MLB Early Thursday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for October 1, 2026
Last updated: Sep 30, 2026, 10:27AM | Published: Sep 30, 2026, 8:25AM
Draftstars Australia's MLB Early Thursday DFS contest begins at 4:00am AEST on October 1, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for every player on the slate to help you build winning line-ups.
An accurate 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 October 1 and beyond.
Featured MLB Games
Draftstars' MLB Early Thursday slate features the following games:
- Houston Astros vs Chicago White Sox
- Atlanta Braves vs Philadelphia Phillies
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 best DFS projections in the world.
With the latest 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 | Hunter Brown (HOU, P) | $20,680 | 19.3 | 0.9 |
| Value | Luis Arraez (PHI, 2B/1B) | $5,000 | 6.8 | 1.4 |
| Fade | Lucas Spence (HOU, OF) | $11,220 | 1.8 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Brenton Doyle (CWS, OF) | $5,000 | 6 | 1.2 |
According to Fantasy Insider's DFS model, our "stud" is the highest projected scorer across the slate, while "value" picks provide 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 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 | Yainer Diaz (HOU) | $8,090 | 6 | 0.7 |
| Value | Jacob Realmuto (PHI) | $5,860 | 4.8 | 0.8 |
| Fade | Kyle Teel (CWS) | $9,580 | 4.3 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Edgar Quero (CWS) | $5,000 | 4.1 | 0.8 |
SS (Shortstop)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Trea Turner (PHI) | $8,180 | 8 | 1 |
| Value | Trea Turner (PHI) | $8,180 | 8 | 1 |
| Fade | Mauricio Dubón (ATL) | $8,330 | 3.7 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Luisangel Acuña (CWS) | $5,000 | 4.7 | 0.9 |
OF (Outfielder)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Ronald Acuña (ATL) | $9,990 | 9.4 | 0.9 |
| Value | Brenton Doyle (CWS) | $5,000 | 6 | 1.2 |
| Fade | Lucas Spence (HOU) | $11,220 | 1.8 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Justin Crawford (PHI) | $5,000 | 5.3 | 1.1 |
3B (Third Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Michael Riley (ATL) | $8,590 | 7.4 | 0.9 |
| Value | Alec Bohm (PHI) | $7,070 | 6.3 | 0.9 |
| Fade | Miguel Vargas (CWS) | $9,740 | 5.9 | 0.6 |
| Cheapie | Otto Kemp (PHI) | $5,000 | 3.5 | 0.7 |
2B (Second Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jose Altuve (HOU) | $8,770 | 7.1 | 0.8 |
| Value | Luis Arraez (PHI) | $5,000 | 6.8 | 1.4 |
| Fade | Ozhaino Albies (ATL) | $9,130 | 6.6 | 0.7 |
| Cheapie | Bryson Stott (PHI) | $7,720 | 6.6 | 0.9 |
1B (First Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Matthew Olson (ATL) | $10,010 | 8.3 | 0.8 |
| Value | Luis Arraez (PHI) | $5,000 | 6.8 | 1.4 |
| Fade | Miguel Vargas (CWS) | $9,740 | 5.9 | 0.6 |
| Cheapie | Bryce Harper (PHI) | $7,420 | 7.9 | 1.1 |
P (Pitcher)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Hunter Brown (HOU) | $20,680 | 19.3 | 0.9 |
| Value | Hunter Brown (HOU) | $20,680 | 19.3 | 0.9 |
Conclusion
When building your MLB Early Thursday teams, consider starting with a value player like Luis Arraez. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Hunter Brown is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, take a look at our cheapie options, including Brenton Doyle.
On the other hand, according to our model, Lucas Spence 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 Early Thursday slate closes at 4:00am AEST 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 Early Thursday 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 Early 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.
