MLB Friday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for September 18, 2026
Last updated: Sep 17, 2026, 11:10PM | Published: Sep 17, 2026, 8:51AM
Draftstars Australia's MLB Friday DFS contest begins at 9:15am AEST on September 18, 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 a must 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 Friday and beyond.
Featured MLB Games
Draftstars' MLB Friday slate includes these match-ups:
- New York Mets vs Philadelphia Phillies
- Chicago White Sox vs Detroit Tigers
- Texas Rangers vs Boston Red Sox
- Houston Astros vs Kansas City Royals
- Los Angeles Angels vs Minnesota Twins
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 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 have 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 | Tyler Alexander (TEX, P) | $5,000 | 19.3 | 3.9 |
| Value | Tyler Alexander (TEX, P) | $5,000 | 19.3 | 3.9 |
| Fade | Emmanuel Rodriguez (MIN, OF) | $11,400 | 1.8 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Jarren Duran (BOS, OF) | $5,000 | 7.8 | 1.6 |
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 | Adley Rutschman (BOS) | $7,320 | 6.3 | 0.9 |
| Value | Adley Rutschman (BOS) | $7,320 | 6.3 | 0.9 |
| Fade | Carter Jensen (KC) | $10,090 | 4.7 | 0.5 |
| Cheapie | Yainer Diaz (HOU) | $7,970 | 6 | 0.8 |
SS (Shortstop)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Robert Witt (KC) | $12,070 | 9.7 | 0.8 |
| Value | Luisangel Acuña (CWS) | $5,260 | 4.7 | 0.9 |
| Fade | John Peck (DET) | $8,650 | 1.9 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Bryson Stott (PHI) | $7,810 | 6.6 | 0.8 |
OF (Outfielder)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Juan Soto (NYM) | $12,000 | 9.8 | 0.8 |
| Value | Jarren Duran (BOS) | $5,000 | 7.8 | 1.6 |
| Fade | Emmanuel Rodriguez (MIN) | $11,400 | 1.8 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Wyatt Langford (TEX) | $7,640 | 7.9 | 1 |
3B (Third Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Maikel Garcia (KC) | $9,130 | 7.8 | 0.9 |
| Value | Maikel Garcia (KC) | $9,130 | 7.8 | 0.9 |
| Fade | Brooks Lee (MIN) | $8,430 | 5 | 0.6 |
| Cheapie | Alec Bohm (PHI) | $7,840 | 6.3 | 0.8 |
2B (Second Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Gleyber Torres (DET) | $5,000 | 7.2 | 1.4 |
| Value | Gleyber Torres (DET) | $5,000 | 7.2 | 1.4 |
| Fade | Hao-Yu Lee (DET) | $9,040 | 2.4 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Jose Altuve (HOU) | $7,830 | 7.1 | 0.9 |
1B (First Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Bryce Harper (PHI) | $9,150 | 7.9 | 0.9 |
| Value | Munetaka Murakami (CWS) | $5,000 | 7.2 | 1.4 |
| Fade | Jared Young (NYM) | $9,320 | 1.9 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Luis Arraez (PHI) | $7,650 | 6.8 | 0.9 |
P (Pitcher)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Tyler Alexander (TEX) | $5,000 | 19.3 | 3.9 |
| Value | Tyler Alexander (TEX) | $5,000 | 19.3 | 3.9 |
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 Tyler Alexander. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Tyler Alexander is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, explore our cheapie options, including Jarren Duran.
On the other hand, according to our model, Emmanuel Rodriguez 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 9:15am 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 slate. 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.
