André SnellingsJan 20, 2026, 12:35 PM ETCloseDr. André Snellings is a senior writer for men’s and women’s fantasy basketball and sports betting at ESPN. André has a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from Michigan. He joined ESPN in 2017 after a 16-year career as a neural engineer, during which time he was also a writer and analyst for Rotowire.
Jan. 20 update: Impact of Jimmy Butler III’s season-ending injury
The fantasy basketball head-to-head points league player rankings are updated regularly throughout the NBA season based on player performances, injuries, trades, signings and other trends.
After acquiring Butler last year, Golden State finished strong but was eliminated in the second round after Stephen Curry’s hamstring injury. Entering this season, there was optimism if the aging core stayed healthy, but Butler’s injury has disrupted that plan. The Warriors now face a pivotal decision: pursue veteran help before the trade deadline or shift further toward developing younger players.
Buddy Hield should also see expanded opportunity. Currently averaging a career-low 16.9 minutes per game, Hield could deliver low-to-mid teens scoring and nearly three threes per game if his minutes climb. Moses Moody and Will Richard are additional wings who could absorb Butler’s minutes. Pro-rated to near 30 minutes, Moody projects to roughly 13 points and 2.7 threes, while Richard projects to 11.4 points and 1.9 threes.
Fantasy-wise, Kuminga has top-100 value with top-60 upside, while Hield, Moody and Richard profile as fringe roster or streaming options.
As far as how the Butler injury impacts fantasy, Jonathan Kuminga is the player that demands attention. He opened the season strong, averaging 17.2 points, 7.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists in his first nine games, before injuries and a diminished role pushed him out of the rotation by mid-December. Despite recently requesting a trade, Kuminga remains just 23 years old and highly talented. With Butler sidelined, the Warriors need scoring behind Curry, and Kuminga could provide consistent 20-point upside if reinserted into a featured role.
CloseDr. André Snellings is a senior writer for men’s and women’s fantasy basketball and sports betting at ESPN. André has a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from Michigan. He joined ESPN in 2017 after a 16-year career as a neural engineer, during which time he was also a writer and analyst for Rotowire.
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