MLB Thursday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for August 20, 2026
Last updated: Aug 19, 2026, 10:38PM | Published: Aug 19, 2026, 8:35AM
Draftstars Australia's MLB Thursday DFS contest kicks off at 9:40am AEST on August 20, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for every player on the slate to help you make winning line-ups.
A handy 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 enhance your season-long fantasy line-ups on August 20 and beyond.
Featured MLB Games
Draftstars' MLB Thursday slate features these match-ups:
- Houston Astros vs Los Angeles Angels
- Milwaukee Brewers vs Seattle Mariners
- Texas Rangers vs Washington Nationals
- Kansas City Royals vs Athletics
- Colorado Rockies vs Los Angeles Dodgers
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 best DFS projections in the world.
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've reviewed every player from every team to help you find the best choices on Thursday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Logan Gilbert (SEA, P) | $18,980 | 18.2 | 1 |
| Value | Dustin May (MIL, P) | $13,340 | 15.6 | 1.2 |
| Fade | Thomas White (ATH, 3B) | $8,620 | 1.3 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Ezequiel Tovar (COL, SS) | $6,390 | 7 | 1.1 |
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 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 | Caleb Raleigh (SEA) | $8,460 | 8.3 | 1 |
| Value | Caleb Raleigh (SEA) | $8,460 | 8.3 | 1 |
| Fade | William Contreras (MIL) | $8,420 | 7.5 | 0.9 |
| Cheapie | Carter Jensen (KC) | $7,000 | 4.7 | 0.7 |
SS (Shortstop)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Robert Witt (KC) | $12,530 | 9.7 | 0.8 |
| Value | Ezequiel Tovar (COL) | $6,390 | 7 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Ezequiel Duran (TEX) | $8,400 | 3.1 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Joseph Ortiz (MIL) | $6,200 | 5.5 | 0.9 |
OF (Outfielder)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Shohei Ohtani (LAD) | $13,720 | 11.2 | 0.8 |
| Value | Julio Rodríguez (SEA) | $9,340 | 9 | 1 |
| Fade | Carlos Cortes (ATH) | $8,500 | 2.3 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Kyle Isbel (KC) | $5,000 | 4.2 | 0.8 |
3B (Third Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Maikel Garcia (KC) | $9,430 | 7.8 | 0.8 |
| Value | Maikel Garcia (KC) | $9,430 | 7.8 | 0.8 |
| Fade | Thomas White (ATH) | $8,620 | 1.3 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Maxwell Muncy (ATH) | $5,000 | 3.8 | 0.8 |
2B (Second Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Brice Turang (MIL) | $9,950 | 7.6 | 0.8 |
| Value | Brice Turang (MIL) | $9,950 | 7.6 | 0.8 |
| Fade | Ezequiel Duran (TEX) | $8,400 | 3.1 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Connor Norby (COL) | $7,930 | 5.4 | 0.7 |
1B (First Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Frederick Freeman (LAD) | $10,740 | 8.4 | 0.8 |
| Value | Vincent Pasquantino (KC) | $7,620 | 7.3 | 1 |
| Fade | Abimelec Ortiz (WSH) | $9,700 | 3.2 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Salvador Perez (KC) | $7,250 | 6.7 | 0.9 |
P (Pitcher)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Logan Gilbert (SEA) | $18,980 | 18.2 | 1 |
| Value | Dustin May (MIL) | $13,340 | 15.6 | 1.2 |
Conclusion
When building your MLB Thursday teams, consider starting with a value player like Dustin May. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Logan Gilbert is a strong option. If you're looking for budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, explore our cheapie options, including Ezequiel Tovar.
On the other hand, according to our model, Thomas White is one of the worst 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 Thursday slate closes at 9:40am 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.
