MLB Tuesday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for August 18, 2026
Last updated: Aug 17, 2026, 11:06PM | Published: Aug 17, 2026, 12:27AM
Draftstars Australia's MLB Tuesday DFS contest commences at 9:05am AEST on August 18, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for every player on the slate to help you create winning line-ups.
An accurate Draftstars cheat sheet is crucial for MLB fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you put together your fantasy teams for Draftstars' MLB contests and enhance your season-long fantasy line-ups on August 18 and beyond.
Featured MLB Games
Draftstars' MLB Tuesday slate features these games:
- Boston Red Sox vs Arizona Diamondbacks
- Chicago Cubs vs Chicago White Sox
- Kansas City Royals vs Athletics
- Pittsburgh Pirates vs Detroit Tigers
- New York Mets vs San Diego Padres
- Colorado Rockies vs Los Angeles Dodgers
- Minnesota Twins 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 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 make the best selections on Tuesday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Blake Snell (LAD, P) | $22,840 | 18.6 | 0.8 |
| Value | Carmen Mlodzinski (PIT, P) | $12,730 | 18.5 | 1.5 |
| Fade | Brett Callahan (DET, OF) | $8,420 | 1.1 | 0.1 |
| Cheapie | Ezequiel Tovar (COL, SS) | $5,840 | 7 | 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 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 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 | Adley Rutschman (BOS) | $7,930 | 6.3 | 0.8 |
| Value | Adley Rutschman (BOS) | $7,930 | 6.3 | 0.8 |
| Fade | Rafael Flores (PIT) | $8,830 | 2.4 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Carson Kelly (CHC) | $5,000 | 3.6 | 0.7 |
SS (Shortstop)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Robert Witt (KC) | $11,420 | 9.7 | 0.9 |
| Value | Ezequiel Tovar (COL) | $5,840 | 7 | 1.2 |
| Fade | Andruw Monasterio (BOS) | $8,470 | 2.3 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Luisangel Acuña (CWS) | $5,000 | 4.7 | 0.9 |
OF (Outfielder)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Shohei Ohtani (LAD) | $13,190 | 11.2 | 0.8 |
| Value | Lars Nootbaar (AZ) | $5,000 | 5.5 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Brett Callahan (DET) | $8,420 | 1.1 | 0.1 |
| Cheapie | Luisangel Acuña (CWS) | $5,000 | 4.7 | 0.9 |
3B (Third Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Maikel Garcia (KC) | $8,200 | 7.8 | 0.9 |
| Value | Manuel Machado (SD) | $7,690 | 7.7 | 1 |
| Fade | Zachary Gelof (ATH) | $8,370 | 3.3 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Michael Riley (ATL) | $7,690 | 7.4 | 1 |
2B (Second Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nicholas Hoerner (CHC) | $7,620 | 7.4 | 1 |
| Value | Marcus Semien (NYM) | $6,940 | 6.9 | 1 |
| Fade | Michael Massey (KC) | $8,130 | 3.1 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Nicholas Hoerner (CHC) | $7,620 | 7.4 | 1 |
1B (First Base)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Frederick Freeman (LAD) | $10,110 | 8.4 | 0.8 |
| Value | Salvador Perez (KC) | $7,230 | 6.7 | 0.9 |
| Fade | Jared Young (NYM) | $10,170 | 1.9 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Connor Norby (COL) | $6,500 | 5.4 | 0.8 |
P (Pitcher)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Blake Snell (LAD) | $22,840 | 18.6 | 0.8 |
| Value | Carmen Mlodzinski (PIT) | $12,730 | 18.5 | 1.5 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your MLB Tuesday teams, consider starting with a value player like Carmen Mlodzinski. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Blake Snell 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 Ezequiel Tovar.
On the other hand, according to our model, Brett Callahan 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 Tuesday slate closes at 9:05am AEST on Tuesday. 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 Tuesday contest. The unique insights here can help you balance star power, value and budget management when you make your MLB DFS line-ups.
For the latest projections and optimised MLB Tuesday 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.
