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The top FanDuel daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for 5/18/17 by Dan Marcus. Expert MLB DFS advice, sleepers & player recommendations for FanDuel.
The afternoon slate once again dominates this Thursday, but there's enough action in the main slate to put in a bunch of lineups and keep an eye on the box scores all day long. Offense should also be abundant with several games with a total of nine or higher and with no totals below eight. That said, let's dig in and find some values to enjoy some baseball and win some cash.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for FanDuel on 5/18/17. The DFS lineup picks will range from some of the elite players to mid-priced options, and of course, value plays.
You can read our DraftKings and Yahoo DFS lineup picks as well. If you want to contact me, send me a message on Twitter at @danmarcus3.
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Offensive Stacks
Baltimore Orioles vs Jordan Zimmermann
Zimmermann has the highest xFIP of any starting pitcher on Thursday's slate and he isn't facing a forgiving lineup with the Orioles in town. He has exhibited reverse platoon splits, which make today's slate a great day to play Manny Machado, Mark Trumbo, John Schoop, and even J.J. Hardy for some salary relief. One word of caution is to monitor the weather, as it is currently projected for the wind to be blowing in heavily, taking a bit of the shine off this stack.
FanDuel DFS Pitchers
Zach Davies - P, @ SD ($7,600)
Davies hasn’t gotten off to the best start this season as he hasn’t been able to record a single quality start. However, he has been able to use strikeouts to mask his inability to work deep into games, going over 30 points on two separate occasions. Luckily for Davies, San Diego is one of the most strikeout-prone teams to this point in the season and has just a .702 OPS against right-handed pitching.
Tanner Roark - P, @PIT ($8,200)
Tanner Roark hasn’t had the best results to start the season but, much like Davies, his matchup against the Pirates on Thursday makes him an enticing option. Based on skill, Roark is a safer play, but given the price point, Davies gets the nod as my favorite pitcher on the night.
FanDuel DFS Infielders
Gary Sanchez - C, @ KC ($3,700)
Catcher isn’t usually a position worth paying up for, but Sanchez is in a good spot on Thursday. The Yankees have been scoring plenty during their stay to Kansas City and with Sanchez batting predominantly second, he should remain a big part of any offensive production for the Yankees.
Anthony Rizzo- 1B, vs. CIN ($4,100)
Rizzo has a lefty on lefty matchup with Amir Garrett on the mound on Thursday. That hasn’t been a big problem for him this season or throughout his career, as his OPS against lefties over the past three seasons is .837. That’s better than many first baseman facing a favorable split. Still, that could be enough to scare off ownership, and with Wrigley Field heating up and the wind blowing out, he’s a nice play at a reduced price and reduced ownership.
Daniel Murphy- 2B, @PIT ($3,800)
Tyler Glasnow has had a rough start to his major league career and Daniel Murphy and the Nationals are equipped to take advantage of that. PNC Park is universally referred to as a pitchers’ park, but recent numbers indicate that it is a positive offensive environment for left-handed hitting. Bryce Harper’s cost is prohibitive, making Murphy the next best option in the Nationals lineup.
Joey Gallo - 3B, vs PHI ($3,000)
It’s time to get a piece of the Rangers’ offense, as they are favored in the highest total game on the day. Gallo is as boom-bust as it gets as he puts up plenty of games with 0 points but also plenty with 20 or more points. With Nick Pivetta on the mound and an over/under set at 10, it’s worth taking a shot on Gallo going deep and providing some nice value .
Elvis Andrus - SS, vs PHI ($2,800)
Andrus is at a very nice price point to get in on the highest game total of the day for the second time. Unlike others in this lineup, he is a great cash game play, as he has found a variety of ways to be productive for daily fantasy players this season. This is illustrated by the fact that he recently posted two consecutive 20+ point games without hitting a home run.
FanDuel DFS Outfielders
Khris Davis- OF, vs BOS ($3,100)
Khris Davis’ average isn’t ideal at .213 heading into Wednesday night but his power remains intact as he has already mashed 11 home runs in the early going. This has been backed up by a 47.3% hard contact rate. The O.Co Coliseum suppresses power, but Davis has already proven he has enough pop in his bat to overcome that. At this price, the power potential cannot be passed up.
Carlos Gonzalez- OF @ MIN ($2,900)
Gonzalez is an easy way to differentiate your lineup as he’s off to a slow start, and away from Coors. In addition, thanks to a postponement on Wednesday night, he will now face Ervin Santana, one of the hottest pitchers in the league. Gonzalez’s skills are still intact, however, as his hard-hit rate is in line or better than his recent previous seasons. He is a tournament only play, but the price and ability to differentiate a lineup are hard to pass up.
Giancarlo Stanton- OF @LAD ($3,800)
Stanton has flashed his massive power this season. Even in his down seasons he has mashed lefties, and that is the case again this year. Hyun Jin-Ryu's numbers are bloated thanks to a Coors start, but Stanton is still a must start option tonight.
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