MLB Friday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for April 17, 2026
Last updated: Apr 16, 2026, 11:26PM | Published: Apr 16, 2026, 8:26AM
Draftstars Australia's MLB Friday DFS contest commences at 10:10am AEST on April 17, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for each player on the slate to help you make winning line-ups.
An accurate Draftstars cheat sheet is essential 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 match-ups:
- San Diego Padres vs Seattle Mariners
- Houston Astros 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 come up with 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've reviewed every player from every team to help you find the best selections on Friday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Ryan Weiss (HOU, P) | $16,060 | 18.8 | 1.2 |
| Value | Ryan Weiss (HOU, P) | $16,060 | 18.8 | 1.2 |
| Fade | Lucas Raley (SEA, 1B/OF) | $10,910 | 3.6 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Jacob Cronenworth (SD, 2B/SS) | $5,990 | 6.2 | 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 those needing to stay under the salary cap, "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 | Caleb Raleigh (SEA) | $11,240 | 8.3 | 0.7 |
| Value | Caleb Raleigh (SEA) | $11,240 | 8.3 | 0.7 |
| Fade | Hunter Goodman (COL) | $9,190 | 6.4 | 0.7 |
| Cheapie | Luis Campusano (SD) | $5,000 | 3.2 | 0.6 |
SS (Shortstop)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Ezequiel Tovar (COL) | $7,510 | 7 | 0.9 |
| Value | Jacob Cronenworth (SD) | $5,990 | 6.2 | 1 |
| Fade | Carlos Correa (HOU) | $8,910 | 5.7 | 0.6 |
| Cheapie | Ezequiel Tovar (COL) | $7,510 | 7 | 0.9 |
OF (Outfielder)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Fernando Tatis (SD) | $8,560 | 9.1 | 1.1 |
| Value | Fernando Tatis (SD) | $8,560 | 9.1 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Lucas Raley (SEA) | $10,910 | 3.6 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Brenton Doyle (COL) | $7,570 | 6 | 0.8 |
3B (Third Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Manuel Machado (SD) | $8,040 | 7.7 | 1 |
| Value | Manuel Machado (SD) | $8,040 | 7.7 | 1 |
| Fade | Carlos Correa (HOU) | $8,910 | 5.7 | 0.6 |
| Cheapie | Kyle Karros (COL) | $6,350 | 3.3 | 0.5 |
2B (Second Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Brendan Donovan (SEA) | $10,320 | 6.2 | 0.6 |
| Value | Jacob Cronenworth (SD) | $5,990 | 6.2 | 1 |
| Fade | Edouard Julien (COL) | $9,070 | 4.1 | 0.5 |
| Cheapie | Tyler Freeman (COL) | $5,000 | 3.8 | 0.8 |
1B (First Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Joshua-Douglas Naylor (SEA) | $10,520 | 7.5 | 0.7 |
| Value | Joshua-Douglas Naylor (SEA) | $10,520 | 7.5 | 0.7 |
| Fade | Lucas Raley (SEA) | $10,910 | 3.6 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Gavin Sheets (SD) | $6,970 | 4.6 | 0.7 |
P (Pitcher)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Ryan Weiss (HOU) | $16,060 | 18.8 | 1.2 |
| Value | Ryan Weiss (HOU) | $16,060 | 18.8 | 1.2 |
Conclusion
When building your MLB Friday teams, consider starting with a value player like Ryan Weiss. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Ryan Weiss 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 Jacob Cronenworth.
On the other hand, according to our model, Lucas Raley is one of the worst value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if building multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' MLB Friday slate closes at 10:10am 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 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 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.
