Hitting on value plays in MLB DFS on FanDuel can make or break a lineup on any given day, but locking in strong performances with some of baseball's star players provides the backbone for any good DFS lineup.

These stars rightly come with high salaries as they usually live up to expectations and have the ability to outclass their peers at their position.

Here are three studs to target for Monday's main slate.

All advanced statistics come from FanGraphs. All projections via numberFire.

Luis Castillo, SP, Seattle Mariners ($10,700)

Luis Castillo of the Seattle Mariners is still mowing down opposing hitters in his seventh season at the major league level. With 2023 being his first full year in the American League, Castillo is striking out 18.4% more hitters compared to his issued walks -- a career-best clip.

Castillo is set for a road game tonight against the Chicago White Sox. He is currently pitching well enough to land within the top-10 in Ks this season (166). Considering that he is facing a ChiSox side that strikes out (8.81 times per game in 2023) more than league average, Castillo has potential to pour on the points in this one.

numbeFire's model projects Castillo to produce 37.0 FanDuel points Monday on the Southside; no player has a higher predicted number tonight. Additionally, the game projections at numberFire show just a 3.80 run total for Chicago, which is the second-fewest total of the 20 clubs in action.

Ronald Acuna Jr., OF, Atlanta Braves ($4,800)

Ronald Acuna is having a campaign of historic proportions for the Atlanta Braves.

Acuna has been dominant all around the diamond, which is why FanDuel Sportsbook has opened an individual market for him to win (-360) or not win (+260) the 2023 National League MVP award. For tonight, he is set for a date with the rival New York Mets and their southpaw hurler David Peterson, who is allowing a career-worst 1.65 WHIP this year.

On Monday, Acuna is expected to net 17.9 points on FanDuel, according to numberFire. Not only is that tops among tonight's outfielders, but it is best of any hitter regardless of position. It's worth mentioning Acuna does have one career homer and three RBI off Peterson in 15 head-to-head at-bats.

As alluded to, Acuna has been everywhere in 2023. Not only is his .986 OPS thoroughly impressive, but he has also swiped 56 bases to lead all of baseball. He has eight separate games this year with multiple steals, including a single contest with three swipes.

A noticable improvement for Acuna this season is his reduction in strikeouts. Right now, he is going down on strikes in only 12.3% of his plate appearances. His next-best yearly clip in that department is 23.6%. Simply, he has done well to keep himself and Atlanta in productive situations.

Corey Seager, SS, Texas Rangers ($4,400)

Playing in the lineup daily again, Corey Seager has essentially not skipped a beat through any of his injuries this year. In 2023, he leads the mashing Texas Rangers in OPS at 1.071. Despite missing just over 40 games, he is also second on the competitive club in both doubles (33) and home runs (23) right now.

Seager and the Rangers will head to the desert for a two-game series with Arizona Diamondbacks. Slade Cecconi is the probable starter on Monday for Arizona. The rookie right-hander shows a 5.14 SIERA through 3 career games. He faces a potent Rangers lineup (highest run total projection at numberFire tonight with 5.82) in a hitter-friendly Chase Field, elevated at 1,100-feet. As a former member of the NL West, Seager has a .959 OPS from 43 games playing in downtown Phoenix.

In tonight's interleague clash against the "Serpientes," numberFire's projection has Seager at 15.5 points on FanDuel DFS, which is the best figure among all infielders. Additionally, he has smashed right-handed pitching for a slugging percentage of .693 this year.

The 2020 World Series MVP should be able to feast off Arizona's rookie hurler on Monday night, which has high boom potential in this Texas lineup. Keep in mind: the Rangers' run differential of +185 currently paces the American League by a fair margin.

Looking to build some MLB DFS lineups? Check out FanDuel’s daily fantasy baseball lobby to see all the offerings for today’s slates.

The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.