MLB Thursday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for April 3, 2025
Apr 2, 2025, 7:25AM
Draftstars Australia's MLB Thursday DFS contest begins at 9:35am AEDT on April 3, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for every player on the slate to help you create winning line-ups.
An accurate 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 April 3 and beyond.
Featured MLB Games
Draftstars' MLB Thursday slate includes the following match-ups:
- Los Angeles Dodgers vs Atlanta Braves
- Baltimore Orioles vs Boston Red Sox
- New York Yankees vs Arizona Diamondbacks
- Philadelphia Phillies vs Colorado Rockies
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to deliver some of the most reliable DFS projections available.
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 make the best picks on Thursday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Garrett Crochet (BOS, P) | $21,730 | 22 | 1 |
| Value | Boyce Mullins (BAL, OF) | $5,000 | 6.7 | 1.3 |
| Fade | Kristian Campbell (BOS, OF) | $8,990 | 2.5 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Matthew Olson (ATL, 1B) | $6,830 | 7.9 | 1.2 |
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 refer to 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 | Adley Rutschman (BAL) | $8,040 | 6.6 | 0.8 |
| Value | Adley Rutschman (BAL) | $8,040 | 6.6 | 0.8 |
| Fade | Jacob Realmuto (PHI) | $9,680 | 5.3 | 0.6 |
| Cheapie | Connor Wong (BOS) | $6,710 | 3.6 | 0.5 |
SS (Shortstop)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Markus Betts (LAD) | $12,320 | 8.8 | 0.7 |
| Value | Ezequiel Tovar (COL) | $6,760 | 7.8 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Thomas Edman (LAD) | $8,820 | 6.3 | 0.7 |
| Cheapie | Anthony Volpe (NYY) | $7,960 | 7.1 | 0.9 |
OF (Outfielder)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Shohei Ohtani (LAD) | $14,190 | 10.7 | 0.8 |
| Value | Boyce Mullins (BAL) | $5,000 | 6.7 | 1.3 |
| Fade | Kristian Campbell (BOS) | $8,990 | 2.5 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Marcell Ozuna (ATL) | $7,290 | 7.9 | 1.1 |
3B (Third Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Rafael Devers (BOS) | $9,180 | 8.4 | 0.9 |
| Value | Michael Austin Riley (ATL) | $7,290 | 8.4 | 1.2 |
| Fade | Eugenio Suárez (AZ) | $10,580 | 6.2 | 0.6 |
| Cheapie | Ryan McMahon (COL) | $6,620 | 6.8 | 1 |
2B (Second Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Ketel Marte (AZ) | $11,020 | 8.3 | 0.8 |
| Value | Ozhanio Albies (ATL) | $7,420 | 7.6 | 1 |
| Fade | Jordan Westburg (BAL) | $10,250 | 6.7 | 0.7 |
| Cheapie | James Farmer (COL) | $5,760 | 2.7 | 0.5 |
1B (First Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Bryce Harper (PHI) | $11,440 | 8.6 | 0.8 |
| Value | Matthew Olson (ATL) | $6,830 | 7.9 | 1.2 |
| Fade | Maxwell Muncy (LAD) | $9,340 | 5.6 | 0.6 |
| Cheapie | Triston Casas (BOS) | $7,550 | 6.7 | 0.9 |
P (Pitcher)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Garrett Crochet (BOS) | $21,730 | 22 | 1 |
| Value | Bryce Elder (ATL) | $9,880 | 12.7 | 1.3 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your MLB Thursday teams, consider starting with a value player like Boyce Mullins. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Garrett Crochet 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 Matthew Olson.
On the other hand, according to our model, Kristian Campbell 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 Thursday slate closes at 9:35am AEDT on Thursday. 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 Thursday contest. The unique insights here can give you an edge when you make your MLB DFS line-ups.
For the latest projections and optimised MLB Thursday 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.
