MLB Friday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for August 23, 2024
Last updated: Aug 22, 2024, 8:25PM | Published: Aug 22, 2024, 8:25AM
Draftstars Australia's MLB Friday DFS contest begins at 8:40am AEST on August 23, 2024, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for each player on the slate to help you make winning line-ups.
A handy Draftstars cheat sheet is crucial for MLB fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you assemble your fantasy teams for Draftstars' MLB contests and enhance your season-long fantasy line-ups on Friday and beyond.
Featured MLB Games
Draftstars' MLB Friday slate features these games:
- Toronto Blue Jays vs Los Angeles Angels
- Baltimore Orioles vs Houston Astros
- Atlanta Braves vs Philadelphia Phillies
- San Diego Padres vs New York Mets
- Pittsburgh Pirates vs Cincinnati Reds
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to come up with some of the best DFS projections in the world.
With the best MLB fantasy insights and DFS strategies from Fantasy Insider, you're set to win in more MLB fantasy contests.
Cheat Sheet and Projections
We've reviewed every player from every team to help you make the best selections on Friday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Paul Skenes (PIT, P) | $22,730 | 23.5 | 1 |
| Value | Oneil Cruz (PIT, SS) | $5,000 | 7.7 | 1.5 |
| Fade | Spencer Horwitz (TOR, 2B) | $9,850 | 4.5 | 0.5 |
| Cheapie | Peter Alonso (NYM, 1B) | $7,330 | 8 | 1.1 |
According to Fantasy Insider's DFS model, our "stud" is the highest projected scorer across the slate, while "value" picks offer the most "bang for your buck," meaning they're expected to perform well relative to their salary.
Conversely, a "fade" is a player considered to offer lower value for money, based on their expected score relative to their salary. For budget-conscious strategies, "cheapie" options highlight the best value players at lower price points not already mentioned.
In fantasy sports, understanding value—assessing a player's potential output against their salary—is crucial, as players scoring high relative to their cost are key in crafting the optimal line-up.
The "Pts/$1K" metric shows the predicted points for every $1,000 of a player's salary. A higher number indicates better value, making it easier to spot players who could outperform their cost.
Positional Breakdown
C (Catcher)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Yainer Diaz (HOU) | $8,390 | 6.2 | 0.7 |
| Value | Jacob Realmuto (PHI) | $7,460 | 5.8 | 0.8 |
| Fade | Adley Rutschman (BAL) | $8,370 | 5.9 | 0.7 |
| Cheapie | Sean Murphy (ATL) | $5,000 | 3.6 | 0.7 |
SS (Shortstop)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Elly De La Cruz (CIN) | $10,210 | 9.1 | 0.9 |
| Value | Oneil Cruz (PIT) | $5,000 | 7.7 | 1.5 |
| Fade | Gunnar Henderson (BAL) | $11,190 | 8.5 | 0.8 |
| Cheapie | Orlando Arcia (ATL) | $6,630 | 5.8 | 0.9 |
OF (Outfielder)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Yordan Alvarez (HOU) | $8,580 | 9.3 | 1.1 |
| Value | Yordan Alvarez (HOU) | $8,580 | 9.3 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Mario Loperfido (TOR) | $8,100 | 4.3 | 0.5 |
| Cheapie | Joseph Ward (LAA) | $6,730 | 7 | 1 |
3B (Third Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Alexander Bregman (HOU) | $8,240 | 7.7 | 0.9 |
| Value | Joseph Ward (LAA) | $6,730 | 7 | 1 |
| Fade | Ernie Clement (TOR) | $8,160 | 4.2 | 0.5 |
| Cheapie | Anthony Rendon (LAA) | $5,990 | 5.3 | 0.9 |
2B (Second Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jose Altuve (HOU) | $9,120 | 8.5 | 0.9 |
| Value | Jeff McNeil (NYM) | $5,650 | 5.8 | 1 |
| Fade | Spencer Horwitz (TOR) | $9,850 | 4.5 | 0.5 |
| Cheapie | Jonathan India (CIN) | $7,620 | 6.8 | 0.9 |
1B (First Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Vladimir Guerrero (TOR) | $10,820 | 8.6 | 0.8 |
| Value | Peter Alonso (NYM) | $7,330 | 8 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Jacob Cronenworth (SD) | $8,730 | 6.2 | 0.7 |
| Cheapie | Matthew Olson (ATL) | $7,420 | 8 | 1.1 |
P (Pitcher)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Paul Skenes (PIT) | $22,730 | 23.5 | 1 |
| Value | Griffin Canning (LAA) | $10,590 | 12.7 | 1.2 |
Conclusion
When building your MLB Friday teams, consider starting with a value player like Oneil Cruz. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Paul Skenes is a strong option. If you're looking for budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, take a look at our cheapie options, including Peter Alonso.
On the other hand, according to our model, Spencer Horwitz is one of the worst value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if building out multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' MLB Friday slate closes at 8:40am AEST on Friday. ENTER NOW!
As with all MLB DFS contests, whether you start with our studs or build around our value picks, leveraging Fantasy Insider's data-driven MLB fantasy news and strategies, combined with your own research, can enhance your chances of winning in the MLB Friday slate. The unique insights here can give you an edge when you make your MLB DFS line-ups.
For the latest projections and optimised MLB Friday line-ups, check out the Fantasy Insider Cruncher on Draftstars! It's free to use when you're logged in.
Please note that if you use our DFS tips for betting purposes, ensure you gamble responsibly and keep track of your money. For free and confidential support, call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.
