MLB Thursday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for April 25, 2024
Last updated: Apr 24, 2024, 10:25PM | Published: Apr 24, 2024, 8:25AM
Draftstars Australia's MLB Thursday DFS contest begins at 9:05am AEST on April 25, 2024, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for every player on the slate to help you build winning line-ups.
An accurate Draftstars cheat sheet is essential for MLB fantasy players. This DFS preview aims to guide you in putting together your fantasy teams for Draftstars' MLB contests or enhancing your season-long fantasy line-ups on April 25 and beyond.
Featured MLB Games
Draftstars' MLB Thursday slate features these match-ups:
- Colorado Rockies vs San Diego Padres
- Texas Rangers vs Seattle Mariners
- Minnesota Twins vs Chicago White Sox
- Chicago Cubs vs Houston Astros
- Kansas City Royals vs Toronto Blue Jays
- New York Yankees vs Oakland Athletics
- Atlanta Braves vs Miami Marlins
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to make 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 make the best choices on Thursday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Joseph Ryan (MIN, P) | $20,140 | 19.6 | 1 |
| Value | Tyson Blach (COL, P) | $5,930 | 10 | 1.7 |
| Fade | Eguy Rosario (SD, 3B) | $8,700 | 0.5 | 0.1 |
| Cheapie | Matthew Olson (ATL, 1B) | $7,410 | 8.3 | 1.1 |
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 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 | Salvador Perez (KC) | $7,960 | 6.9 | 0.9 |
| Value | Salvador Perez (KC) | $7,960 | 6.9 | 0.9 |
| Fade | Daniel Jansen (TOR) | $8,970 | 3.5 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Jonah Heim (TEX) | $7,380 | 4.9 | 0.7 |
SS (Shortstop)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Robert Witt (KC) | $10,630 | 10 | 0.9 |
| Value | Robert Witt (KC) | $10,630 | 10 | 0.9 |
| Fade | Ha-Seong Kim (SD) | $11,460 | 6.3 | 0.6 |
| Cheapie | Timothy Anderson (MIA) | $5,940 | 5.6 | 0.9 |
OF (Outfielder)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Ronald Acuña (ATL) | $10,640 | 10.9 | 1 |
| Value | Ronald Acuña (ATL) | $10,640 | 10.9 | 1 |
| Fade | Michael Tauchman (CHC) | $9,560 | 2.4 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Jarred Kelenic (ATL) | $5,000 | 4.3 | 0.9 |
3B (Third Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Michael Austin Riley (ATL) | $7,680 | 8.3 | 1.1 |
| Value | Michael Austin Riley (ATL) | $7,680 | 8.3 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Eguy Rosario (SD) | $8,700 | 0.5 | 0.1 |
| Cheapie | Alexander Bregman (HOU) | $7,370 | 7 | 1 |
2B (Second Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jose Altuve (HOU) | $9,830 | 8.1 | 0.8 |
| Value | Gleyber Torres (NYY) | $7,230 | 7 | 1 |
| Fade | Daniel Mendick (CWS) | $8,310 | 2 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Brendan Rodgers (COL) | $7,160 | 5.6 | 0.8 |
1B (First Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Vladimir Guerrero (TOR) | $9,040 | 8.4 | 0.9 |
| Value | Matthew Olson (ATL) | $7,410 | 8.3 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Cavan Biggio (TOR) | $8,010 | 3.5 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Andrew Vaughn (CWS) | $6,250 | 6 | 1 |
P (Pitcher)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Joseph Ryan (MIN) | $20,140 | 19.6 | 1 |
| Value | Tyson Blach (COL) | $5,930 | 10 | 1.7 |
Conclusion
When building your MLB Thursday teams, consider starting with a value player like Tyson Blach. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Joseph Ryan is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, take a look at our cheapie options, including Matthew Olson.
On the other hand, according to our model, Eguy Rosario is one of the lowest value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if building out multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' MLB Thursday slate closes at 9:05am 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.
