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
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

FanDuel MLB DFS Lineup Picks (7/22/21): Daily Fantasy Baseball Advice

Mark Strausberg highlights the top FanDuel MLB DFS lineup picks for 7/22/21, and a couple of sleepers to consider while building daily rosters.

Greetings RotoBallers! So we got ourselves an interesting pitching match-up tonight out on the Left Coast. Walker Buehler and the Dodgers will be clashing with Anthony DeSclafani and the Giants in a key divisional game.

While I am looking forward to that game as a fan, I am staying the heck away from it as DFS player. If the pitching duel lives up to its billing, most of the hitters in that game will fail to hit value. And we know there is no way both pitchers are getting a win even if they deserve it. With the W in question, neither pitcher is worth his high price-tag on FanDuel tonight.

So who do I like tonight? Read below to find, as I provide you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for the FanDuel main slate on 7/22/2021. 

Featured Promo: Get any DFS Premium Bundle for for 50% off using code SUMMER! Win more with expert advice from proven winners and exclusive DFS tools. Get instant access to RotoBaller's Lineup Optimizers, Research Stations, daily picks and VIP chat rooms across 10 sports! Go Premium, Win More!

 

FanDuel DFS Pitchers

Cash Game Pitching Option:

Sean Manaea OAK at SEA ($9,100)

I'll admit that there might be better plays than Manea for Thursday night, especially in a GPP contest. But he screams reliability and is an obvious cash-game play. For one, he's relatively affordable, thereby enabling us to skip the torturous process of deciding if he's worth his salary. And his floor is not only higher than nearly all options cheaper than him, but he probably has a higher floor than the options above him as well.

We have to go back to May 13th to find a game where he gave up more than four earned runs. And between then and now. And he has only one start in his last dozen where he gave up even that many. He has a solid 3.28 ERA for a reason, and his 1.21 WHIP is reasonable as well. But it's not just his ability to keep runs off the scoreboard. He also has 115 Ks in 109 IP or a k/9 of 9.44. Again, he brings reliability there as well as he's struck out five or more batters in his last six outings. But he even gives us a bonus ceiling, like when he struck out batters in Yankee Stadium about a month ago.

Furthermore, Seattle is one of the more pitcher-friendly parks, but some of that is probably because Seattle is not exactly the most lethal offense in the league either. They have a middle of the league 116 HRs, and the ninth fewest runs. They also have the sixth-most strikeouts. It might be boring, but I'd fire up Manea with confidence on Thursday night.

GPP Play

Zach Thompson, MIA vs SD ($9,400)

Here's where it gets interesting. There's an argument to be made for Manaea's cheaper counterpart tomorrow night, Chris Flexen. He too has a decent floor and a very similar ERA of 3.35. But I don't like Flexen's upside enough to play him in a GPP. Tanner Houck's low price and upside is tempting, but I'm not joining all the Massholes in their love-in for Houck. I want to see him go six or seven innings before I put him in my lineup. Same is true for Luis Patino, whose upside is extremely tantalizing. But even at a minuscule $5700 salary, I'm opting for something more proven. Which is why I'm spending up and grabbing Zach Thompson.

Thompson didn't pitch in the majors until about six weeks ago, making him far too unreliable as a cash game play. Heck, he wasn't even starting games in the minors over the last three years. And he's only pitched six innings in a third of his starts. But man oh man do his numbers look good! His 1.93 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and 10.61 K/9 are all a great indication of his potential upside. There are warning signs as he has been lucky with a .265 BABIP and a completely unsustainable HR/FB ratio of 3.4% To put that into perspective, Cy Young winner Justin Verlander has a career HR/FB ratio of around 9% and let's just say Thompson has a ways to go before he is Justin Verlander. And I'm talking strictly baseball, not their respective significant others choice.

Ok, so I just wanted a reason to show a little Kate Upton. Something tells me you're not complaining. Kate Upton...Mmmm....Where was I? Oh yeah, Zach Thompson. Anyway, the point is there will be some regression. But he's always had a strong K/9, he's leaving less than 70% on base, and his GB% is a solid 40%. Going up against the Padres, he'll likely be low-owned, making him a great leverage play.

 

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!

 

FanDuel DFS Infielders

Jesus Aguilar - 1B MIA vs SDP ($3000)

Because this may shock you, but I'm stacking Marlins tonight. Blake Snell has been very up and down lately, but do you realize he has only two games all year where he made it through the sixth inning? His surprisingly bad 5.21 ERA and 1.61 WHIP suddenly make sense. Aguilar meanwhile is hitting right around .270 with 17 HRs. At $3K, I'm locking in Aguilar.

Jorge Polanco - 2B/SS MIN vs LAA ($2800)

I'm going to continue to save some salary. Polanco is less than $3K, but he really shouldn't be. He has 13 HRs and eight swipes to accompany his .255 average. He's quietly been on a bit of a tear lately with nine hits in his last seven games including three HRs. He'll be facing Andrew Heaney and his 5.56 ERA. That tear is not over.

Josh Donaldson - 3B MIN vs LAA ($3100)

Okay, the gig is up, I'm stacking Twins tonight as well. Like Polanco, Donaldson has been hot lately. He's reached based in each of his last give games. He went long yesterday, giving him a pair of round-trippers in the last four days. Donaldson tends to hit his HRs in bunches, so ride him while he's hot.

Miguel Rojas - SS MIA vs SDP ($2600)

I told you I was stacking Marlins, didn't I? Rojas is nothing special. But I'll gladly take a .275 hitter at $2600 with a platoon advantage against a pitcher who is giving up a .488 SLG against right-handers. I'm grabbing Rojas for the floor and stacking purposes, but my hopes are even higher. My guess is Rojas falls somewhere in between, which will be just fine.

 

FanDuel DFS Outfielders

Jarren Duran - OF, BOS vs NYY ($2200)

Any player averaging double-digit FD fantasy points per game at just $2200 is going to have my attention. Yes, it's a limited sample size, but Duran is quite the prospect and really shouldn't be quite this low. Boston might sit him again tonight, but if he does play, I'd  insert him into your lineup. In case you missed it, he's already gone yard:

Nelson Cruz - OF, MIN vs LAA  ($3900)

I told you I was stacking Twins, you had to know this was coming, right? I don't think I need to go into too much detail on this one. Cruz is hitting .295 with 19 HRs. That could be enough. But for those of you who like BvP stats, in 14 ABs, Cruz is hitting .286 with three homers against Heaney. Just one of many reasons to start Cruz tomorrow.

Starling Marte - OF, MIA vs SDP ($3900)

But we are not done stacking Marlins either! And I would give Adam Duvall a long look too depending on your roster construction and salary demands. But I like Marte more than Duvall.

Marte is another one that has at least one hit in seven straight games. Yet unlike some of the earlier selections, Marte will be the primary culprit who will cut Snell's night short. Marte might be having one of the quietest seasons for someone hitting .294 and on pace for a potential 15/30 season. What might be most impressive however is Marte's BB% of 11.6%. That's a lot of walks. And if you put Marte in your lineup my bet is that you too will be walking but walking proud Thursday night.

Good luck with your entries!



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
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Corey Heim

Does Not Qualify for Cup Race at Chicago Street Course
LaJohntay Wester

Stands out on Special Teams
Clarke Schmidt

Likely to Undergo Tommy John Surgery
Nolan Arenado

Scratched from Saturday's Lineup
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Starting on Saturday
Corbin Carroll

Activated from 10-Day Injured List
Cincinnati Bengals

Shemar Stewart, Bengals Continue Contract Talks, No Progress Made
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Potential Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade may not Happen Until "August, September"
Ha-Seong Kim

Removed Early During Season Debut
ARI

Christian Fischer Retires From NHL at 28
NHL

Spencer Martin Moves to Russia
WAS

Anthony Beauvillier Re-Signs With Capitals for Two Years
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Sitting Out With Foot Issue
Isaiah Neyor

Impresses at Minicamp
Houston Rockets

Jock Landale Waived by Rockets
Bo Bichette

Back in Blue Jays Lineup
Jonas Valančiūnas

Jonas Valanciunas Considering Returning to Europe
Miles Sanders

Works With Starters During Mandatory Minicamp
Jabari Walker

Signs Two-Way Deal With Sixers
Chimere Dike

Titans Could Move Chimere Dike Inside
Keandre Lambert-Smith

KeAndre Lambert-Smith not Guaranteed Roster Spot
Anthony Bradford

Working Hard to Win Back Starting Job
Byron Young

Still Improving?
Cody Simon

Jonathan Gannon has Been Impressed With Cody Simon
SirVocea Dennis

has Impressive Offseason
Trevor Penning

Could Still Have a Role in New Orleans
Jonathan Kuminga

Warriors Decline Recent Offer for Jonathan Kuminga
Orlando Magic

Moritz Wagner, Magic Agree to One-Year Deal
Clarke Schmidt

Placed on Injured List
José Soriano

Jose Soriano Throws Gem Against Braves
Robbie Ray

Earns Ninth Win in Complete Game
T.J. Watt

Likely to Reset the Edge-Rush Market
George Springer

Blasts Two Homers, Drives in Four
James Wood

Goes Yard in Five-Hit Night
Bradley Beal

Suns Discussing Potential Buyout
Los Angeles Lakers

Jaxson Hayes Staying with the Lakers
NBA

Damian Lillard "Open" to Signing With a Team This Offseason
Max Muncy

Out at Least Six Weeks
Clarke Schmidt

Leaves Start with Forearm Tightness
Colson Montgomery

Promoted to the Major Leagues
Pittsburgh Steelers

Omar Khan, Steelers Agree to Three-Year Contract
Max Muncy

Goes on Injured List With Knee Bruise
Max Muncy

Out of Thursday's Lineup
James Wood

Joining Home Run Derby
SJ

Sharks Claim Nick Leddy Off Waivers
Max Scherzer

Cleared to Start on Saturday
SJ

Sharks Sign Dmitry Orlov to Two-Year, $13 Million Contract
CAR

Nikolaj Ehlers Joins Hurricanes on Six-Year Contract
Kodai Senga

Could be "in Play" to Return Before All-Star Break
Ha-Seong Kim

Rays Reinstate Ha-Seong Kim From Injured List
Chau Smith-Wade

Having Stellar Offseason
Ace Bailey

Inks Rookie Contract With Jazz
Divine Deablo

Could be the Quarterback of the Defense
Isaiah Rodgers

a Likely Starter for the Vikings
Jacob Monk

Sees Plenty of Work With Starters
Avonte Maddox

has Impressed Dan Campbell
Boston Celtics

Josh Minott Inks Deal With Celtics
Chicago Bears

Ruben Hyppolite Shows Notable Improvement
Sandro Mamukelashvili

Heading to Toronto
Daron Payne

Commanders Coaches Impressed With Daron Payne
Danny Gray

Makes Impression During Offseason Workouts
Jared McCain

Not on 76ers Summer League Roster
Dylan Harper

Unavailable for California Classic
COL

Brent Burns Inks One-Year Deal with Avalanche
STL

Blues Land Pius Suter on Two-Year Deal
Morgan Frost

Agrees to Two-Year Extension with Flames
WPG

Gustav Nyquist Moves to Winnipeg
Cody Glass

Devils Re-Sign Cody Glass to Two-Year Deal
PIT

Anthony Mantha Joins Penguins
Cleveland Cavaliers

Larry Nance Jr. Headed Back to Cavaliers
Eric Gordon

Remaining with 76ers
Los Angeles Lakers

Deandre Ayton Joining Lakers
Emil Heineman

Signs Two-Year Deal with Islanders
Simon Holmstrom

Re-Signs with Islanders for Two Years
UTA

Nate Schmidt Signs Three-Year Deal with Mammoth
UTA

Brandon Tanev Moves to Utah on Three-Year Contract
NJ

Evgenii Dadonov Joins Devils on One-Year Deal
BUF

Sabres Snap Up Alex Lyon on Two-Year Contract
Dallas Mavericks

Dante Exum Returning to Dallas
Ryan McLeod

Inks Four-Year Extension with Sabres
NAS

Predators Bring in Nick Perbix on Two-Year Deal
Jaren Jackson Jr.

Has Surgery to Repair a Turf Toe Injury
LA

Cody Ceci Moves to Los Angeles
Charlotte Hornets

Spencer Dinwiddie Lands With Charlotte
Bud Cauley

in Great Form Ahead of John Deere Classic
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

a Player to Avoid at John Deere Classic
Jake Knapp

Riding Momentum Ahead of John Deere Classic
PGA

Sungjae Im Looking for Consistency at John Deere Classic
Ryan Gerard

a Solid Option at John Deere Classic
Rickie Fowler

Looking to Rebound at John Deere Classic
Cameron Champ

a Volatile Option at John Deere Classic
Jackson Suber

Staying Below 70 is Key to Success for Jackson Suber
Kevin Roy

Playing Better Heading into John Deere Classic
Justin Lower

Hoping for Something Positive in Illinois
Ben Kohles

a Long Shot at John Deere Classic
Stephan Jaeger

Attempts to Stop Roller-Coaster Ride
Beau Hossler

Needs a Challenge in Illinois
Harry Higgs

Has Potential at John Deere Classic
Nick Dunlap

Keeps Plugging Through Tough 2025 Season
Milwaukee Bucks

Taurean Prince Staying in Milwaukee
Kevin Yu

a Near Must-Play at TPC Deere Run
PGA

J.T. Poston Returns to John Deere Classic Looking for Another High Finish
Thriston Lawrence

a Decent Fit For John Deere Classic
Tom Kim

Not Finding Much to be Happy About Ahead of John Deere Classic
Si Woo Kim

is a Prohibitive Fade at John Deere Classic
Ben Griffin

is the Appropriate Favorite at TPC Deere Run
Daniel Suarez

and Trackhouse Racing Parting Ways After 2025 Season
Ilia Topuria

Becomes The New Lightweight Champion
Charles Oliveira

Knocked Out At UFC 317
Kai Kara-France

Alexandre Pantoja Submits Kai Kara-France
Kai Kara-France

Submitted At UFC 317
Joshua Van

Extends His Win Streak
Brandon Royval

Drops Decision
Renato Moicano

Loses Back-To-Back Fights
Beneil Dariush

Gets Back In The Win Column
Felipe Lima

Suffers His First UFC Loss
Payton Talbott

Bounces Back
Alex Bowman

Competitive Run Ends With Third-Place Finish at Atlanta
Erik Jones

Secures A Top-Five Finish After Adversity In Atlanta
Tyler Reddick

Collects A New Career-Best Finish At Atlanta
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF