Cooper Flagg Out at Least 4 Games With AC Joint Sprain, Mavs Gut the Rotation
Flagg (AC joint sprain) and a resting Kyrie Irving headline a brutal Dallas injury report just two games into the season.
Short-handed Dallas backcourt opens real streaming minutes.
- Flagg: AC joint sprain, likely out 4+ games
- Flagg posted 49 fantasy pts/game in 2026-27 opener
- Irving sitting on planned rest post-ACL recovery
- Sasser scored 17 pts, 21.7 FPTS in 2026-27 opener
- Also out: Aldama, Lively, Martin, Biberovic
The Mavericks are barely into the 2026-27 season and already look like a MASH unit. Cooper Flagg is expected to miss the next four games or more after suffering an AC joint sprain when he was fouled from behind Friday night. That's a gut punch for a rookie who looked every bit the No. 1 overall talent in his lone appearance — 32 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists for 49 fantasy points, good enough to sit at No. 24 overall (and 11th among forwards) in our rankings.
Flagg isn't the only absence. Kyrie Irving is also sitting, part of a planned rest schedule as he works back from his 2024 ACL tear. Add in Santi Aldama, Dereck Lively, Caleb Martin and Tarik Biberovic, and head coach Dusty May is down to the bones of his bench for the home opener against a Victor Wembanyama-led San Antonio squad.
Why This Game Could Get Ugly
San Antonio comes in stung after an embarrassing loss the night before, and a wounded Dallas team is exactly the kind of opponent that invites a bounce-back. Expect Wembanyama to feast. If you're starting him anywhere, this is a smash spot.
The Fantasy Fallout for Dallas
The silver lining for streamers is minutes. With Flagg and Irving both out, Dallas has to give extended run to guys like Marcus Sasser, Sergio De Larrea and Morez Johnson. Sasser already flashed in the opener with 17 points and 21.7 fantasy points, even if his last-five-game form sits 3.4 below his average. He's only ranked No. 292 overall for now, which means he's almost certainly sitting on your waiver wire.
Here's the move: in deeper leagues, add Marcus Sasser immediately — the usage is there as long as Dallas stays shorthanded. Flagg managers should simply hold through the AC joint sprain; four-plus games is a dip, not a season, and his 49-point opener tells you the ceiling is real. Irving is a wait-and-see on the rest schedule, but don't panic-drop a top-21 overall asset over load management. Keep Caleb Martin benched until he's actually suiting up — he averaged just 11.3 fantasy points across 58 games last season (2025-26) and isn't worth a roster spot while he's out.
