Jalen Williams' Injury Allows Backup Thunder Guard to Rise High in Fantasy Basketball

Jalen Williams is week-to-week with a hamstring strain, thus placing Ajay Mitchell in an elite and effective starting job with the Thunder.

Apr 22, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jalen Williams (8) gestures to his team before a play against the Phoenix Suns in the first half during game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The NBA Finals' betting favorite, the Oklahoma City Thunder, remains without Jalen Williams. The star winger is dealing with a grade 1 hamstring strain. He will be out for game 2, and the Thunder now pivot to their deep bench to fill the gap. For those playing playoff fantasy basketball and/or DFS, one man's downgrade means another man's upgrade. Here is how to handle the situation like a pro.'

Fantasy Basketball Impact

Williams is a top-25 remaining player in playoff fantasy basketball. In his 2-playoff game sample size, Williams is 3rd on the Thunder in usage rate at 24.4%. In the 2025 season, he is 2nd on the team with a 25.2% usage rate. He plays just over 28 minutes per game, and when on the court, Williams accounts for about 25% of the team's field-goal attempts. He is the Thunder's best shooter outside of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Ajay Mitchell expects to start game 2 as the Thunder shooting guard, despite being a point guard on technicality. He shoots the ball a ton with a 21.0% usage rate in the regular season, 5th on the team. Mitchell also has a strong assist rate of 22%. His viability shall be great, and a must-use in playoff fantasy basketball as owned in under 50% of leagues.

In game 1, Williams was indeed out. In that game, Mitchell played 27 minutes with 18 points on 7/16 field goals made/attempted. He added a quality 4 assists with just 1 turnover.

Replace Jalen Williams with Ajay Mitchell in both playoff fantasy basketball and DFS.

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Jalen Williams Injury Update

Williams' injury was sustained about two weeks ago. He has been listed as 'week-to-week,' and will miss game 2 on Thursday night. Head coach Mark Daigneault confirmed that Williams is trending in the right direction. As for his return to the lineup, no date has been clarified.

The return date for Williams can only be speculated on, not confirmed. The general hope is that he can return in games 4-6, roughly 1 week from now. Worst case, Williams could be out until the Western Conference Finals should the Thunder make it that far. They are heavily favored to make it there and ultimately win the NBA Finals at odds of -165 (62% implied win percentage).

Williams missed a bunch of games during the regular season. That includes two instances due to a hamstring strain. That strain, however, was on his right leg, different from the hamstring strain he is dealing with now. Though Williams has been injury-prone, he has been effective when active. That makes him viable once returned to the court.