MLB DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer: Sunday (9/11)

After a successful Saturday slate, we’re back to the grind for this Sunday card. Unfortunately, the prize pools will be minuscule because most people will be focused on Week 1 of the NFL season. We still have every MLB team in action for this Sunday slate, and there’s plenty to discuss. With that in mind, let’s get started with the pitchers!

Starting Pitcher Rankings

Starting Pitcher Strategy

This slate is unbelievable from a pitching perspective. It was impossible to narrow it down to four pitchers, with guys like Joe Musgrove, Shane Bieber, Luis Garcia, Martin Perez, Taijuan Walker, Jesus Luzardo, Zac Gallen, and Andrew Heaney all missing the cut. They all have decent matchups as well, but our four recommendations have excellent matchups. With that said, let’s get started with our favorite arm of the day!

Cash Game Recommendations:

Aaron Nola (PHI) vs. WAS

Nola had a rare dud last week in which he allowed eight runs to the D’Backs, but he’s been unhittable outside of that. In fact, the righty has a 3.01 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, and 10.1 K/9 rate in his other 26 starts this year. That’s the All-Star we’ve been waiting to see, and it should continue against Washington. The Nats traded away Juan Soto and Josh Bell at the trade deadline, sitting 20th in OPS and 24th in wOBACON. That’s why he and Philly enter this matchup as a -300 favorite.

Brandon Woodruff (MIL) vs. CIN

Woodruff has been one of the best pitchers in baseball for three years, tallying a 2.93 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and 32 percent K rate in that span. That makes him a worthy option on every slate, throwing seven one-run innings in Coors Field in his most recent outing. Only aces can pull that off, and getting a home matchup against a 26th-ranked Reds offense should be quite the treat here. He also enters this matchup as a -280 favorite, with Cincy projected for just 3.5 runs.

GPP Recommendations:

Brady Singer (KC) vs. DET

Out of all the pitchers below $10K, Singer is my favorite of the bunch. The right-hander has been in tune recently, registering a 2.61 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and 8.7 K/9 rate across his last 11 starts. That should be easy to duplicate against Detroit, with the Motor City Kitties ranked bottom-three in runs scored, OBP, OPS, and xwOBA. Singer has squared off with them twice this season, allowing just three runs while striking out 15 Tigers.

Jose Quintana (STL) at PIT

Quintana was a stud in his time with the Chicago White Sox, and it appears he’s returned to that player in St. Louis. The left-hander has a 3.41 ERA this season, allowing four runs or fewer in 26 of his 27 starts. Picking up a quality start against the Pirates should be cake, too, with the Buccos ranked bottom-three in runs scored, OPS, and K rate. All of that has Quintana and the Cards entering this matchup as a -220 favorite.

Top Lineup Stacks

Arizona Diamondbacks (vs. Ryan Feltner)

• Road (Coors Field)
• Value: Medium
• Risk: Low
• Game Type: Both
• Game Total/Moneyline: 11 Runs/ARI -170

Why is Feltner still in a rotation? The Rockies churn out gas can starters better than any organization, with Feltner accumulating a 5.85 ERA and 1.40 WHIP this year. That’s why Arizona has the highest team total on this slate, projected for six runs. It’s rare to find players this cheap with such a lofty projection, but it makes Arizona one of the best stacks on the board.

Houston Astros (vs. Tucker Davidson)

• Home (Minute Maid Park)
• Value: Low
• Risk: Low
• Game Type: Both
• Game Total/Moneyline: 8 Runs/HOU -250

We had Houston in this section last weekend in the exact same matchup. We’re going right back to the well, with the Stros dropping seven runs on Davidson the previous weekend. That’s no surprise when looking at the southpaw’s statistics, slinging a 6.42 ERA and 1.72 WHIP this year. That won’t go over well against this righty-heavy lineup, with Alex Bregman and Jose Altuve looking like the best plays.

Philadelphia Phillies (vs. Anibal Sanchez)

• Home (Citizen Bank Ballpark)
• Value: Medium
• Risk: Medium
• Game Type: Both
• Game Total/Moneyline: 8 Runs/PHI -300

The Phillies have quietly been raking all throughout the season, possessing one of the best lineups in the NL. Getting to hit in Citizens Bank Ballpark is a huge bonus, but the weapons are there for them to succeed. The reason we like them is that they face journeyman Anibal Sanchez, amassing a 5.67 ERA and 1.47 WHIP since the start of last season. Vegas believes Philly will be phenomenal here as well, projecting them for 5.5 runs.

Core Studs

• It’s been a disappointing season for Acuna, but he’s still a Top-10 outfielder in most fantasy formats. His splits against southpaws are the primary reason why, accruing a .398 OBP and .944 OPS against them since the start of last season. We don’t expect Marco Gonzales to stop him behind his 3.98 ERA and 1.35 WHIP.
• Bregman has been mashing since the All-Star break, providing a .312 AVG, .408 OBP, and .968 OPS across his last 71 games. That alone makes him an excellent option against Davidson, especially since Bregman is flirting with a .400 OBP and .950 OPS against left-handers throughout his career.
• It’s tough to find affordable Toronto bats, but Chapman is one of them. This third baseman has been outstanding in the second half, totaling a .368 OBP, .536 SLG, and .904 OPS across his last 54 games. He’s also been much better with the platoon advantage throughout his career, which is evident when you see his .462 OBP, .692 SLG, and 1.154 OPS in 13 at-bats against Perez.
• Salvy had a breakout season when he smashed 48 dingers in 2021, but he got off to a nightmarish start this year. With that said, Perez has produced a .386 OBP, .625 SLG, and 1.011 OPS across his last 11 games. We love that since he gets to face a crappy lefty like Tyler Alexander, accumulating a 5.23 ERA and 1.38 WHIP this year.
• Schwarber is one of the most inconsistent hitters in baseball, but raw power will do that to you. This guy is still leading the NL with 37 bombs, tallying a .543 SLG and .876 OPS against righties since 2020. He should be leading off against Anibal Sanchez, making him an elite piece to a Philly stack.

Value Plays/Punts

• Don’t look now, but Eloy is starting to get hot. The slugging outfielder has homered in three straight games, compiling a .450 OBP, .622 SLG, and 1.077 OPS over his last 23 games. That’s the stud we’ve been waiting to see, making it hard to understand why he remains so cheap. Facing a lefty who’s allowed 14 runs over his last two starts is the icing on the cake.
• The Orioles have been the biggest surprise in baseball, and Santander is one of the main reasons for their success. Their three-hole hitter has 27 homers and 79 RBI, providing a .904 OPS across his last 17 games. He’s also been much better against lefties, collecting a .371 OBP and .927 OPS against them this year.
• Nootbaar has been one of the key cogs to the Cardinal’s most recent run, and it’s hard to understand why he’s so cheap on both sites. Over his last 48 games, Nootbaar has a .377 OBP and .904 OPS. That even includes a recent 17-at-bat hitless slide, and it’s scary to think what his averages would look like outside of that. If you want to stack the Cards, Lars is the best cheap option on this team.
• It’s been a rough go for Mancini in Houston, but this is still one of the best power hitters in the sport. He was the runner-up in the Home Run Derby last season and would have his home run total doubled if he didn’t hit in Camden Yards. It’s challenging to find cheap Stros that we like, but Mancini is the best punt play at this diminished price tag.
• We had to get an Arizona bat in here, so let’s ride their leadoff hitter. That’s Rojas, registering a .287 AVG, .385 OBP, and .794 OPS across his last 31 games. He also provides great speed, swiping 19 bags as well. Hitting atop the highest-scoring lineup is his biggest asset here, and we need some exposure against a fantastic matchup like Feltner.

Hitter Strategy

We want to pay up at pitcher today. Aaron Nola and Brandon Woodruff look like guarantees at that position, and it should work with all the salary-savers in the hitting section. Teams like the Diamondbacks, Rockies, Cardinals, and Astros have plenty of value spread throughout their lineups, and it should be easy to mix and match pieces from those lite stacks. Don’t forget about teams like the Blue Jays, White Sox, and Phillies as well.

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Whether you’re new to fantasy baseball or a seasoned pro, our Fantasy Baseball 101: Strategy Tips & Advice page is for you. You can get started with our Sabermetrics Glossary or head to a more advanced strategy – like Maximizing Your Potential in Multi-Lineup Contests – to learn more.

Joel Bartilotta is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Joel, check out his archive and follow him @Bartilottajoel.