Houston Rockets forward/center Jabari Smith Jr. (ankle) is not on the injury report for Sunday's I-10 rivalry matchup against the San Antonio Spurs. Smith has played in only one of the last four games as he recovers from an ankle sprain. Reed Sheppard has been starting in Smith's absence, producing some outstanding displays. On Sunday, Sheppard will likely be back in the second unit, but he will continue to have fantasy value as a spark plug off the bench.

Houston Rockets forward/center Jabari Smith Jr. (ankle) will be back in action on Thursday against the Golden State Warriors. He has been cleared to return after sitting out two games with a right ankle sprain. Smith Jr.'s return will hurt Reed Sheppard, who performed well in two outings as his replacement in the starting lineup. Smith Jr. is coming off his best month of the season, having averaged 17.5 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks in February.

Houston Rockets forward/center Jabari Smith Jr. (ankle) is listed as questionable for Thursday's tilt against the Golden State Warriors. While there were reports on Wednesday that Smith Jr. was set to return from a two-game absence, he hasn't been officially cleared yet. If Smith Jr. can't make it back on Thursday night, Reed Sheppard would get another opportunity to impress as a starter. Sheppard began this week by recording his first career double-double, notching 19 points, seven rebounds, 10 assists, six steals, and two blocks in a 123-118 win over the Washington Wizards.

Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. (ankle) remains out on Monday versus Washington. He tweaked his ankle during the 113-108 win over the Orlando Magic on Thursday and didn't suit up on Saturday in Miami. Reed Sheppard took his spot in the starting lineup, amassing 14 points, five assists, and four rebounds. Fantasy managers might see more production out of Sheppard against the Wizards, a team that has struggled defensively all year.

Houston Rockets forward/center Jabari Smith Jr. (ankle) will not play in Saturday's game against Miami due to a right ankle sprain. Smith turned his ankle in Thursday's win over Orlando and will miss at least one contest, with his next chance to return coming Monday against Washington. Reed Sheppard is the leading candidate to absorb extra minutes after posting 20 points with five triples, three rebounds, four assists, two steals, and two blocks in 31 minutes off the bench last game. Sheppard has been trending up and is more than a short-term streamer, especially if the added minutes continue.

Houston Rockets forward/center Jabari Smith Jr. (ankle) did not return to Thursday's 113-108 win over Orlando after rolling his right ankle late in the fourth quarter. He finished with 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting with one rebound and one assist across 29 minutes before exiting. Further evaluation is pending, and his status for Saturday is uncertain. Reed Sheppard would be the top fantasy beneficiary after posting 20 points, three rebounds, four assists, two steals, two blocks, and five triples in 31 minutes. Josh Okogie and Dorian Finney-Smith are deeper-league streamers if Smith sits.

Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. (knee) will play in Wednesday's contest against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The team has upgraded Smith Jr.'s status from questionable to active. Smith Jr. has a chance to record a second consecutive double-double on Wednesday. However, he faces a tough battle in the frontcourt against Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. To counter the duo, Houston will also have Steven Adams in the starting lineup on Wednesday.

Houston Rockets forward/center Jabari Smith Jr. (knee) is questionable for Wednesday's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers due to right knee tendinopathy. The fourth-year forward is averaging 14.5 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.6 assists on 45.7 percent shooting, and he logged 43 minutes in his last outing. With Tari Eason (oblique) already out, his absence would push Houston further into its depth. Josh Okogie is positioned to pick up extra wing minutes, while Steven Adams and Clint Capela offer short-term streaming appeal for rebounds and defensive stats if Houston shifts bigger. Jeff Green may also see a small bump as a deeper-league option.

Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. (ankle) won't play versus the Mavericks. He sprained his right ankle during Saturday's win over the Boston Celtics. Fortunately, head coach Ime Udoka stated Smith's absence won't extend beyond this contest, meaning he should be back when the Rockets face the Grizzlies in Memphis on Wednesday night. Without the 22-year-old on the floor, Tari Eason will get the start. Eason has averaged 11.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, and an impressive 57.1% shooting from behind the arc this season. However, he could be more productive as a member of the starting lineup on Monday night.

Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. agreed to a massive extension with the organization on Sunday. The two sides have come to terms on a five-year, $122 million extension. Clearly, the Rockets believe Smith is going to be a big part of their future going forward. It's worth noting that Smith did play as a reserve for most of last season. Despite that, Smith has been a reliable contributor over the last three seasons. He averaged 12.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.1 assists across 30.1 minutes per game in 57 contests last season. It remains to be seen how the addition of Kevin Durant is going to impact the rotation. The Rockets will find a way to get Smith involved, but he'll probably still fall outside the top-100 in nine-cat formats.

Houston Rockets forward/center Jabari Smith Jr. (groin) is listed as questionable for Wednesday's game against the Los Angeles Clippers. He is attempting to overcome left groin soreness before tip-off. If Smith Jr. is unable to play, Tari Eason will likely receive additional minutes, with Jae'Sean Tate or Cam Whitmore possibly re-entering the rotation. Meanwhile, if Smith Jr. gets the green light to play, he may see increased usage in the frontcourt since Alperen Sengun (back) is also questionable for the game, and his absence would open up significant minutes at the center position.

Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. (hand) will make his return to the court on Friday. Smith has been out since the beginning of January due to a hand injury. He's back in the rotation on Friday, but he'll come off the bench. The move to have Smith play with the second unit is likely just the Rockets slowly ramping him back up to full speed. Once fully healthy, Smith figures to return to his role of playing 30-plus minutes per night. Fantasy managers probably won't get too much from Smith during his first game back on the court. It shouldn't take too long before Smith is back to playing his normal role.

Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. (hand) said he is ready to return on Friday when the Rockets resume their season against the Timberwolves after the All-Star break. Coach Ime Udoka said that Smith would not be on any minutes restriction, even though it will be his first game since January 1. Smith started all 33 of his games this season, averaging 30.9 minutes, 11.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game. With Fred VanVleet (ankle) a game-time decision, Udoka declined to say whether Smith would start or come off the bench, but his return will have a big impact as the Rockets try to make a push for the postseason.

Houston Rockets forward/center Jabari Smith Jr. (hand) is set to rejoin the action after the All-Star break. NBA insider Chris Haynes reported that Smith Jr., who fractured his hand on Jan. 1, is aiming for a return on Feb. 21 against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The 21-year-old has averaged 11.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks in 30.9 minutes this season. Amen Thompson has excelled in a starting role during Smith Jr.'s absence, and Rockets head coach Ime Udoka will face some tough decisions once the entire squad is back together. Smith Jr. has been a starter for all 188 of his career games so far.

Houston Rockets forward/center Jabari Smith Jr. (hand) is expected to miss 4-8 weeks with a fractured left hand, the team announced on Friday, as reported by ESPN's Shams Charania. Smith Jr. was injured during shootaround ahead of Friday's game against Boston. The third-year player averages 11.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks across 30.9 minutes this season. With Tari Eason (lower leg) also nursing an injury and Amen Thompson suspended, the door is open for Cam Whitmore and Jae'Sean Tate to make a big impact. The former has already had a few impressive outings lately.

Houston Rockets forward/center Jabari Smith Jr. will miss Monday's game against Portland with a suspension. He was handed a one-game suspension for his altercation with Utah's Kris Dunn on Saturday. Smith Jr's absence will be a major blow for the playoff-chasing Rockets, who have racked up eight consecutive victories. Following Alperen Sengun's (ankle) injury, Smith Jr. has filled the starting center role. With him now sidelined, Jeff Green and Jock Landale should share the minutes at the five positions. Green is the more attractive fantasy option of the two and played great after Smith Jr.'s early exit at the weekend, scoring 21 points and registering four rebounds with a pair of blocks. A meeting with Portland could also be fruitful for him, as the Trail Blazers are allowing opposing centers to shoot 60.6 percent from the field.

Houston Rockets forward/center Jabari Smith Jr. (illness) will play on Wednesday against the Clippers. The talented Auburn product has been battling an illness and initially landed on the injury report with a questionable tag, but he has been upgraded to available. However, how effective Smith Jr. can be remains to be seen. He already struggled to perform in Tuesday's matchup against San Antonio, recording only two points and three rebounds in 25 minutes. Wednesday's matchup is also a tough one for Smith Jr. and the Rockets, as the Clippers have developed into a very good defensive team.

Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. (ankle) did not appear on the injury report for their game against the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night. The 20-year-old has missed the last four consecutive games due to an ankle sprain, but it seems like he has fully healed now that he doesn't carry an injury designation at all. He should re-enter his role in the starting lineup and can be started in fantasy leagues regardless of size or format. He's made some improvements in traditional stat categories along with his efficiency so far this year. Smith averages 13.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.7 threes made, and 1.2 turnovers per game while shooting 47.4% from the floor.

Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. (ankle) won't suit up for Saturday's game against the Brooklyn Nets. He'll now be sidelined for a fourth consecutive contest, so his next chance to return will be on Monday versus the visiting Los Angeles Lakers. The 20-year-old is averaging a career-high 13.7 points this season, meaning there will be extra scoring chances up for grabs, which Jalen Green and Fred VanVleet could mostly absorb. At the same time, Jeff Green may remain in the starting lineup, although he's a hit-or-miss fantasy option.

Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. (ankle) is back on the injury report after initially being removed when it first came out. The second-year forward is still dealing with some lingering effects of the ankle sprain that he suffered a few games back. The fact that he popped up on the report later than normal as questionable isn't the best sign for his chances to play against the Charlotte Hornets. If he has to remain sidelined for a third consecutive game, Jeff Green would likely remain in the starting five while Amen Thompson, Cam Whitmore, and Jock Landale would all see some more minutes coming off of the bench. If Smith plays, however, Landale and Whitmore wouldn't be great starts in this contest.