MLB Friday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for May 8, 2026
Last updated: May 7, 2026, 10:26PM | Published: May 7, 2026, 8:25AM
Draftstars Australia's MLB Friday DFS contest begins at 8:40am AEST on May 8, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data 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 build your fantasy teams for Draftstars' MLB contests and enhance your season-long fantasy line-ups on May 8 and beyond.
Featured MLB Games
Draftstars' MLB Friday slate consists of the following games:
- Philadelphia Phillies vs Athletics
- Miami Marlins vs Baltimore Orioles
- San Diego Padres vs St. Louis Cardinals
- Boston Red Sox vs Tampa Bay Rays
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to deliver 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 selections on Friday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Michael King (SD, P) | $19,700 | 16.6 | 0.8 |
| Value | John Ginn (ATH, P) | $11,250 | 16.4 | 1.5 |
| Fade | Carlos Cortes (ATH, OF) | $8,480 | 2.3 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Masyn Winn (STL, SS) | $6,750 | 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 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 | Shea Langeliers (ATH) | $12,850 | 6.8 | 0.5 |
| Value | Freddy Fermin (SD) | $5,000 | 3.8 | 0.8 |
| Fade | Liam Hicks (MIA) | $8,090 | 3.2 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Connor Wong (BOS) | $5,000 | 2.9 | 0.6 |
SS (Shortstop)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Gunnar Henderson (BAL) | $9,970 | 9.3 | 0.9 |
| Value | Masyn Winn (STL) | $6,750 | 7.2 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Xander Bogaerts (SD) | $9,840 | 6.2 | 0.6 |
| Cheapie | Trevor Story (BOS) | $7,860 | 6.3 | 0.8 |
OF (Outfielder)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Fernando Tatis (SD) | $9,600 | 9.1 | 0.9 |
| Value | Colton Cowser (BAL) | $5,000 | 5.2 | 1 |
| Fade | Carlos Cortes (ATH) | $8,480 | 2.3 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Boyce Mullins (TB) | $5,000 | 5.2 | 1 |
3B (Third Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Junior Caminero (TB) | $9,490 | 8.2 | 0.9 |
| Value | Manuel Machado (SD) | $8,510 | 7.7 | 0.9 |
| Fade | Miguel Andujar (SD) | $8,590 | 3.5 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Caleb Durbin (BOS) | $6,980 | 5.8 | 0.8 |
2B (Second Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Bryson Stott (PHI) | $9,120 | 6.6 | 0.7 |
| Value | Bryson Stott (PHI) | $9,120 | 6.6 | 0.7 |
| Fade | Jeffrey McNeil (ATH) | $8,810 | 5.5 | 0.6 |
| Cheapie | Edmundo Sosa (PHI) | $5,000 | 2.7 | 0.5 |
1B (First Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Peter Alonso (BAL) | $11,690 | 8.6 | 0.7 |
| Value | Yandy Díaz (TB) | $9,230 | 7.4 | 0.8 |
| Fade | Willson Contreras (BOS) | $9,700 | 5.8 | 0.6 |
| Cheapie | Connor Norby (MIA) | $7,210 | 5.4 | 0.8 |
P (Pitcher)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Michael King (SD) | $19,700 | 16.6 | 0.8 |
| Value | John Ginn (ATH) | $11,250 | 16.4 | 1.5 |
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 John Ginn. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Michael King 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 Masyn Winn.
On the other hand, according to our model, Carlos Cortes is one of the worst value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if building out 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.
