MLB Thursday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for June 27, 2024
Last updated: Jun 26, 2024, 10:26PM | Published: Jun 26, 2024, 8:25AM
Draftstars Australia's MLB Thursday DFS contest kicks off at 9:10am AEST on June 27, 2024, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for each player on the slate to help you build winning line-ups.
An accurate Draftstars cheat sheet is a must 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 June 27 and beyond.
Featured MLB Games
Draftstars' MLB Thursday slate consists of these match-ups:
- San Francisco Giants vs Chicago Cubs
- Chicago White Sox vs Los Angeles Dodgers
- Arizona Diamondbacks vs Minnesota Twins
- Boston Red Sox vs Toronto Blue Jays
- New York Mets vs New York Yankees
- St. Louis Cardinals vs Atlanta Braves
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 reliable 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 | Luis Gil (NYY, P) | $18,320 | 17.9 | 1 |
| Value | Hayden Birdsong (SF, P) | $5,000 | 14.1 | 2.8 |
| Fade | Spencer Horwitz (TOR, 2B) | $10,720 | 4.1 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Nolan Gorman (STL, 2B/3B) | $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 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 those needing to stay under the salary cap, "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 | Willson Contreras (STL) | $8,530 | 6.4 | 0.8 |
| Value | Willson Contreras (STL) | $8,530 | 6.4 | 0.8 |
| Fade | Francisco Alvarez (NYM) | $8,650 | 4.5 | 0.5 |
| Cheapie | Travis d'Arnaud (ATL) | $5,000 | 3.4 | 0.7 |
SS (Shortstop)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Francisco Lindor (NYM) | $9,240 | 8.3 | 0.9 |
| Value | Bo Bichette (TOR) | $7,240 | 7.1 | 1 |
| Fade | David Hamilton (BOS) | $8,940 | 4.9 | 0.6 |
| Cheapie | Dansby Swanson (CHC) | $7,840 | 6.4 | 0.8 |
OF (Outfielder)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Shohei Ohtani (LAD) | $13,640 | 9.6 | 0.7 |
| Value | Michael Conforto (SF) | $5,000 | 5.1 | 1 |
| Fade | Trevor Larnach (MIN) | $8,430 | 4.7 | 0.6 |
| Cheapie | Adam Duvall (ATL) | $5,000 | 4.9 | 1 |
3B (Third Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Rafael Devers (BOS) | $11,090 | 8.2 | 0.7 |
| Value | Nolan Gorman (STL) | $5,000 | 5.8 | 1.2 |
| Fade | Jose Miranda (MIN) | $8,200 | 4.2 | 0.5 |
| Cheapie | Nolan Arenado (STL) | $7,710 | 7.1 | 0.9 |
2B (Second Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Ozhanio Albies (ATL) | $9,360 | 8.1 | 0.9 |
| Value | Nolan Gorman (STL) | $5,000 | 5.8 | 1.2 |
| Fade | Spencer Horwitz (TOR) | $10,720 | 4.1 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Jeff McNeil (NYM) | $5,980 | 5.5 | 0.9 |
1B (First Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Peter Alonso (NYM) | $8,000 | 8.3 | 1 |
| Value | Peter Alonso (NYM) | $8,000 | 8.3 | 1 |
| Fade | Carlos Santana (MIN) | $8,280 | 3.3 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Matthew Olson (ATL) | $7,890 | 8 | 1 |
P (Pitcher)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Luis Gil (NYY) | $18,320 | 17.9 | 1 |
| Value | Hayden Birdsong (SF) | $5,000 | 14.1 | 2.8 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your MLB Thursday teams, consider starting with a value player like Hayden Birdsong. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Luis Gil 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 Nolan Gorman.
On the other hand, according to our model, Spencer Horwitz 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 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.
