3. Danilo Gallinari, SF/PF, Los Angeles Clippers (23.8% owned)
Danilo Gallinari’s return from a lingering glute injury could be just around the corner, according to Tomer Azarly of Clutch Points.
Gallinari initially suffered a glute injury in early November, which caused him to miss 13 games. He returned in early December, but he lasted only two games before going down with a partial tear in his left glute muscle that has sidelined him ever since.
Prior to the Clippers’ 113-102 loss to the Boston Celtics on Wednesday, Gallinari told Azarly that he could be back as early as Tuesday night’s contest against the Portland Trail Blazers. Following that tilt, the Clippers only have three games on their schedule over the next week-and-a-half, so there’d be plenty of built-in rest time to ease Gallinari’s return to the lineup.
Over 11 games this season, Gallinari has averaged 13.4 points on a career-worst 34.5 percent shooting, 4.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.5 triples and 0.7 steals in 31.7 minutes, putting him just inside of the top 150 on a per-game basis in nine-category leagues. Fantasy owners shouldn’t expect him to begin playing 35-plus minutes immediately upon his return, but if he can dodge any further setbacks, he could prove to be a difference-maker once the fantasy playoffs roll around.
Next: 2. Jabari Parker