A lingering groin injury, which caused Los Angeles Lakers forward Brandon Ingram to miss Saturday's game against the San Antonio Spurs, will sideline him for at least this week. An MRI over the weekend revealed a left groin strain and will be re-evaluated at the end of the week.
Ingram's absence should push Kyle Kuzma into an even larger role. In Saturday's game, he played 33 minutes and attempted 13 shots, including six attempts from three, with eight rebounds and two steals. The 22-year-old rookie is averaging 15.3 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game this season. While his overall numbers have cooled off since his hot start to the season, the uptick in minutes should help boost his fantasy value.
This will also be a one-week boost for Julius Randle's usage on the court. The 23-year-old is on fire as of late with an average of 20.6 points, 8.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists in nearly 32 minutes per night in his last 10 games.
Ingram, who averages 16.2 points and 5.4 rebounds per game this season, will be evaluated again before the weekend. His quickest return would come Sunday against the Cleveland Cavaliers, but fantasy owners should consider him out until next week for now.