X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

DraftKings, FanDuel Daily Fantasy Baseball Picks (8/17/23): Today's Top MLB DFS Lineups

Paul Goldschmidt - Fantasy Baseball Rankings, MLB Injury News, DFS Picks

The top daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on August 17, 2023. Mike's MLB DFS analysis and sleepers for building optimal DFS rosters.

We have a light Thursday to begin with, then it's chopped aside from that. The two early games are fairly boring for DFS purposes, but I know you'll still play just like I will. The early is fairly simple. Stack Boston and Seattle, run Kirby and Sale. You can get creative and try to run Corbin, but he's risky. Pablo Reyes might be my favorite play on the entire slate.

Now that is out of the way, let's turn the focus to the evening. This article contains my picks for the four-game main slate on Thursday, August 17, 2023, for both DraftKings and FanDuel, which locks at 7:15 PM ET. There is a chance of rain in Cleveland, so keep watch there. The other three games look good to go.

The lineup picks will range from some elite high-priced players to mid-priced options and value plays. I'll give you a few of my top pitching options and then some infielders, outfielders, and teams to stack. You can also read more DFS advice and lineup picks for other sports here. It's also essential to monitor injury news and today's MLB starting lineups.

Featured Promo: Get any DFS Premium Bundle for for 30% off using code NEW! Win more with expert advice from proven winners and exclusive DFS tools. Get instant access to RotoBaller's Lineup Optimizers, Research Stations, daily picks and VIP chat rooms across 10 sports! Go Premium, Win More!

 

DraftKings, FanDuel Pitchers - MLB DFS Lineup Picks

Tarik Skubal, DET at CLE ($7,200 DK, $8,900 FD)

Look...I want all the bats tonight and I think $11,000 a Gallen is too much to pay for a pitcher that only has three quality starts in a row. In cash games, it's hard to get away from Gallen on a slate this small, but in GPPs, it's worth a try.

It's not that Skubal is without risk. He has not pitched well on the road at all this year. However, Cleveland is hitting just .223 in August and only has five homers in 13 games. For this price, it's worth the risk considering the bats we can use with him.

Xzavion Curry, CLE vs. DET ($5,300 DK, $6,900 FD)

Curry lacks strikeout upside (he only has 46 punchouts in 69 innings) so I likely won't go this low on FD. However, Curry is a decent SP2 on DK if you decide to pay up at one spot. Curry got knocked around by the Rays his last time out, but the overall numbers are still good and he has a 2.65 ERA in 34 innings at home. He's not going to break a slate, but he shouldn't ruin our lineups either. Considering the volatile state of pitching in August, something can be said for that.

Others to consider: Lance Lynn ($9,400 DK, $9,400 FD) vs. MIL

 

Want more MLB DFS tools and content? Our MLB Premium package includes our daily DFS Cheat Sheets, Research Station, Optimizer, and access to our Premium Slack Chatrooms, where members can chat with our MLB analysts. Check out this recent big win from RotoBaller's Jon Anderson on DraftKings - join in on the winning!

 

DraftKings, FanDuel Infielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks

Paul Goldschmidt - 1B, STL vs. NYM ($5,800 DK, $3,600 FD)

There are tomato cans all over this slate, so we could have a hard time packing in all of the BvP stars on this slate. Goldy should be the top priority though. He has destroyed Jose Quintana throughout his career. Goldy is 11-for-17 (.647) with three doubles and three homers off of the soft-tossing lefty all-time. Goldschmidt also has a modest four-game hitting streak going in which he has seven hits, four walks, two doubles, a homer, three RBI, and three runs scored. He even added a stolen base for good measure.

Jeff McNeil - 2B, NYM at STL ($3,700 DK, $2,700 FD)

I usually have Mookie Betts at 2B every chance I can get, but I might make an exception here. McNeil is starting to show signs of life with a .316 average over his last 10 games with three walks, seven runs, a homer, and four RBI. Hey...it's the Mets. Four RBI in 10 games is strong numbers on that team. At any rate, Adam Wainwright is making Patrick Corbin's 2021 season look like Pedro Martinez in 1999. The Mutts are my friend for one night.

Nolan Arenado - 3B, STL vs. NYM ($5,500 DK, $3,500 FD)

My Cardinals exposure will likely end with the infield. Jose Quintana has revitalized his career by being a world-class troll when DFS players stack against him. Quintana's numbers over the last two years are strong, but it's a strong bet that Goldy or Arenado will hit a home run off of him. The current Cardinals roster has five career homers against Quintana in just 58 at-bats. Goldy and Arenado have all of them. 

 

DraftKings, FanDuel Outfielders - MLB DFS Lineup Picks

Christian Yelich - OF, MIL at LAD ($5,300 DK, $3,800 FD)

Yelich is only 3-for-15 in his career against Lance Lynn, but two of those hits have left the yard. Yelich saw his seven-game hit streak come to an end last night, but it was against Clayton Kershaw. Give him a break. I have no issues running him against Lynn tonight, but Yelich might be my only exposure to the Brewers. Lynn has a 2.00 ERA in three starts with the Dodgers after a disastrous first four months on the South Side.

Kerry Carpenter - OF, DET at CLE ($3,900 DK, $3,000 FD)

Carpenter homered against last night, which was his fourth in the last five games. Overall, Carpenter has a 12-game hitting streak with five homers, seven RBI, and 12 runs in that span. There are few hotter hitters in the league right now and Carpenter is value priced on both sites. Get different elsewhere. I'm riding Carpenter until he bucks me off.

Jason Heyward - OF, LAD vs. MIL ($2,700 DK, $2,500 FD)

I'm not lining up to run Dodgers at Corbin Burnes, but their lefties are too cheap to just ignore completely...especially on a slate where we need value. Heyward is the only current member of the Dodgers with a homer against Burnes in 66 at-bats. That's a pretty healthy sample size and a good reason to take one shot at Burnesie. 

 

DraftKings, FanDuel MLB DFS Stacks

New York Mets vs. Adam Wainwright

Wainwright's 8.78 ERA would be the worst in major-league history by nearly a run if the season ended today. He somehow managed to worsen his ERA last week in the I-70 series when the Royals tagged him for eight runs in just one inning at The K on Friday. On the bright side, he should be well rested...

Favorite pieces: Pete Alonso, McNeil, Francisco Lindor, Brandon Nimmo, DJ Stewart

Also consider: Detroit Tigers vs. Xzavion Curry

If you aren't running Curry as your value pitcher, it makes sense to go after him since many will use him for value. The Tigers aren't nearly as bad as they were even a month ago. There's (DFS) gold in that there lineup!

Favorite pieces: Carpenter, Riley Greene, Zach McKinstry, Spencer Torkelson

Sneaky Stack: Cleveland Guardians vs. Tarik Skubal

Skubal might have the highest ownership of the night, so it makes sense to go after him in a large-field GPP. He's far from invincible and I mentioned his road woes earlier in the piece. I wouldn't full-stack Cleveland, but one or two of the right pieces could put your lineup over the top.

Favorite pieces: Jose Ramirez, Gabriel Arias, Myles Straw



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy baseball app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, sleepers, prospects & more. All free!




MLB DFS News and Injury Alerts


More DFS Lineup Picks and Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Russell Wilson

Will Be Giants Starting Quarterback
Max Muncy

With A Pair Of Doubles Back At Triple-A
Michael Lorenzen

Tosses Quality Start
Kansas City Chiefs

Chiefs Close Out The First Round With Josh Simmons
Philadelphia Eagles

Eagles Trade Up One Spot In First Round To Select Jihaad Campbell
A.J. Puk

Likely To Miss Multiple Months
Marquis Grissom Jr.

Notches Fifth Save At Double-A
Buffalo Bills

Bills Address Secondary And Take Maxwell Hairston With 30th Overall Pick
Félix Bautista

Felix Bautista Records Third Save
NFL

Eagles, Chiefs Swap First-Round Picks
Washington Commanders

Josh Conerly Jr. Goes At No. 29 Overall To Commanders

Giants Trade Up For Jaxson Dart At No. 25
Detroit Lions

Tyleik Williams Taken By Lions At No. 28 Overall
Shane Smith

Tosses Five Shutout Frames
Roman Anthony

With Home Run No. 5 On Thursday
Baltimore Ravens

Ravens Go With Malaki Starks At No. 27 Overall In NFL Draft
Minnesota Vikings

Minnesota Takes Donovan Jackson No. 24 Overall
NFL

Rams Trade The 26th Pick In The 2025 NFL Draft To The Falcons
Andrés Muñoz

Andres Munoz Secures Ninth Save
Atlanta Falcons

Falcons Trade Back Into First Round To Draft James Pearce Jr. At No. 26 Overall

Matthew Golden Selected No. 23 Overall By Green Bay
NFL

Texans Trade The 25th Pick In The 2025 NFL Draft To The Giants
Jakob Marsee

Up To 18 Steals At Triple-A

Omarion Hampton Taken No. 22 Overall By Chargers
Pittsburgh Steelers

Pittsburgh Selects Derrick Harmon At No. 21 Overall
Denver Broncos

Broncos Build Secondary By Selecting Jahdae Barron At No. 20

Buccaneers Add Emeka Egbuka At No. 19
Seattle Seahawks

Seahawks Select Grey Zabel At No. 18
Cincinnati Bengals

Bengals Take Shemar Stewart 17th Overall
Atlanta Falcons

Falcons Select Jalon Walker At 15th Overall
Jeff McNeil

Activated From Injured List
Brett Baty

Optioned To Minors
Zack Gelof

To Begin Rehab Assignment Next Week
Ryan Walker

Remains Giants Closer
Kumar Rocker

Heads To Injured List
Brent Rooker

Resting For First Time This Season
Jrue Holiday

Tagged As Questionable For Friday
Jayson Tatum

Likely Out Again On Friday
Isaiah Stewart

Remains Out For Game 3
Anthony Cirelli

Good To Go Thursday
Andrei Vasilevskiy

Looks To Bounce Back In Game 2
Rasmus Ristolainen

To Miss Training Camp
Jonas Siegenthaler

Returns To Practice
Aliaksei Protas

Traveling With Capitals
Gabriel Vilardi

Still Out On Thursday
Max Pacioretty

Set To Join Maple Leafs Lineup For Game 3
Bryan Woo

Picks Up Third Win, Strikes Out Eight On Thursday
Cade Cavalli

Moving Rehab Assignment To Double-A
Paul DeJong

Having Surgery On His Nose
Royce Lewis

Starting His Rehab Assignment On Friday
Tyler O'Neill

Out On Thursday With Sore Neck
Cole Ragans

Pulled Early On Thursday With Groin Tightness
Linus Ullmark

Attempts To Overcome Playoff Struggles Thursday
Anthony Cirelli

A Game-Time Call Thursday
Logan Thompson

Comes Up Big In Game 2
Connor McMichael

Strikes Twice In Wednesday's Win
Anze Kopitar

Tallies Four Points In Game 2 Victory
Adrian Kempe

Notches Two Goals, Two Assists In Wednesday's Win
Tyler Seguin

Gives Stars Series Lead With Overtime Winner
Gabriel Landeskog

Delivers Six Hits In First Game Since 2022
Tyler Herro

Scores Game-High 33 Points In Wednesday's Loss
Donovan Mitchell

Fires In 30 Points In Game 2 Win
Paolo Banchero

Notches 32 Points In Game 2 Loss
Jaylen Brown

Posts 36-Point Double-Double Wednesday
Jalen Green

Erupts For 38 Points In Game 2 Victory
Brandin Podziemski

Limited To 14 Minutes Wednesday
Jimmy Butler III

Set For MRI Thursday
Brandin Podziemski

Upgraded To Available
Cam Davis

Looking For Better Fortunes At TPC Louisiana
Michael Porter Jr.

Listed As Questionable For Game 3
Adam Svensson

Making Third Apperence At Zurich Classic
Davion Mitchell

Moves Into Starting Lineup Wednesday
Brandin Podziemski

Picks Up Questionable Tag
Al Horford

Starts Game 2
Michael Porter Jr.

Practices On Wednesday
Jayson Tatum

Out On Wednesday
Isaiah Stewart

May Miss Another Game Thursday
NYI

Cal Clutterbuck Announces Retirement
Pavel Zacha

Recovering From Small Procedure
Nikolaj Ehlers

To Miss At Least Two More Games
Miro Heiskanen

Still Out On Wednesday
John Klingberg

Enters Oilers Lineup For Game 2
Evander Kane

To Make Season Debut Wednesday Night
Jaren Jackson Jr.

Posts Team-High 26 Points In Tuesday's Loss
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Notches 27 Points Despite Poor Shooting
Max Greyserman

Aiming For Similar Success At TPC Louisiana
Pascal Siakam

Scores Team-High 24 Points In Game 2 Win
Lee Hodges

A High-Upside Player In New Orleans
PGA

Nico Echavarria Looks To Ride Off Of Elite Putting In New Orleans
Gary Woodland

A Player Worth Watching In New Orleans
Max McGreevy

Returns To The Zurich Classic Of New Orleans
Rasmus Hojgaard

In Search Of Consistency Ahead Of Zurich Classic
Sam Stevens

A Boom-Or-Bust Candidate In New Orleans
Nicolai Hojgaard

Looking To Turn Season Around At Zurich Classic
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

Looks To Sway A Hot Putter In Teams Favor At Zurich Classic
Akshay Bhatia

Looking To Bounce Back At TPC Louisiana
Carson Young

Looks To Turn Things Around At TPC Louisiana
Erik Van Rooyen

Looking For Momentum In Louisiana
Andrew Novak

Making Start At TPC Louisiana After Near Miss At Harbour Town
Ben Griffin

Making Third Career Start At Zurich Classic
Taylor Moore

Competing With A New Teammate In New Orleans
Wyndham Clark

Making Return To New Orleans
Kurt Kitayama

Teeing It Up Again In New Orleans
Collin Morikawa

Back At Zurich Classic For Fifth Time
Thomas Detry

Making Third Appearance At New Orleans Team Event
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF