MLB DFS Playbook September 17: Top Plays for DraftKings and FanDuel
Published: Sep 17, 2023
Hello and welcome to the MLB DFS Playbook for September 17! We have a 10-game slate on DK and a bigger 11-gamer on FD on our hands today. We have a 1:35 pm ET start time. Make sure to check out all of our amazing MLB DFS tools as they are always worth going through before building your lineups as are the Vegas Odds. However, as I am sure you have figured out by now, the new playbook will be a one-stop shop that includes everything from easy-to-read player write-ups and suggestions to MLB Weather Reports to lineup construction tips to our best value plays for DraftKings and FanDuel. You will be given core plays around which to build your lineups, DFS stacks to consider for GPP tournaments and key statistics to help you in your DFS research. Let’s dive in!
MLB DFS Playbook September 17
MLB Weather Updates
Tampa Bay Rays vs. Baltimore Orioles (possible rain)
Minnesota Twins vs. Chicago White Sox (possible rain)
Games that appear to have a decent wind blowing out:
None.
Games that appear to have a decent wind blowing in:
None.
Recommended DFS Starting Pitchers
Top Options for Strikeouts
Brandon Woodruff, Milwaukee Brewers
Charlie Morton, Atlanta Braves
Best Odds for a Win
Brandon Woodruff (Milwaukee Brewers -272)
Framber Valdez (Houston Astros -250)
Sonny Gray (Minnesota Twins (-157)
Favorite Starters to Use for DFS Lineups
Brandon Woodruff, Milwaukee Brewers
Charlie Morton, Atlanta Braves
Carlos Rodon, New York Yankees
Recommended DFS Hitters
Highest Expected Run Totals
6.47 – San Francisco Giants (FD only)
5.69 – Colorado Rockies (FD only)
5.29 – Houston Astros
4.92 – Philadelphia Phillies
Favorite Hitters to Use for DFS Lineups
Elehuris Montero, 1B/3B, Colorado Rockies (FD only)
Ronny Mauricio, 2B/3B/SS, New York Mets
Trea Turner, SS, Philadelphia Phillies
Yordan Alvarez, OF, Houston Astros
Heston Kjerstad, OF, Baltimore Orioles
Player Pool
| $ Tier | SP | 1B | 2B | 3B | SS | OF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High |  Brandon Woodruff  $11,500 |  Pete Alonso $4,200 |  Jose Altuve $4,000 |  Austin Riley $4,000 |  Trea Turner $4,100 | Yordan Alvarez $4,100 |
| Bryce Harper $3,700 | Ozzie Albies $3,600 |  Gunnar Henderson $3,600 |  Kyle Tucker $3,800 | |||
| Medium |  Sonny Gray $9,800 |  Nathaniel Lowe $3,100 |  Jonathan India $3,400 |  Ke'Bryan Hayes $3,000 |  Ezequiel Tovar $3,200 |  Michael Conforto $3,400 |
 Jorge Polanco $3,200 |  Willy Adames $3,100 |  Michael Brantley $3,000 | ||||
| Low |  Carlos Rodón $7,900 | Spencer Horwitz $2,600 | Ronny Mauricio $2,800 | Elehuris Montero $2,900 | Andruw Monasterio $2,400 |  Evan Carter $2,700 |
| Heston Kjerstad $2,400 |
Stacks
| Astros | Jose Altuve | Yainer Diaz | Kyle Tucker | Yordan Alvarez |
 DraftKings | 6400 | 4300 | 5900 | 6200 |
| Fanduel | 4000 | 2900 | 3800 | 4100 |
| Rockies | Elehuris Montero | Brendan Rodgers | Kris Bryant |
| DraftKings | - | - | - |
| Fanduel | 2900 | 2900 | 3100 |
| Mets | Ronny Mauricio | Francisco Lindor | Pete Alonso |
| DraftKings | 3500 | 5000 | 5300 |
| Fanduel | 2800 | 3700 | 4200 |
| Brewers | William Contreras | Josh Donaldson | Willy Adames | Andruw Monasterio |
| DraftKings | 5100 | 4000 | 4400 | 3000 |
| Fanduel | 3200 | 2600 | 3100 | 2400 |
Player News
Jo Adell is not in the Angels’ starting lineup for Thursday evening’s battle against the Rangers in Arlington.
There have been no mentions of any physical issues that Adell is dealing with, so we’re assuming it’s just a regular day of rest for the 26-year-old slugger. Kyren Paris will move to center field to cover for him while Luis Rengifo slides over to second base and J.D. Davis will get an opportunity at the hot corner. For those tracking at home, that will be the fifth game in the outfield this season for Paris as he works towards eligibility there for fantasy purposes.
Christopher Morel is absent from the Rays’ starting lineup for Thursday’s tilt against the Yankees.
Morel had started each of the team’s previous 10 games, so it looks like they’re just trying to give him a breather. The 25-year-old slugger is slashing a healthy .288/.362/.404 with one homer, six RBI and a pair of stolen bases through his first 17 games on the season. Richie Palacios will start in his place in left field on Thursday night and will bat sixth against Will Warren and the Yankees.
Kyle Manzardo is not in the Guardians’ starting lineup for Thursday night’s showdown against the Orioles.
It appears to be just a routine day of rest for the 24-year-old slugger with right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano toeing the slab for the Orioles. Manzardo has slowed considerably after his strong start to the season as he’s slashing just .185/.313/.463 to go along with four homers and 11 RBI. Jose Ramirez will function as the Guardians’ designated hitter in his place on Thursday with Gabriel Arias sliding over to third base and Daniel Schneemann drawing a start at second base.
Tyler Soderstrom went 1-for-5 and blasted his league-leading ninth home run on Thursday as the Athletics clobbered the White Sox 8-0 in Chicago.
Soderstrom did his damage in the seventh inning of this one, launching a 3-2 slider from Brandon Eisert for a 374-foot (103.9 mph EV) solo shot that made it a 5-0 ballgame. It has taken the 23-year-old slugger just 19 games to match his home run output from the 2024 season where he swatted nine long balls in 213 plate appearances over 61 ballgames. He’s obviously not going to continue at this remarkable pace, but Soderstrom needs to be rostered and started in all fantasy leagues.
JJ Bleday blasted a two-run homer on Thursday, helping to power the Athletics to victory over the White Sox in Chicago.
The 27-year-old outfielder victimized White Sox’ right-hander Davis Martin with his 372-foot (104.2 mph EV) two-run shot in the sixth inning that pushed the A’s advantage to 4-0. That would be his only hit in four at-bats on the afternoon. For the season, Bleday is slashing just .227/.325/.364 with a pair of homers, 10 RBI, one stolen base and a 14/10 K/BB ratio through his first 77 plate appearances.
Lawrence Butler went 2-for-4 with a double and swatted his second home run of the season on Thursday as the Athletics shut out the White Sox in Chicago.
Butler led off the game with a double off of Davis Martin and raced around to score the game’s first run on an RBI double off the bat of Jacob Wilson. The dynamic 24-year-old outfielder then clobbered a first-pitch cutter from Martin for a 414-foot (107.0 mph EV) solo shot in the fifth inning that extended the A’s lead to 2-0. With his 2-for-5 afternoon, Butler is now slashing .296/.390/.451 to go along with a pair of homers, five RBI and four stolen bases.