After looking at all of the tools available at Fantasy Alarm, 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 up new routes to consider.  Weather looks to be an issue in in Pittsburgh and Texas.  While the game in Pitt may still play after a delay, I think the Texas game is a huge concern and will stay away from that game. Also, Rich Hill has been scratched, with Ross Stripling taking his place.

From the top of the playbook: 14-game MLB slate tonight, and the only game currently with a double digit projected run total also has the largest weather concern in the SEA/TEX game.  There is also some concern in the MIL/PIT, and both those games are very much worth monitoring leading up to lock time. The other key issue to keep an eye on is the Red Sox lineup after clinching last night. Taking away the weather concern games,  the Yankees check in with an implied run total of roughly more than a full run over the field tonight, although the A’s and their 31 runs the last two games may creep up to over five runs. Finally, please keep in mind once again that it’s the end of the season, and always best suited to play gpp’s at this time of the season.

Top Pitching 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:  It may be best to take some risks tonight, with Jacob deGrom as the non-risk play.

Thirty Second Cheat Sheet: German Marquez joins deGrom as a top priced option that is in play, and with Hill being scratched, Ross Stripling makes a good case for paying down with pitching.  C.C. Sabathia leads a Yankees team vs a porr O’s squad, but I prefer the risk/reward in the Luis Castillo vs Wei-Yin Chen matchup.

I have little issues taking deGrom or Marquez, and pairing them up with Stripling, who has struck out 22 over 17.2 innings without allowing an earned run to the Padres this year.  If doing that, you’ll have the KC/DET, BOS, and TOR bats as my preferred options for value. I really prefer gpp’s this time of the year, and both Chen and Castillo could easily hit for as many points as the top priced pitchers against teams still battling.  I also don’t mind Sean Reid-Foley as a gpp pivot off of the three options listed above. Eric Lauer is more of a risk, but don’t hat him in late night slates.

Thoughts from the Fantasy Alarm Team: Our pitching coach, Brett Talley, likes both deGrom and Marquez if paying up, while Sabathia would be his mid-priced target.  Pivetta would be his value play.

Our projections have deGrom leading the way, followed by Cole, Greinke, Sabathia, and Pivetta.  Pivetta is the top value play on FD, with Sabathia on 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: I’m off the weather concern games personally, which leaves the Yankees with the highest implied run total by a large margin.  

Thirty Second Cheat Sheet:  The Dodgers are also above five runs, but Lauer is not as bad as some of the other pitchers taking the mound tonight.  There are plenty of other teams to target tonight in nice spots, and try to pick a core group of 4-5 teams at most to build around over finding exposure to everyone.  The A’s would be my pivot off the Yankees, with the KC/DET game or TOR as my preferred value teams over most of the cheap Red Sox bats.

Positional Thoughts: Plenty of routes to take tonight, and always best to try to pair your players up from the same team if trying to decide between similar priced options.  

Catcher: Jarrod Saltalamacchia is pretty much free money on DK tonight, but could go to other cheaper options as part of team stacks.  Willians Astudillo works as a mid-value play, while other routes were listed in the playbook.

First Base: Justin Bour is a steal on FD, while Luke Voit is likely your highest owned option.  Other options are likely best suited for their teams stacks, with some routes listed in the playbook.  

Second Base:  If thinking the MIL/PIT game plays, then it’s Travis Shaw all day unless stacking elsewhere.  If thinking the game struggles to play, then there are plenty of pivots which could be led by Whit Merrifield Scooter Gennett , and José Altuve depending on your team targets.  As expected, Boston is playing mainly reserves, and 2B provides both Brandon Phillips and Tzu-Wei Lin as options tonight. My suggestion is that if you are going with Boston or Cleveland bats, shower your lineup over sprinkling it with players.  

Shortstop: Adalberto Mondesí is still my SS, but Didi Gregorius will likely be the popular option.  Amed Rosario and Paul DeJong are my top pivots, with others mentioned in the playbook.

Third Base:  Third is pretty wide open for me tonight.  If thinking Chen struggles, then it’s Eugenio Suárez over the struggling Alex Bregman for me if paying up, while Rafael Devers or Hunter Dozier work if going with their team stacks. Matt Chapman is a solid pivot off of the more popular names at third tonight.   

Outfield: Plenty of routes to go in the OF, but really stinks that Stanton is out tonight.  Aaron Judge and Andrew McCutchen now lead the way for the Yankees, while Stephen Piscotty leads a much cheaper Oakland OF for me.  Rhys Hoskins is always a homer threat, while the Brewers are more of a risk with the rain, but huge reward if it plays. Christan Stewart and Nick Castellanos work for cheap with the Tigers, but a Billy McKinney with Toronto bats could be just as popular. While J.D. Martínez is in the lineup, I strongly feel that we won’t see a full game from him.  Plenty of other routes were provided in the playbook.

Thoughts from the FantasyAlarm Team: Our hitting coach, Tom Vecchio, likes Haniger and Puig if paying up, with Springer as his mid-priced target.  Guzman would be his top value play.

Our projections have plenty of Seattle players listed at the top, but leaving them out. I left in the Brewers even though they have rain, but have less of the PPD risk in my opinion.  Pham, Carp, Shaw, Yelich, and Ohtani are your top projected scoring players, with Hamilton leading the FD value, and Calhoun leading the DK options.

GPP’s 

Most of what was written above works for gpp’s as well, although I do suggest stacking as your best chance to win a gpp.

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. I mentioned my team targets, as well as some four pack stack routes in the playbook, but I do like that KC/DET game for value with a Yankees stack.  I do like the idea of going cheap with pitching tonight, and have a few listed above and in the playbook that I mentioned.