MLB Friday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for August 28, 2026
Last updated: Aug 27, 2026, 10:29PM | Published: Aug 27, 2026, 8:36AM
Draftstars Australia's MLB Friday DFS contest kicks off at 9:05am AEST on August 28, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for each player on the slate to help you build 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 these games:
- Toronto Blue Jays vs Kansas City Royals
- San Francisco Giants vs Arizona Diamondbacks
- Atlanta Braves vs Los Angeles Dodgers
- New York Yankees vs Houston Astros
- New York Mets vs Milwaukee Brewers
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs 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 have reviewed every player from every team to help you make the best selections on Friday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Christopher Sale (ATL, P) | $21,040 | 21.3 | 1 |
| Value | Marcus Semien (NYM, 2B) | $5,270 | 6.9 | 1.3 |
| Fade | Turner Hill (SF, OF) | $8,540 | 1.4 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Michael Riley (ATL, 3B) | $6,090 | 7.4 | 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'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 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) | $10,150 | 7.5 | 0.7 |
| Value | Francisco Alvarez (NYM) | $5,270 | 4.8 | 0.9 |
| Fade | Carter Jensen (KC) | $8,800 | 4.7 | 0.5 |
| Cheapie | Yainer Diaz (HOU) | $7,650 | 6 | 0.8 |
SS (Shortstop)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Robert Witt (KC) | $11,200 | 9.7 | 0.9 |
| Value | Francisco Lindor (NYM) | $7,590 | 8.7 | 1.2 |
| Fade | Jeremy Peña (HOU) | $9,320 | 7.3 | 0.8 |
| Cheapie | Markus Betts (LAD) | $7,410 | 7.8 | 1.1 |
OF (Outfielder)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Shohei Ohtani (LAD) | $9,560 | 11.2 | 1.2 |
| Value | Shohei Ohtani (LAD) | $9,560 | 11.2 | 1.2 |
| Fade | Turner Hill (SF) | $8,540 | 1.4 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Salvatore Frelick (MIL) | $5,000 | 5.8 | 1.2 |
3B (Third Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Michael Riley (ATL) | $6,090 | 7.4 | 1.2 |
| Value | Michael Riley (ATL) | $6,090 | 7.4 | 1.2 |
| Fade | Kazuma Okamoto (TOR) | $8,940 | 6.1 | 0.7 |
| Cheapie | Nolan Arenado (AZ) | $7,170 | 5.8 | 0.8 |
2B (Second Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jasrado Chisholm (NYY) | $10,690 | 7.5 | 0.7 |
| Value | Marcus Semien (NYM) | $5,270 | 6.9 | 1.3 |
| Fade | Thomas Edman (LAD) | $8,690 | 4.1 | 0.5 |
| Cheapie | Ozhaino Albies (ATL) | $7,420 | 6.6 | 0.9 |
1B (First Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Vladimir Guerrero (TOR) | $9,800 | 9 | 0.9 |
| Value | Frederick Freeman (LAD) | $7,710 | 8.4 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Luis García (NYY) | $10,660 | 5.7 | 0.5 |
| Cheapie | Christian Walker (HOU) | $7,210 | 6.2 | 0.9 |
P (Pitcher)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Christopher Sale (ATL) | $21,040 | 21.3 | 1 |
| Value | Hayden Wesneski (HOU) | $14,900 | 18.4 | 1.2 |
Conclusion
When building your MLB Friday teams, consider starting with a value player like Marcus Semien. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Christopher Sale 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 Michael Riley.
On the other hand, according to our model, Turner Hill 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 Friday slate closes at 9:05am 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 slate. 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 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.
