MLB Friday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for September 11, 2026
Last updated: Sep 10, 2026, 11:30AM | Published: Sep 10, 2026, 10:08AM
Draftstars Australia's MLB Friday DFS contest begins at 9:05am AEST on September 11, 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 put together your fantasy teams for Draftstars' MLB contests and improve your season-long fantasy line-ups on September 11 and beyond.
Featured MLB Games
Draftstars' MLB Friday slate consists of these match-ups:
- Chicago White Sox vs Pittsburgh Pirates
- New York Yankees vs Colorado Rockies
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to make some of the strongest DFS projections in the world.
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 selections on Friday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Max Fried (NYY, P) | $19,720 | 17.9 | 0.9 |
| Value | Hagen Smith (CWS, P) | $5,390 | 8.9 | 1.7 |
| Fade | George Lombard (NYY, SS) | $9,420 | 2.4 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Heliot Ramos (NYY, OF) | $5,000 | 6.8 | 1.4 |
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 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 | Hunter Goodman (COL) | $7,830 | 6.4 | 0.8 |
| Value | Edgar Quero (CWS) | $5,000 | 4.1 | 0.8 |
| Fade | Rafael Flores (PIT) | $8,310 | 2.4 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Hunter Goodman (COL) | $7,830 | 6.4 | 0.8 |
SS (Shortstop)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Ezequiel Tovar (COL) | $5,630 | 7 | 1.2 |
| Value | Ezequiel Tovar (COL) | $5,630 | 7 | 1.2 |
| Fade | George Lombard (NYY) | $9,420 | 2.4 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Luisangel Acuña (CWS) | $5,000 | 4.7 | 0.9 |
OF (Outfielder)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Aaron Judge (NYY) | $12,700 | 10 | 0.8 |
| Value | Heliot Ramos (NYY) | $5,000 | 6.8 | 1.4 |
| Fade | Tristan Peters (CWS) | $8,130 | 2.2 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Brenton Doyle (CWS) | $5,000 | 6 | 1.2 |
3B (Third Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Miguel Vargas (CWS) | $9,840 | 5.9 | 0.6 |
| Value | Jared Triolo (PIT) | $5,000 | 4.7 | 0.9 |
| Cheapie | Ryan McMahon (NYY) | $6,910 | 4.9 | 0.7 |
2B (Second Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Brandon Lowe (PIT) | $10,470 | 5.8 | 0.6 |
| Value | Connor Norby (COL) | $6,310 | 5.4 | 0.9 |
| Cheapie | Chase Meidroth (CWS) | $7,300 | 5.6 | 0.8 |
1B (First Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Munetaka Murakami (CWS) | $10,530 | 7.2 | 0.7 |
| Value | Paul Goldschmidt (NYY) | $5,000 | 4.8 | 1 |
| Fade | Benjamin Rice (NYY) | $10,880 | 6.2 | 0.6 |
| Cheapie | Troy Johnston (COL) | $5,000 | 3.3 | 0.7 |
P (Pitcher)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Max Fried (NYY) | $19,720 | 17.9 | 0.9 |
| Value | Hagen Smith (CWS) | $5,390 | 8.9 | 1.7 |
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 Hagen Smith. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Max Fried is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, take a look at our cheapie options, including Heliot Ramos.
On the other hand, according to our model, George Lombard 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 9:05am 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.
