After two years on the sidelines struggling through foot injuries, Embiid finally took the floor in 2016-17. The third pick in the 2014 draft was a revelation as a rookie, ranking as a top-40 per game Fantasy performer, despite averaging only 25.4 minutes per game. He averaged 20.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and ranked third in the league in blocks per game with 2.4. Unfortunately, he saw action in only 31 games. From the start of October until January 20, Embiid rested for one game of each back-to-back set, plus four additional planned rests. He played under a soft 24 minutes per game cap to start the season, which was quickly increased to a soft 28 minutes per game cap. Then, on January 20th, Embiid suffered a “knee contusion”. He missed a week, then played well in a nationally televised game that would turn out to be his final game of the season – though Fantasy owners were strung along until March 1st, when official announcement of the end of his season finally came. It was later revealed that the initial injury was more than just a contusion, and he would eventually undergo surgery in March that removed a small portion of his meniscus as part of the treatment for a meniscus tear. As of August, reports indicate that he is progressing through his recovery well, though the 76ers front office injury reports should not be taken at face value when they involve their franchise prospects. In both the cases of Embiid and Ben Simmons (foot), throughout 2016-17 the 76ers front office routinely provided information that would later turnout to have understated the significance and recovery timetable of the stars’ injuries. Whenever he is healthy, Embiid is the unrivaled starting center, as he is already better than even the most optimistic projections for Jahlil Okafor or Richaun Holmes. Embiid is a dynamic star with top-10 Fantasy potential when healthy, but he is a major injury risk. He is likely to deal with planned rests and minute restrictions, though he can be an incredible contributor even in limited minutes. The 76ers have realistic playoff ambitions this season, which could help minimize the rests and lead to an increased workload, but the team is still likely to prioritize Embiid’s long term health over their immediate success.