MLB Friday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for May 1, 2026
Last updated: Apr 30, 2026, 3:27PM | Published: Apr 30, 2026, 8:25AM
Draftstars Australia's MLB Friday DFS contest starts at 2:15am AEST on May 1, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for every 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 consists of these games:
- Cincinnati Reds vs Colorado Rockies
- Baltimore Orioles vs Houston Astros
- Philadelphia Phillies vs San Francisco Giants
- Athletics vs Kansas City Royals
- Milwaukee Brewers vs Arizona Diamondbacks
- Pittsburgh Pirates vs St. Louis Cardinals
- New York Mets vs Washington Nationals
- Atlanta Braves vs Detroit Tigers
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 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 make the best picks on Friday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Paul Skenes (PIT, P) | $23,310 | 21 | 0.9 |
| Value | Lawrence Butler (ATH, OF) | $5,000 | 6.6 | 1.3 |
| Fade | Ildemaro Vargas (AZ, 1B) | $10,090 | 1.7 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Rafael Devers (SF, 1B) | $6,890 | 8 | 1.2 |
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'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 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 | William Contreras (MIL) | $9,310 | 7.5 | 0.8 |
| Value | William Contreras (MIL) | $9,310 | 7.5 | 0.8 |
| Fade | Tyler Stephenson (CIN) | $8,720 | 4.5 | 0.5 |
| Cheapie | Patrick Bailey (SF) | $5,390 | 4 | 0.7 |
SS (Shortstop)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Robert Witt (KC) | $12,550 | 9.7 | 0.8 |
| Value | Masyn Winn (STL) | $6,220 | 7.2 | 1.2 |
| Fade | Kevin McGonigle (DET) | $9,230 | 5.2 | 0.6 |
| Cheapie | Ezequiel Tovar (COL) | $6,230 | 7 | 1.1 |
OF (Outfielder)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Juan Soto (NYM) | $12,280 | 9.8 | 0.8 |
| Value | Lawrence Butler (ATH) | $5,000 | 6.6 | 1.3 |
| Fade | Brice Matthews (HOU) | $8,480 | 3 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Jeffrey Caglianone (KC) | $5,000 | 5.5 | 1.1 |
3B (Third Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Maikel Garcia (KC) | $9,240 | 7.8 | 0.8 |
| Value | Michael Riley (ATL) | $6,780 | 7.4 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Nicholas Loftin (KC) | $8,210 | 2.6 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Matt Chapman (SF) | $7,880 | 7.1 | 0.9 |
2B (Second Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Ketel Marte (AZ) | $8,830 | 7.8 | 0.9 |
| Value | Luis Arraez (SF) | $7,130 | 6.8 | 1 |
| Fade | Matthew McLain (CIN) | $10,580 | 6.3 | 0.6 |
| Cheapie | Marcus Semien (NYM) | $7,260 | 6.9 | 1 |
1B (First Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Peter Alonso (BAL) | $10,300 | 8.6 | 0.8 |
| Value | Rafael Devers (SF) | $6,890 | 8 | 1.2 |
| Fade | Ildemaro Vargas (AZ) | $10,090 | 1.7 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Luis Arraez (SF) | $7,130 | 6.8 | 1 |
P (Pitcher)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Paul Skenes (PIT) | $23,310 | 21 | 0.9 |
| Value | Christopher Bassitt (BAL) | $11,520 | 14.9 | 1.3 |
Conclusion
When building your MLB Friday teams, consider starting with a value player like Lawrence Butler. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Paul Skenes is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, explore our cheapie options, including Rafael Devers.
On the other hand, according to our model, Ildemaro Vargas is one of the lowest 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 2:15am 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 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.
