This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
Opening night in the NBA is finally here. By now almost everyone has already completed their season-long fantasy drafts, but the daily fun is just beginning. For those of you who are just trying out daily games, buckle up and enjoy the ride. Welcome back to all of you seasoned veterans who have been waiting out the summer months to get back to the daily grind.Let's try to fatten your wallets on the first night of the season. Here are some of the better bargains Tuesday on FanDuel that could help you start the season in the money.
Point Guard
Nate Robinson ($3,500)
Robinson can be found at the bottom of the bargain bin Tuesday, but he should not be overlooked. The Pelicans will be without Tyreke Evans (knee) and Norris Cole (ankle) and will also have Jrue Holiday on a minutes restriction. Robinson is never one to shy away from taking shots and with a lot of available minutes, he could be a steal considering his price.
Shooting Guard
Eric Gordon ($5,200)
Like Robinson, Gordon could be in line for extra minutes due to injuries in the Pelicans' backcourt. Gordon played 39 minutes and 36 minutes, respectively, in the last two preseason games. This could be a shootout Tuesday against the Warriors, making Gordon a strong play.
Tony Snell ($3,900)
If you want to go cheap at shooting guard, Snell might be your man because he is going to start in place of the injured Mike Dunleavy Jr. Snell is an excellent defender who can shoot from behind the arc and drive to the rim. He posted at least 10 points, five rebounds, two assists and one steal in both of the Bulls' last two preseason games, making him an intriguing play Tuesday against the Cavaliers.
Small Forward
Marcus Morris ($5,700)
Morris is expected to start in his first regular-season game for Detroit. The Pistons played the Hawks in their final preseason game and Morris was excellent, finishing with 17 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block. The small forward position Tuesday is basically LeBron James ($11,000) and everyone else, making Morris a solid play considering the limited options.
Stanley Johnson ($4,300)
Johnson was the man battling Morris for the starting small forward spot and had some impressive preseason performances. He also played well against the Hawks in the Pistons' final preseason game, scoring 20 points to go along with four rebounds, two assists and three steals. It might not be wise to count on him to put up big points Tuesday, but he has been strong on the defensive end by recording three steals in each of his last three preseason games. Johnson is worth a shot considering how little it will take to enter him into your lineup.
Power Forward
Ryan Anderson ($5,400)
I can't seem to avoid picking Pelicans on Tuesday. Anderson could be in line for extra minutes with both Omer Asik (calf) and Alexis Ajinca (hamstring) possibly out for the opener. Anderson is deadly from behind the arc and his problem hasn't been his talent, but his ability to stay healthy. The blessing of daily fantasy is that it doesn't matter how he will hold up the rest of the season, just that he is healthy and priced well Tuesday.
Center
Joakim Noah ($5,700)
If you want to spend big money at one position Tuesday, I think center would be a strong choice as Andre Drummond ($9,000) should be a great play. If you need a cheap option though, Noah is worth a shot. He is going to be coming off the bench to start the season, so there might be some extra motivation to show new head coach Fred Hoiberg that he should be put back into the starting five. Noah always gets up to play LeBron and the Cavaliers too, so he should post respectable numbers even off the bench.
