MLB Thursday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for August 27, 2026
Last updated: Aug 26, 2026, 10:27PM | Published: Aug 26, 2026, 8:29AM
Draftstars Australia's MLB Thursday DFS contest begins at 9:05am AEST on August 27, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for each player on the slate to help you create winning line-ups.
An accurate Draftstars cheat sheet is crucial for MLB fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you put together your fantasy teams for Draftstars' MLB contests and improve your season-long fantasy line-ups on Thursday and beyond.
Featured MLB Games
Draftstars' MLB Thursday slate includes these games:
- Toronto Blue Jays vs Kansas City Royals
- Athletics vs Minnesota Twins
- Chicago White Sox vs Texas Rangers
- New York Mets vs Milwaukee Brewers
- Atlanta Braves vs Los Angeles Dodgers
- New York Yankees vs Houston Astros
- St. Louis Cardinals vs Baltimore Orioles
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to make 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 picks on Thursday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Roki Sasaki (LAD, P) | $13,410 | 17.5 | 1.3 |
| Value | Roki Sasaki (LAD, P) | $13,410 | 17.5 | 1.3 |
| Fade | Thomas White (ATH, 3B) | $8,330 | 1.3 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Salvatore Frelick (MIL, OF) | $5,000 | 5.8 | 1.2 |
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 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) | $9,900 | 7.5 | 0.8 |
| Value | Logan O'Hoppe (TEX) | $5,000 | 4.5 | 0.9 |
| Fade | Carter Jensen (KC) | $8,940 | 4.7 | 0.5 |
| Cheapie | Carlos Narváez (BAL) | $5,000 | 3.9 | 0.8 |
SS (Shortstop)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Robert Witt (KC) | $12,310 | 9.7 | 0.8 |
| Value | Gunnar Henderson (BAL) | $8,650 | 9.3 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Kaelen Culpepper (MIN) | $8,360 | 2.1 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Markus Betts (LAD) | $7,480 | 7.8 | 1 |
OF (Outfielder)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Shohei Ohtani (LAD) | $11,170 | 11.2 | 1 |
| Value | Salvatore Frelick (MIL) | $5,000 | 5.8 | 1.2 |
| Fade | Henry Bolte (ATH) | $10,050 | 2.6 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Teoscar Hernández (LAD) | $7,020 | 7 | 1 |
3B (Third Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Michael Riley (ATL) | $7,510 | 7.4 | 1 |
| Value | Nolan Gorman (STL) | $5,000 | 5.2 | 1 |
| Fade | Thomas White (ATH) | $8,330 | 1.3 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Michael Riley (ATL) | $7,510 | 7.4 | 1 |
2B (Second Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Brice Turang (MIL) | $10,840 | 7.6 | 0.7 |
| Value | Marcus Semien (NYM) | $6,710 | 6.9 | 1 |
| Fade | Bryan Torres (STL) | $8,070 | 2.3 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Ernie Clement (TOR) | $6,560 | 5.3 | 0.8 |
1B (First Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Vladimir Guerrero (TOR) | $8,850 | 9 | 1 |
| Value | Vladimir Guerrero (TOR) | $8,850 | 9 | 1 |
| Fade | Jared Young (NYM) | $8,510 | 1.9 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Royce Lewis (MIN) | $7,480 | 5.5 | 0.7 |
P (Pitcher)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Roki Sasaki (LAD) | $13,410 | 17.5 | 1.3 |
| Value | Roki Sasaki (LAD) | $13,410 | 17.5 | 1.3 |
Conclusion
When building your MLB Thursday teams, consider starting with a value player like Roki Sasaki. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Roki Sasaki 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 Salvatore Frelick.
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 9:05am 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 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 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.
