Welcome to another Monday, folks. On today’s MLB slate, we’ve got 10 games in the window for DraftKings’ featured DFS contests. First pitch takes place at 7:05 p.m. as the New York Yankees host the Washington Nationals, and star-laden teams such as the New York Mets, Milwaukee Brewers, Seattle Mariners, Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Dodgers are all in action. With so many great options to choose from in the player pool, we’ve got you covered with must-start choices for Monday’s fantasy baseball contests.
Without further ado, check out these three must-start players for tonight’s MLB DFS lineups.
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $175K Knuckleball [$50K to 1st]
SP Jacob deGrom, Rangers vs. Angels; $9,300
Over the course of this season, I’ve hammered the Rangers’ pitchers names on many occasions. Their stars are some of the top fantasy contributors in the game, and tonight, Jacob deGrom comes in as the fifth-most expensive arm with a $9,300 salary. He’s one of six pitchers averaging 20+ FPPG, and while he saw a recent cold stretch, he still brings a steady floor with elite upside. A 2.76 ERA and 0.93 are some of the MLB’s best numbers, and deGrom’s struck out 148 batters in 140.1 innings. After a mini-slump, he came out and delivered five scoreless innings with just two hits allowed and five punchouts in his last contest. Tonight, deGrom takes on an Angels lineup that can hit the long-ball but often struggles to reach base otherwise at 23rd in OBP over the last month while striking out more than any other team. The equation feels elementary: positive matchup + top arm = fantasy goodies.
SS Bobby Witt Jr., Royals @ White Sox; $5,800
If you want to pay up for a stud tonight, few options bring more appeal than Bobby Witt Jr. The Royals’ offense became one of baseball’s best after the All-Star break and the team is surging at the right time with a 7-3 record across their last 10 contests. Witt Jr. plays a massive role as the clear-cut top hitter in the lineup — slashing .299/.356/.510 with 85 runs, 72 RBI and 19 homers means the shortstop averages 9.9 FPPG. He’s playing even better ball recently, too. The star infielder boasts 12.6 FPPG across his last 10 games with six double-digit dates and a pair of 20-point performances. Witt Jr. faces the White Sox and right-hander Shane Smith (4.12 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 102 SO), whose ERA sits at 5.85 over his last seven starts.
OF George Springer, Blue Jays vs. Twins; $5,100
With so many great hurlers on today’s slate, it’s a smidge difficult to avoid taking players with some intimidating matchups. However, I don’t feel particularly worried about Blue Jays outfielder George Springer, who returned from an IL stint on August 16 already in peak form again. The veteran averages 9.0 FPPG this season with that average bumped to 11.7 FPPG over his last 10 contests. With a .292/.381/.523 slash line, 74 runs, 64 RBI and 22 homers this season, the Springer resurgence has been incredibly fun. He faces Twins right-hander Joe Ryan (2.96 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 159 SO), who himself comes off a rare stinker with seven hits and five earned runs allowed in four innings. With point totals of 16, 16, 26 and 28 in four of his games since returning, Springer can still access a ceiling tonight.
