Chicago Bulls

Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan says that minutes restrictions for guard Zach LaVine (foot) and center Nikola Vucevic have been lifted and both players will start on Wednesday versus the Houston Rockets. Vucevic has functioned from the second unit since returning on Jan. 5 from a five-game absence with a strained groin, but the 33-year-old two-time All-Star should play closer to his 33.6 minutes per game against Houston. Vucevic is safe to start in all fantasy formats if he wasn't already. Andre Drummond will revert to the bench, with his value significantly dropping. Listed as probable ahead of Wednesday, LaVine is cleared to play with no limitations and should be trusted in season-long lineups despite shaking off the rust from his 17-game absence due to inflammation in his right foot. It's unclear who LaVine is bouncing out of the starting five, but Alex Caruso and Patrick Williams stand to lose some shine.

Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso (neck) and forward Patrick Williams (ankle) are both available for Wednesday's game versus the Houston Rockets. The Bulls' role players should both be good for their usual workloads, considering this matchup is neither the first nor second leg of a back-to-back, but they are trending down with Zach LaVine (foot) and Nikola Vucevic back in the fold. This contest also features the lowest implied point total (216.5) on Wednesday's 10-game slate by a wide margin, so this is probably not the right environment to dig into the bargain bin on either side for DFS purposes. Without a true point guard running the show amid Lonzo Ball's (knee) absence in the Windy City, Chicago's slow-paced offense sees them sit last in the Association in possessions per game (98.2).

Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine (foot, shoulder) was already listed as probable, so it's not a surprise that he was upgraded to active ahead of the team's Monday night game against the Charlotte Hornets. The team seems to be in limbo when it comes to playing or resting him, so they can still get maximum trade value before the deadline. LaVine came off of the bench in their last game on Friday, which was against the Hornets as well. He still played just under 30 minutes and posted 15 points, five rebounds, four assists, and two turnovers. Since he'll be on the floor, he should still be in fantasy lineups, but it seems his peak fantasy value won't be back until he's traded.

Chicago Bulls forward Patrick Williams (ankle) couldn't practice on Sunday and is a question mark for Monday's meeting with the Hornets. Williams missed his first game of the season against Charlotte on Friday due to a right ankle strain. His absence gave a boost to Dalen Terry's fantasy stock as the 21-year-old logged his first career start. The first-round pick from 2022 registered eight points, four rebounds, and two steals in 21 minutes. It's a great matchup fantasy-wise, as Charlotte is ranked 28th in defensive efficiency and also offers a pace-up spot for the Bulls.

Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic (groin) is expected to play on Monday against the Hornets. The 33-year-old veteran returned on Friday night versus Charlotte, the first of consecutive meetings between the clubs, after a five-game absence. He came off the bench, operating under a minutes cap and finishing with 11 points, seven rebounds, and three assists. He'll likely spend more time on the floor in his second game back from the layoff, so he's still worth starting in any fantasy setup. Unfortunately, Vucevic's likely increased workload isn't good for Andre Drummond, who has been playing well in the starting lineup.