Opening Day is finally here! The 2026 MLB season started Wednesday with the New York Yankees’ 7-0 win over the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park, but the season will fully begin Thursday with an 11-game slate. That means fantasy baseball is also underway. If you’re looking for help deciding which pitchers to start in your DFS or season-long formats, consider these three options for Thursday’s slate.
Jacob Misiorowski’s Opening Day Fantasy Baseball Outlook
Misiorowski isn’t exactly considered an “average” pitcher, and a strong argument could be made that he should be rostered in most formats based on potential alone, especially now that he’s the default ace on the Brewers’ staff following the departure of Freddy Peralta and the absences of Brandon Woodruff (lat) and Quinn Priester (wrist). He does have a favorable matchup on tap, as he’ll be pitching at home against a White Sox lineup that figures to be one of the worst in the majors again in 2026.
Misiorowski posted a 4.36 ERA in 66 innings during the 2025 regular season and delivered a 1.50 ERA in 12 frames during the postseason, where the Brewers reached the NLCS and lost to the Dodgers. As if pitching at home wasn’t enough (he posted a 3.44 ERA in 36.2 innings at American Family Field in the 2025 regular season), the favorable matchup certainly boosts his upside as a potential streamer for Opening Day.
Why Cade Cavalli is a Strong DFS Option for the Nationals
Cavalli was the 22nd overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft but looks poised to have a big year in 2026 as the default ace in the Nationals’ rotation. On paper, the matchup against the Cubs isn’t ideal since Chicago ranked fifth in scoring in 2025, but this is a lineup that won’t have Kyle Tucker (signed with the Dodgers) and Seiya Suzuki (knee), so the Cubs won’t be at full strength.
Plus, Wrigley Field’s windy conditions could be a favorable scenario for a pitcher any time, so Cavalli is a low-end, decent fantasy alternative if you need a pitcher to round out your roster on a slate where there will be a majority of aces stepping onto the mound. He posted a 4.25 ERA and 40:15 K:BB over 48.2 innings in 10 starts with the Nationals in 2025.
Tanner Bibee’s Fantasy Upside Against the Mariners
Bibee will be making the first Opening Day start of his career, although his numbers from last season aren’t particularly encouraging since he posted a 4.24 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, and 162:54 K:BB across 182.1 regular-season innings. The matchup against the Mariners, who are widely seen as one of the best teams in the AL in 2026, isn’t ideal, but pitching in T-Mobile Park is.
Because T-Mobile Park is one of the best venues for pitchers in the majors, Bibee will be hoping the favorable environment can limit Seattle’s potential damage. He has had success against Mariners players in the past, and Julio Rodríguez is the only projected starter who has hit over .300 against the right-hander in his career, going 3-for-9.
For instance, Bibee has limited Cal Raleigh, who led the majors in home runs in 2025 with 60, to a .143 average in seven at-bats. It’s hard to find value on Opening Day since teams are sending their best pitchers to the mound, but there’s some upside to be found with Bibee even if he had a subpar showing in 2025.
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