MLB Thursday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for September 17, 2026
Last updated: Sep 16, 2026, 9:26AM | Published: Sep 16, 2026, 8:31AM
Draftstars Australia's MLB Thursday DFS contest commences at 9:10am AEST on September 17, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for each player on the slate to help you make winning line-ups.
An accurate Draftstars cheat sheet is essential for MLB fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you assemble 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 consists of the following match-ups:
- Texas Rangers vs Boston Red Sox
- Arizona Diamondbacks vs Miami Marlins
- New York Mets vs Baltimore Orioles
- Colorado Rockies vs San Diego Padres
- Los Angeles Angels vs Seattle Mariners
- Chicago Cubs vs Atlanta Braves
- Houston Astros vs Kansas City Royals
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to come up with 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 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 | MacKenzie Gore (TEX, P) | $15,530 | 17.1 | 1.1 |
| Value | Ryan Gusto (MIA, P) | $9,580 | 16 | 1.7 |
| Fade | Weston Wilson (SEA, 3B) | $9,050 | 1.9 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Agustín Ramírez (MIA, OF) | $5,000 | 6.2 | 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 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 | Caleb Raleigh (SEA) | $9,500 | 8.3 | 0.9 |
| Value | Yainer Diaz (HOU) | $6,380 | 6 | 0.9 |
| Fade | Luis Campusano (SD) | $9,010 | 3.2 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Logan O'Hoppe (TEX) | $5,000 | 4.5 | 0.9 |
SS (Shortstop)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Robert Witt (KC) | $11,520 | 9.7 | 0.8 |
| Value | Ezequiel Tovar (COL) | $6,920 | 7 | 1 |
| Fade | Ezequiel Duran (TEX) | $9,760 | 3.1 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Ha-Seong Kim (ATL) | $6,210 | 4.5 | 0.7 |
OF (Outfielder)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Juan Soto (NYM) | $11,820 | 9.8 | 0.8 |
| Value | Agustín Ramírez (MIA) | $5,000 | 6.2 | 1.2 |
| Fade | Dustin Harris (SD) | $10,200 | 2.4 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Jarren Duran (BOS) | $7,170 | 7.8 | 1.1 |
3B (Third Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Maikel Garcia (KC) | $8,820 | 7.8 | 0.9 |
| Value | Michael Riley (ATL) | $7,430 | 7.4 | 1 |
| Fade | Weston Wilson (SEA) | $9,050 | 1.9 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Gabriel Arias (CHC) | $5,000 | 4.2 | 0.8 |
2B (Second Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Ketel Marte (AZ) | $9,750 | 7.8 | 0.8 |
| Value | Marcus Semien (NYM) | $7,580 | 6.9 | 0.9 |
| Fade | Justin Foscue (TEX) | $8,580 | 2 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Jose Altuve (HOU) | $7,920 | 7.1 | 0.9 |
1B (First Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Peter Alonso (BAL) | $10,340 | 8.6 | 0.8 |
| Value | Mark Vientos (NYM) | $5,000 | 5.6 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Jared Young (NYM) | $8,890 | 1.9 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Salvador Perez (KC) | $7,540 | 6.7 | 0.9 |
P (Pitcher)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | MacKenzie Gore (TEX) | $15,530 | 17.1 | 1.1 |
| Value | Ryan Gusto (MIA) | $9,580 | 16 | 1.7 |
Conclusion
When building your MLB Thursday teams, consider starting with a value player like Ryan Gusto. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, MacKenzie Gore is a strong option. If you're looking for budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, explore our cheapie options, including Agustín Ramírez.
On the other hand, according to our model, Weston Wilson 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.
