1 Zion Williamson PF

Williamson posted 21 points (9-19 FG, 3-6 FT), 12 rebounds and four assists in Friday's loss to the Lakers.

Leading up to the contest, it was uncertain whether Williamson would be able to play after producing an inconclusive COVID-19 test, but he ultimately cleared league protocols and was able to suit up. The second-year forward paced New Orleans in both scoring and rebounding in the losing effort. Williamson has tallied five double-doubles on the campaign and is averaging 21.8 points and 8.5 boards overall.

Williamson rejoined the Pelicans on Thursday and will be available for Friday's game against the Lakers, Andrew Lopez of ESPN reports.

Williamson was withheld from Wednesday's game due to an inconclusive COVID-19 test, but he's since cleared the league's protocols and took part in team activities Thursday. Expect Williamson to return to the lineup at power forward Friday as the Pelicans take on the top team in the Western Conference.

Williamson's absence from Wednesday's game is due to an inconclusive COVID-19 test, and the belief is that it will not lead to an extended absence, Andrew Lopez of ESPN reports.

Williamson has been ruled out of Wednesday's game, but the decision looks to have been made mostly for precautionary reasons. Consider Williamson day-to-day as Friday's rematch with the Clippers approaches.

Williamson is out for Wednesday's game against the Clippers due to health and safety protocols, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.

As is often the case, it's not clear how long Williamson will be sidelined. While he's out Wednesday, we can likely expect more playing time for Nicolo Melli and Josh Hart, and possibly Wenyen Gabriel. Lonzo Ball (knee) is also sidelined for the Pelicans.

Williamson won't play Monday after the Pelicans' game against the Mavericks was postponed, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.

Due to the league's health and safety protocols, the Mavericks will not have the requisite number of players available, so the game will be made up at a later date. Williamson and the Pelicans are scheduled to return to action Wednesday against the Clippers.

Williamson scored a team-high 26 points (12-22 FG, 2-4 FT) while adding eight rebounds and three assists in 34 minutes during Friday's 118-110 loss to the Hornets.

The 20-year-old continues to carry the offensive load for the Pelicans, scoring at least 20 points in four straight games and six of nine to begin the season. Williamson's taken a step forward on the glass as well in his second NBA campaign, averaging nearly two more boards a game so far, and while the first overall pick in the 2019 draft still has plenty of room for growth, he's just scratching the surface of his potential.

Williamson scored 29 points (12-17 FG, 5-6 FT) to go along with six rebounds, one assist and three steals across 32 minutes in Wednesday's loss to the Thunder.

Williamson built on his recent run of strong performances, topping 20 points for the third consecutive game. While that has been impressive, Williamson has quietly improved on his defensive production early on this season by averaging 1.5 steals per game -- double the output of his rookie campaign. Perhaps most notable of all, Williamson has topped 30 minutes in six of eight contests this season, boding well for his chances of continuing his impressive form.

Williamson has racked up four double-double's in seven games after finishing with 24 points (9-19 FG, 6-8 FT) and 10 boards in Monday's loss to the Pacers.

After a three-game streak without a double-double, Williamson got back on track Monday night, adding two assists, one steal and one block in 35 minutes. The No. 1 pick in 2019 is averaging 20.8 points and 8.4 boards per game on the year, though his field goal percentage (53.5% FG) is down compared to last year, as is his free throw percentage (60.7% FT).

Williamson had 21 points (7-12 FG, 7-10 FT), seven rebounds, an assist and a blocked shot across 33 minutes in Saturday's 120-116 win over the Raptors.

After a lukewarm evening on New Year's Eve, Williamson went back to his winning ways and stayed out of foul trouble in the process. The synergy between Brandon Ingram and Williamson will be the key to the Pelicans' success this season and will also determine their worth as fantasy options. Rather than siphoning each other's production, the tandem is producing solid, reliable floors over the first two weeks of the season.

Williamson played 17 minutes in Thursday's 113-80 win over the Thunder, contributing 12 points (4-6 FG, 4-6 FT), five rebounds and one assist.

Williamson had his playing time limited in the first half after running into foul trouble, and he then sat out the final 7:25 of the fourth quarter while the Pelicans enjoyed a comfortable lead. As a result, his production was limited, but fantasy managers shouldn't have too many concerns about Williamson's returns through five games. While his free-throw shooting will likely remain an issue, Williamson's per-game averages are strong (19.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.6 steals), and his current 54.3 shooting percentage from the field should gradually climb a few points, given how many of his attempts come in the paint.

Williamson provided 20 points (9-13 FG, 2-6 FT), two rebounds and a steal across 29 minutes in Tuesday's 111-86 loss to the Suns.

Williamson was the most efficient scorer by a mile, but his defensive numbers were noticeably absent. Defense was the big problem for New Orleans on Tuesday, as it had no answer for the Suns and couldn't generate enough offense to stay relevant. The team was ice-cold from long range. Zion did what he could with his mid-range jumper, but the team fell woefully short.

Williamson logged 18 points (7-22 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 4-7 FT), 11 rebounds, five steals and one block in Sunday's 98-95 win over the Spurs.

Williamson had a tough time finishing at the rim, getting blocked seven times. He made up for those rejections with good defense, recording a career-high five steals and six defensive boards. Williamson is already en route to an outstanding sophomore season, logging more double-doubles (three) than those he had in his rookie campaign (two).

Williamson had 32 points (11-20 FG, 0-1 3PT, 10-15 FT) and 14 rebounds in Friday's loss to the Heat.

After a relatively modest outing in Wednesday's opener, Williamson erupted for a big double-double in a career-high 38 minutes. Williamson should be an elite source of both scoring and rebounding this season, though his free throw shooting could again be an issue, and he's yet to provide much value as a passer or in the defensive categories.

Williamson scored 15 points (7-9 FG, 0-1 FT) to go along with 10 rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block across 30 minutes in the Pelicans' win over the Raptors on Wednesday.

Despite scoring efficiently, both Brandon Ingram and JJ Redick hoisted significantly more field-goal attempts than Williamson. Equally troubling was Williamson's six turnovers, the highest mark on the team. More positively, he was able to notch a double-double, a feat he accomplished only twice in 24 contests as a rookie. Williamson will take the floor again on Friday in a matchup with the Heat.

Williamson finished with 26 points (8-13 FG, 10-11 FT), 11 rebounds and two assists in 33 minutes during Monday's 114-92 victory over the Heat.

Williamson dropped a game-high 26 points, including an impressive 10-of-11 from the charity stripe. His poor free-throw shooting has been a major issue thus far in his career, and something that does limit his fantasy upside. If this kind of efficiency can hang around, it certainly makes him a more well-rounded asset. The lack of defensive production was again evident, and much like the free throws, it is something that holds him back somewhat.

Coach Stan Van Gundy said Sunday that he'll likely play his starters around 30 minutes in Monday's preseason opener against the Heat, Will Guillory of The Athletic reports.

While most teams use the preseason as a means of getting a look at as many players as possible, Van Gundy indicated that he'll likely keep a tight rotation of about 10 players. That's good news for preseason DFS players, as Williamson -- among other Pelicans regulars -- should be in a good position to provide value, assuming he does see roughly 30 minutes. The 2019 No. 1 overall pick has not played since his final game in the NBA bubble on Aug. 9.

Williamson went through a full practice on Sunday and has no restrictions in place, Christian Clark of The New Orleans Times-Picayune reports.

Williamson reportedly passed his conditioning test "easily," which is a welcome sign for New Orleans after his minutes were restricted across 24 games played during 2019-20. The 20-year-old power forward could be in for a monster season this year if he can remain healthy, as he was a big difference maker in his limited appearances last season. Across 24 games in 2019-20, Williamson averaged 22.5 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game while shooting 58.3 percent from the floor and 42.9 percent from three-point land.

Williamson (knee) is out for Thursday's finale against the Magic.

Williamson's rookie season has unceremoniously come to a close. Overall, despite missing most of the season while recovering from a torn meniscus, Williamson's campaign should be considered a success. In his 27.8 minutes per game, he averaged 22.5 points on 15.0 shots, 6.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists. Williamson will undoubtedly be a high draft pick in fantasy leagues next season, though he needs to improve his passing, free-throw shooting and defense to become a top-flight fantasy contributor.

Williamson is listed as out for Tuesday's game against Sacramento due to a sore right knee.

With the Pelicans officially eliminated from postseason contention, this isn't overly surprising -- especially considering both Jrue Holiday (elbow) and Brandon Ingram (knee) will also be held out Tuesday. After that contest, New Orleans has just one more game in the bubble, so it's very possible Williamson could be held out of that contest (Thursday vs. Orlando), as well.

Williamson had 25 points (10-20 FG, 5-6 FT) and seven rebounds in Sunday's loss to San Antonio.

The No. 1 overall pick continues to rack up points at a historic rate, but he was rather inefficient -- by his standards -- Sunday, hitting only half of his attempts, all of which came from two-point range. In 27 minutes of action, Williamson was a team-worst minus-21, and he failed to record a block or a steal for the fifth straight game.