for him as well against a team that boasts a strong frontcourt.

Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez (rest) will be available to play in Friday's contest against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The 36-year-old appeared as questionable on the injury report earlier but has now been cleared to take the court. He has scored in double figures in five straight games and will likely have more opportunities to score in this match-up since the Bucks will be without Damian Lillard (adductor) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf). Lopez has also been busy on the defensive end, recording at least two blocks in each of his previous four games.

Philadelphia 76ers point guard Kyle Lowry (knee) will return from a two-game absence on Friday versus Orlando. He's set to link up with Tyrese Maxey (hip) on the backcourt, pushing Cameron Payne to the bench. De'Anthony Melton could also lose playing time with Lowry's return. This is a bad fantasy matchup for Philadelphia against a slow-paced team, and Lowry hasn't been a great asset for managers. The veteran is averaging only 6.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 3.3 assists for the month.

Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton (ankle) will be available to play in Friday's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The sharpshooter sat out Wednesday's game versus the Orlando Magic due to left ankle injury management, but he will be able to suit up for this next contest against one of the top teams in the Western Conference. Both Damian Lillard (adductor) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) are not playing, which will likely put a lot of playmaking responsibility into the hands of Middleton.

Boston Celtics forward/center Kristaps Porzingis (hamstring) and forward/center Al Horford (toe) will step out of the lineup on Friday against Charlotte. After losing to New York 118-109 on Thursday, Boston gives all of its key guys rest on Friday, with Xavier Tillman Sr. and Luke Kornet direct beneficiaries from the frontcourt absentees. The stage is set for the two to perform well against a team that gives up the third-most points and the second-most rebounds in the league to opposing centers.

Boston Celtics guards Jrue Holiday (knee) and Derrick White (ankle) won't be in the lineup on Friday versus Charlotte. Boston will run with its bench mob against the Hornets, as the entire starting five plus Al Horford (toe) has been ruled out. Payton Pritchard will get the keys to the backcourt, with Jaden Springer and Svi Mykhailiuk also in a position to benefit from the absences of Holiday and White.

Brooklyn Nets guard Dennis Schroder (Achilles) won't play on Friday against the Knicks. The veteran has played well since getting moved to Brooklyn. However, the team has nothing left to play for, so Schroder may be done for the remainder of the 2023-24 campaign. With Dennis Smith Jr. (hip) also out, Jacob Gilyard (hip) could slide into the starting lineup if he's cleared to play. But the offense should continue to run through Cam Thomas and Mikal Bridges regardless of who's at the one.

Chicago Bulls guard/forward DeMar DeRozan (rest) will get the night off on Friday versus Washington. The Bulls have nothing left to play for and complete a back-to-back set, so it's completely understandable that the team gives DeRozan some time off. Coby White is set to be the only regular starter in the lineup and should get heavy usage in a good matchup against a struggling team. Meanwhile, Chicago's bench mob led by Dalen Terry will get an opportunity to show what they are capable of in larger roles.

Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic (rest) won't feature against the Wizards on Friday. He sits out the second leg of a back-to-back for rest purposes. With Andre Drummond (ankle) already on the shelf, it looks like we'll get to know Adama Sanogo a lot better on Friday. Smaller lineups could also give extra playing time to Dalen Terry, Torrey Craig, and Javonte Green.

Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (back) will remain out of the lineup on Friday against the Clippers. Clarkson has played just five times since the beginning of last month, leaving Utah without its third-best scorer. Keyonte George has gotten a big boost in fantasy value on Utah's backcourt over the final couple of months of the season, with Talen Horton-Tucker also recently breaking back into the rotation. With Collin Sexton (illness) considered doubtful for Friday, George and Horton-Tucker could be used even more on the offensive end.

Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard (groin) has been ruled out ahead of Friday's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The star guard was considered as doubtful coming into this game, but the team will ultimately hold him out. This is not good news for the Bucks as this team is already shorthanded. The expectation is that the Bucks will use a committee approach to fill the void left by Lillard. Patrick Beverley, Pat Connaughton, and Malik Beasley figure to all see more playing time. Out of the three, Beverley has the most upside in terms of streaming appeal.

Chicago Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan (rest) has been downgraded to doubtful ahead of Friday's game against the Washington Wizards. Fantasy managers don't need to worry as this looks like a routine rest game for DeRozan. The Bulls have already locked up the 9th seed, so they have no incentive to put DeRozan out there. The expectation is that the Bulls will use a committee approach to fill the void. Dalen Terry, Javonte Green, and Jevon Carter figure to all see more playing time.

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (knee) is listed as probable ahead of Friday's game against the New Orleans Pelicans. The veteran forward sat out alongside guard Klay Thompson (knee) during Thursday's contest. However, head coach Steve Kerr mentioned beforehand that both players should be active for Friday. The return of Green should push Jonathan Kuminga out of the starting five. Kuminga won't have as strong of streaming appeal while playing off the bench. Fantasy managers should double check that status of Green and Thompson ahead of tip-off.

Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (knee) is listed as probable ahead of Friday's game against the New Orleans Pelicans. The veteran guard sat out of Thursday's game due to a lingering knee issue. However, head coach Steve Kerr said beforehand that he expected Thompson to play on Friday. He should return to the starting five, which will drop Chris Paul to the bench. Fantasy managers should double check that Thompson is active ahead of Friday's game.

Atlanta Hawks center Clint Capela (rest) has been listed as questionable against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday due to rest. As of Friday, the Hawks are locked into the play-in tournament and they're two games behind the Chicago Bulls for the ninth seed. If they give Capela a rest day, it seems like the team is okay with heading into the play-in as the tenth seed with the most difficult road to the postseason. If Capela plays, he'd be a solid DFS option as his price tag would be on the cheaper side, but if he's sidelined, Bruno Fernando would be the main streaming option.

Denver Nuggets guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (shoulder) is anticipated to play in Friday's game in San Antonio. KCP has played as well as expected during the 2023-24 campaign, averaging 10.1 points and shooting 40.7% from behind the arc. He also hasn't missed much time, so the shoulder injury shouldn't keep him off the floor versus the Spurs. Unfortunately, Caldwell-Pope scored only four points in each of his previous two games against San Antonio, so DFS managers should think twice before putting him in their lineups.