On Sunday we got a great DFS question in the FANation forum about how we use the FantasyAlarm tools to build our DFS lineups. Ben Scherr did a great job of answering that question, and I highly recommend you read that thread if you haven’t already. With that in mind, I thought it would be useful in this, my first MLB DFS strategy article of the year, to discuss my own process for building lineups. Before we get down to the nitty-gritty, I want to make a few notes:

  • This is my process when I play MLB DFS on days I do not write make the optimal lineups. When I make the optimal lineups I play them, and I am usually too tired or busy when I am done to even consider playing any other lineups.
  • This is my way of doing things, not necessarily the right way. Anyone who tells you there is one right way to build a lineup is lying. Ben’s advice in the forum was completely on point. Hopefully, it worked for the member who asked the question and anybody else who read it. This is what works for me. I think there is a decent chance that if you follow all or part of my process, it could work for you. That is why it is here. I am a firm believer in trying a few different things and going with whatever you enjoy the most and/or whatever gives you the best results. That is how I came to this process. It could easily change if I find something that works better.
  • I mostly do not use the optimal lineups when I do not write them. This is not a knock any anybody else. In fact, as you will see, I rely heavily on the analysis of everyone involved in our MLB DFS coverage when I create my lineups. The thing is, I enjoy creating lineups more than any other part of DFS. Using the optimal lineups, even if I make a tweak or two of my own, would largely defeat the purpose of my playing DFS. That is not to in any way discourage anyone from using the Optimals. I know a lot of people live and die by them, and that is totally fine. I would hate to think I put so much into something no one cared about. But I find other aspects of the DFS Playbook Pro more useful, so those are the things I use.

In the aforementioned question on the FANation board, Naked_Wombat mentions that between the DFS MLB Playbook, the Hitting and Pitching Coaches, Stack the Deck, the Rankings and the Optimal Lineups, it can feel like every player is getting mentioned. That is a bit of hyperbole, but the sentiment is understandable. I personally like that you get multiple voices from FantasyAlarm every day and that we don’t just rely on one person to analyze every slate. When I construct my lineups, I begin by looking at the players who are highlighted in different articles. I do this even if I wrote one of the articles. If I write Stack the Deck and I see Nick Berns’s Playbook features players I was looking to stack, I feel like I am on the right track. I usually start building my lineups around those players.

Actually, I am getting a bit ahead of myself. I often like to start with the cheapest pitcher or pitchers I feel comfortable with for the chosen format. If I’m building a cash lineup the threshold is often much higher, but the aim is the same: I’m trying to find a pitcher I feel confident in while still leaving as much money as possible for my hitters. To do this I usually start with the Playbook. If I need to narrow it down from there, I go to the pitching coach. The notes are often helpful in trying to choose between options that all sound good, and I am not above sorting by projected points or value to try to break a tie.

Once the pitchers are set and I have filled in some guys who were recommended in more than one spot, I like to find punt plays. This is a good time to look at the Daily Lineups to see if any cheap bench players are batting near the top of the lineup. That is often the best place to find punt plays, though catcher is obviously a strong possibility as well.  

If at this point I still need help rounding out my hitters I will go to the Hitting Coach, the Optimal Lineups and the DFS Rankings, in that order. I find the hitting coach especially useful because there are times I will read a note that will make me rethink a hitter I may have dismissed at first.

As the final part of my process, I ideally want to finish my lineups well before first pitch so that I can get up from my desk, maybe take my dog Millie for a walk, and clear my head a bit. Then I can go back and see if there is any last minute lineup or weather news I need to account for. I feel like I see things a bit more clearly when I can take a step back.

I hope this was helpful. If you feel like you are stuck in a rut, maybe try to incorporate some of the things listed above into your DFS routine. As always, I hope to hear from you in the comments, in the FANation forum or on Twitter. Let me know if you have any questions about this article or suggestions for what kind of strategy questions I should tackle in the future.