MLB Thursday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for July 9, 2026
Last updated: Jul 8, 2026, 10:28PM | Published: Jul 8, 2026, 8:37AM
Draftstars Australia's MLB Thursday DFS contest starts at 9:10am AEST on July 9, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for every player on the slate to help you make winning line-ups.
A reliable Draftstars cheat sheet is essential for MLB fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you put together your fantasy teams for Draftstars' MLB contests and enhance your season-long fantasy line-ups on Thursday and beyond.
Featured MLB Games
Draftstars' MLB Thursday slate features these match-ups:
- Texas Rangers vs Los Angeles Angels
- St. Louis Cardinals vs Milwaukee Brewers
- Chicago White Sox vs Boston Red Sox
- Minnesota Twins vs Cleveland Guardians
- San Diego Padres vs Arizona Diamondbacks
- Los Angeles Dodgers vs Colorado Rockies
- New York Mets vs Kansas City Royals
- Cincinnati Reds vs Philadelphia Phillies
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 most accurate 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've 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 | Chase Burns (CIN, P) | $18,900 | 17.7 | 0.9 |
| Value | Gabriel Hughes (COL, P) | $5,000 | 10 | 2 |
| Fade | Cole Carrigg (COL, OF) | $10,020 | 2.4 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Francisco Lindor (NYM, SS) | $7,660 | 8.7 | 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'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 | William Contreras (MIL) | $7,660 | 7.5 | 1 |
| Value | William Contreras (MIL) | $7,660 | 7.5 | 1 |
| Fade | Carter Jensen (KC) | $8,400 | 4.7 | 0.6 |
| Cheapie | Kyle Teel (CWS) | $5,000 | 4.3 | 0.9 |
SS (Shortstop)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Robert Witt (KC) | $11,890 | 9.7 | 0.8 |
| Value | Francisco Lindor (NYM) | $7,660 | 8.7 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Ezequiel Duran (TEX) | $9,390 | 3.1 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Ezequiel Tovar (COL) | $6,620 | 7 | 1.1 |
OF (Outfielder)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Shohei Ohtani (LAD) | $14,120 | 11.2 | 0.8 |
| Value | Lars Nootbaar (STL) | $5,000 | 5.5 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Cole Carrigg (COL) | $10,020 | 2.4 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Joshua Lowe (LAA) | $5,000 | 5.5 | 1.1 |
3B (Third Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Manuel Machado (SD) | $10,430 | 7.7 | 0.7 |
| Value | Caleb Durbin (BOS) | $6,260 | 5.8 | 0.9 |
| Fade | Nicholas Loftin (KC) | $8,670 | 2.6 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Alec Bohm (PHI) | $7,340 | 6.3 | 0.9 |
2B (Second Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Ketel Marte (AZ) | $9,160 | 7.8 | 0.9 |
| Value | Josh Smith (TEX) | $5,000 | 5.6 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Tyler Tolbert (KC) | $10,510 | 3.1 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Oswald Peraza (LAA) | $5,000 | 3.2 | 0.6 |
1B (First Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Frederick Freeman (LAD) | $10,890 | 8.4 | 0.8 |
| Value | Alec Burleson (STL) | $6,300 | 6.6 | 1 |
| Fade | Kody Clemens (MIN) | $10,150 | 3.2 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Kyle Manzardo (CLE) | $7,100 | 5.4 | 0.8 |
P (Pitcher)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Chase Burns (CIN) | $18,900 | 17.7 | 0.9 |
| Value | Gabriel Hughes (COL) | $5,000 | 10 | 2 |
Conclusion
When building your MLB Thursday teams, consider starting with a value player like Gabriel Hughes. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Chase Burns is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, explore our cheapie options, including Francisco Lindor.
On the other hand, according to our model, Cole Carrigg is one of the worst value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if entering 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.
