Lauri Markkanen out at least one month with fractured hand

Out (hand). Fantasy basketball: Markkanen's hand fracture leaves Utah without its top scorer for at least a month, opening minutes for Jaxson Hayes and Josh…

By Fantasy Roundup Staff · November 11, 2026

Lauri Markkanen has been diagnosed with a non-displaced fracture in his right hand and will be sidelined for at least one month. The Jazz star, who had been playing through a sprained right wrist, was hit on the hand during Friday's loss to Dallas. An initial X-ray missed the fracture, but scans after he returned to Utah revealed the cracks. The injury leaves Utah (1-10) with only rookie Darryn Peterson healthy among its opening-night starters.

The loss is significant for fantasy managers in both nine-category and points formats. Markkanen had been averaging 18.0 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.6 steals, 0.6 blocks and 3.6 threes over his previous 8 games, posting a 23.7% usage rate at 56.7% true shooting in 30.9 minutes. That production, worth 35.7 projected fantasy points a game in default points scoring and ranking 27th overall, now disappears from lineups. His minutes open up for Jaxson Hayes and Josh Okogie, who have gained the most playing time when Markkanen has sat this season.

Fantasy impact

Player by player

Lauri Markkanen

Markkanen cannot play and does nothing for fantasy lineups until he is cleared. His 1 game left this week, the second night of a back-to-back on Wednesday, goes to zero for as long as he is out. With Utah having no games next week, his earliest possible return would come weeks down the road.

Before the injury, Markkanen had delivered 18.0 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.6 steals, 0.6 blocks and 3.6 threes in 30.9 minutes over his previous 8 games, though his minutes had been trending down 3.1 a game over his last five appearances. The 2023 All-Star had been shooting 38.9% from the field and 84.4% from the line with 1.5 turnovers, producing 31.3 fantasy points a night. Fantasy managers must drop him to injured reserve or move on entirely, as he offers no value until cleared to return.

Jusuf Nurkić

Nurkić remains out and has yet to play this season due to a toe injury. He has begun participating in on-court activities as he continues recovering from a right foot injury sustained during an Oct. 4 preseason game against Denver and will be re-evaluated in two weeks. His 1 game left this week, the second night of a back-to-back on Wednesday, goes to zero for as long as he is out.

Last season over 41 games, Nurkić averaged 10.9 points, 10.4 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.5 blocks and 0.6 threes in 26.4 minutes, shooting 50.3% from the field and 54.9% from the line with 2.5 turnovers. That production was worth 33.3 projected fantasy points a game in default points scoring. He does nothing for fantasy lineups until he is cleared, and managers must stash him on injured reserve or move on.

Jaren Jackson Jr.

Jackson has been diagnosed with a torn MCL in his right knee and will be sidelined for 6-to-8 weeks. He cannot play and does nothing for fantasy lineups until he is cleared. His 1 game left this week, the second night of a back-to-back on Wednesday, goes to zero for as long as he is out.

This season over 4 games, Jackson had posted 16.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.3 steals, 1.3 blocks and 1.3 threes in 26.1 minutes with a 25.8% usage rate at 61.0% true shooting. Last season over 48 games, he averaged 19.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.1 steals, 1.4 blocks and 1.8 threes in 30.3 minutes, shooting 47.6% from the field and 80.3% from the line with 2.2 turnovers. Fantasy managers must drop him to injured reserve or move on entirely.

What to do

• Move Markkanen to injured reserve immediately or drop him in shallow leagues, as he cannot return for at least a month.

• Add Jaxson Hayes or Josh Okogie in deep leagues, as they stand to gain the most minutes with Markkanen, Nurkić and Jackson all sidelined.

• Keep Nurkić stashed only if you have injured reserve space, as he remains weeks away from returning.

• Drop Jackson in all but the deepest leagues, as his 6-to-8 week absence makes him unusable for the foreseeable future.

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