MLB Friday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for September 11, 2026
Last updated: Sep 10, 2026, 10:57PM | Published: Sep 10, 2026, 10:08AM
Draftstars Australia's MLB Friday DFS contest commences at 9:05am AEST on September 11, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for every player on the slate to help you create 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 enhance your season-long fantasy line-ups on Friday and beyond.
Featured MLB Games
Draftstars' MLB Friday slate consists of the following games:
- New York Yankees vs Colorado Rockies
- Chicago White Sox vs Pittsburgh Pirates
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs 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 choices 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 | Ezequiel Tovar (COL, SS) | $5,630 | 7 | 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'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 | Hunter Goodman (COL) | $7,830 | 6.4 | 0.8 |
| Fade | Rafael Flores (PIT) | $8,310 | 2.4 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Austin Wells (NYY) | $6,730 | 4.8 | 0.7 |
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 | Jared Triolo (PIT) | $5,000 | 4.7 | 0.9 |
OF (Outfielder)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Cody Bellinger (NYY) | $10,980 | 7.6 | 0.7 |
| Value | Jordan Beck (COL) | $5,690 | 5.8 | 1 |
| Fade | Tristan Peters (CWS) | $8,130 | 2.2 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Jake Mangum (PIT) | $5,000 | 3.6 | 0.7 |
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 | Munetaka Murakami (CWS) | $10,530 | 7.2 | 0.7 |
| Fade | Benjamin Rice (NYY) | $10,880 | 6.2 | 0.6 |
| Cheapie | Toby Rumfield (COL) | $7,380 | 4.2 | 0.6 |
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 looking for budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, take a look at our cheapie options, including Ezequiel Tovar.
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 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.
