MLB

3 Under-the-Radar MLB FanDuel Plays for Wednesday 9/1/21

When being contrarian in daily fantasy sports, there's a fine line between taking a calculated risk and being reckless. But differentiating your lineups from everyone else's is the name of the game if you plan on taking down one of those highly lucrative DFS tournaments. Whether it's because of bookmaker totals, other options at a given position, or some gem you've found who everyone is overlooking, we can always find potential under-rostered plays if we look hard enough.

Here are three such players to consider branching out for on FanDuel's main slate.

Kevin Gausman, P, San Francisco Giants ($9,500)

Kevin Gausman is a great pitcher, yet he could be going overlooked on tonight's 10-game slate.

Yes, Gausman with a 28.8% strikeout rate, 3.47 xFIP, and 51.2% medium-contact rate could be going overlooked tonight. And it's no fault of his own, it's simply due to the fact we have Max Scherzer, Gerrit Cole, Chris Sale, and Carlos Rodon on this slate, as well. Whew. It's a loaded pitching slate and because all of those pitchers come in with higher strikeout rates and have shown higher ceilings, it won't be a surprise if Gausman is the least rostered.

Gausman also has a solid matchup at home versus the Milwaukee Brewers, who come in with a 24.0% strikeout rate (12th in the league), 96 wRC+ (16th), .172 ISO (10th), and 36.2% fly-ball rate (17th) versus right-handed pitchers this season. The Brewers have a bit of power in their lineup, but they also strike out a lot and aren't super consistent.

This is a good spot for Gausman and makes him a solid tournament option given the other options on the slate.

Robbie Grossman, OF, Detroit Tigers ($3,200)

Robbie Grossman is in a spot to hit another home run tonight.

While I'm not looking to fully stack the Detroit Tigers by any means, looking to Grossman as a one-off is a viable option. Grossman had a home run last night, and while I don't like to chase fantasy points, he is legitimately in a good spot tonight.

Grossman comes in with a 104 wRC+, .169 ISO, and 48.4% fly-ball rate but only an 11.1% HR/FB rate versus righties this season. That 11.1% HR/FB is below the league average -- 13.5% -- versus righties this season, putting Grossman in a spot for some positive regression. A 48.4% fly-ball rate is crazy high, and you simply cannot hit that many fly balls with so few of them going for home runs.

This puts Grossman in a spot to grab a few extra home runs as the season comes to a close, and he has a matchup versus James Kaprielian to get that done. This season, Kaprielian is allowing 1.84 HR/9, a 5.59 xFIP, a 12.3% walk rate, a 46.9% fly-ball rate, and a 37.1% hard-contact rate versus left-handed hitters this season.

Wow, a pitcher who allows too many fly balls to lefties versus a hitter who can generate a ton of them. Exactly what we want to see.

Ryan Mountcastle, 1B/OF, Baltimore Orioles ($3,500)

Are the Baltimore Orioles' hitters in a good spot tonight?

Kind of. They are on the road to take on the Toronto Blue Jays, who will have Steven Matz on the mound. Matz is allowing 1.11 HR/9 and a 4.42 xFIP to righties this season. He's gotten burned by the long ball in the past and can show some inconsistencies on the mound versus right-handed hitters. Overall, Matz is a solid pitcher, which is why I said "kind of" when it comes to the Orioles tonight. I don't think the Orioles are going to break the slate by any means but searching here for a home run could be the call.

Ryan Mountcastle is a player to consider with a 134 wRC+, .264 ISO, 36.7% fly-ball rate, 35.8% hard-contact rate, and 22.5% HR/FB rate versus left-handed pitchers. The home run upside is clear for Mountcastle in this matchup versus Matz.