MLB

4 MLB FanDuel Studs to Target on 5/12/17

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Clayton Kershaw, P, Los Angeles Dodgers

Price: $9,800

It's always going to be a tricky spot when we have the best fantasy hurler in baseball in Clayton Kershaw pitching in the MLB's most hitter-friendly environment at Coors Field.

Vegas doesn't seem to be overly concerned that Kershaw is going to get shelled here, and the Los Angeles Dodgers are Friday's biggest favorites (-182 money line) while the Colorado Rockies' 4.09 implied total is very low for a Coors game.

Playing at Coors obviously ramps up the risk in playing Kershaw, but his price tag has also plummeted to reflect that, and a safe floor isn't the only reason we're so quick to jam in Kershaw. His strikeout upside really sets him apart, and that's not something he loses at Coors.

The Rockies' 25.1% strikeout rate against southpaws is the third-highest mark in the majors, and while Kershaw doesn't quite live up to the marks (30.0%-plus) he's posted in each of the last three seasons, it's still 28.0% so far in 2017. Unsurprisingly, we project him for the highest strikeout total among today's pitchers.

His depressed price tag goes a long way towards making up for the additional risk, and his upside is strong enough that Kershaw is once again my top pitching option on the slate.