MLB Friday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for May 16, 2025
Last updated: May 15, 2025, 11:25PM | Published: May 15, 2025, 8:25AM
Draftstars Australia's MLB Friday DFS contest starts at 10:05am AEST on May 16, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data 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 put together your fantasy teams for Draftstars' MLB contests and enhance your season-long fantasy line-ups on May 16 and beyond.
Featured MLB Games
Draftstars' MLB Friday slate features the following games:
- Los Angeles Dodgers vs Athletics
- Texas Rangers vs Houston Astros
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 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 find the best picks on Friday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jacob deGrom (TEX, P) | $21,710 | 21.4 | 1 |
| Value | Osvaldo Bido (ATH, P) | $10,540 | 12 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Michael Conforto (LAD, OF) | $8,720 | 4.4 | 0.5 |
| Cheapie | Christian Walker (HOU, 1B) | $6,310 | 7.2 | 1.1 |
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 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 | Yainer Diaz (HOU) | $6,730 | 6.3 | 0.9 |
| Value | Yainer Diaz (HOU) | $6,730 | 6.3 | 0.9 |
| Fade | Shea Langeliers (ATH) | $9,760 | 6 | 0.6 |
| Cheapie | Jonah Heim (TEX) | $6,730 | 3.2 | 0.5 |
SS (Shortstop)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Markus Betts (LAD) | $10,710 | 8.5 | 0.8 |
| Value | Jeremy Peña (HOU) | $8,770 | 7.6 | 0.9 |
| Fade | Jacob Wilson (ATH) | $9,910 | 6.7 | 0.7 |
| Cheapie | Josh Smith (TEX) | $7,850 | 5.4 | 0.7 |
OF (Outfielder)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Shohei Ohtani (LAD) | $13,050 | 10.3 | 0.8 |
| Value | Jose Altuve (HOU) | $7,440 | 7.8 | 1 |
| Fade | Michael Conforto (LAD) | $8,720 | 4.4 | 0.5 |
| Cheapie | Joc Pederson (TEX) | $6,750 | 4.8 | 0.7 |
3B (Third Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Isaac Paredes (HOU) | $8,150 | 6.8 | 0.8 |
| Value | Isaac Paredes (HOU) | $8,150 | 6.8 | 0.8 |
| Fade | Maxwell Muncy (LAD) | $8,390 | 4.9 | 0.6 |
| Cheapie | Giovanny Urshela (ATH) | $5,000 | 3.1 | 0.6 |
2B (Second Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jose Altuve (HOU) | $7,440 | 7.8 | 1 |
| Value | Marcus Semien (TEX) | $6,210 | 6.9 | 1.1 |
| Cheapie | Jose Altuve (HOU) | $7,440 | 7.8 | 1 |
1B (First Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Frederick Freeman (LAD) | $11,650 | 8.1 | 0.7 |
| Value | Christian Walker (HOU) | $6,310 | 7.2 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Maxwell Muncy (LAD) | $8,390 | 4.9 | 0.6 |
| Cheapie | Jacob Burger (TEX) | $6,610 | 5.3 | 0.8 |
P (Pitcher)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jacob deGrom (TEX) | $21,710 | 21.4 | 1 |
| Value | Osvaldo Bido (ATH) | $10,540 | 12 | 1.1 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your MLB Friday teams, consider starting with a value player like Osvaldo Bido. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Jacob deGrom is a strong option. If you're looking for budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, explore our cheapie options, including Christian Walker.
On the other hand, according to our model, Michael Conforto 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 10:05am 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 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.
