3 MLB FanDuel Studs to Target on Friday 8/27/21

Just like in other sports, the focal point of your daily fantasy baseball lineups will be your high-salary studs. These guys take up by far the biggest chunk of your cap space, but they also offer the highest ceiling. And in the case of pitchers, the high-salary options typically come with the highest floors, too.

For hitters, we're looking for guys with big numbers, strong matchups, and with players around them that are likely to produce well, too, increasing our chances for runs and RBI. For pitchers, we want big strikeout numbers, while the ability to go deep in a game and pick up a win is also valuable.

With your high-salary picks playing such a big role in your lineup, you need to be right on these guys, so let's take a look at a few top-end options you can count on to anchor your lineup today.

Gerrit Cole, P, New York Yankees ($11,200)

Friday brings us a full main slate, leaving us with a plethora of roster choices to consider. After revving up those engines for a big start following a COVID-19 break, Gerrit Cole makes for a good choice this evening.

Cole's opponent, the Oakland Athletics, aren't the easiest of matchups. Over the last month, they have been a middle-of-the-pack offense with a .313 wOBA and 20.1% strikeout rate. They don't offer a lot of strikeout juice.

However, Cole ain't your ordinary arm. He's logged a 34.3% strikeout rate on the season to go with a microscopic 5.4% walk rate. He's at the top of our projections and is a guy I'll be locking in.

Brandon Lowe, 2B/OF, Tampa Bay Rays ($3,900)

There's definitely some folks on some heaters, and we gotta add Brandon Lowe to that mix right now.

Now up to 30 dingers on the season, the Tampa Bay Rays' second baseman has been absolutely sizzling at the dish, posting a massive 166 wRC+ at the plate so far in the second half. I guess that'll play.

Oh and the opponent tonight? It's Matt Harvey, who has allowed 1.43 homers per nine this season and owns a woeful 17.1% strikeout rate.

The Rays should mash -- weather permitting -- and Lowe figures to be a big part of it.

J.D Martinez, OF, Boston Red Sox ($3,800)

It's very easy to reconcile in your brain that platoon splits don't matter. But when it's J.D. Martinez against a lefty, they matter.

Let's look at some short and long term splits. This season, he boasts a strong 107 wRC+ with the platoon advantage, and for his career, he's logged a 151 wRC+ and gaudy .953 OPS in the split.

Logan Allen of the Cleveland Indians has been walloped this year. In 22 2/3 MLB innings, he's allowed an absurd 3.57 dingers per nine with a 13.9% strikeout rate, and his minor-league numbers aren't good, either.

Martinez can certainly take full advantage. Expect him to be a heavily rostered player, but he is chalk worth swallowing.

Matt Kupferle is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Matt Kupferle also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username MKupferle. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in his articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.