MLB Saturday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for August 17, 2024
Last updated: Aug 16, 2024, 10:25PM | Published: Aug 16, 2024, 8:25AM
Draftstars Australia's MLB Saturday DFS contest kicks off at 9:05am AEST on August 17, 2024, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for every player on the slate to help you make winning line-ups.
A handy Draftstars cheat sheet is essential for MLB fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you put together your fantasy teams for Draftstars' MLB contests and improve your season-long fantasy line-ups on Saturday and beyond.
Featured MLB Games
Draftstars' MLB Saturday slate includes these match-ups:
- St. Louis Cardinals vs Los Angeles Dodgers
- Baltimore Orioles vs Boston Red Sox
- Colorado Rockies vs San Diego Padres
- Los Angeles Angels vs Atlanta Braves
- Houston Astros vs Chicago White Sox
- Texas Rangers vs Minnesota Twins
- New York Mets vs Miami Marlins
- Milwaukee Brewers vs Cleveland Guardians
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to produce some of the strongest 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 have reviewed every player from every team to help you find the best selections on Saturday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Garrett Crochet (CWS, P) | $17,260 | 21.6 | 1.3 |
| Value | Garrett Crochet (CWS, P) | $17,260 | 21.6 | 1.3 |
| Fade | Senger Peralta (SD, OF) | $9,040 | 2.6 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Thomas Pham (STL, OF) | $5,000 | 5.2 | 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 are 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 | William Contreras (MIL) | $9,400 | 7 | 0.7 |
| Value | Logan O'Hoppe (LAA) | $6,650 | 5.8 | 0.9 |
| Fade | William Smith (LAD) | $8,520 | 5.9 | 0.7 |
| Cheapie | Yainer Diaz (HOU) | $7,150 | 5.9 | 0.8 |
SS (Shortstop)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Gunnar Henderson (BAL) | $11,470 | 8.6 | 0.7 |
| Value | Orlando Arcia (ATL) | $5,860 | 5.7 | 1 |
| Fade | Xavier Edwards (MIA) | $10,030 | 6.5 | 0.7 |
| Cheapie | Ezequiel Tovar (COL) | $7,340 | 7.1 | 1 |
OF (Outfielder)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Shohei Ohtani (LAD) | $12,300 | 10 | 0.8 |
| Value | Jarren Duran (BOS) | $8,180 | 8.5 | 1 |
| Fade | Senger Peralta (SD) | $9,040 | 2.6 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Thomas Pham (STL) | $5,000 | 5.2 | 1 |
3B (Third Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | José Ramírez (CLE) | $10,620 | 8.9 | 0.8 |
| Value | Rafael Devers (BOS) | $8,430 | 8.5 | 1 |
| Fade | Jacob Burger (MIA) | $10,160 | 7.2 | 0.7 |
| Cheapie | Joseph Ward (LAA) | $6,880 | 6.8 | 1 |
2B (Second Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Markus Betts (LAD) | $9,800 | 8.5 | 0.9 |
| Value | Jose Altuve (HOU) | $8,280 | 8.2 | 1 |
| Fade | Jacob Cronenworth (SD) | $9,460 | 6 | 0.6 |
| Cheapie | Jeff McNeil (NYM) | $6,800 | 6 | 0.9 |
1B (First Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Peter Alonso (NYM) | $9,700 | 8.1 | 0.8 |
| Value | Nolan Schanuel (LAA) | $6,500 | 6 | 0.9 |
| Fade | Carlos Santana (MIN) | $8,620 | 5.2 | 0.6 |
| Cheapie | Paul Goldschmidt (STL) | $7,600 | 6.9 | 0.9 |
P (Pitcher)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Garrett Crochet (CWS) | $17,260 | 21.6 | 1.3 |
| Value | Garrett Crochet (CWS) | $17,260 | 21.6 | 1.3 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your MLB Saturday teams, consider starting with a value player like Garrett Crochet. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Garrett Crochet is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, check out our cheapie options, including Thomas Pham.
On the other hand, according to our model, Senger Peralta is one of the worst value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if putting together multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' MLB Saturday slate closes at 9:05am AEST on Saturday. 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 Saturday contest. The unique insights here can help you maximize points while adhering to the salary cap when you make your MLB DFS line-ups.
For the latest projections and optimised MLB Saturday 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.
