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 Lineup Picks & Sleepers (5/21/17): MLB DFS Advice

Troy Klauder's DraftKings analysis and advice. The top MLB DFS lineup picks on for 5/21/17, as well as a couple of sleepers for daily fantasy baseball rosters.

This Sunday has a full slate of games, so it's time to build some lineups. With several different contests being offered on DraftKings, you'll have lots of different lineup options. For our purposes, the following picks have been made for contests running all day. 

In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings on 5/21/17. The DFS lineup picks will range from some of the elite players to mid-priced options and value plays on DraftKings.

You can read our FanDuel and Yahoo DFS lineup picks as well. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to hit me up on Twitter @TroyKlauder.

Featured Promo: Get any DFS Premium Bundle for for 50% off using code SUMMER! 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!

 

DFS Lineup Stacks to Target on DraftKings

St. Louis Cardinals vs. Matt Cain (RHP)

Going against Giants starer Matt Cain, the Cardinals are an excellent lineup to stack on Sunday. The 32-year-old is struggling to stay afloat in the Giants rotation with a poor 17.3% K% and an even worse 10.8% BB%. Cain's 6.42 DRA displays just how bad he really is, and the Cards are looking to have a field day against him. Jedd Gyorko, who bats cleanup and has a .977 OPS, is an outstanding play at just $4,000. Matt Carpenter and Aledmys Diaz should also get in on the action, while the hot-hitting Tommy Pham is a bargain opportunity at $3,500. Any Cardinals hitter who is in the lineup on Sunday against Cain is worth your time to consider in your lineup.

Cincinnati Reds vs. Kyle Freeland (LHP)

The Reds have quietly had an explosive offense so far this season, with a .331 team wOBA on the year. Some fantasy owners may think that Rockies starter Kyle Freeland should only be targeted when he's pitching at Coors Field, but Great American Ballpark is an outstanding offensive environment as well. Freeland has been pretty awful if you dive into his peripherals, as he's got a 14.7% K% and an 11.2% BB%. Leading off for the Reds, Billy Hamilton has a shot at a terrific day, as well as Adam Duvall and Zack Cozart. As usual, Joey Votto makes for a top elite play, and Devin Mesoraco at $3,000 is a great catcher option. Since he's got a 3.13 ERA and is on the road, many fantasy players will avoid targeting Freeland, making him a superb contrarian target.


DFS Starting Pitchers to Consider on DraftKings

Aaron Nola, PHI @ PIT - $8,300

Aaron Nola is making his return from the disabled list on Sunday to face the Pirates, and he comes at a great value on DraftKings. Nola's 4.50 ERA through his three starts isn't great, but his 21.7% K% shows the potential he has. Nola's 3.10 FIP is far more indicative of his true talent level, as Nola is a fantastic pitcher when he's healthy. It's always risky to start a guy in his first time out coming off of the disabled list, but after a successful rehab start, he should be able to make it through a full workload. He gets one of the best matchups you can ask for in the Pirates, who are 28th in wOBA against right-handers with their .291 wOBA, and are without Gregory Polanco. The start is also at PNC Park, a great spot for pitchers. For this low of a price, you can't miss out on Nola.

Zack Godley, ARI @ SD - $7,800

Diamondbacks starter Zack Godley has come out of nowhere to pitch quite well this season, putting up a 1.93 ERA in his three starts with an impressive 26.4% K%. His success should continue against the Padres, a team with a .295 wOBA versus righties, putting them at 26th in the league. After three home starts in one of the toughest parks in the league on pitchers, Godley finally gets to enjoy a road trip to Petco Park, where pitchers flourish. As it's only been three starts, DraftKings has yet to catch up on Godley's price, keeping him at just $7,800, which is incredible value for how he's pitched this year and who he will be facing on Sunday. Take advantage!

 

DFS Infielders to Consider on DraftKings

Catcher (C)

J.T. Realmuto, MIA @ LAD - $3,400

He's not a very exciting play, but Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto is a nice option at catcher on Sunday against Brandon McCarthy. McCarthy has gotten bombed in his last two starts, giving up 10 earned runs in 10 2/3 innings. Realmuto has an above-average 110 wRC+, which is especially impressive for a catcher. He's got one of the highest floors you can ask for out of a catcher and comes in at a cheap price, so consider him in your lineups.

First Base (1B)

Eric Hosmer, KC @ MIN - $3,800

Eric Hosmer enters Sunday scorching hot, with a 1.005 OPS in his last 15 games. He's made some real improvements this year, cutting his K% down to 13.8% and upping his OBP to a strong .362. Hosmer gets a cakewalk of a matchup on Sunday against Phil Hughes, who has a 5.23 ERA. Even with these factors, Hosmer's still coming in at an inexpensive $3,800.

Second Base (2B)

Jose Ramirez, CLE @ HOU - $3,800

In contrast to Hosmer, Jose Ramirez is coming into Sunday's game mired in a deep slump. However, even with his poor performance in the last few weeks, Ramirez still has remarkably good numbers on the season, with a 129 wRC+ that's actually an improvement over his 2016 season. Ramirez's bat falling ice cold might actually be a good thing for fantasy owners, as his depressed price makes him a wonderful player to target. He gets to face Joe Musgrove of the Astros, who has struggled mightily with his 4.57 ERA. Buy low on Ramirez and enjoy the benefits when he turns it back on.

Shortstop (SS)

Elvis Andrus, TEX @ DET - $3,700

While it's been a pretty normal season for Elvis Andrus from a "real-life" standpoint, the Rangers shortstop is having a standout fantasy season with five homers and seven steals. Andrus has hit lefties much better than righties throughout his career, and he gets his guy in Tigers pitcher Matt Boyd, a lefty with a 5.18 ERA this season. Andrus normally bats third against left-handers and should have a productive day on Sunday.

Third Base (3B)

Eduardo Nunez, SF @ STL - $3,700

Eduardo Nunez has been running wild in the last week with four steals, and going berserk at the plate with a 1.105 OPS. He faces off against the washed-up Adam Wainwright on Sunday, a 35-year-old with a 5.31 ERA. Since his price has yet to adjust on DraftKings, Nunez is a great play at $3,700.

 

DFS Outfielders to Consider on DraftKings

Keon Broxton, MIL @ CHC - $3,500

Keon Broxton has been lit over the past two weeks, posting an .865 OPS with two homers and four steals. Sure, Jake Arrieta is a bit of a scary matchup, but that's just going to scare off other fantasy players. Arrieta has a 5.44 ERA and it wouldn't be surprising to see his struggles continue against a tough Brewers lineup. Grab Neon Keon for some power/speed upside in your lineups.

Steven Souza Jr., TB vs. NYY - $3,600

If any hitter needs to break out of a slump, facing CC Sabathia is always a great remedy. Souza still has good numbers on the year, with a 122 wRC+, and he has more than doubled his walk rate to 13.3%. Sabathia, his opposition, has a 4.93 ERA, and shouldn't be much trouble for Souza. Earlier in the year, it would have been hard to imagine Souza being this cheap, so cash in while you can.

Melky Cabrera, CHW @ SEA - $3,800

Batting out of the White Sox two-hole, Melky Cabrera is a quality play on Sunday against Mariners starter Chase De Jong. De Jong has been absolute garbage in his 24 1/3 major league innings, posting a 7.40 ERA with as many walks as he has strikeouts. Melk-man will get lots of run and RBI opportunities out of the second spot in the Chicago lineup.

 

DFS Premium Tools & Research

Get a free trial of our powerful MLB Premium Tools. Our famous DFS Optimizer & Lineup Generator, daily Matchup Ratings, expert DFS Lineups/Cheat Sheets, and more.

Win more. Try the most advanced lineup optimizer in daily fantasy baseball.

Sign Up Now!

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

Anthony Santander

Hoping to Hit Soon
Luis Robert Jr.

Returning in Short Order
Alex Bregman

Could Return Later This Week
Ketel Marte

Day-to-Day with Groin Tightness
Ty Gibbs

Finishes Second at Chicago and Advances in In-Season Challenge
Alex Bowman

Defeats Bubba Wallace in In-Season Challenge, but Not Without Controversy
Alex Bowman

Bubba Wallace Wrecked by Alex Bowman Again, Putting Playoffs in Doubt
Michael McDowell

Throttle Failure Ends Michael McDowell's Chances to Win at Chicago
Austin Hill

Earns First NASCAR Cup Series Top Ten at Chicago
Tyler Reddick

Scores a Strong Third-Place Run at Chicago
Kyle Busch

Matches his Best Career Finish At Chicago on Sunday
Denny Hamlin

Fights his Way to a Top-5 Finish at Chicago
William Byron

has his Worst Weekend of the Season at Chicago
Hunter Greene

Suffers Setback on Monday
Philadelphia 76ers

Kyle Lowry Staying With 76ers
Kyle Anderson

Lands in Utah
Kevin Love

Traded to Jazz in 3-Team Swap
Norman Powell

Traded to Miami
John Collins

Dealt to Clippers
J.J. Spaun

Finishes Tied For 14 at Travelers Championship
Xander Schauffele

Finishes Tied For 61 at Travelers Championship
Collin Morikawa

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Robert MacIntyre

Finishes Tied For 17 at Travelers Championship
Si Woo Kim

Finishes Tied For 11 at John Deere Classic
Viktor Hovland

Withdraws From Travelers Championship
Tommy Fleetwood

Finishes Tied For Second at Travelers Championship
Brian Campbell

Wins John Deere Classic
Bronny James Jr.

Scores 10 Points
Harrison Ingram

Limited on Sunday
Golden State Warriors

Isaiah Mobley Drops 16 Points
Ryan Rollins

Staying with Bucks
T.J. Watt

Pittsburgh Still Not Close on New Contract
Terry McLaurin

Still Not Pleased with Contract Situation
Sonny Milano

on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp
Yu Darvish

to Make Season Debut on Monday
MLB

Nationals Fire Dave Martinez, Mike Rizzo
Jakub Dobes

Signs Two-Year Deal with Canadiens
KaVontae Turpin

Arrested on Two Charges
Cole Ragans

to Begin Throwing on Monday
Theo Johnson

Prioritizing his Health this Offseason
Andrés Giménez

Andres Gimenez Hits 10-Day Injured List
Jermaine Burton

Continues to Show Growth
NHL

Hendrix Lapierre Signs One-Year Deal with Capitals
Carson Hocevar

Should DFS Players Consider Carson Hocevar for Chicago Lineups?
Tye Kartye

Kraken Re-Sign Tye Kartye for Two Years
Ross Chastain

May be A Decent DFS Option for Chicago Lineups
Dmitri Voronkov

Signs Two-Year, $8.35 Million Extension with Blue Jackets
Ryan Preece

Should DFS Players Roster Ryan Preece at Chicago?
Austin Dillon

Is Too Great of A Risk to Add to Chicago Lineups
Zane Smith

Is A Value Play Worth Rostering At Chicago
Austin Hill

is A Favorable Value Option for Chicago DFS Lineups
Ty Dillon

Is Ty Dillon A Decent Driver to Add For NASCAR DFS At Chicago?
William Byron

Qualifying Crash Makes William Byron a Likely DFS Must-Have
Alex Bowman

Should Finish Well, but Probably Costs Too Much for Serious DFS Consideration
Joey Logano

Has Been Relatively Mediocre on Road Courses Lately
Ryan Blaney

Doesn't Really Fit Neatly into Optimal DFS Lineups
Austin Cindric

Remains an Overrated Road Racer
Cam Ward

"Not Expecting" to be handed Starting Job
Chase Claypool

Eager to Get Back on the Field
Wyatt Langford

Activated, Playing on Saturday
Jay Huff

on the Move to Indiana
Cam Whitmore

Wizards Acquire Cam Whitmore from the Rockets
LaJohntay Wester

Stands out on Special Teams
Clarke Schmidt

Likely to Undergo Tommy John Surgery
Nolan Arenado

Scratched from Saturday's Lineup
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Starting on Saturday
Corbin Carroll

Activated from 10-Day Injured List
Cincinnati Bengals

Shemar Stewart, Bengals Continue Contract Talks, No Progress Made
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Potential Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade may not Happen Until "August, September"
Ha-Seong Kim

Removed Early During Season Debut
ARI

Christian Fischer Retires From NHL at 28
NHL

Spencer Martin Moves to Russia
WAS

Anthony Beauvillier Re-Signs With Capitals for Two Years
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Sitting Out With Foot Issue
Isaiah Neyor

Impresses at Minicamp
Jock Landale

Waived by Rockets
Bo Bichette

Back in Blue Jays Lineup
Jonas Valančiūnas

Jonas Valanciunas Considering Returning to Europe
Miles Sanders

Works With Starters During Mandatory Minicamp
Jabari Walker

Signs Two-Way Deal With Sixers
Chimere Dike

Titans Could Move Chimere Dike Inside
Keandre Lambert-Smith

KeAndre Lambert-Smith not Guaranteed Roster Spot
Anthony Bradford

Working Hard to Win Back Starting Job
Byron Young

Still Improving?
Cody Simon

Jonathan Gannon has Been Impressed With Cody Simon
SirVocea Dennis

has Impressive Offseason
Trevor Penning

Could Still Have a Role in New Orleans
Jonathan Kuminga

Warriors Decline Recent Offer for Jonathan Kuminga
Moritz Wagner

Magic Agree to One-Year Deal
Clarke Schmidt

Placed on Injured List
José Soriano

Jose Soriano Throws Gem Against Braves
Robbie Ray

Earns Ninth Win in Complete Game
T.J. Watt

Likely to Reset the Edge-Rush Market
George Springer

Blasts Two Homers, Drives in Four
Bradley Beal

Suns Discussing Potential Buyout
Jaxson Hayes

Staying with the Lakers
NBA

Damian Lillard "Open" to Signing With a Team This Offseason
Pittsburgh Steelers

Omar Khan, Steelers Agree to Three-Year Contract
SJ

Sharks Claim Nick Leddy Off Waivers
SJ

Sharks Sign Dmitry Orlov to Two-Year, $13 Million Contract
CAR

Nikolaj Ehlers Joins Hurricanes on Six-Year Contract
Chau Smith-Wade

Having Stellar Offseason
Ace Bailey

Inks Rookie Contract With Jazz
COL

Brent Burns Inks One-Year Deal with Avalanche
STL

Blues Land Pius Suter on Two-Year Deal
Morgan Frost

Agrees to Two-Year Extension with Flames
WPG

Gustav Nyquist Moves to Winnipeg
Cody Glass

Devils Re-Sign Cody Glass to Two-Year Deal
PIT

Anthony Mantha Joins Penguins
Emil Heineman

Signs Two-Year Deal with Islanders
Simon Holmstrom

Re-Signs with Islanders for Two Years
UTA

Nate Schmidt Signs Three-Year Deal with Mammoth
UTA

Brandon Tanev Moves to Utah on Three-Year Contract
Bud Cauley

in Great Form Ahead of John Deere Classic
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

a Player to Avoid at John Deere Classic
Jake Knapp

Riding Momentum Ahead of John Deere Classic
PGA

Sungjae Im Looking for Consistency at John Deere Classic
Ryan Gerard

a Solid Option at John Deere Classic
Rickie Fowler

Looking to Rebound at John Deere Classic
Cameron Champ

a Volatile Option at John Deere Classic
Jackson Suber

Staying Below 70 is Key to Success for Jackson Suber
Kevin Roy

Playing Better Heading into John Deere Classic
Justin Lower

Hoping for Something Positive in Illinois
Ben Kohles

a Long Shot at John Deere Classic
Stephan Jaeger

Attempts to Stop Roller-Coaster Ride
Beau Hossler

Needs a Challenge in Illinois
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF