FanDuel MLB: Picks and Pivots for September 3
Welcome to the Saturday edition of Picks & Pivots, a daily fantasy baseball column focused on providing analysis and insights into the top FanDuel MLB lineups. The purpose of this column is to first identify key building blocks that can be used for any roster construction and then identify pivot points to help differentiate your lineup in hopes of a big payday!
Follow us on Twitter @FantasyCPR and on Facebook!
Saturday’s MLB action kicks off at 2:20PM EST with four early games on FanDuel with another 11 games on the 7:05PM EST Main Slate!
I will continue to track winning Tournament lineups and compare trends over 5 day periods to help us understand what it takes to remain profitable. I HIGHLY recommend each of you do this each morning to look back on the previous night and understand how the winning lineups are constructed in the games you participate in.
The view below tracks GPP entries over various time periods, breaking out key metrics to understand the trends and compositions of GPP winning rosters:
| Time Period | Score | Pitcher Salary | Pitcher % | Hitter % | Hitter $/Player | Value |
| Season | 255.8 | $ 8,630 | 25% | 75% | $ 3,296 | 7.31 |
| 5 Day | 237.7 | $ 8,833 | 25% | 75% | $ 3,271 | 6.79 |
| Prev Day | 251.7 | $ 10,300 | 29% | 71% | $ 3,088 | 7.19 |
Now on to the picks…For more DFS Strategy insights, check out my latest article to help take your game to the next level! I highly recommend gamers track their game performance across the various types of games they play – GPP’s, Cash, Multipliers etc – as this simple exercise will help teach you more about profitable roster construction than you can imagine.
Looking over the main slate on FanDuel we have multiple avenues to go down when choosing our starting pitcher, including paying up for Marlins stud Jose Fernandez.
Rich Hill ($8,700) is a fantastic option as he takes on the Padres as a -200 favorite against a team with one of the highest strikeout rates (24.8%). The issue with Hill is that he was scratched from his last start with a blister issue and to me there is too much risk that it will re-occur during the game and leave our rosters at a significant disadvantage.
Ivan Nova ($7,300) is a great pivot off Hill who may be overlooked in a similarly favorable match up against the Brewers. Nova has been phenomenal since his trade to the Pirates, going 4-0 with a 2.87 ERA and 0.99 WHIP and is coming off a 39 point FanDuel performance his last start out against the same Milwaukee team he will face on Saturday.
Nova is the second largest favorite on the board (-180) and takes on a Milwaukee team that tops the charts in strikeout rate at 25.8% which increases the upside for Nova at this price.
With this price point on Nova, you will have just under $3,500 per batter to spend and with a game in Coors Field we can get exposure to the highest projected offenses in addition to a high upside starting pitcher!
Next: Top Hitting Options
Coors Field: The top projected scoring on the slate is not surprisingly to be found in Coors Field and with a shorter than usual slate on Saturday night, paying up for the Coors Field bats gives you upside that will be tough to match in other games.
Braden Shipley takes the mound for Arizona and in a small sample size actually has exhibited reverse splits, which may lead Nolan Arenado ($4,500) to be over looked in a righty-righty match up. Third base is loaded on this slate and I expect many will drop down to Manny Machado against C.C. Sabathia or Jake Lamb with the platoon advantage in Coors which may lead to a lower than expected ownership for Arenado.
The Baltimore Orioles make for a great stacking option against C.C. Sabathia as Mike Marteny outlined in today’s DraftKings Picks. Adam Jones ($3,300) & JJ Hardy ($2,500) sit at reasonable price points and have some of the best BvP numbers on this slate which makes them easy plug and plays, especially Hardy at a tough to fill SS position.
Next: Top FanDuel MLB Lineup
Below you will find my initial lineup for Saturday’s Main FanDuel MLB slate including notes/comments on my roster construction.
Pitcher:More from FanSided
- Cowboys give a masterclass in defense construction with Trevon Diggs extension
- Jim Harbaugh facing 4-game suspension over NCAA violations
- Predicting NBA’s Christmas Day Schedule: Lakers, Warriors highlight slate of postseason rematches
- 3 reasons the Blazers should trade Damian Lillard to the Heat and 2 reasons they shouldn’t
- LeBron James, Giannis, Damian Lillard all want that Mbappé money
Next: DFS Strategy - Take Your Game to the Next Level
Best of luck tonight gamer’s! Make sure to review the lineups as they are announced before locking in your lineups!