A right mid-foot sprain limited Vanderbilt to only 29 regular-season appearances (six starts) during the 2023-24 campaign. The defensive-minded forward was an integral part of the Lakers' postseason rotation the previous year when Los Angeles advanced to the Western Conference Finals before ultimately losing to Denver. The Lakers lost to the Nuggets in last season's playoffs again, but this time it was a rare first-round exit for a LeBron James-led squad. The Lakers felt Vanderbilt's absence all season, as they constantly changed and shifted lineups looking for a spark. Now healthy, Vanderbilt is set to play an integral, cohesive role for the star-studded Lakers. He may not start in the frontcourt, but Vanderbilt should see consistent minutes regardless of his role. However, for fantasy purposes, there's not much to see. He's a solid rebounder and defender, but his outside shooting is a major concern. Vanderbilt is better utilized in non-category settings, but even then, he's not going to deliver enough production to be a must-roster player in standard leagues.