Fantasy Basketball 2022: Streaming Options for Injured NBA Players for Week 1

The start of a new NBA season always brings about some surprises when it comes to fantasy basketball.

Just one game for most of the teams is a small sample size to pick out which players will be the most coveted waiver-wire additions in a few weeks.

However, there are some decent streaming options who at least appear to have larger roles than last season.

Take Nick Richards of the Charlotte Hornets, for example. Richards has been a reserve big man for most of his NBA career, and then he posted a double-double against the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday.

Richards' high production may have been caused by playing the Spurs, or it could be a sign of things to come in Charlotte.

The most intriguing streaming options could come from the Golden State Warriors roster since the team is working with Klay Thompson on a minutes restriction.

Donte DiVincenzo may not have a ton of fantasy value in the middle of the season, but right now, he is one of the players who could benefit from the extra time on the floor.

Nick Richards was one of Wednesday's biggest surprises.

The big man out of Kentucky turned in 19 points and 10 rebounds in 21 minutes and outplayed Mason Plumlee at Charlotte's center position.

One performance will not flip around the depth chart, but it could lead to more consistent minutes out of Richards this season.

Richards was one of three players to earn 20-plus minutes off the Charlotte bench in the win over the San Antonio Spurs.

The seven-footer could not have asked for a better start to the season, but now we have to ask if it was an outlier or the new normal for him.

We will not know that answer for a few weeks, but if you look at the positives, Richards could be a decent backup center to have in fantasy basketball leagues.

If anything, an early pickup of Richards could be an advantage if he continues to play well and other people in your leagues start to notice.

Richards is rostered in under 10 percent of Yahoo fantasy leagues and is not a starting center in fantasy, but his potential role in Charlotte could make him a good streaming piece, or a consistent second big man.

Donte DiVincenzo's overall stats were not notable in his Golden State Warriors debut.

However, his minute total was significant, and that could be important for fantasy basketball players in need of an extra guard.

DiVincenzo was on the floor for 22 minutes, a total that was third behind Jordan Poole and JaMychal Green off Golden State's bench.

DiVincenzo could get some extra run in the opening few weeks of the season as the Warriors ease Klay Thompson into the rotation.

Thompson was on the court for 20 minutes in Tuesday's win over the Los Angeles Lakers. His playing time could stay in that range for the next week or so.

DiVincenzo has Poole, Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody and others to compete with for points off Golden State's bench, but if he has the ball in his hands, he could produce some respectable stat lines.

DiVincenzo is nothing more than a streaming option at the moment, but he could be a better choice than others because of his role with Golden State's second unit.

Walker Kessler opened his NBA career with a double-double off the bench for the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night.

The Auburn product totaled 12 points and 10 rebounds over 24 minutes in the stunning victory over the Denver Nuggets.

Kessler is one of a few young players who should get extra run in Utah throughout the season as the franchise gears up for the 2023 NBA draft.

Kessler is the better option compared to Rudy Gay because he is expected to be more active on the boards.

The rookie center does not have the three-point touch that Gay has, but he could have the deeper stat lines as the season progresses.

Unlike Richards and DiVincenzo, Kessler could see some waiver-wire steam in his direction early because of what his role in Utah will be and the overall state of the franchise.