April 17, 2016

Barry Leonard Jr. highlights the top daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for 4/17/16. These are the top value and sleeper plays for your DraftKings MLB DFS lineups.

It will be another busy day around MLB today, as every team will once again be in action. Games will start in the early afternoon, with a historic rivalry finishing off the day in primetime when the Giants face the Dodgers. 

Several teams get very favorable matchups today in hitter-friendly parks, meaning that several top options will make good plays on offense. As for pitchers, a few big names will be on the bump with some good matchups. 

In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy baseball MLB lineup picks for DraftKings on 4/17/16. The DFS lineup picks will range from high-priced to low-priced options and identify options who will out-perform their expectations, including sleepers and value plays on DraftKings.

DFS Lineup Stacks to Target on DraftKings

Washington Nationals vs. Charlie Morton (RHP)

The Nationals were suggested as a stack on Saturday, and they put up eight runs on the Phillies. Sunday's starter, Charlie Morton, likely won't fare much better than his teammates. His ERA is 5.23 in two starts this season and today he'll have to pitch to a very potent Washington lineup. Bryce Harper and Wilson Ramos both have been successful against the right-hander in their careers. Daniel Murphy is also a strong play once again.

Cleveland Indians vs. Steven Matz (LHP)

Cleveland has put up 12 runs against the Mets in the first two games of the weekend. Jason Kipnis, Mike Napoli and Francisco Lindor have all been hitting well. Today they will face the lefty Steven Matz, who lasted just 1.2 innings in his first start of the season. He gave up six hits and seven earned runs in a very rough outing against the Marlins. Today's matchup looks like a good one for the Cleveland hitters.

DFS Starting Pitchers to Consider on DraftKings

Masahiro Tanaka, SEA at NYY - $10,300

Tanaka has two no-decisions so far this season after failing to get to the sixth inning in both contests. Still, he makes for a good play today at home against Seattle. He's been able to keep the ball on the ground for the most part and has given up just one homer while striking out 10. Of the Mariner hitters that he's faced Tanaka carries an ERA of 1.28. Kyle Seager, who's hit two home runs against him, could present the only major problem in the lineup.

Jose Quintana, CWS at TB - $9,200

Quintana has pitched 11.2 innings this season, striking out 11 and giving up just three runs. He's had a very solid start to the season and heads into today's game against the Rays with a lot of momentum. Tampa has been starting to hit better as of late, but Chicago has been good on the road so far, and Quintana is pitching well at the moment. I like him as a very strong DFS play today.

DFS Infielders to Consider on DraftKings

Catcher (C)

Stephen Vogt, KC at OAK   - $3,300

A price tag near $3,000 and two home runs in the last two games- that sounds like someone worth taking a shot on. The catcher started the season slow, but he appears to be heating up a bit now. Finding value at catcher can be a key to being successful in MLB daily leagues. Feel confident in using Vogt as your catcher today.

First Base (1B)

Chris Davis, BAL at TEX - $3,900

Like a lot of the Orioles, Davis has been crushing the ball to start the season. Sure, his average is still low, but that's typical of the slugger. For DFS purposes, he's a good lineup selection given his ability to knock one out of the park and pick up RBI in just one swing. He's already had a good weekend against his former team, so take a chance that it will continue today.

Second Base (2B)

Ryan Goins, TOR at BOS - $2,900

Goins has definitely been inconsistent this year, but he's shown flashes of someone who can be useful in fantasy baseball on a matchup basis. He had the day off Saturday, so should be rested up for today. He gets a matchup with Steven Wright today and carries a lifetime .400 against the lefty. Goins presents a risk, but both his ownership and sub-$3,000 price tag, making him a solid sleeper play.

Shortstop (SS)

Francisco Lindor, NYM at CLE - $3,800

The Cleveland shortstop has gotten off to a good start and has been putting up numbers worthy of making him a DFS selection. As mentioned above, the Indians get a favorable matchup with Steven Matz. Make sure you use Lindor as your shortstop today.

Third Base (3B)

Josh Donaldson, TOR at BOS - $5,400

Donaldson collected two hits Saturday and has just one game so far this season in which he failed to register at least one hit. The slugging third baseman has been blazing to start the yearend has a career .333 average against today's starter. He'll give your salary cap a hit, but Donaldson has certainly been worth the price this season.

DFS Outfielders to Consider on DraftKings

Jeremy Hazelbaker, STL vs. CIN - $3,600

His hot start has to end sometime soon right? Well, although he's hitless against the Reds this weekend, he's still been hot at the plate. He's been hitting at a ridiculous rate and has been a great fantasy producer. He showed good power during his time in Triple-A last season,. Hazelbaker's production has been great for fantasy baseball, but it can cause problem for DFS lineups. A player with a salary hovering around $4,000 who can produce at a great rate, will likely carry a high ownership number in daily formats. Still, he makes for a great play today.

Bryce Harper, WSH at PHI - $5,000

The Washington slugger was on this list Saturday, but deserves to say on it again. He gets another favorable matchup in Philadelphia today. He's been the best fantasy producer so far this season, hence his salary north of $5,000. There are plenty of value picks available today, making it easier to afford Harper's bat.

Hyun Soo Kim, BAL at TEX- $3,300

Kim's roster spot with the Orioles was a bit controversial considering his dreadful spring. However, when given the chance to play this past week he fared well. He has hit at the bottom of the Baltimore lineup, but has excellent sleeper potential in a hitter-friendly park. His price is low and worth taking a chance on. He's had limited playing time thus far, but with an afternoon game following a night game, Kim could find himself in the lineup to spell one of the regulars. Just be sure to check his status before selecting him for your lineup.

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