MLB Monday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for August 18, 2025
Last updated: Aug 17, 2025, 5:25PM | Published: Aug 17, 2025, 8:25AM
Draftstars Australia's MLB Monday DFS contest begins at 3:35am AEST on August 18, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for each player on the slate to help you make winning line-ups.
A reliable Draftstars cheat sheet is crucial for MLB fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you build your fantasy teams for Draftstars' MLB contests and improve your season-long fantasy line-ups on Monday and beyond.
Featured MLB Games
Draftstars' MLB Monday slate includes these match-ups:
- Kansas City Royals vs Chicago White Sox
- San Francisco Giants vs Tampa Bay Rays
- Athletics vs Los Angeles Angels
- Colorado Rockies vs Arizona Diamondbacks
- Los Angeles Dodgers vs San Diego Padres
- Minnesota Twins vs Detroit Tigers
- Boston Red Sox vs Miami Marlins
- Cincinnati Reds vs Milwaukee Brewers
- Chicago Cubs vs Pittsburgh Pirates
- Houston Astros vs Baltimore Orioles
- Toronto Blue Jays vs Texas Rangers
- Cleveland Guardians vs Atlanta Braves
- St. Louis Cardinals vs New York Yankees
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to deliver 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 have reviewed every player from every team to help you find the best picks on Monday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Garrett Crochet (BOS, P) | $23,450 | 22.8 | 1 |
| Value | Carmen Mlodzinski (PIT, P) | $5,000 | 11.1 | 2.2 |
| Fade | Nabil Crismatt (AZ, P) | $8,080 | 2.1 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Antonio Senzatela (COL, P) | $5,000 | 8.7 | 1.7 |
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 budget-conscious strategies, "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 | William Contreras (MIL) | $10,180 | 7.1 | 0.7 |
| Value | Salvador Perez (KC) | $7,570 | 6.9 | 0.9 |
| Fade | Travis d'Arnaud (LAA) | $8,120 | 2.7 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Logan O'Hoppe (LAA) | $5,000 | 4.4 | 0.9 |
SS (Shortstop)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Robert Witt (KC) | $11,460 | 9.6 | 0.8 |
| Value | Xander Bogaerts (SD) | $6,490 | 6.9 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Geraldo Perdomo (AZ) | $11,800 | 6.6 | 0.6 |
| Cheapie | Bo Bichette (TOR) | $7,210 | 7.6 | 1.1 |
OF (Outfielder)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Shohei Ohtani (LAD) | $12,660 | 10.3 | 0.8 |
| Value | Jasson Domínguez (NYY) | $5,000 | 5.9 | 1.2 |
| Fade | Masataka Yoshida (BOS) | $9,090 | 3.9 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Wyatt Langford (TEX) | $7,920 | 7.2 | 0.9 |
3B (Third Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | José Ramírez (CLE) | $11,210 | 9.6 | 0.9 |
| Value | Manuel Machado (SD) | $7,590 | 8.1 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Blaze Alexander (AZ) | $9,090 | 3.1 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Yandy Díaz (TB) | $7,120 | 7.4 | 1 |
2B (Second Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jose Altuve (HOU) | $8,510 | 7.8 | 0.9 |
| Value | Lenyn Sosa (CWS) | $5,000 | 5.4 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Blaze Alexander (AZ) | $9,090 | 3.1 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Otto Lopez (MIA) | $5,890 | 6.1 | 1 |
1B (First Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Vladimir Guerrero (TOR) | $8,420 | 8.3 | 1 |
| Value | Michael Busch (CHC) | $5,000 | 6.3 | 1.3 |
| Fade | Tyler Locklear (AZ) | $8,470 | 4 | 0.5 |
| Cheapie | Kyle Manzardo (CLE) | $5,000 | 5.9 | 1.2 |
P (Pitcher)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Garrett Crochet (BOS) | $23,450 | 22.8 | 1 |
| Value | Carmen Mlodzinski (PIT) | $5,000 | 11.1 | 2.2 |
Conclusion
When building your MLB Monday teams, consider starting with a value player like Carmen Mlodzinski. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Garrett Crochet 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 Antonio Senzatela.
On the other hand, according to our model, Nabil Crismatt is one of the worst value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if entering multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' MLB Monday slate closes at 3:35am AEST on Monday. 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 Monday 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 Monday 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.
