MLB Thursday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for October 2, 2025
Last updated: Oct 1, 2025, 9:26PM | Published: Oct 1, 2025, 8:26AM
Draftstars Australia's MLB Thursday DFS contest commences at 8:08am AEST on October 2, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for each 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 put together your fantasy teams for Draftstars' MLB contests and improve your season-long fantasy line-ups on October 2 and beyond.
Featured MLB Games
Draftstars' MLB Thursday slate features the following match-ups:
- Los Angeles Dodgers vs Cincinnati Reds
- New York Yankees vs Boston Red Sox
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 strongest 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've reviewed every player from every team to help you find the best picks on Thursday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Shohei Ohtani (LAD, OF) | $12,770 | 10.6 | 0.8 |
| Value | Jarren Duran (BOS, OF) | $6,700 | 8.2 | 1.2 |
| Fade | Benjamin Rice (NYY, 1B) | $9,820 | 5.2 | 0.5 |
| Cheapie | Ke'Bryan Hayes (CIN, 3B) | $5,120 | 5.8 | 1.1 |
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 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 | Tyler Stephenson (CIN) | $5,980 | 4.3 | 0.7 |
| Value | Tyler Stephenson (CIN) | $5,980 | 4.3 | 0.7 |
| Cheapie | Benjamin Rortvedt (LAD) | $5,000 | 2.9 | 0.6 |
SS (Shortstop)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Elly De La Cruz (CIN) | $9,000 | 8.7 | 1 |
| Value | Markus Betts (LAD) | $8,200 | 8.5 | 1 |
| Fade | Trevor Story (BOS) | $8,330 | 7.9 | 1 |
| Cheapie | Anthony Volpe (NYY) | $7,320 | 5.2 | 0.7 |
OF (Outfielder)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Shohei Ohtani (LAD) | $12,770 | 10.6 | 0.8 |
| Value | Jarren Duran (BOS) | $6,700 | 8.2 | 1.2 |
| Fade | Trenton Grisham (NYY) | $8,150 | 5.6 | 0.7 |
| Cheapie | Ceddanne Rafaela (BOS) | $7,530 | 7 | 0.9 |
3B (Third Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Alexander Bregman (BOS) | $8,680 | 7.7 | 0.9 |
| Value | Ke'Bryan Hayes (CIN) | $5,120 | 5.8 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Roman González (BOS) | $8,700 | 5.5 | 0.6 |
| Cheapie | Maxwell Muncy (LAD) | $7,680 | 5.7 | 0.7 |
2B (Second Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jasrado Chisholm (NYY) | $9,040 | 8 | 0.9 |
| Value | Matthew McLain (CIN) | $6,110 | 5.6 | 0.9 |
| Fade | Alexander Bregman (BOS) | $8,680 | 7.7 | 0.9 |
1B (First Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Frederick Freeman (LAD) | $10,770 | 8.2 | 0.8 |
| Value | Spencer Steer (CIN) | $6,690 | 5.8 | 0.9 |
| Fade | Benjamin Rice (NYY) | $9,820 | 5.2 | 0.5 |
| Cheapie | Maxwell Muncy (LAD) | $7,680 | 5.7 | 0.7 |
Conclusion
When building your MLB Thursday teams, consider starting with a value player like Jarren Duran. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Shohei Ohtani 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 Ke'Bryan Hayes.
On the other hand, according to our model, Benjamin Rice is one of the worst value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if building multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' MLB Thursday slate closes at 8:08am 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.
