De'Andre Hunter

This will be a fourth straight absence for Merrill, who has been in and out of the starting lineup when available. Jaylon Tyson and Dean Wade should remain the starters for Cleveland with Merrill still out, while De'Andre Hunter should continue to fill out big minutes off the bench.

Merrill sprained his right hand during Wednesday's win over the 76ers. Hopefully, this isn't an injury that will shelve him for an extended period. De'Andre Hunter, who offers limited fantasy upside, will figure more prominently within the Cavaliers' bench unit with Merrill unavailable.

To say Hunter needed a night like Wednesday would be an understatement. In Cleveland's two previous games, he totaled six points on 2-of-10 shooting from the field. Returning home did some good for the Philadelphia native, as Hunter's 17 points were the most he's scored in a game since December 22. With Sam Merrill (hand) and Darius Garland (foot) exiting Wednesday's game due to injury, Hunter may have a slightly higher fantasy ceiling in the short term. What's holding him back is the lack of defensive production.

Merrill suffered a right hand injury during Wednesday's game. While the Cavaliers announced at halftime that he was questionable to return, the sharpshooter never did. Given that he's right-handed, there should be concern among fantasy managers who are rostering him for the three-point production. If Merrill has to miss time, De'Andre Hunter will likely figure more prominently in the bench rotation.

Strus has yet to make his season debut after undergoing offseason surgery, and the latest update means he may not take the court until after the All-Star break. De'Andre Hunter, Sam Merrill and Jaylon Tyson should continue to pick up the slack until Strus returns.