MLB Friday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for August 2, 2024
Last updated: Aug 1, 2024, 10:25PM | Published: Aug 1, 2024, 8:25AM
Draftstars Australia's MLB Friday DFS contest begins at 8:40am AEST on August 2, 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 build your fantasy teams for Draftstars' MLB contests and improve your season-long fantasy line-ups on Friday and beyond.
Featured MLB Games
Draftstars' MLB Friday slate includes the following match-ups:
- Detroit Tigers vs Kansas City Royals
- Chicago Cubs vs St. Louis Cardinals
- Cleveland Guardians vs Baltimore Orioles
- Atlanta Braves vs Miami Marlins
- Los Angeles Angels 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 produce some of the most accurate DFS projections available.
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'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 | Sonny Gray (STL, P) | $20,340 | 18.5 | 0.9 |
| Value | Keider Montero (DET, P) | $8,860 | 12.9 | 1.5 |
| Fade | Francis Dingler (DET, C) | $8,640 | 2.7 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Dansby Swanson (CHC, SS) | $6,240 | 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 | Salvador Perez (KC) | $9,360 | 6.8 | 0.7 |
| Value | Freddy Fermin (KC) | $5,000 | 4.2 | 0.8 |
| Fade | Francis Dingler (DET) | $8,640 | 2.7 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Miguel Amaya (CHC) | $5,000 | 2.9 | 0.6 |
SS (Shortstop)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Robert Witt (KC) | $13,220 | 9.8 | 0.7 |
| Value | Dansby Swanson (CHC) | $6,240 | 6.2 | 1 |
| Fade | Xavier Edwards (MIA) | $12,110 | 6.5 | 0.5 |
| Cheapie | Masyn Winn (STL) | $7,470 | 6.5 | 0.9 |
OF (Outfielder)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Marcell Ozuna (ATL) | $9,880 | 8.1 | 0.8 |
| Value | Brendan Donovan (STL) | $6,000 | 5.8 | 1 |
| Fade | Dustin Renfroe (KC) | $8,750 | 4.3 | 0.5 |
| Cheapie | Kyle Stowers (MIA) | $5,320 | 5.1 | 1 |
3B (Third Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | José Ramírez (CLE) | $11,820 | 9 | 0.8 |
| Value | Isaac Paredes (CHC) | $7,080 | 6.9 | 1 |
| Fade | Maikel Garcia (KC) | $9,460 | 5.7 | 0.6 |
| Cheapie | Nolan Arenado (STL) | $7,510 | 7.1 | 0.9 |
2B (Second Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nicholas Hoerner (CHC) | $7,410 | 6.8 | 0.9 |
| Value | Nicholas Hoerner (CHC) | $7,410 | 6.8 | 0.9 |
| Fade | Michael Massey (KC) | $9,170 | 4.7 | 0.5 |
| Cheapie | Brendan Rodgers (COL) | $7,200 | 5.8 | 0.8 |
1B (First Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Matthew Olson (ATL) | $9,730 | 8 | 0.8 |
| Value | Isaac Paredes (CHC) | $7,080 | 6.9 | 1 |
| Fade | Ryan O'Hearn (BAL) | $8,320 | 4.6 | 0.5 |
| Cheapie | Paul Goldschmidt (STL) | $7,700 | 7.1 | 0.9 |
P (Pitcher)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Sonny Gray (STL) | $20,340 | 18.5 | 0.9 |
| Value | Keider Montero (DET) | $8,860 | 12.9 | 1.5 |
Conclusion
When building your MLB Friday teams, consider starting with a value player like Keider Montero. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Sonny Gray is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, explore our cheapie options, including Dansby Swanson.
On the other hand, according to our model, Francis Dingler is one of the worst value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if entering 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 contest. The unique insights here can help you balance star power, value and budget management 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.
