After the shortest offseason in NBA history, we’re back for opening tip of the 2020-21 campaign. Time flies, right? Opening night has no shortage of stars, as LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, and Kyrie Irving will all be in action. We’ve got two matchups on the slate with Golden State facing Brooklyn and another Battle of Los Angeles with the Lakers squaring off against the Clippers. As usual, we’ll dive into value plays, studs, fades for the evening’s slate. Let’s get to it!

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Value Plays

Point Guard

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• Tonight’s slate of point guards is ridiculously top-heavy, meaning you’ll want to play one (or both) of Stephen Curry and/or Kyrie Irving in addition to a cheaper option. The two players you can reasonably spend down on here are Lou Williams and Patrick Beverley, but Beverley comes in over $1,000 cheaper. He’s not an adept scorer, but he can sometimes stuff the stat sheet with defensive numbers and assists to bolster his fantasy value.

Shooting Guard

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• After a huge 2019-20 season, it’s a new world for Dinwiddie, who will have to contend with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant for usage. Still, Dinwiddie should see plenty of minutes as Brooklyn’s starting two guard, and with a great matchup against Golden State on tap, Dinwiddie is a fine value at just $5.2K.
• Schroder will start the season in the Lakers’ starting lineup, where he’s poised to be a consistent factor on offense. The veteran guard averaged 18.9 points with the Thunder last season – the second-highest mark of his career. In 65 games played in 2019-20, Schroder scored at least 20 points in 35 of them. He’s got plenty of offensive upside, and with the Clippers’ defense likely honed in on LeBron James and Anthony Davis, Schroder should get his share of opportunities in the season opener.
• If you’re looking to really set your lineups apart, Kennard could provide some high-quality scoring off the bench. It’s clear the Clippers have a plan for him after signing him to a 4-year/$64 million extension earlier in the week.

Small Forward

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• Batum latched on with the Clippers and figures to see some regular minutes off the bench this season. He could be in line for a starting role for the season opener, as Marcus Morris (knee) is questionable. If Batum is given the spot start, he makes a fine salary-saving option for tonight’s slate.
• Harris will be back with Brooklyn in a starting roll after re-upping with the squad in the offseason. The Virginia product had the best season of his career in 2019-20 when he averaged 14.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.5 triples, and 2.1 assists. His role will likely decline with Irving and Durant back in the fold, but Harris can heat up from downtown with the best of them. If you’re looking to save some coin and get some scoring upside, Harris is your man.

Power Forward

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• Draymond Green is officially out tonight, and Paschall should be in Golden State’s starting lineup, where he makes an excellent value play. He excelled as a rookie last season and averaged 17.0 points, 5.7 boards, and 1.7 dimes across 26 starts.
• Ibaka will open the season as the Clippers’ starting center, but he gets the benefit of PF eligibility on FanDuel. The matchup with the Lakers isn’t an especially favorable one, but if Marcus Morris is forced to miss this one, opportunities should abound in the Clippers’ frontcourt.

Center

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• The highest priced center on tonight’s slate is just $5,100, so there are plenty of values to be had. Montrezl Harrell should be a popular choice at that price, but we’ll pivot to two cheaper options. First up, it’s Jarrett Allen, Brooklyn’s reasonably-priced starting center. He averaged career highs in points, rebounds, and assists last season, and he finished the season strong by averaging 12.6 points, 13.9 boards, and 1.9 blocks across his final seven games. Allen’s got a great matchup with Golden State’s soft frontcourt defense (that will be without Draymond Green tonight), and he makes an excellent play at just $4.8K.
• The Lakers figure to give both Harrell and Marc Gasol meaningful minutes this season, and at just $3.8K, Gasol makes an interesting, low-cost option who probably won’t be highly rostered. He’s in the twilight of his career, but the veteran can still make an impact across the board with his ability to score, rebound, facilitate, and score from long range.

Studs Worth Their Salary

• Montrezl Harrell (LAL) $5,100: He’s the most expensive center on the slate, but he’s got an excellent matchup with his former team. Harrell should be fired up for this one.
• Anthony Davis (LAL) $10,600: Much like Harrell, AD should be able to dominate the Clippers’ frontcourt. In four games against the Clippers last season, Davis averaged 28, 7.5, 3.5, 2.5
• Kevin Durant (BKN) $8,500: Durantula is back, and it’s time to get him into DFS lineups! He scored 25 points in his final preseason game and doesn’t look like he’s missed a beat since playing in the 2019 finals. Durant has averaged at least 25.0 points in each of his last 11 seasons, and he should immediately resume his high-scoring ways. Expect him to be fired up against his former team.
• Stephen Curry (GSW) $8,700: After appearing in just five games last season, Curry has looked like his old self since taking the court again. He scored 29 points in each of his last two preseason contests, and he’s likely to shoulder a heavy offensive workload for the season opener against Brooklyn.
• Kyrie Irving (BKN) $9,000: Irving is expected to pick up where he left off last season, providing plenty of scoring, facilitating, and steals. He and Curry are well worth their lofty price tags for tonight’s slate.

Notable Players to Fade

• LeBron James (LAL) $11,000: LeBron could certainly erupt in the season opener, but at $11K, I’m willing to look elsewhere. There are plenty of cheaper studs I’d rather target, including Anthony Davis, who’s $400 cheaper.
• Lou Williams (LAC) $5,300: He’s one of just a couple of useful cheap point guards on tonight’s slate, but between Lemon Pepper Lou and Patrick Beverley ($4.3K), I’d take a shot on Pat Bev and pair him with one of the stud PGs.
• Paul George (LAC) $7,600: The one-time superstar “Playoff P” earned the dubious moniker “Pandemic P” after some poor showings in this year’s postseason. He’s sure to bounce back in 2020-21, but he’s not a guy I’m looking at on tonight’s slate. There are plenty of cheaper options.

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