This article is part of our Centers of Attention series.
Less than a month into the NBA season, we have seen one of the best centers in the league go down as the Utah Jazz announced Sunday that Rudy Gobert (knee) will be out at least four weeks.
Gobert played 81 games last year in what was by far the best season of his career. He was averaging 13.9 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game before getting injured this season, further cementing his place as an excellent fantasy asset.
With him now out, you may need to hit the waiver wire to find a replacement. Consider adding the players below to help you get through this tough stretch.
Dewayne Dedmon, Atlanta Hawks: Dedmon is the starting center on a bad Hawks team and is averaging a career-high 25 minutes per game as a result. He's been able to cash in on the extra playing time as he is averaging 10.1 points, 8.0 rebounds and 0.8 blocks per game.
Although Dedmon won't provide as much help as Gobert does in blocks, his percentages are great. He's shooting 56.1% from the field and 88.2% from the charity stripe. He is still available in more leagues than he should be, so see if you can pick him up.
Marquese Chriss, Phoenix Suns: Chriss is center-eligible in many formats and while he doesn't have the heavy minutes load that Gobert does, he is still averaging 7.2 points and 5.0 rebounds per game. While it will be tough for him to match Gobert's rebounding numbers, Chriss can help with blocks (1.3 per game).
He has played at least 25 minutes in two of the last three games and would see a significant boost in value if that trend were to continue. Plus, Chriss can provide you value in one area that Gobert can't: three-point shooting (1.1 made threes per game).
John Henson, Milwaukee Bucks: Playing time has opened up for Henson as the Bucks traded Greg Monroe to the Phoenix Suns in the Eric Bledsoe deal. After coming off the bench for the first seven games of the season, Henson has now started each of the last five games.
He has taken advantage of his new opportunity and holds averages of 6.6 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.0 block over that span. He's not going to provide much offense, but he can hold you over on the glass while also providing added value in the assists and blocks departments.
Ed Davis, Portland Trail Blazers: Davis is only averaging 19 minutes per game and doesn't score much. If you can't afford to lose the offense that Gobert provides, Davis may not be the player to add, as he is only averaging 5.7 points per game.
However, he can help you on the glass. Davis is averaging 8.3 rebounds in his limited minutes and already has five games with at least 10 rebounds this season, while recording at least one block in eight of 12 games. He should be available in most leagues and can provide you with some support.
