LaMelo Ball

It's safe to say that Bridges has snapped out of the mini-slump he found himself in after dropping 35 points on the Raptors back on November 29. He finished Friday's defeat with his fifth 30-point game of the season, one shy of his total for the 2024-25 campaign. With LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller having missed extended time due to injury, Bridges has been one of the Hornets' few constants in fantasy basketball this season. The Hornets end Week 8 with a road game against the Cavaliers on Sunday.

Despite the defeat, the Hornets had to be thrilled by what they saw from Knueppel on Friday. While he was efficient in recording a career-high point total, the rookie also did a good job of helping Charlotte compensate for LaMelo Ball's absence. Knueppel matched his season-high in assists while committing only two turnovers. He's still rostered in 50 percent of Yahoo! leagues, which is too low for a rookie of Knueppel's caliber.

Ball hasn't played since leaving Friday's game against the Raptors with a bone bruise in his left ankle. Sion James and KJ Simpson have seen additional minutes in Ball's absence. Given his history of ankle injuries, that absence could extend beyond Friday.

Friday's game will be the third that Sexton has missed due to a strained left quad. With LaMelo Ball and Tre Mann also out, the Hornets will likely stick with KJ Simpson as the starting point guard. While his fantasy ceiling is limited, Simpson is worth a look in deep leagues due to Charlotte's lack of healthy alternatives.

Ball (ankle) will not play Friday against the Bulls.