MLB Thursday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for October 1, 2026
Last updated: Sep 30, 2026, 10:27AM | Published: Sep 30, 2026, 8:25AM
Draftstars Australia's MLB Thursday DFS contest kicks off at 10:00am AEST on October 1, 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 a must 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 Thursday and beyond.
Featured MLB Games
Draftstars' MLB Thursday slate includes the following match-ups:
- San Diego Padres vs Chicago Cubs
- New York Yankees vs Boston Red Sox
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to produce 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 have 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 | Nicholas Pivetta (SD, P) | $18,080 | 18.2 | 1 |
| Value | Jasrado Chisholm (NYY, 2B) | $5,000 | 7.5 | 1.5 |
| Fade | George Lombard (NYY, SS) | $9,050 | 2.4 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Trenton Grisham (NYY, OF) | $5,000 | 5.9 | 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'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 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 | Adley Rutschman (BOS) | $7,800 | 6.3 | 0.8 |
| Value | Adley Rutschman (BOS) | $7,800 | 6.3 | 0.8 |
| Fade | Benjamin Rice (NYY) | $10,380 | 6.2 | 0.6 |
| Cheapie | Austin Wells (NYY) | $6,250 | 4.8 | 0.8 |
SS (Shortstop)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | James Swanson (CHC) | $5,930 | 6.4 | 1.1 |
| Value | James Swanson (CHC) | $5,930 | 6.4 | 1.1 |
| Fade | George Lombard (NYY) | $9,050 | 2.4 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Trevor Story (BOS) | $6,360 | 6.3 | 1 |
OF (Outfielder)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Fernando Tatis (SD) | $10,450 | 9.1 | 0.9 |
| Value | Trenton Grisham (NYY) | $5,000 | 5.9 | 1.2 |
| Fade | Samad Taylor (SD) | $8,180 | 3.1 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Jarren Duran (BOS) | $7,530 | 7.8 | 1 |
3B (Third Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Manuel Machado (SD) | $8,470 | 7.7 | 0.9 |
| Value | Caleb Durbin (BOS) | $5,290 | 5.8 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Alexander Bregman (CHC) | $9,310 | 7.3 | 0.8 |
| Cheapie | Ryan McMahon (NYY) | $5,000 | 4.9 | 1 |
2B (Second Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jasrado Chisholm (NYY) | $5,000 | 7.5 | 1.5 |
| Value | Jasrado Chisholm (NYY) | $5,000 | 7.5 | 1.5 |
| Cheapie | Nicholas Hoerner (CHC) | $6,900 | 7.4 | 1.1 |
1B (First Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Michael Busch (CHC) | $8,190 | 6.8 | 0.8 |
| Value | Luis García (NYY) | $5,000 | 5.7 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Benjamin Rice (NYY) | $10,380 | 6.2 | 0.6 |
| Cheapie | Gavin Sheets (SD) | $5,000 | 4.6 | 0.9 |
P (Pitcher)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nicholas Pivetta (SD) | $18,080 | 18.2 | 1 |
| Value | Sonny Gray (BOS) | $17,110 | 17.4 | 1 |
Conclusion
When building your MLB Thursday teams, consider starting with a value player like Jasrado Chisholm. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Nicholas Pivetta is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, explore our cheapie options, including Trenton Grisham.
On the other hand, according to our model, George Lombard is one of the lowest 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 10:00am 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.
