After looking at all the tools available at FantasyAlarm, the example lineups page should be used to help validate your thoughts, as well as help you consider some options that may not have been on your radar for the slate. In addition to the example lineups, below you will find a breakdown of possible routes to take when building your MLB lineups tonight. While we are focused on FanDuel and DraftKings, this breakdown can be used for all sites. Please use our live chat feature to share your thoughts, and receive any feedback leading up to first pitch. Good luck!
Please note that this was written before all lineups have been posted, which may open new routes to consider. There is rain in the forecast in Atlanta once again tonight. With only six games tonight, I can see taking the risk with them if entering multiple GPP lineups, as they were able to get the game in last night. I’ll be off them personally, and therefore won’t be in my thoughts below. They do show up in our hitting coach, playbook, rankings, and projections tools today if looking for thoughts about that game.
Pitching
I always start my lineup building with pitching, as it’s the most important part of building your lineups. I tend to look for pitchers who I believe can pitch six innings, strike out six, and give up no more than two runs. Feel free to set up whatever parameters you want to but should set yourself some type of “floor” when it comes to how you select your pitchers.
Five Second Cheat Sheet: It’s shaping up to be Rich Hill vs the field, with Luke Weaver the popular #2 play on DK.
Thirty Second Cheat Sheet: I prefer GPP’s tonight, and if our ownership projects come even close, Hill will be all over DK lineups tonight. Not saying fade him, but if entering multiple lineups, throw some out there without him, and possibly Weaver as well. Could go complete opposite with Chase Anderson and Kyle Freeland , or go with the Cole Hamels narrative.
Deciding how to best play the slate may come down to Rich Hill . As mentioned above, it’s best to monitor the weather in Atlanta, but it may not be ideal for a top options like Anibal Sánchez , which leaves Hill as your best option by far tonight. I think you can field a solid group of hitters using him, as well as Kyle Freeland on FD, but if thinking neither of those two are lights out, then pivoting to a pitcher in the $7K range like Luke Weaver , Chase Anderson , or Cole Hamels works just as well.
On DK, if say entering ten lineups, I would use Hill in seven of them, and go with that opposite combo listed above in Anderson and Freeland in the other three. Luke Weaver has a nice price tag, but stay away from Glasnow, as he won’t go long. If not targeting the KC/CWS hitters, then feel free to go Junis or Covey, as we may not see any high K games from any pitchers tonight.
Thoughts from the FantasyAlarm Team:
Our projections have Sanchez leading the way, followed by Hill, Weaver, and Hamels. Weaver is the top value play on both FD and DK.
Top Hitting Targets:
There are plenty of other routes to take with details given in the playbook, coaches, and our other tools if wanting to look elsewhere. I provided my overall options in the playbook, with some additional thoughts below.
Five Second Cheat Sheet: No team is projected for over five runs, or under 3.5 runs tonight, leaving it wide open for hitters.
Thirty Second Cheat Sheet: The slate is best geared for GPP’s, as you are likely picking pitchers from 1-2 teams, which leaves you with only a handful of other teams to target hitters from, especially if laying off the MIA/ATL game. If off the Braves, the KC/CWS seems like the game to target, but plenty of other routes to take if not looking to target two of the worst teams in the league this year. I spoke about it in the playbook, but everyone would be all over the Pirates tonight if this was Cole pitching for Texas and surprised to see their run total so low.
Positional Thoughts:
Catcher: Salvador Pérez will likely be the best catcher to pay up for if not stacking, while Francisco Cervelli receiving the start places him as a solid mid-priced option. Rest of the options are all best used for stacking in my opinion.
First Base: Anthony Rizzo is your best option if paying up but could see another Chicago option in José Abreu being a nice, cheaper pivot. Albert Pujols is a sneaky GPP option in an Angels stack, with Max Muncy , Jesus Aguilar , and Lucas Duda other top options in their team stacks. Ryan O’Hearn went deep for his first MLB hit, and works as a cheap KC option.
Second Base: I would consider paying up for Javier Báez on DK, or his cheap teammate Ben Zobrist on FD. Jonathan Schoop and Brian Dozier are making their team debuts, while Whit Merrifield and Yoan Moncada are both in play if targeting the top projected scoring game. I mentioned a few other routes in the playbook, but second base is one best used to pair up with players from the same team already in your lineups.
Third Base: I prefer Nolan Arenado over Matt Carpenter if paying up, while David Freese is in a solid spot for cheap on FD. David Fletcher and Luis Valbuena are your cheap LAA option tonight, while other routes were given in the playbook.
Shortstop: I made the case to go with Manny Machado or Baez, who are both SS eligible on DK, as the position is weak tonight. If our ownership projections are close to correct, Paul DeJong will be crazy highly owned on FD, while plenty of cheap options are available on FD as part of team stacks that were mentioned in the playbook.
Outfield: As mentioned in the playbook, Mike Trout is priced well above the field tonight, and even worst cast, used as a “block” if playing cash games. If not on Trout, Charlie Blackmon is a solid pivot, with Starling Marte also a solid option, but more for me on FD. The rest of your options are best used depending on which teams you see blasting off, or at least have a shot of scoring some runs.
Thoughts from the FantasyAlarm Team:
Our hitting coach, James Grande, like Marte and Rizzo if paying up, with Puig and Camargo as his top mid-priced options. Parra would be his value play.
Our projections have Freeman as the top play on FD, with Rizzo squeezing above him on DK. Moncada, Baez, and Abreu round out the top five. Happ is the top FD value play, with Young Jr., and his cheap price tag leading the way on DK.
GPP’s:
If playing GPP’s, your best approach is stacking. Pick a game, or two teams that you think will blast off, then go all in on them. Yes, entering your cash lineup, or another type of lineup can cash in a GPP, but if looking to finish in the top 1%, you need to hit with a stack. Of the top options listed above, I like the homer route of a full Chicago stack, but could go plenty of routes. I do like the Rockies and Brewers combo if fading the top pitchers, or a Dodgers stack if going stars and punts.