Houston Rockets DVOA, Stats, & NBA Rankings

Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet (groin) says he will play on Thursday against the New Orleans Pelicans. VanVleet has overcome a strained left groin following a five-game absence prior to the All-Star break. It's unclear if FVV will carry a minutes restriction on Thursday, but he'll be a shaky DFS play against a Pelicans squad that sits sixth in the league in opponent field-goal percentage (46.5%). VanVleet still belongs in all season-long lineups, while Amen Thompson figures to revert to Houston's bench and lose fantasy appeal.

Houston Rockets forwards Tari Eason (leg) and Cam Whitmore (ankle) remain sidelined for Wednesday's tilt against the Memphis Grizzlies. No surprise here on Eason's front, as head coach Ime Udoka revealed before Monday's win over the New York Knicks that the 2022 first-rounder is still experiencing "lingering pain" in his left lower leg stemming from a stress reaction in the preseason. Whitmore will miss a third straight game due to a sprained right ankle, and Feb. 22's matchup with the New Orleans Pelicans will be both players' next chance to return. With Fred VanVleet (adductor) also out, Aaron Holiday is averaging 14.0 points, 4.0 assists, and 2.3 treys on 42.9% shooting from beyond the arc in 24.9 minutes over his past four games as Houston's sixth man and is a short-term fantasy solution for points, threes, and dimes until the team gets healthier.

Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet (groin) won't return to the court until after the All-Star break. Including Monday's game, Vanvleet has missed four straight games due to a lingering groin issue. At this point, the Rockets are going to play it safe and shut down Vanvleet so he can get some rest. In the meantime, Amen Thompson should continue to start while Vanvleet is out. He's well worth a look as a streaming option while he's in the starting five. Also, Jalen Green figures to handle most of the ball-handling responsibilities which should boost his fantasy value.

Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason (leg) will not return to action for Monday's matchup with the New York Knicks. The Rockets initially had an eye toward Eason returning at some time last week, but they will continue to keep the second-year forward off the court for at least one more game. Houston has one more contest before the All-Star break against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday, but fantasy managers should probably expect them to hold Eason out for that one at this point. With Cam Whitmore (ankle) also sidelined on Monday, look for Dillon Brooks to handle plenty of minutes. Brooks has been a top-150 option for most of the campaign, most recently averaging 15.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 2.4 three-pointers, and 0.9 steals through his prior 11 games, but he draws a tough assignment against a Knicks squad allowing the third-fewest average points (109.9) in the NBA during 2023-24.

Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (back) is questionable for Monday's game versus the Knicks. The 21-year-old is widely considered one of the best big men in the National Basketball Association. He missed his first game of the year on Saturday against the Hawks because of low back pain, allowing Jeff Green to enter the starting lineup. Green played well, amassing 19 points, six boards, and a block in 31 minutes of work, so he's definitely worth streaming if Sengun misses another game.