Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (ankle) will play on Sunday evening versus the Miami Heat. Mobley appeared to be heading in the right direction. However, he'll finally return from his nine-game layoff caused by a sprained ankle. The 22-year-old may see fewer minutes than usual in his first game back. Yet, his presence could negatively impact the fantasy potential of Georges Niang, who's averaged 13.3 points and 4.4 rebounds in 10 starts this season.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (ankle) remains questionable for Sunday night's game versus Miami. Chris Fedor of The Plain Dealer posted a video on Sunday afternoon showing Mobley dribbling and attacking the basket, so it appears he has a strong chance to return for this one after missing the last nine games because of an ankle injury. It's logical to assume the 22-year-old could be limited in his first game back from a lengthy layoff. However, Mobley's presence, assuming he gets the green light, should still lower the fantasy ceiling of Georges Niang, who has averaged 13.3 points and 4.4 rebounds in 10 starts during the 2023-24 campaign.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward/center Evan Mobley (ankle) will miss his eighth consecutive game on Wednesday night versus Miami. He continues to battle a sprained left ankle, although it was recently reported that he's no longer wearing a boot. However, the 22-year-old is still not expected to return until re-evaluated and cleared. Georges Niang has become a strong fantasy option, replacing Mobley in the starting lineup, with averages of 14.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 2.7 made three-pointers in that time. More injury woes with Dean Wade and Max Strus make Isaac Okoro and Marcus Morris Sr. valuable fantasy assets on Cleveland's limited roster.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward/center Evan Mobley (ankle) remains out on Monday against the Pacers. He's been out for a few weeks because of a sprained left ankle. That said, the Cavs currently hold the No. 3 spot in the Eastern Conference, with the Knicks in pursuit. However, Cleveland is hoping for a championship, so Mobley won't be rushed back, meaning he may not return for another week or two. Of course, Jarrett Allen will continue to do his best to handle business underneath the rim. But Georges Niang, averaging 13.1 points and 5.1 rebounds in seven starts this season, should continue to benefit from Mobley's absence. Niang has also shot 44.7% as a starter, which makes him an attractive category streaming option.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (ankle) is "likely to miss extended time." He sprained his left ankle while finishing a dunk during Tuesday's clash with the Boston Celtics and was ruled out shortly after. The 22-year-old has been reliable for fantasy managers when available, averaging 15.9 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks. However, he's suffered various injuries this season, including sitting out over a month because of a knee issue. Although Mobley could be back sometime in the next few weeks, it may not be soon enough for fantasy managers, considering most leagues are in the playoffs. But until he returns, Georges Niang and Dean Wade will likely handle most of the void left at the four spot.

Cleveland Cavaliers center Evan Mobley (ankle) is set to miss at least one week of action. Mobley was forced to exit early on Tuesday after spraining his ankle during the third quarter of that contest. The team announced that Mobley would be shut down and re-evaluated in one week. The loss of Mobley should mean increased fantasy value for Jarrett Allen. Also, Dean Wade and Georges Niang should see bigger roles. Both players are worth looking at in deep leagues.

Cleveland Cavaliers center Evan Mobley (ankle) will not play in Wednesday's game against the Atlanta Hawks. After spraining his left ankle in Tuesday's narrow win over the Boston Celtics, Mobley will sit out on the second end of Cleveland's back-to-back. Friday's showdown versus the first-place Minnesota Timberwolves marks the star big man's next chance to return. In Mobley's absence, Jarrett Allen should dominate center minutes, while sixth man Caris LeVert sees more run from the Cavs bench against a Hawks team that ranks dead last in defensive efficiency rating (117.6) this season.

Cleveland Cavaliers center Evan Mobley (ankle) won't return to Tuesday's game against the Boston Celtics. Mobley tweaked his ankle during the third quarter of this game and won't return. The hope is that it's a minor ankle sprain, but the team will likely do further testing following the contest. In the meantime, Dean Wade and Georges Niang should see increased playing time down the stretch of this game. Neither would be worth rostering in fantasy formats if Mobley is forced to miss more time.

Cleveland Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bickerstaff says center Evan Mobley (knee) is no longer on a minutes restriction. Following mid-December arthroscopic surgery on his left knee, Mobley missed a month and half of action but has averaged 15.3 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 1.9 combined steals plus blocks in 25.8 minutes during nine games since Jan. 29 while notching third-round fantasy value in nine-category leagues across this stretch. The 22-year-old star big man draws a tough matchup against the Orlando Magic on Thursday, and despite this clash pitting two top-five defenses against each other, he will be worthy of DFS attention with a sub-$7,000 salary on DraftKings.

Cleveland Cavaliers center Evan Mobley (knee) is out for Thursday's tilt against the Memphis Grizzlies. This is a bit of a surprise, considering head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said following Wednesday's win over the Detroit Pistons that the plan was for Mobley to play on Thursday. The Cavs will instead err on the side of caution and manage the left knee of the 22-year-old former No. 3 overall pick, who had been sidelined since early December before returning to play on Monday following arthroscopic surgery. Dean Wade and Isaac Okoro are candidates to return to Cleveland's starting five against Memphis, with the latter being the more attractive fantasy option as a low-end streamer. Over 24 games as a starter this season, Okoro has averaged 10.8 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.1 threes.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward/center Evan Mobley (knee) is listed as questionable to play on Monday night against the Los Angeles Clippers. The up-and-coming big man hasn't played since December 6 after undergoing a knee surgery that was slated to keep him out for six to eight weeks. On Friday, reports came out that he could return in a week, so this would even be ahead of time according to that timetable. If he returns, it would likely be on a minute restriction which would limit his fantasy value in the short term. Jarrett Allen would also see the biggest hit in value with Mobley returning to the front court.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (knee) went through knee surgery after getting hurt in their game against the Orlando Magic on December 6. Since then, he's missed 21 consecutive games, but he's been progressing in the right direction. He's now been able to pass a lot of the steps needed to get back on the court and he's continuing to ramp up his intensity in practice according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. His return could potentially happen next week, but it would likely mean Mobley gets a minute restriction as well. If he is able to return, it would likely affect Jarrett Allen's fantasy value. He's been excellent while Mobley has been out, but his presence is likely to take away some scoring, boards, and even blocks.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward/center Evan Mobley (knee) went through a conditioning workout before Monday's 109-91 win over the Chicago Bulls, and he hasn't faced any setbacks with his projected six-to-eight-week recovery timetable from arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. The Cavaliers held Mobley out for four straight games due to injury management for the issue, but they later announced on Dec. 15 that he required a procedure to remove loose bodies from his knee. Mobley has been sidelined for about four weeks and remains out indefinitely, but he is progressing. The 22-year-old former No. 3 overall pick will need to be cleared for basketball activities before any return to game action, so it may not be reasonable to expect him back before January's end. Jarrett Allen has really gotten going in Mobley's absence, averaging 18.1 points, 13.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 2.4 combined steals plus blocks over 13 games since Dec. 16.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (knee) will reportedly undergo an arthroscopic knee surgery on his left knee. According to Adrian Wojnarowski, the Cavs' big man will miss six to eight weeks which compounds with the news that Darius Garland (jaw) is also going to miss around a month. They'll be down two of their big three while the team has gotten off to a slow start as they hover around the ninth seed in the East with a 13-12 record. While Mobley is out, Jarrett Allen should take on a bigger role. Dean Wade and Georges Niang will both get a lot more opportunities during this span which could make either one a streaming option.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward/center Evan Mobley (knee) has been ruled out for Thursday's game against the Boston Celtics. Thursday will mark the fourth consecutive absence for Mobley, who is being listed under left knee injury management. It sounds like a minor issue that leaves Mobley day-to-day moving ahead. The 2022-23 All-Defensive player's next date for a possible return arrives on Saturday versus the Atlanta Hawks, which is the start of Cleveland's upcoming four-game homestand. There hasn't been a clear fantasy beneficiary of Mobley's absence, as Dean Wade has been unable to crack double figures in scoring despite starting the Cavaliers' last two games. Jarrett Allen helped keep Kristaps Porzingis in check for 5-of-16 shooting on Tuesday, and he'll take on the unenviable challenge of trying to slow him down without Mobley's help again on Thursday.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward/center Evan Mobley (knee) has been ruled out for Tuesday's game against the Boston Celtics. Mobley will sit out on the second leg of back-to-back games for Cleveland and his third straight due to left knee injury management. The Cavaliers return to play on Wednesday for a rematch with the Celtics in Beantown, but Mobley's absence is a big loss for the team in this one. The 22-year-old defensive menace is providing third-round fantasy figures with averages of 16.0 points on 57.3% field-goal shooting, 10.5 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks in 33.6 minutes over 21 games. The Cavs will lean on Jarrett Allen's rim protection against Kristaps Porzingis and company on Tuesday, while Dean Wade figures to draw another spot start as head coach J.B. Bickerstaff hopes for his reserves to step up.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (knee) has been ruled out for the second consecutive game as he continues to deal with left knee soreness. The 22-year-old has seen an uptick in production this season across multiple stat categories and he's been a big part of the team's success. While he's out, Dean Wade should remain in the starting five while Jarrett Allen will likely see some more usage in the paint. Wade and Georges Niang are probably the best streaming options in this scenario as they'll be more widely available.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (knee) is out for Friday's meeting with the Heat. The 22-year-old was listed as questionable heading into this contest. However, most had a feeling he wouldn't be out there, considering he wasn't at shootaround on Friday morning. Mobley has played well this season, averaging 16.0 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks, so there will be opportunities for others to step up, including Dean Wade, who will enter the starting lineup. Unfortunately, Wade has averaged just 4.7 rebounds and 3.3 points as a starter this season, meaning he's not a realistic streaming option in any fantasy format. Instead, Georges Niang could get additional minutes while enjoying an uptick on the scoring end, making him a better fantasy option.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward/center Evan Mobley (knee) is currently dealing with some left knee soreness and has been listed as questionable for the Friday night contest against the Miami Heat. Mobley has been a key piece of the team's "big three" and has shown even more consistency this season as he averages a double-double so far. Jarrett Allen would be the biggest beneficiary if Mobley can't give it a go while Georges Niang or Dean Wade would likely join the starting five.

It's funny that every year at the NBA Draft, once the end of the guaranteed money and live appearances arrives at the end of the first round, everybody tunes out and refers to the 60th pick as "Mr. Irrelevant." That's not very accurate though, is it?Speaking historically, the title of "Mr. Irrelevant" could just as easily be applied to each pick in the draft, as organizations differ greatly in their evaluation of talent and their own needs, particularly in a year without the NCAA tournament. The nickname just doesn't reflect how basketball works anymore. Executives strategically stockpile second-round draft picks for the less burdensome financial obligations, and organizations in rebuilding mode get super creative to field a respectable team on a budget.Particularly in the NBA where worldwide talent is plentiful and positional lines continue to fade, the opportunity is everything: in the right situation, the right under-the-radar player can make an immediate, poignant statement. With professional development leagues for 16-18-year-olds, an ever-expanding set of domestic/international opportunities due to the sheer growth of basketball, and widespread NIL rights for college athletes, players of all levels and localities are starting to get their due exposure and now have enough freedom to hone their skills in a place, and at a pace, that fits best with their path to the NBA. 

Introduction

I am inherently skeptical and distrusting of scouting from the high school level to pre-Draft. That's why in this annual article, I tend to favor overlooked college players (love the mid-majors/non-power conferences) with either well-rounded, polished games or specific statistical specialties.We are going to discuss a handful of 2023 second-round picks and undrafted free agent signees who, given their individual skillsets and circumstances, warrant the attention of Fantasy Basketball Managers as potential high-impact rookies for the 2023-24 campaign who can quietly be acquired on clearance once they start showing signs of emergence.As I will frequently emphasize and reiterate: in 2023, there is very little difference between the vast majority of second-round draft picks and undrafted free agents--it always all comes down to the skillsets they possess, their capacity for growth, and the situations they've landed in.Seasons will be made and broken with early identification of the diamond-in-the-rough rookies. I used to list out the many examples from the past season in this introduction portion, but we are now in a beautiful era where there are just too many to count. There is also very little separating the featured players below and those dubbed "Honorable Mentions"--so put in the work and keep an eye out throughout the regular season for who is receiving and seizing their opportunities. 

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