Tyrese Haliburton's Weird Season Opener Is a Fantasy Non-Issue
The Pacers guard is puzzled by a road opener in New Orleans, but his return from a torn Achilles is what should matter to your fantasy draft board.
Achilles recovery discount on a top-25 guard is worth the gamble.
- Tore Achilles in Game 7 of 2025 NBA Finals
- 18.6 pts, 9.2 ast in 2024-25 (73 games)
- 41.3 fantasy pts/game in 2024-25
- Ranked #24 overall, #12 among guards
- Pelicans opener set at 27.5 win over/under
Tyrese Haliburton is finally coming back. More than 16 months after rupturing his Achilles in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals, the two-time All-NBA guard is on track to open the 2026-27 season with the Pacers — and he's not thrilled about where that season begins.
Speaking on the "Numbers On The Board" podcast this week, Haliburton said he was genuinely surprised to learn Indiana would tip off in New Orleans against a Pelicans team DraftKings pegs at a 27.5-win over/under. He argued that a returning star of his caliber would normally get a home game or a national-TV spot, needling the hosts into agreeing before laughing it off with a shoutout to Pelicans wing Trey Murphy III.
It's an odd draw, no question. The Pacers don't open against the Knicks, Cavaliers, Thunder or Celtics — they get a rebuilding Western Conference team they don't even share a conference with, and one they have no rivalry or recent trade history with. For Haliburton, that's the whole gripe: the matchup doesn't match the moment.
What It Means for Your Draft
Here's the thing fantasy managers actually care about: the schedule quirk is noise. What matters is that Haliburton is playing at all, and against a soft opponent to boot. Before the injury, he averaged 18.6 points, 9.2 assists and 3.5 rebounds across 73 games in 2024-25, shooting 47.3% from the floor and 38.8% from deep — good for 41.3 fantasy points per game and a #24 overall finish (#12 at guard) in our rankings.
The catch is the recovery. Achilles returns rarely look normal in the first month, and Indiana has every reason to ease him back in. Expect minutes restrictions, some ugly shooting nights, and a slow rebuild of the explosiveness that made him a top-25 asset. His last-5 form (+3.8 fantasy points over his season average) is a pre-injury stat — treat it as a ceiling, not a baseline.
The play: buy low. Draft-day and early-season discounts on a proven top-25 guard don't come around often, and the New Orleans opener is a friendly runway. If your league mates are scared of the Achilles tag, let them be — grab the upside, temper Week 1 expectations, and let him ramp into the player who dragged Indiana to a Game 7.
