FanDuel MLB DFS Picks and Helper: Monday 8/26/24

Our daily fantasy helper is available every day to analyze FanDuel's main slate and give you a starting point when you're building lineups.

Be sure to incorporate our MLB DFS projections -- which are powered by numberFire -- into your research process. numberFire also has the latest starting lineups and weather as well as heat maps to help you find the best matchups.

Let's check out the top options on today's main slate.

Note: All MLB odds come from FanDuel Sportsbook. All stats come from FanGraphs and Baseball Savant unless noted otherwise.

MLB DFS Picks

Pitcher Breakdown

Monday's main slate locks at 6:40 pm ET and features only one pitcher with a five-figure salary, though six carry salaries north of $9K.

That single $10K arm? That would be Zack Wheeler ($10,000) in his matchup with the Houston Astros. Wheeler's 2.73 ERA and 27.7% K% speaks for itself, and he's cracked 40 FanDuel points (FPs) in five of his last six outings. Facing an Astros roster that ranks eighth in wRC+ (110) and has the fourth-lowest K% (19.5%) against righties isn't ideal for Wheeler's upside, but he's still the highest-projected pitcher (36.4 FPs), according to our MLB DFS projections.

Wheeler figures to soak up a high roster rate tonight, so I'm fine pivoting to Bailey Ober ($9,600) in a home start against the Atlanta Braves. Ober's coming off a pair of mediocre road starts but still boasts a 3.65 SIERA and 26.3% K% for the season. He's been noticeably better at home, pitching to a 2.78 ERA with a 28% K%. The Braves, meanwhile, have taken a step back against righties over the second half of the year. Since the All-Star break, Atlanta has the sixth-highest K% (25%) and ranks 13th in wOBA (.319) against righties.

Others to Consider

• Ryan Pepiot ($8,000 at SEA)
  • Ryan Pepiot stands out as an intriguing mid-range option in a road date with the Seattle Mariners. Pepiot's hasn't missed a beat since returning from the IL, notching 31 and 37 FPs over his last two starts. His 3.81 SIERA is a strong mark for the year, but it's his 26.2% K% that makes him such an enticing value. While the Mariners are 11th in wRC+ (110) against righties since the All-Star break, they've also struck out at the fifth-highest clip (25%) over that span. It doesn't hurt that this game is at T-Mobile Park, which is the single-worst venue for hitting, per Statcast Park Factors.
• Ty Madden ($5,500 at CWS)
  • Detroit Tigers rookie Ty Madden will make his MLB debut against the Chicago White Sox, and his combination of low salary and mouth-watering matchup makes him worth a look in larger contests. Madden's ERA ballooned to 7.97 in Triple-A this year, but his 4.37 xFIP indicates things weren't all bad for the righty. His main allure is the 11.62 K/9 he posted Triple-A, and this is certainly the kind of matchup Madden could thrive in. Since the All-Star break, the White Sox have the eighth-highest K% and lowest wRC+ (75) against right-handed pitchers. Madden's 24.8-FP projection makes him the top point-per-dollar value at pitcher (4.51 FPs per $1,000).

Stacks to Targe

• Colorado Rockies (5.25 implied total)
  • The Rockies are at Coors against Edward Cabrera, a highly violate righty who's racked up a 5.25 ERA while allowing a 9.9% barrel rate. He doesn't give up a ton of fly balls (32.5%), but the venue is too good to ignore. Brenton Doyle ($3,500), Michael Toglia ($3,300), and Ezequiel Tovar ($3,200) all have an OPS north of .800 against RHP since the All-Star break. Charlie Blackmon ($3,000) and Brendan Rodgers ($2,700) both clear that mark at home for the season. There's a lot of flexibility here.
• Miami Marlins (5.25)
  • A trip to Coors on a light main slate is likely the only time you'll consider stacking Marlins this season, but here we are. The Rockies haven't officially named a starter yet, but a bullpen game wouldn't be a bad thing for Miami hitters. Colorado has the second worst reliever xFIP (4.60) and worst WHIP (1.58) in baseball. Jake Burger ($3,700) has a 1.064 OPS since the All-Star break, so he's the obvious headliner here. Otherwise, I'd consider Jesus Sanchez ($3,100), Jonah Bride ($3,100), and Connor Norby ($3,000).
• New York Yankees (5.06)
  • The Yanks get a crack at lefty Mitchell Parker tonight, so they figure to be heavily utilized on FanDuel. Parker isn't a total cakewalk, but he's not someone we should shy away from. He's pitched to a 4.27 SIERA and given up a 41.7% fly-ball rate thus far -- plus he's one start removed from giving up nine runs in just 3.0 innings. Aaron Judge ($5,200) and Juan Soto ($4,400) are the foundation of any Yankees stack while Jazz Chisholm ($3,200), Giancarlo Stanton ($3,100), and Gleyber Torres ($2,800) have all been rock-solid against lefties over the second half.

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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.