May 21, 2017

Barry Leonard's DraftKings analysis and advice. The top MLB DFS lineup picks on for 5/22/17, as well as a couple of sleepers for daily fantasy baseball rosters.

It's the start of a new week and a time to either keep the winning going from the weekend, or try to start fresh by cashing in some DraftKings contests. There is a small slate, with just nine games scheduled, so the player pool is drastically smaller than usual. The weather looks good for the most part, but the game in Baltimore could be affected by rain, so check the radar before setting your lineup. 

In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings on 5/22/17. 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 @barryleonardjr.

DFS Lineup Stacks to Target on DraftKings

Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Miguel Gonzalez (RHP)

Miguel Gonzalez enters Monday's contest with after allowing five earned runs in back-to-back games. He's struggled to a 3-4 record this year with an ERA of 4.29. The Diamondbacks have been a good stacking option much of the year, and Monday is no different. Start your lineup with the likes Jake Lamb and David Peralta and go from there. Although he's a righty, Paul Goldschmidt has been killing the ball and is always a good option.

Baltimore Orioles vs. Adam Wilk (LHP)

The Orioles are in a great spot Monday with a home matchup against Minnesota's Adam Wilk. The lefty made just one start with the Mets this year before being traded to the Twins in early May. He's appeared in just two games this season and has an ERA of 9.00. In his first appearance with Minnesota he came in from the bullpen and allowed two runs in three and one-third innings. Right-handers have hit .400 with three home runs off of him, so target guys like Adam Jones, Trey Mancini, and Welington Castillo.

DFS Starting Pitchers to Consider on DraftKings

Michael Pineda, NYY vs. KC ($10,500)

The Yankees are the top hitting team in the league, and the Royals are the worst, so it makes since to go with the New York starter. Michael Pineda has given up three runs in each of his last two starts, but that should only help to keep his ownership down, which is exactly what you want in tournament play. Pineda has a record of 4-2 and an ERA of 3.42 and has the luxury of some great offensive support. It's a bit of a crapshoot at starting pitcher Monday outside of the top two, so spend the money with Pineda.

Zack Greinke, ARI vs. CHW ($12,000)

Sure, this one is expensive, but on a day that's lacking attractive pitching options, it's not wise to pass on Zack Greinke. Despite allowing four runs in his last start, the righty still has solid numbers this year with a record of 5-2 and an ERA of 3.09. Greinke has 19 strikeouts in his last two games, proving that he's still capable of racking up K's at a high rate. Helping Greinke today is the fact that his team make for a good stacking option, so take the veteran pitcher and expect a win.

DFS Infielders to Consider on DraftKings

Catcher (C)

Tony Wolters, COL at PHI ($2,800)

Despite a season average of .313 and an average of six fantasy points a game, Tony Wolters has a price tag under $3,000. He had the day off Sunday should be ready to go Monday against the Phillies. He has struggled over the last week with a .167 average, but that should only help to keep his ownership down. Wolters will draw a favorable matchup with a righty on the mound, as he has hit .333 this season against right-handed pitchers.

First Base (1B)

John Jaso, PIT vs. ATL ($3,000)

This pick will simply save you some cap space in order to afford the expensive pitchers. However, despite his ugly .176 season average, Pittsburgh's John Jaso could actually be a smart play Monday since he'll be overlooked by many. He's riding a three-game hit streak and all it will take is just a hit or two for him to reach his value.

Second Base (2B)

Scooter Gennett, CIN vs. CLE ($3,300)

Value is the name of the game Monday, and Scooter Gennett fits that perfectly. He isn't always in the lineup, but he's averaging five fantasy points a game when he does play. He struck out in a pinch-hit appearance Sunday, but racked up two hits and two runs Saturday. The left-handed Gennett has hit .315 this season off of righties this season, making him a sneaky play for daily lineups.

Shortstop (SS)

Brandon Crawford, SF at CHI ($3,300)

Brandon Crawford has a value price but is still capable of providing at least six fantasy points a game. He homered Sunday and hit nearly .400 over the past week. Choosing the two most expensive pitchers will force you to find a lot of value elsewhere. Crawford and his current hot streak can be that value.

Third Base (3B)

David Freese, PIT at ATL ($3,200)

In sticking with cheap offensive options, don't overlook David Freese. He went hitless Sunday, but had a two-hit performance Saturday. Freese and his .263 average will get overlooked by many, so that will add to his value in tournaments. He's a risky play, but his average was over .300 just a few weeks ago, so there's some potential there for him to be a super sleeper.

DFS Outfielders to Consider on DraftKings

Corey Dickerson, TB vs. LAA ($4,700)

Corey Dickerson has been on a hot streak recently, hitting over .429 in the past week. He is working on a streak of five consecutive two-hit games. Dickerson continues to be a very productive fantasy option, though his price has started to rise steadily. He has hit 10 of his homers off of righties this season, so Monday's matchup with JC Ramirez appears to be a good one.

Lonnie Chisenhall, CLE at CIN ($3,700)

Lonnie Chisenhall is a smart selection Monday considering that he has hit .368 over the past week and racked up at least 16 points on DraftKings in two of his three games this past weekend. Five of his six home runs this season have come against righties, so take a chance on him Monday against Scott Feldman.

Chris Herrmann, ARI vs. CHW ($3,500)

Arizona's Chris Herrmann is another cheap option that should be considered for a sleeper. Sure, he's hitting a measly .203 for the year, but luckily, yearly stats don't much matter for daily leagues. You want to look for guys on a hot streak, and that's Hermann. He has a home run in each of his last two games and an average of .308 over the last week. All four of his homers have come against righties, and that's what he'll be facing Monday.

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