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Juan Carlos Blanco highlights the top FanDuel MLB DFS lineup picks for 9/17/21, and a couple of sleepers to consider while building daily rosters.
We're set up with a full Friday night slate, as there are no day games at all this week. There's a strong array of pitching near the top end of the salary scale as well, and although limited pitch counts for hurlers on contending teams do rear their head at times during this part of the season, we have a few arms today we should be able to trust will have a chance at a solid workload
We also have quite a few value options as far as pitchers are concerned, making it possible to put together a strong lineup with several sub-$3K plays and some superstars that will require heftier investment.
I'll be providing you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for the FanDuel main slate on 9/17/2021. Be sure to also check out all the MLB player news, including late scratches, and the projected and confirmed daily MLB lineups for each DFS slate. You can also read more DFS advice and lineup picks for sites like DraftKings, and other sports.
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FanDuel DFS Pitchers
Cash Game/GPP Anchor Play:
Zack Wheeler – at NYM ($10,700)
Wheeler has been lights out against his former squad this season, pitching to a 2-1 record, 2.15 ERA and 31:5 K:BB across three starts versus New York. The right-hander has given up a bit more on the road overall, but he actually sports a lower HR/9 when traveling (0.5) than at home (0.9). Wheeler has averaged 40.8 FD points on the season, and he'll check into Friday night's contest with back-to-back 50-plus FD-point tallies. The Mets have been relatively tough on visiting righties in the last month (.335 wOBA), but current New York bats have just a collective .143/.164/.373 slash line against Wheeler over 39 career encounters.
Potential Alternate Play
Logan Webb– vs. ATL ($9,500)
Webb has developed into one of the most dependable components of the Giants rotation this season, and he just recent scored between 40 and 52 FD points in seven straight starts before managing a solid 27 in his most recent start against the Cubs at Wrigley. The hard-throwing right-hander has been outstanding at home, however, pitching to a 5-0 mark, 1.66 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 10.4 K/9 and 0.7 HR/9 over 54.1 innings. He also blanked the Braves over seven innings in his one previous start against them this season, and Atlanta hasn't been particularly threatening to righties on the road over the last month with a .235 average, .291 OBP and .317 wOBA. Finally, consider current Braves bats own just a collective .152/.201/.152 slash line against Webb with zero extra-base hits and 11 strikeouts in 42 career encounters.
ALSO CONSIDER: Walker Buehler - at CIN ($9,900)
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FanDuel DFS Infielders
Eric Hosmer- 1B, at STL ($2,600)
Hosmer certainly shouldn't be rostered at a very high rate on a full Friday night slate, but he's an intriguing pivot for tournaments for a couple reasons Friday. The first is the matchup against Cardinals starter Miles Mikolas, who's allowed a .308 average and .359 wOBA to the 61 left-handed hitters he's faced thus far this season, and a .287 average and 12 homers in that split since the start of the 2019 campaign. Then, consider Hosmer sports a solid .329 wOBA against right-handed pitching on the road, along with a modest 16.4 percent strikeout rate and .354 OBP in that split. Finally, there's a prior body of work at play here also, as Hosmer has tagged Mikolas for a .444 average with a double and a home run in nine career encounters.
David Fletcher – 2B, vs. OAK ($2,600)
Fletcher's handiwork this season against left-handed pitching includes a .355 average and .380 OBP versus that handedness at home. The infielder hasn't been anywhere near as productive in the second half of the season as he was during a torrid All-Star-break portion of the campaign, but Fletcher is still a reliable contact hitter that also has a solid matchup against a visiting southpaw in Cole Irvin. Irvin has allowed a .281 average and .330 wOBA to right-handed hitters on the road, and a .296 average and .343 wOBA in the second half of the campaign. What's more, Fletcher has given him trouble in the past in the form of a .556 average with two doubles and zero strikeouts over 11 previous career encounters.
Justin Turner – 3B, at CIN ($3.700)
Turner has actually been a better performer on the road this season, where he sports a .295 average and .900 OPS overall, and a .382 wOBA and 144 wRC+ when facing right-handers outside Dodger Stadium. The veteran has recently snapped out of a multi-game funk with a .438 average over his last four contests, a span during which he's quickly amassed two homers and seven RBI. He'll have a shot at Luis Castillo on Friday, with the Reds right-hander having surrendered 12 of his 18 home runs on the season in same-handed matchups and having pitched to a .327 wOBA since the All-Star break.
Xander Bogaerts – SS, vs. BAL ($3,700)
Bogaerts is always under consideration against a left-hander and especially at Fenway. The veteran shortstop is enjoying another stellar campaign and has punished southpaws for a .419 wOBA and .260 ISO against left-handed pitching at home. He also has a .333 average and .434 wOBA in 24 September plate appearances, sending him into Friday's matchup with a hot bat. Meanwhile, Orioles left-hander Keegan Akin makes for a great target as well, as he's pitched to a 7.60 ERA, 1.73 WHIP and 2.2 HR/9 when traveling, and he's allowed a .310 average and .397 wOBA to right-handed hitters specifically on the road.
FanDuel DFS Outfielders
George Springer - vs. MIN ($3,900)
Springer has hit safely in five of his last six games and tagged right-handed pitching for a .907 OPS overall. He's also boasting a 1.044 OPS and .310 average in his hitter-friendly home parks this season, and he's battered right-handed pitching there for a .427 wOBA and .350 ISO there. All of those figures put him firmly in play against right-hander Michael Pineda on Friday. The veteran has been adequate this season, but he's allowed a .260 average and seven homers to right-handed hitters, and he just yielded a .327 average and .369 wOBA in August, a reminder of his vulnerability. Additionally, the gulf between his 3.11 FIP and 4.64 xFIP against right-handed hitters on the road hints at some good fortune that could run out against a hitter like Springer, who's also pounded Pineda for a .455 average with three doubles and three homers in 23 career encounters.
Bryan De La Cruz– vs. PIT ($3,300)
De La Cruz makes for an excellent right-handed bat to trot out against Pirates starter Wil Crowe, who's allowed a 7.04 ERA and 1.70 WHIP on the road, and who's given up a .327 average, 2.9 HR/9 and .417 wOBA to righty bats in that split. Meanwhile, De La Cruz has enjoyed an excellent rookie season and thrived in same-handed matchups, posting a .333 average and .836 OPS versus righties, along with a .360 wOBA. He's also been elite at LoanDepot Park, as evidenced by his .365 average and .891 OPS in his home field.
Dylan Carlson – vs. SDP ($2,700)
The switch-hitting Carlson makes for a viable value consideration for tournaments against the debuting Vince Velasquez, who's surrendered a .299 average and .391 wOBA to left-handed hitters. Carlson boasts a .298 average at home, and he's belted 10 of his 13 homers this season when hitting from the left side against righty arms. Moreover, although his average is much better against southpaws, Carlson has been a solid performer versus right-handed pitching at Busch Stadium, where he sports a .270 average, .346 OBP and .327 wOBA in that split.
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