Welcome to FanDuel Economics! This is the FanDuel MLB Lineups July 19th edition. FanDuel Economics is a daily fantasy sports column focused on FanDuel player salaries and FanDuel point-per-game (PPG) trends.
The purpose of this column is to evaluate player salary and PPG averages over a period of time to provide daily fantasy sports players with a vital tool in their lineup tool belt. Finding the best value options often leads to a big pay-day with your FanDuel MLB lineups!
We’re back to a full slate of 15 scheduled games for MLB on Tuesday. All games are in the evening. The night starts with a great one on ESPN at 7:05pm ET in Chicago, where Noah Syndergaard and the New York Mets take on Jake Arietta and the Cubs. Here’s what the FanDuel schedule of options look like to start the day:
- 7:05pm ET (Main)
- 8:15pm ET (Express)
- 9:40pm ET (Late Night)
- 10:05pm ET (After Hours)
Before we dive into the FanDuel MLB lineups for today’s value, a reminder. The point analysis provided does not include some evening and late night game results, from the night before. However, the salary analysis is as of today.
If you have any questions while filling out your FanDuel MLB lineups feel free to contact me, Matt Rogers. Now, let’s take a look at today’s FanDuel MLB value options:
Next: Value Pitchers
Value Pitchers
So far this season, we have focused on year-to-date statistics for pitchers, since they typically only pitch once per week. However, now that we’ve had more time to develop a greater body of work over the season, we’re going to move toward an every 30-day trend for pitchers, for your daily fantasy baseball lineups. We’re also looking at anyone with three or more starts within the last 30 days.
Colin Rea (8:15pm ET) had a few rough outings at times this year, but after 16 starts, he’s quietly having a decent year for the struggling San Diego Padres ball club. Rea is 5-3, with a 4.95 ERA, and 70 K’s over 87.1 innings. Those stats may not stand out, but they’re solid. What makes Colin attractive is his ridiculously cheap $5,700 salary in St. Louis against the Cardinals tonight. Yes, the Cardinals are a good team, and it’ll be difficult for Rea to win, but Colin has a 33 PPG average over the last month. That’s a 5.8X value, the highest among all pitchers, and the highest we’ve seen in a while. And with such a low salary, you can really stack up on hitters. Rea is definitely the best value option on the mound tonight.
Vincent Velasquez (7:05pm ET) had an incredible start to the season, once scoring over 80 points in a game. Unfortunately Vin has had some struggled since the first month and the half of the season, and it may have been due to nagging injuries. Velasquez visited the 15-day disabled list recently, but returned in late June. Now back and appearing healthy, Vincent appears to be climbing back into his early season form. Over the last 30 days, Velasquez averaged 45 PPG, 5th among all starting pitchers. With a reasonable $8,600 salary tonight, that’s a 5.2X value, 3rd best among all starting pitchers and the 2nd best value tonight. If you’re looking to save some money on a less risky option than Rea, Velasquez is your guy.
Next: Value Hitters - INF
Value Hitters – INF
When we look for value hitters, we typically focus on how many points each hitter is getting per $1,000 of salary you need to spend. This ratio provides an understanding of how many points you’re getting for what you paid. It’s important to consider other factors when evaluating this information, though, like how many games they played in the average PPG or how they do vs. RHP/LHP. Recently, the value range has started to level off as FanDuel adjusts salaries to players who are having hot/cold starts to the season. Lately, anyone over a 4.5X value is top 50 among your daily fantasy baseball lineups.
Stephen Vogt, C, (10:05pm ET) continues to be on fire and is the best value option at catcher tonight. Aside from Yasmani Grandal, C, (7:05pm ET), no one else even comes close. Vogt averaged 21.9 PPG over the last week, the most of all catchers. Stephen’s salary is a very reasonable $3,300 giving us a 6.6X value. If, for some reason, you don’t like Vogt, Grandal is also a very good 6.2X value on a slightly cheaper $3,200 salary. Either way, you’re in great shape. If you’d like to consider other options at catcher, here is a recent deep-dive into the catcher position.
On a seven game hitting streak, and back to crushing the ball with three home runs during the streak, Mike Napoli, 1B, (8:15pm ET) is once again a great value option at first base. Napoli is averaging 18.7 PPG over the last week, the most of any first basemen and just above Anthony Rizzo‘s 17.8 average. Mike is also cheaper than Rizzo, with a very reasonable $3,200 salary giving us a 5.8X value tonight.
Daniel Murphy, 2B, (7:05pm ET) hasn’t been playing much lately, but on Sunday he hit a 2 out, 2-2 count, home run in the bottom of the 9th in a pinch hit opportunity for the Nationals to tie the game with the Pirates. Murphy is only $3,000 tonight, likely because he’s day-to-day, but he’s an 8.1X value if he does play, the best of any second basemen by far. However, if Murph doesn’t get into the Nats lineup tonight, Jurickson Profar, 2B, (10:05pm ET) is an interesting option. When playing AL teams, like the Rangers do tonight against the Angels, Jurickson has been in the lineup. Over the last week, Profar averaged a decent 12.3 PPG. Jurickson’s salary is a very cheap $2,500 giving us a 4.9X value tonight, one of the best options.
Justin Turner, 3B, (7:05pm ET) has been up and down throughout the season, but when up he produces very well. Over the last week, Justin averaged 19.8 PPG, 4+ points than any other third basemen. Turner’s salary is a cheap $2,800 tonight making him the best value option at third base today, 7.1X. If you’d like to consider other options, take a look at a deeper-dive into the 3B position for FanDuel MLB lineups.
With a low batting average but a high 20 home runs, Marcus Semien, SS, (10:05pm ET) can be hit or miss. However, lately Semien is getting on base with singles and walks, and also stealing some bags. Over the last seven days, Semien averaged 13.3 PPG. Marcus has an incredibly low $2,200 salary tonight giving us a very good 6X value, the best at the shorstop position tonight. But for more on this position, take a look at a deeper-dive into the SS position.
Next: Value Hitters - OF
Value Hitters – OF
Eddie Rosario (7:10pm ET) had a gangbusters of a series against the Rangers, averaging 17.8 PPG over the four game series, which bled into the Cleveland Indians series before Eddie cooled off a bit. But it’s hard to ignore Rosario’s 15.4 PPG average over the last week coupled with a very cheap $2,600 salary, giving us a fantastic 5.9X value in the outfield, the best value at the position tonight.
Jarrod Dyson (8:15pm ET) has a similar make-up to Rosario tonight, sitting just below Eddie with a 5.8X value tonight. Dyson has been hot and cold this season, at times struggling to hold onto his spot in the lineup, but with so much hype around his play, he’ll likely continue to get chances as long as he produces from time to time. Jarrod’s success is more recently, hitting a triple and home run yesterday against the Cleveland Indians, while also driving in 4 RBI’s and taking a walk. With a 14.4 PPG average over the past week, and another very cheap $2,500 option, Dyson is a very interesting value play tonight.
As a Nationals fan, it was odd to watch Starling Marte (7:05pm ET) on Sunday because as a big general baseball fan he was exciting to watch in what was a somewhat boring and very long (18 innings) game. Marte was 3 for 7 with a double and the game winning home run in the 18th inning in a game with very little offense, Pirates won 2-1 over the Nats. Marte has been hot lately, averaging 18.9 PPG. Starling is a more pricey option in the outfield, with a $3,500 salary, but that’s still a very good 5.4X value, and I expect Marte to stay hot this week.
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To re-visit other recent value options for FanDuel MLB, view some of my other columns.
For additional FanDuel MLB analysis, take a look at my good friend and follow staff writer Brian Tulloch’s MLB Picks & Pivots column. Also, Mike Marteny provides Draft Kings MLB Picks analysis. Draft Kings uses a different point system and Mike does a great job of breaking down your options. Both also provide great ‘stacking’ options which I like to discuss and use as well.
Best of luck today daily fantasy baseball gamers! Make sure to check lineups as they are announced before locking in your FanDuel MLB lineups!