We have 11 games on the main MLB DFS slate for Monday night. As always, several players have been greatly underpriced or overpriced to start the season, so this is the best time to take advantage of all the value picks on DraftKings and FanDuel. Of course, veteran daily fantasy baseball owners know that things can change once lineups come out, so be sure to keep track of all MLB starting lineups and Hitter Matchups (BvP) on RotoBaller to add to the research below.
Value picks are always relative, but for this piece, we'll try to target hitters under $4,000 on DraftKings and under $3,000 on FanDuel and pitchers under $6,000 on DK and $7,000 on FD. We'll also point out any player we feel is sorely underpriced for his expected production.
The main slate locks at 7:10 p.m. ET., so get those lineups ready. Good luck!
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Best SP values, sleepers for Monday's MLB DFS contests
Bryce Elder, Braves vs. Reds ($6,600 DK, $8,300 FD)
We’re going to bend the rules a little here. Elder is well below the "value" threshold on DK but is not on FD. Our next selection is the opposite. Elder will be dueling with Graham Ashcraft, who was also outstanding in his first start. However, it’s one thing to do it against Pittsburgh and quite another to do it to the Cardinals, which Elder did. He gave up just two hits in six innings and gets a good matchup against the Reds at home.
German Marquez, Rockies vs. Cardinals ($8,500 DK, $7,200 FD)
I don’t love the matchup and he’s at Coors, but it’s hard to ignore Marquez at this price on FanDUel. He was strong against the Padres and held his own against the Dodgers, so we're good with this price range. His price is low on FD thanks to the lack of strikeouts, but Coors isn’t a real hitter’s haven until later in the summer. There is potential here.
Best infield values, sleepers for Monday's MLB DFS contests
Eric Hosmer, Cubs vs. Mariners ($2,700 DK, $2,300 FD)
We all know what Hosmer is by now, right? He is allegedly just a placeholder until Matt Mervis catches fire at AAA. For now, though, Hosmer has shown signs of life at the plate. He has six hits in his past five games to get his average near .300. He still doesn’t have a homer, but he does have six RBIs in seven games. When Luis Castillo was in the NL, Hosmer had a good track record against him, going 10-for-16 with a homer against him in his career. We like those odds for some crooked numbers at a cheap price!
Chris Taylor, Dodgers @ Giants ($4,000 DK, $2,600 FD)
We like Taylor a lot more on FD where he is a staggering $1,400 cheaper. He's off to a slow start this year, but he does have two homers in seven games. He's playing every day and is 5-for-17 with a homer in his career against Logan Webb. You can do a lot worse for this price.
Anthony Rendon, Angels vs. Nationals ($3,900 DK, $2,800 FD)
Rendon, fresh off a four-game suspension for an altercation with a fan on opening day, piled up three hits and three RBIs in two games over the weekend against the Jays. His reward for advancing to the next level is facing Patrick Corbin, who doubles as a human pitching machine. At Rendon's price, this feels like stealing with how bad Corbin has been against righties (and lefties, for that matter) in the past two-plus seasons.
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Best OF values, sleepers for Monday's MLB DFS contests
Josh Outman, Dodgers @ Giants ($3,500 DK, $3,100 FD)
The Dodgers have a problem, but it’s a good problem to have. Trayce Thompson and Outman are platooning in center until one takes the job. Outman has definitely done his part. He is hitting .296 with three homers and nine RBIs on the heavier side of the platoon. There’s another righty on the mound today, and Outman smacked two homers in the weekend series against Arizona. It’s almost criminal for him to be this cheap.
Stone Garrett, Nationals vs. Angels ($3,100 DK, $2,700 FD)
Corey Dickerson hit the IL and Garrett was called up to replace him -- or, at least, to platoon with Dominic Smtih at DH until Dickerson returns. Garrett has started on fire this year, going 7-for-12 with a homer and five RBIs in his first three games. It’s worth seeing if he can stay hot against lefties at this price.
Franmil Reyes, Royals @ Rangers ($3,000 DK, $2,400 FD)
You know what you’re getting with Franimal by now. He only has two hits this season, but both are homers. Tonight, he gets lefty Andrew Heaney, who was eaten alive by a righty-heavy Baltimore lineup in his first start. We'll start Franimal against a lefty any day when he's priced this low. An all-or-nothing approach is generally the best strategy in GPPs.
