MLB Thursday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for August 7, 2025
Last updated: Aug 6, 2025, 10:25PM | Published: Aug 6, 2025, 8:25AM
Draftstars Australia's MLB Thursday DFS contest commences at 9:10am AEST on August 7, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for every player on the slate to help you build winning line-ups.
A handy 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 improve your season-long fantasy line-ups on August 7 and beyond.
Featured MLB Games
Draftstars' MLB Thursday slate includes these match-ups:
- Atlanta Braves vs Milwaukee Brewers
- Seattle Mariners vs Chicago White Sox
- Arizona Diamondbacks vs San Diego Padres
- Boston Red Sox vs Kansas City Royals
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 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 find the best selections on Thursday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Spencer Strider (ATL, P) | $20,020 | 21.5 | 1.1 |
| Value | Anthony DeSclafani (AZ, P) | $9,000 | 11.9 | 1.3 |
| Fade | Blake Perkins (MIL, OF) | $8,490 | 2 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Matthew Olson (ATL, 1B) | $7,620 | 7.8 | 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 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) | $9,330 | 7.5 | 0.8 |
| Value | Salvador Perez (KC) | $6,920 | 6.8 | 1 |
| Cheapie | William Contreras (MIL) | $7,850 | 7.1 | 0.9 |
SS (Shortstop)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Robert Witt (KC) | $10,420 | 9.5 | 0.9 |
| Value | Nicholas Allen (ATL) | $5,000 | 4.8 | 1 |
| Fade | Colson Montgomery (CWS) | $8,180 | 5 | 0.6 |
| Cheapie | Joseph Ortiz (MIL) | $6,620 | 5.6 | 0.8 |
OF (Outfielder)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Fernando Tatis (SD) | $11,050 | 9 | 0.8 |
| Value | Michael Harris (ATL) | $7,130 | 7.1 | 1 |
| Fade | Blake Perkins (MIL) | $8,490 | 2 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Jonathan India (KC) | $7,010 | 6.2 | 0.9 |
3B (Third Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Manuel Machado (SD) | $10,150 | 8 | 0.8 |
| Value | Eugenio Suárez (SEA) | $7,850 | 6.9 | 0.9 |
| Fade | Tyler Locklear (AZ) | $8,340 | 4.1 | 0.5 |
| Cheapie | Roman González (BOS) | $5,000 | 3.7 | 0.7 |
2B (Second Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Ketel Marte (AZ) | $9,770 | 8.2 | 0.8 |
| Value | Ozhanio Albies (ATL) | $7,480 | 6.8 | 0.9 |
| Fade | Jorge Polanco (SEA) | $8,810 | 5.3 | 0.6 |
| Cheapie | Jonathan India (KC) | $7,010 | 6.2 | 0.9 |
1B (First Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Matthew Olson (ATL) | $7,620 | 7.8 | 1 |
| Value | Matthew Olson (ATL) | $7,620 | 7.8 | 1 |
| Fade | Tyler Locklear (AZ) | $8,340 | 4.1 | 0.5 |
| Cheapie | Salvador Perez (KC) | $6,920 | 6.8 | 1 |
P (Pitcher)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Spencer Strider (ATL) | $20,020 | 21.5 | 1.1 |
| Value | Anthony DeSclafani (AZ) | $9,000 | 11.9 | 1.3 |
Conclusion
When building your MLB Thursday teams, consider starting with a value player like Anthony DeSclafani. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Spencer Strider 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 Matthew Olson.
On the other hand, according to our model, Blake Perkins 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 9:10am 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.
