Caruso shot the ball poorly, but he still had his fingerprints all over this game. There aren't many players in the league that do that as well as Caruso. Unfortunately, that has been the case all season. He's shooting 23.7% from the field this year, which has prevented him from making any impact in standard leagues. His 1.9 steals per game are nice in deep leagues, but he hasn't really contributed in any other category. He'll help the team stay among the best in the conference, but he can't be relied on in fantasy basketball.
Recently removed from the injury report after suffering a sprained ankle, Williams is in the starting lineup for Thursday's season opener. The other notable starter is Joe, who receives the nod with Isaiah Hartenstein (hand) sidelined. Alex Caruso, acquired from the Bulls this summer, will figure prominently off the bench, but that role limits his fantasy potential.
JDub exited early from a preseason matchup against Atlanta, and he wasn't able to participate in practice last weekend. However, he isn't on the injury report, which means that he will be available to play and start against Denver in the season opener. Alex Caruso, who may have started in his place, will still play a large role off the bench.
Williams sprained his ankle during Thursday's exhibition against the Hawks. Oklahoma City's season opener is not until Wednesday, so he has time to recover. If JDub cannot play in the opener, Alex Caruso's importance is even more significant, as the Thunder are already without Isaiah Hartenstein.