MLB Thursday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for September 24, 2026
Last updated: Sep 23, 2026, 9:25AM | Published: Sep 23, 2026, 8:25AM
Draftstars Australia's MLB Thursday DFS contest kicks off at 9:05am AEST on September 24, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for every player on the slate to help you create winning line-ups.
A handy Draftstars cheat sheet is crucial 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 September 24 and beyond.
Featured MLB Games
Draftstars' MLB Thursday slate consists of these games:
- Boston Red Sox vs Cleveland Guardians
- Atlanta Braves vs Cincinnati Reds
- Texas Rangers vs New York Mets
- New York Yankees vs Tampa Bay Rays
- Kansas City Royals vs Chicago White Sox
- Los Angeles Dodgers vs San Diego Padres
- Seattle Mariners vs Houston Astros
- Athletics vs Los Angeles Angels
- Colorado Rockies vs Arizona Diamondbacks
- Chicago Cubs vs Miami Marlins
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to come up with some of the strongest 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 make the best picks on Thursday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Christopher Sale (ATL, P) | $24,180 | 21.3 | 0.9 |
| Value | Shohei Ohtani (LAD, OF) | $5,000 | 11.2 | 2.2 |
| Fade | Victor Mesa (TB, OF) | $8,120 | 1.6 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Jarren Duran (BOS, OF) | $5,000 | 7.8 | 1.6 |
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) | $9,670 | 8.3 | 0.9 |
| Value | Logan O'Hoppe (TEX) | $5,000 | 4.5 | 0.9 |
| Fade | Gabriel Moreno (AZ) | $11,620 | 4.6 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Moisés Ballesteros (LAA) | $5,000 | 4.2 | 0.8 |
SS (Shortstop)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Robert Witt (KC) | $11,610 | 9.7 | 0.8 |
| Value | Anthony Volpe (NYY) | $5,000 | 5.9 | 1.2 |
| Fade | George Lombard (NYY) | $8,120 | 2.4 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Carson Williams (TB) | $5,000 | 4.9 | 1 |
OF (Outfielder)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Shohei Ohtani (LAD) | $5,000 | 11.2 | 2.2 |
| Value | Shohei Ohtani (LAD) | $5,000 | 11.2 | 2.2 |
| Fade | Victor Mesa (TB) | $8,120 | 1.6 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Jarren Duran (BOS) | $5,000 | 7.8 | 1.6 |
3B (Third Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | José Ramírez (CLE) | $9,900 | 8.9 | 0.9 |
| Value | Manuel Machado (SD) | $6,840 | 7.7 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Joshua Kuroda-Grauer (ATH) | $9,150 | 1.9 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Michael Riley (ATL) | $7,550 | 7.4 | 1 |
2B (Second Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Ketel Marte (AZ) | $10,910 | 7.8 | 0.7 |
| Value | Jasrado Chisholm (NYY) | $7,260 | 7.5 | 1 |
| Fade | Thomas Edman (LAD) | $8,580 | 4.1 | 0.5 |
| Cheapie | Marcus Semien (NYM) | $7,000 | 6.9 | 1 |
1B (First Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Frederick Freeman (LAD) | $7,600 | 8.4 | 1.1 |
| Value | Joseph Ward (SEA) | $5,000 | 7.4 | 1.5 |
| Fade | Timothy Tawa (AZ) | $8,590 | 2.5 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Luis García (NYY) | $5,000 | 5.7 | 1.1 |
P (Pitcher)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Christopher Sale (ATL) | $24,180 | 21.3 | 0.9 |
| Value | Ryan Gusto (MIA) | $10,110 | 16 | 1.6 |
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 Shohei Ohtani. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Christopher Sale is a strong option. If you're looking for budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, take a look at our cheapie options, including Jarren Duran.
On the other hand, according to our model, Victor Mesa is one of the worst 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 9:05am 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.
