According to SNY's Ian Begley, the Knicks remain optimistic that forward Julius Randle (shoulder) will be back at some point this season. The 29-year-old suffered a left shoulder injury during the January 27 matchup with the Miami Heat. He's making good progress in rehab. But Begley noted that the Knicks "aren't out of the woods just yet." As expected, Randle was having a quality year before going down with the injury. He averaged 24.0 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 5.0 assists in 46 regular season games. Although his production was down from last season, he remains a potent fantasy contributor. Nevertheless, fantasy managers should hang tight and hope for a positive update. However, until the 2014 No. 7 overall pick returns, Isaiah Hartenstein (Achilles) and Precious Achiuwa should continue to hold things down underneath the basket.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson (groin) has been ruled out ahead of Friday's game against the Denver Nuggets. The rookie guard has been banged up due to injuries this season, but Henderson has played well whenever he's healthy. Recently, head coach Chauncey Billups said that Henderson will remain in the starting five for the rest of the season. That move to the starting unit should give him increased fantasy value going forward. However, Matisse Thybulle should continue starting until Henderson is ready to play again.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart (finger) is set to be re-evaluated in three weeks. It sounds like the veteran guard is making solid progress in his recovery from his injured ring finger. However, Smart will need to keep a splint on his finger for the next three weeks before being re-evaluated. Fantasy managers might want to consider looking for another option at this point in the season. There's no guarantee that Smart will return to the rotation this season with the Grizzlies well out of playoff contention.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane (ankle) continues to work his way back to the court. Recently, Bane was given a 3-5 week timetable to get back on the floor. That timetable would put Bane back in action around the middle of March. That isn't great news for fantasy managers as it would likely already be in the late stages of the playoffs by that point. As for the Grizzlies, Luke Kennard and Vince Williams Jr. should continue playing bigger roles until Bane returns.

Los Angeles Lakers guard Max Christie (ankle) is available ahead of Thursday's game against the Golden State Warriors. Christie returns to the floor after missing each of the last two games before the All-Star break. The absences of Cam Reddish (ankle) and LeBron James (ankle) should mean an increased role for Christie. He's worth a look as a possible deep league streaming option while he has an expanded role in the rotation.