MLB Thursday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for April 18, 2024
Last updated: Apr 17, 2024, 9:25PM | Published: Apr 17, 2024, 8:25AM
Draftstars Australia's MLB Thursday DFS contest commences at 8:05am AEST on April 18, 2024, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for each player on the slate to help you build winning line-ups.
A reliable Draftstars cheat sheet is a must for MLB fantasy players. This DFS preview aims to help you in putting together your fantasy teams for Draftstars' MLB contests or enhancing your season-long fantasy line-ups on April 18 and beyond.
Featured MLB Games
Draftstars' MLB Thursday slate includes the following games:
- Tampa Bay Rays vs Los Angeles Angels
- Philadelphia Phillies vs Colorado Rockies
- Boston Red Sox vs Cleveland Guardians
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to deliver some of the most reliable DFS projections available.
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 make the best picks on Thursday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Reid Detmers (LAA, P) | $22,180 | 18.4 | 0.8 |
| Value | Ryan Feltner (COL, P) | $13,370 | 14.4 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Enmanuel Valdez (BOS, 2B) | $9,010 | 1.8 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Nicholas Castellanos (PHI, OF) | $6,560 | 6.6 | 1 |
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 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 | Jacob Realmuto (PHI) | $9,320 | 6 | 0.6 |
| Value | Logan O'Hoppe (LAA) | $8,150 | 5.3 | 0.6 |
| Fade | René Pinto (TB) | $8,110 | 3.6 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Elias Díaz (COL) | $6,690 | 3.8 | 0.6 |
SS (Shortstop)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Trea Turner (PHI) | $11,510 | 8.2 | 0.7 |
| Value | Luis Rengifo (LAA) | $5,000 | 5 | 1 |
| Fade | José Caballero (TB) | $8,620 | 4.3 | 0.5 |
| Cheapie | Ezequiel Tovar (COL) | $7,200 | 7 | 1 |
OF (Outfielder)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Michael Trout (LAA) | $11,400 | 8.3 | 0.7 |
| Value | Nicholas Castellanos (PHI) | $6,560 | 6.6 | 1 |
| Fade | Harold Ramírez (TB) | $9,390 | 2.7 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Nolan Jones (COL) | $6,840 | 6.9 | 1 |
3B (Third Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | José Ramírez (CLE) | $11,080 | 8.7 | 0.8 |
| Value | Alec Bohm (PHI) | $6,940 | 6.4 | 0.9 |
| Fade | Triston Casas (BOS) | $11,520 | 7.1 | 0.6 |
| Cheapie | Ryan McMahon (COL) | $6,970 | 6.3 | 0.9 |
2B (Second Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Andrés Giménez (CLE) | $8,930 | 7.8 | 0.9 |
| Value | Luis Rengifo (LAA) | $5,000 | 5 | 1 |
| Fade | Enmanuel Valdez (BOS) | $9,010 | 1.8 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Alan Trejo (COL) | $5,000 | 1.6 | 0.3 |
1B (First Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Bryce Harper (PHI) | $11,390 | 8.1 | 0.7 |
| Value | Yandy Díaz (TB) | $8,070 | 7.3 | 0.9 |
| Fade | Isaac Paredes (TB) | $9,540 | 6.5 | 0.7 |
| Cheapie | Nolan Schanuel (LAA) | $5,630 | 4.7 | 0.8 |
P (Pitcher)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Reid Detmers (LAA) | $22,180 | 18.4 | 0.8 |
| Value | Ryan Feltner (COL) | $13,370 | 14.4 | 1.1 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your MLB Thursday teams, consider starting with a value player like Ryan Feltner. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Reid Detmers 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 Nicholas Castellanos.
On the other hand, according to our model, Enmanuel Valdez is one of the worst value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if building multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' MLB Thursday slate closes at 8:05am AEST on Thursday. 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 Thursday 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 Thursday 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.
