MLB Monday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for September 21, 2026
Sep 20, 2026, 8:31AM
Draftstars Australia's MLB Monday DFS contest commences at 3:10am AEST on September 21, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for each player on the slate to help you build winning line-ups.
An accurate 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 Monday and beyond.
Featured MLB Games
Draftstars' MLB Monday slate consists of the following games:
- Tampa Bay Rays vs Boston Red Sox
- New York Mets vs Philadelphia Phillies
- Colorado Rockies vs Seattle Mariners
- Houston Astros vs Atlanta Braves
- Pittsburgh Pirates vs Kansas City Royals
- Los Angeles Angels vs Minnesota Twins
- St. Louis Cardinals vs Washington Nationals
- Los Angeles Dodgers vs San Francisco Giants
- San Diego Padres vs Miami Marlins
- Arizona Diamondbacks vs New York Yankees
- Cleveland Guardians vs Athletics
- Texas Rangers vs Toronto Blue Jays
- Cincinnati Reds vs Chicago Cubs
- Chicago White Sox vs Detroit Tigers
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to produce 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 make the best choices on Monday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Hunter Brown (HOU, P) | $18,920 | 19.3 | 1 |
| Value | Shohei Ohtani (LAD, OF) | $5,000 | 11.2 | 2.2 |
| Fade | Leonardo Bernal (STL, C) | $8,790 | 1.7 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Joseph Ward (SEA, 1B) | $5,000 | 7.4 | 1.5 |
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 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 budget-conscious strategies, "cheapie" options highlight 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 | Caleb Raleigh (SEA) | $9,900 | 8.3 | 0.8 |
| Value | Adley Rutschman (BOS) | $6,920 | 6.3 | 0.9 |
| Fade | Leonardo Bernal (STL) | $8,790 | 1.7 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Logan O'Hoppe (TEX) | $5,000 | 4.5 | 0.9 |
SS (Shortstop)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Robert Witt (KC) | $11,670 | 9.7 | 0.8 |
| Value | Francisco Lindor (NYM) | $7,460 | 8.7 | 1.2 |
| Fade | George Lombard (NYY) | $8,450 | 2.4 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Masyn Winn (STL) | $6,870 | 7.2 | 1 |
OF (Outfielder)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Shohei Ohtani (LAD) | $5,000 | 11.2 | 2.2 |
| Value | Shohei Ohtani (LAD) | $5,000 | 11.2 | 2.2 |
| Fade | Walker Jenkins (MIN) | $9,860 | 1.9 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Daylen Lile (WSH) | $5,000 | 6.3 | 1.3 |
3B (Third Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | José Ramírez (CLE) | $11,300 | 8.9 | 0.8 |
| Value | Michael Riley (ATL) | $6,590 | 7.4 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Javier Sanoja (MIA) | $8,680 | 3.5 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Manuel Machado (SD) | $7,920 | 7.7 | 1 |
2B (Second Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Ketel Marte (AZ) | $9,170 | 7.8 | 0.8 |
| Value | Gleyber Torres (DET) | $5,000 | 7.2 | 1.4 |
| Fade | Hao-Yu Lee (DET) | $10,530 | 2.4 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Marcus Semien (NYM) | $6,360 | 6.9 | 1.1 |
1B (First Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Vladimir Guerrero (TOR) | $7,320 | 9 | 1.2 |
| Value | Joseph Ward (SEA) | $5,000 | 7.4 | 1.5 |
| Fade | Yohandy Morales (WSH) | $8,690 | 2.2 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Vladimir Guerrero (TOR) | $7,320 | 9 | 1.2 |
P (Pitcher)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Hunter Brown (HOU) | $18,920 | 19.3 | 1 |
| Value | Patrick Sandoval (BOS) | $11,650 | 17 | 1.5 |
Conclusion
When building your MLB Monday teams, consider starting with a value player like Shohei Ohtani. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Hunter Brown 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 Joseph Ward.
On the other hand, according to our model, Leonardo Bernal is one of the lowest value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if building multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' MLB Monday slate closes at 3:10am 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 contest. 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.
