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
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

DraftKings Daily Fantasy Baseball Picks (10/21/21): MLB DFS Lineups

The top daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings on 10/21/21. Mike Marteny's MLB DFS analysis and sleepers for building optimal DFS rosters.

The Braves are in L.A. for a chance to play their way into the World Series. They took a commanding 3-1 series lead at Chavez Ravine last night on the back of Eddie Rosario. The ALCS is on a travel day, so we shift into showdown mode for tonight's tilt at Dodger Stadium.

For showdown mode, we pick one captain who costs 1.5x his normal salary, but he also scored 1.5x the points. We must have at least one player from each team and relievers are fair game if you think you have a bead on which relievers will be used. That can make a huge difference here.

This article will provide you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings on 10/21/2021. The lineup will range from some of the elite players to mid-priced options and value plays. You can also check out today's FanDuel MLB DFS lineup picks and read more DFS advice and lineup picks for other sports too. It’s also important to monitor injury news and today's MLB starting lineups. If you have any questions or comments, contact me on Twitter.

Featured Promo! Save 30% on any Premium Pass using discount code NEW. Win more with our DFS, Betting and Season-Long Pass, get expert tools and advice from proven winners! GAIN ACCESS

 

DraftKings DFS Captain Options

Max Fried ($16,500)

If you don't want to lose the game, start the guy that doesn't lose. Fried hasn't lost a game since July 28. His ERA in that span is a microscopic 1.58. Fried wasn't his sharpest in Game 1, but he still only allowed two runs in six innings. A start like that might not be enough to win, but it will certainly keep his team in the running to book a trip to the World Series and let them watch how the A.L. plays out with a few days off. That's a powerful motivator.

Austin Riley ($12,600)

Riley had two hits, including a homer, and two RBI in Game 1 with Corey Knebel starting. The Dodgers, facing elimination, may decide to try and get Max Scherzer out there with their backs against the wall. If they do, he's a solid captain pick and I would shy away from Braves hitters in the captain slot as well. As it stands now though, a Dodgers hitter seems really risky at captain against Fried. I will have a Brave in the captain slot unless the Dodgers change the starting pitcher.

Other Options: Ozzie Albies ($13,200), Will Smith ($14,700), David Price ($10,200)

 

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 RealTalkRaph on DraftKings - join in on the winning!

 

DraftKings DFS Utility Options

Along with the others I consider for captain, these can be good utility plays as well.

Corey Seager ($9,200)

I don't like Seager against Fried, which is why most wont use him. However, Seager has two homers in the series. He has been one of the few bright spots for the Dodgers. It's a tough sell to pay this much of a guy who is really only going to get one or two at-bats where he has a real chance to succeed. This has been a good series for Seager though, and it can separate your lineups in GPP formats.

A.J. Pollock ($7,800)

Pollock drove in both Dodgers runs last night and doubled and scored off of Fried in Game 1. If you plan on going after Fried with Dodgers righties, Pollock should probably be your first pick. Mookie is nice for the steals, but Pollock's upside is almost as high at a fraction of the price.

Joc Pederson ($6,600)

Joc has remained hot against his former team, piling up five hits with a homer and four RBI in this series so far. His homer came in Game 2, but he still had a single in Game 1. If the Dodgers stick to the plan and run David Price out of the pen as the long reliever, that diminishes my interest in Joc a little, but his first at bat is still coming against Knebel. I really like Joc for the value here tonight.

Eddie Rosario ($5,000)

Rosario hit two homers and drove in four last night. He now has 80 DraftKings points in the four games of this series, which is by far the most on either side. I don't really mind running him at captain either if you want all the bats. This is one puzzle the Dodgers have failed to solve in this series.

Other Options: Mookie Betts ($10,600), Chris Taylor ($8,000), Travis d'Arnaud ($6,200), Will Smith ($4,000), Kenley Jansen ($4,000)

 



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
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Movsar Evloev

Edges Out Lerone Murphy
CFB

Notre Dame Ranks No. 1 in Returning Production for 2026
Michael Aswell

Jr. Drops Decision At UFC London
Michael Aswell

Luke Riley Outclasses Michael Aswell Jr.
DeVonta Smith

Wide Range of Possible Outcomes for DeVonta Smith in 2026
Woody Marks

to Serve as Backup in Sophomore Season?
Puka Nacua

Extension for Puka Nacua isn't Expected Soon
Sam Patterson

Suffers Unanimous-Decision Loss
Michael Page

Wins Lackluster Decision
Austen Lane

Suffers First-Round TKO Loss
Joshua Dobbs

Patriots Planning to Release Joshua Dobbs
Spencer Strider

to Start the Season on Injured List
Iwo Baraniewski

Delivers 28-Second TKO
Lawson Crouse

Picks Up Three Points in Overtime Win
Jahmyr Gibbs

in Line for a Career Workload
Filip Forsberg

Takes Predators Past Blackhawks
Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Becomes Highest-Paid Wide Receiver in NFL History
Alex Ovechkin

Scores 1,000th Career Goal
NFL

Eli Stowers' Athleticism Should Not be Overshadowed
Nate Schmidt

Exits Early Due to Illness
NFL

Kenyon Sadiq's Low Production at Odds with His Elite Athleticism
Matt Grzelcyk

to Miss Four-Game Road Trip
Mikko Rantanen

to Return to Full Practice
NFL

Carnell Tate Part of a Loaded Ohio State Rookie Class
A.J. Greer

Handed a Three-Game Suspension
Stephon Castle

Iffy for Monday
Bennedict Mathurin

Remains Out Monday
Isaiah Collier

Still Sidelined Monday
Kyle Kuzma

Iffy for Monday Vs. Clippers
Pascal Siakam

May Miss Monday's Game Vs. Orlando
John Collins

Expected to be Available Monday Vs. Bucks
Tristan Vukcevic

Exits Early With Back Tightness
Jonathan Taylor

Still Headlines Colts Backfield
Troy Terry

Wins it for Anahiem
Tyler Reddick

Overcomes Adversity for Fourth Victory of the Season At Darlington
Brad Keselowski

Falls Short of Darlington Victory Despite Domination
Ryan Blaney

Recovers From Pit-Road Struggles to Score Career-Best Darlington Finish
Carson Hocevar

Rallies to Finish Fourth at Darlington
Kyle Larson

Decent Performance Ends with Technical Issues At Darlington
Ilya Sorokin

Earns Shutout Over Columbus
Jalen Coker

Clock Ticking on Jalen Coker's Buy-Low Window?
DJ Moore

an Appealing Dynasty Target After Trade to Bills?
Keon Coleman

Falling Out of Favor Despite Head-Coaching Change?
George Pickens

Is George Pickens' Rumored Holdout a Concern for Dynasty Managers?
Derrick Henry

Continues to Face Minimal Competition
Bobby Portis

is Cleared for Monday's Game
Jarquez Hunter

Not Close to Having Fantasy Relevance?
Kawhi Leonard

Holds Questionable Tag for Monday
Danny Wolf

Suffers Ankle Injury on Sunday
Killian Hayes

Exits in First Half
Nique Clifford

Exits Early on Sunday
Royce O'Neale

is Ruled Out on Sunday
Kevin Porter Jr.

to Miss Third Straight Game
Collin Murray-Boyles

Remains Out Sunday
Jalen Johnson

Could Miss Second Straight Game
Joel Embiid

Remains Sidelined Monday
Grayson Allen

to Miss Fourth Straight Game
Naz Reid

Back in Action Sunday
Josh Hart

Good to Go Sunday
Jaylen Brown

Available Sunday Against Timberwolves
Ethen Frank

Sustains Lower-Body Injury Sunday
Grayson Rodriguez

to Open Season on Injured List
Brett Pesce

Questionable to Return This Season
Stefan Noesen

Done for the Season
Yan Kuznetsov

Misses Fourth Consecutive Game Sunday
Connor Zary

Out Sunday
Mike Trout

Returns on Sunday
Anthony Duclair

Misses Sunday's Game
Ryan Pulock

Unavailable Sunday
Nick Lodolo

Exits Early With a Blister
Dontayvion Wicks

Still Buried in Crowded Receiver Room?
Feleipe Franks

Panthers Signing Feleipe Franks
Cameron Jordan

Linked to the Chiefs
Chris Rodriguez Jr.

No Clear Frontrunner Between Chris Rodriguez Jr. and Bhayshul Tuten?
Green Bay Packers

Packers Expected to Draft a Running Back?
Jeremy Peña

Astros Not Ruling Out Jeremy Pena for Opening Day
Cristopher Sánchez

Phillies Sign Cristopher Sanchez to a Six-Year Extension
Tyler Reddick

the Clear Favorite at Darlington
Kyle Stowers

Placed on Injured List with Hamstring Strain
Kyle Larson

a High-Risk, High-Reward Driver at Darlington
Ryan Blaney

Is Getting Better at Darlington
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Not Slowing Down at Darlington
Chris Buescher

Should be a Top-10 Contender at Darlington
Austin Cindric

a Sleeper at Darlington
Erik Jones

Quickest in Practice at Darlington
Morgan Geekie

Records Three Assists Against Red Wings
Steven Stamkos

Notches Three Points in Win Over Golden Knights
Cole Caufield

Records Career-High Five Points in Saturday's Win
Denny Hamlin

Qualifies Ninth for this Week's Cup Race at Darlington
Chase Briscoe

Is One of the Top DFS Options of the Week for Darlington
Nikita Kucherov

Takes Over Scoring Lead With Four-Point Effort
Tyler Tucker

Out Week-to-Week
William Byron

Is William Byron A Playable DFS Option for Darlington Lineups?
Christopher Bell

Could Christopher Bell be Considered A Decent DFS Option for Darlington?
Chase Elliott

Is Chase Elliott Worth Rostering At Darlington This Week For DFS?
Joey Logano

May Not Have the Speed to Warrant A Darlington DFS Lineup Spot
Ross Chastain

Should DFS Players Trust Ross Chastain at Darlington?
Kyle Busch

Could Kyle Busch Be A Worthy DFS Option for Darlington?
Brad Keselowski

May be A Contriarian DFS Tournament Option At Darlington
Seiya Suzuki

Won't be Ready for Opening Day
Gleyber Torres

Clear to Return on Monday
Konnor Griffin

Assigned to Minor-League Camp
Gleyber Torres

Scratched From Lineup on Saturday With Lower-Back Tightness
Tanner Bibee

to Take the Ball on Opening Day
Logan Webb

to Start on Opening Day for Giants
Cristopher Sánchez

Cristopher Sanchez to Start on Opening Day for Phillies
Chris Sale

Braves Name Chris Sale as Their Opening Day Starter
Kyle Stowers

Leaves Friday's Game With Hamstring Tightness
Jasson Domínguez

Jasson Dominguez Optioned to Triple-A
Jacob Misiorowski

Named Opening Day Starter
Mike Trout

X-Rays Come Back Negative on Mike Trout's Hand
Dylan Crews

Optioned to Triple-A Rochester
Lerone Murphy

Set For UFC London Main Event
Movsar Evloev

Looks To Remain Unbeaten
Michael Aswell

Jr. An Underdog At UFC London
Luke Riley

Set For UFC London Co-Main Event
Joe Ryan

Named Opening Day Starter for Twins
Sam Patterson

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Michael Page

Set For Welterweight Bout
Austen Lane

In Dire Need Of Victory
Iwo Baraniewski

A Favorite At UFC London
Akshay Bhatia

Withdraws From Valspar Championship
CFB

Alberto Mendoza Drawing Positive Reviews at Georgia Tech
CFB

Anthony Colandrea Impressing in Nebraska's Spring Practices
J.J. Spaun

Offers Upside Despite Poor Course History at Innisbrook
Aaron Rai

Looks to Bounce Back at Valspar Championship
Johnny Keefer

Brings Ball-Striking Upside to Valspar Championship
Billy Horschel

a Volatile Play at Valspar Championship
Ben Griffin

Looks to Rebound at the Valspar Championship
Corey Conners

Brings Elite Ball-Striking to Valspar Championship
Xander Schauffele

Trending In The Right Direction For Valspar Championship
Sahith Theegala

Has Shot to Challenge at Valspar Championship
Mackenzie Hughes

Looking to Bounce Back at Valspar Championship
Nicolai Hojgaard

Finding Rhythm For Valspar Championship
Matt Fitzpatrick

Continues Hot Start to 2026 Heading to Valspar Championship
Pierceson Coody

Heads to Valspar Championship Following Two Missed Cuts
Wyndham Clark

Searching for Momentum at Valspar Championship
Justin Thomas

Is Justin Thomas Back Ahead of This Week's Valspar Championship?
Jordan Spieth

to Bounce Back at Favored Valspar Championship?
Brooks Koepka

is Starting to Find His Groove Again Ahead of Valspar Championship
Viktor Hovland

is One of The Best DFS Plays at Innesbrook
Rasmus Hojgaard

to Get Back on Track at Valspar Championship
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF