NBA Injury Analysis: Barton Headlines Biggest Week 1 Losses

Injuries are already shaping the fantasy landscape, with a number of key plays falling victim to early season ailments. While Will Barton or Lauri Markkanen owners may not agree, injuries can also lead to opportunities, giving rise to unexpected fantasy contributors.

We are getting the first glimpse at such a situation in Memphis:

JaMychal Green, Grizzlies

The Grizzlies' starting power forward is slated to miss at least four weeks after breaking his jaw in a win over Atlanta. The impact from a stray elbow damaged Green's teeth and resulted in a fracture significant enough to require surgery to mend.

The jaw is made up of the multiple bones that contain the teeth. The upper jaw is comprised of the two paired maxilla bones and contains the top row of teeth. The lower jaw is a single bone, the mandible. It is the only freely moveable bone of the skull and holds the bottom set of teeth.

Jaw fractures in the NBA are relatively uncommon. Over the past 13 seasons, there have been 11 recorded jaw fractures in the NBA, including breaks of the mandible and maxillae. This list, headlined by players like Kyrie Irving, Lou Williams, and former Grizzlies center Hasheem Thabeet, includes Green, who suffered a broken maxilla during the 2016-17 season. The average missed time for these injuries is five games for non-surgical cases and jumps to nine for those that require surgical intervention.

Green's injury is expected to require more time and sets the stage for rookie Jaren Jackson, Jr. to become an impact player. Jackson joined the starting lineup Monday alongside Marc Gasol and finished with 11 points and grabbing seven rebounds. Through three games, the rookie is now averaging 15.0 points and 6.3 rebounds and should be owned in all formats.

Will Barton, Nuggets

The Nuggets swingman is expected to miss at least six weeks after suffering a groin injury over the weekend. The area most people refer to as the groin is actually a group of muscles known as the adductors. The adductors are responsible for pulling the leg inward toward the body in a direction appropriately known as adduction. In basketball, the adductors play a vital role in lateral (side-to-side) movement as well as jumping. The adductors play another important role aiding the true abdominal muscles in stabilizing the trunk. This partnership forms the area commonly referred to as the "core."

An injury to the area is often referred to as a sports hernia, a misleading term that has become somewhat of catch-all diagnosis. Furthermore, the word hernia suggests a protrusion of the muscle, though not all sports hernias include an actual hernia.

To help reduce confusion, many orthopedists are now utilizing the term core muscle injury instead of sports hernia. Barton's injury is being described as a groin and core strain and is significant enough to require a trip to the operating room. While the surgery has a high success rate, look for Barton to miss between six to eight weeks. Barton's absence will lead to increased opportunities for Torrey Craig, Trey Lyles, and Juancho Hernangomez.

Fast Breaks

DeMarcus Cousins, Warriors: The Warriors have provided the first real update on the health status of Cousins. The All-Star center is working his way back from a torn Achilles tendon and is making "good progress" in his rehab. He has been limited to individual on-court drills but is expected to "be integrated into controlled aspects of team practice" sometime soon. The report is positive but it wouldn't be surprising to see Cousins held out for the remainder of the calendar year.

Dirk Nowitzki and Harrison Barnes, Mavericks: The Mavericks have begun the season without two of their top frontcourt players. Nowitzki was hampered in training camp as his ankle was slow to recover from offseason surgery. The former MVP underwent a debridement in the offseason to remove a sizeable osteophyte (bone spur) from the joint. The surgery reportedly went well but the stabilizing tendons of Nowitzki's ankle have not responded as well as the team had hoped. He is expected to remain out through the end of the month.

Meanwhile, Dallas' starting small forward has also been a no-show so far this season as he recovers from a hamstring strain. Barnes has begun taking part in portions of practice but has been ruled out for at least one more game, making an October 26th return the best-case scenario. Hamstring injuries can be difficult to manage so it's nice to see Dallas' medical team take a cautious approach to start the year. Ensuring Barnes is near complete health will have a positive impact on his long-term availability. Dwight Powell, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Maxi Kleber have picked up the slack in Nowitzki and Barnes' absence, with Powell making the biggest fantasy contributions.

Kevin Knox, Knicks: The New York rookie will miss at least two games and could be sidelined for longer after spraining his ankle against Boston. Coach David Fizdale wouldn't commit to an exact timeline but did insinuate it could end up being a multi-week absence.

Lauri Markkanen, Bulls: The Bulls forward is no longer wearing a brace on his injured elbow, suggesting his injury is progressing nicely. Markkanen has yet to play this season after spraining the outside aspect of his elbow during the preseason. The Bulls have not provided a definitive timeline on his expected recovery and he likely remains a few more weeks away from returning.

Derrick White, Spurs: San Antonio was already short-handed in the backcourt following Dejounte Murray's ACL tear, but a foot injury to White has pushed the limits of their depth. White is dealing with a plantar fascia tear in his left foot. The plantar fascia is a thick, fibrous band of connective tissue that runs along the heel to the base of the toes. It provides supports for the arch of the foot and is purposely designed to withstand the increased forces that come with weight-bearing activities like walking, jumping, or running. Unfortunately, repetitive activity or excessive force can irritate or tear the plantar fascia. If the fascia becomes inflamed it known as plantar fasciitis, a chronic and painful condition. Plantar fascia tears display the same symptoms as plantar fasciitis, with rest remaining the best non-surgical option.

The Spurs initially believed White would miss between six-to-eight weeks though the timeline was adjusted to two-to-four weeks. The second-year guard will look to return near the end of October and, unfortunately, remain an inherently risky play moving forward.

Editor's note: Chicago's Kris Dunn was diagnosed with a sprained MCL and is expected to miss 4-to-6 weeks. Cameron Payne should slide back into the starting lineup in place of Dunn, who suffered the injury during his season debut Monday night. Dunn suffered the injury in the second quarter of the game, but he played through it to finish with nine points, seven assists and four rebounds in 30 minutes. With Markkanen also on the shelf, the Bulls will be without two starters for at least another week or two, while Dunn could remain out through the month of November.