MLB Friday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for July 31, 2026
Last updated: Jul 30, 2026, 10:41PM | Published: Jul 30, 2026, 8:38AM
Draftstars Australia's MLB Friday DFS contest begins at 9:10am AEST on July 31, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for each player on the slate to help you build winning line-ups.
A reliable 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 improve your season-long fantasy line-ups on July 31 and beyond.
Featured MLB Games
Draftstars' MLB Friday slate consists of the following games:
- San Diego Padres vs San Francisco Giants
- Atlanta Braves vs Washington Nationals
- Los Angeles Dodgers vs Seattle Mariners
- Athletics vs Boston Red Sox
- Cincinnati Reds vs Pittsburgh Pirates
- New York Mets vs Miami Marlins
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to produce some of the strongest DFS projections in the world.
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 make the best selections on Friday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Bryan Woo (SEA, P) | $16,910 | 18.6 | 1.1 |
| Value | Matthew McLain (CIN, 2B) | $5,000 | 6.3 | 1.3 |
| Fade | Andrew Ewing (NYM, OF) | $9,670 | 2.9 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Jacob Cronenworth (SD, SS/2B) | $5,000 | 6.2 | 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 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 | Caleb Raleigh (SEA) | $8,690 | 8.3 | 1 |
| Value | Caleb Raleigh (SEA) | $8,690 | 8.3 | 1 |
| Fade | Drake Baldwin (ATL) | $10,900 | 5.9 | 0.5 |
| Cheapie | Francisco Alvarez (NYM) | $7,430 | 4.8 | 0.6 |
SS (Shortstop)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Elly De La Cruz (CIN) | $9,370 | 9.2 | 1 |
| Value | Jacob Cronenworth (SD) | $5,000 | 6.2 | 1.2 |
| Fade | Otto Lopez (MIA) | $9,270 | 5.8 | 0.6 |
| Cheapie | Markus Betts (LAD) | $7,180 | 7.8 | 1.1 |
OF (Outfielder)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Ronald Acuña (ATL) | $10,220 | 9.4 | 0.9 |
| Value | Kyle Tucker (LAD) | $8,420 | 8.3 | 1 |
| Fade | Andrew Ewing (NYM) | $9,670 | 2.9 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Jakob Marsee (MIA) | $7,460 | 7.3 | 1 |
3B (Third Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Manuel Machado (SD) | $9,640 | 7.7 | 0.8 |
| Value | Brett Baty (NYM) | $5,000 | 4.7 | 0.9 |
| Fade | Maxwell Muncy (LAD) | $8,680 | 4.6 | 0.5 |
| Cheapie | Bo Bichette (NYM) | $7,720 | 6.5 | 0.8 |
2B (Second Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Marcus Semien (NYM) | $7,690 | 6.9 | 0.9 |
| Value | Matthew McLain (CIN) | $5,000 | 6.3 | 1.3 |
| Fade | Cole Young (SEA) | $8,470 | 4.4 | 0.5 |
| Cheapie | Jacob Cronenworth (SD) | $5,000 | 6.2 | 1.2 |
1B (First Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Frederick Freeman (LAD) | $8,880 | 8.4 | 0.9 |
| Value | Frederick Freeman (LAD) | $8,880 | 8.4 | 0.9 |
| Fade | Lucas Raley (SEA) | $8,360 | 3.6 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Graham Pauley (MIA) | $5,000 | 3.6 | 0.7 |
P (Pitcher)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Bryan Woo (SEA) | $16,910 | 18.6 | 1.1 |
| Value | Mason Barnett (ATH) | $10,560 | 13 | 1.2 |
Conclusion
When building your MLB Friday teams, consider starting with a value player like Matthew McLain. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Bryan Woo is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, check out our cheapie options, including Jacob Cronenworth.
On the other hand, according to our model, Andrew Ewing is one of the lowest 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 9:10am 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 slate. 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.
