3 MLB FanDuel Studs to Target for Tuesday 8/15/23

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 today's main slate.

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

Zack Wheeler, P, Philadelphia Phillies ($10,800)

Philadelphia Phillies star Zack Wheeler is the stud pitcher to target on today's slate. The 33-year-old has been heating up over the summer and has pitched to a strong 2.45 ERA over his last four starts. The Phillies have been letting him air it out, too; he's pitched at least six innings in all but one start since the beginning of July.

Any way you slice it, Wheeler's been one of the best pitchers in all of Major League Baseball this year. His 3.44 skill-interactive ERA (SIERA) ranks seventh in the league while his 6.20 K/BB ratio is the third-best mark among qualifying starters. The daily projections at numberFire like that about Wheeler, whose projected 36.3 FanDuel points lead all players on today's slate.

The Toronto Blue Jays won't be any easy opponent for Wheeler to dispatch, but he's more than capable of shutting down their offense. numberFire projects Wheeler to give up 2.6 ER over 6.1 innings while spinning 7.1 strikeouts in a game where the Phillies have a 53.8% win probability.

Matt Olson, 1B, Atlanta Braves ($4,500)

Few players have had a hotter bat than Atlanta Braves first baseman Matt Olson this summer. His 43 homers, 107 RBI, and .621 SLG all lead the majors this season, but once the calendar changed over to July, he found an extra gear. His 208 weighted runs created plus (wRC+) lead the majors in that time, during which he's slugged an insane .737 rate.

Olson gets a juicy matchup today against the New York Yankees and struggling former ace Luis Severino. When he's at his best, Severino has been a Cy Young contender. Unfortunately, he has not been at his best this season. His 8.06 ERA would be the worst among starters in the league if it qualified, and he's giving up a less-than-ideal 1.885 WHIP on the season. He's having a rough go of it.

Olson should be able to capitalize on Severino's struggles amidst his hot streak; take the guy hitting home runs at the highest rate right now, and start him against a pitcher currently allowing 2.5 homers per nine innings.

He is projected to put up 15.3 FanDuel points this evening, the third-most of any hitter on the slate.

Mookie Betts, 2B/SS/OF, Los Angeles Dodgers ($4,400)

There have been a lot of exciting narratives to follow along to this summer, so it's understandable that Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts' season is flying a bit under the radar. He's quietly on pace on to set his own personal home run record for the second straight season after notching 35 a season ago. He's been consistently producing all year with his 184 wRC+, ranking fifth in the league, and his .968 OPS ranks sixth in baseball. For what it's worth, that OPS mark is his highest rate since his MVP campaign (2018).

He and the Dodgers will kick off a series against Adrian Houser of the Milwaukee Brewers this evening. Houser has had an up-and-down season so far -- something illustrated in his past five starts. One week, he'll shut down the fiery Braves while striking out 10. In his next start, he gave up six earned runs in four innings before the Brewers called curtains for him. His 4.66 SIERA would be close to a bottom-12 mark if he had pitched enough innings to qualify.

The Dodgers have the third-highest implied total (5.20 runs) on the slate today, and Betts has yet again been one of the best batters in baseball. His $4,400 salary on FanDuel is near the top of the market, but his skillset, positional variety, and strong matchup make him worth targeting.

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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.