The 2024 fantasy baseball season is already here which means Opening Day is right around the corner and it will soon be time for some MLB DFS. 

As with any DFS game, there are always some details that you will need to understand to get started. This article intends to put you in the right mindset so that you can be successful in playing MLB DFS from Day 1.

 

MLB DFS Playbook Pro

The MLB DFS Pro is everything you need this season to dominate your DFS contests. Each day you will get a complete MLB DFS Playbook breaking down each position while giving you top plays, values and under-the-radar options to help you build the best DFS lineup.

The MLB DFS value play article will dive deeper to find you those hidden gems to fill out your lineup so you can spend up for the elite pitching or hitting options on the day's slate.

The MLB DFS Core Plays feature will highlight the core plays at each position based off pricing tier so you can plug in and build around the narrowed-down pool of players for that evening's main slate.

Our MLB DFS Tools are second-to-none. Take advantage of our MLB DFS player projections powered by FanJections to help build your lineups. 

Utilize our brand-new MLB DFS Lineup Generator with the ability to create 150 unique lineups with the ability to export directly to your preferred DFS platform.

Having access to the MLB DFS Playbook Pro also means you have access to our premium discord where you can get your DFS lineup questions answered throughout the day leading up to roster lock.

Choose the Right MLB DFS Platform

While at some point the most important part of playing is going to be how you build your lineup, the first thing you need to understand is how the scoring works on each of the different sites. So, first thing, let's talk about the differences between the three main sites – DraftKings, FanDuel, and Yahoo.

The most glaring difference between these three sites is the usage of pitchers. DraftKings and Yahoo both have you choose two pitchers for each slate, while FanDuel only has one. The second-most important feature to understand is that DraftKings not only provides bonuses for both hitters and pitchers, but it also has more scoring categories – specifically for pitchers who can earn points for holds and saves. Meanwhile, FanDuel and Yahoo give you points for wins, innings pitched, strikeouts, etc. Now that we have that boring part out of the way, let us start getting into the other factors.

 

MLB DFS Contest Types

Before you start playing, you'll want to understand how you want to play and what kind of contests you’re going to be in. Cash games will provide you with the best odds to win, as usual, the top 40-50 percent of the lineups entered will make money. However, the winnings from these cash contests will be less than in tournaments. In cash games, you will typically want to play more conservatively, and you won’t have too much of a concern around players' ownership – as you only need to be in the top half of the contest to win. 

So, if Juan Soto, for example, is rostered by 65% of the field and you want to use him, then you’re going to be protected if he has a great game. If he doesn’t, you’re in the same boat as 65% of the field with that player and you still have a chance to win. 

In a GPP game, you will need to be willing to take more risks. In these contests, typically only a very small percentage of the entries will win. The higher you finish in the contest, though, the more money you will make. Ownership is much more meaningful in these types of contests because of the smaller chance to win. Using that same Juan Soto example: he would use up a high percentage of your salary and if he doesn't have a good game and is 65% owned, it will be very tough to win – 35% of the field didn’t have him in their lineup and potentially used that budget space on players who were successful at achieving their values.

MLB DFS Starting Pitchers 

This item may feel obvious, but that's only because it is important. You want pitchers that are playing well on your team, and you want to face pitchers that are not. Understanding the factors that could make up that pitcher's success, though, is where you start to see some differentiation. Before you pick your pitcher or pitcher for your team, you should take a look at the following things for their opposition.

  1. How often does the team strike out?
  2. How many runs has the team scored recently?
  3. What does the opposing team’s slugging percentage (SLG) look like recently (last 3-7 days)?

Asking yourself these questions, and also looking at those same questions for the pitchers themselves, should help you make an informed choice and choose a good pitcher(s) on any given slate.

MLB DFS Hitters 

Choosing the right hitters is the most important part of your process. A good lineup of hitters can help you overcome a poor pitching performance and will also ensure that you have a chance to get to the cash line. Choosing hitters, however, is difficult. Starting in the right place is essential. You will want to look at the pitcher they are facing and how well they are performing. You should also look for an advantage in the pitcher splits (i.e. how well does a batter hit right-handed pitching or left-handed pitching). 

When looking at these numbers, pay particular attention to their SLG – this indicates the total number of bases the batter is getting on average. This is important because it will tell you more of the hitters' story than just home runs or singles. Also, remember that what has happened most recently is far more important than what a batter has done overall on the season. Take players who are hitting well right now. The long MLB season is full of ups and downs and with so many stats being averages, it can really make a player look great when he really isn’t performing well over the last few days or weeks.

MLB DFS Stacks 

Your lineups should always contain at least one stack of three players in the same lineup. Preferably target hitters right next to each other in the batting order, but having a player who is one spot off is fine too. As discussed in the previous section, picking the right hitter and surrounding that player with his teammates should be something you consider. It isn’t always possible, though, because of the cost of other players. 

The other thing you want to be thinking about is where those players are in the lineup. The earlier they are in the lineup, the more at-bats – and the more at-bats, the better chances you have for that player to get you points. The size of your stacks should also differ based on the type of game you’re playing. If you’re playing cash games, you will likely want smaller stacks and fewer of them so you aren’t tying all of your success to just a couple of teams Meanwhile, in a GPP, you can be more open to playing to the limit of one team if you feel like they might score a lot of runs in the game.