3 MLB FanDuel Studs to Target on Opening Day

George Springer, OF, Houston Astros

Price: $3,800

The Houston Astros boast the highest implied total on opening day by a big margin at 5.53 runs. This comes thanks to a strong matchup against Texas Rangers southpaw Cole Hamels and from this game being played in Globe Life Park in Arlington, which has the highest park factor of the Opening Day ballparks.

The 34-year-old Hamels is coming off a 2017 campaign that was by far the worst of his major league career. His 4.90 SIERA was a huge step back from his 3.99 in 2016 (which had been his previous career-worst). His 17.1% strikeout rate was a career-low, the 13.7% soft-hit rate he forced was a career-low, and the 36.0% hard-hit rate he allowed was a career-high.

George Springer is expected to bat leadoff for the Astros, and being at the top of the order for the team with the day's highest implied total is a terrific spot to find yourself for fantasy production.

Springer looks to be on the opposite career trajectory of Hamels, having posted career-highs in both wOBA (.376) and isolated slugging (.239) over 140 games in 2017. He was particularly good against left-handed pitching with that wOBA jumping to .413 and his isolated slugging to .248 on a 36.8% hard-hit rate. He's a threat to do serious damage against Hamels, and hitting leadoff with the Astros' offense so well-positioned as a whole, he should have no shortage of plate appearances to work with.