MLB

3 Under-the-Radar MLB FanDuel Plays for Friday 9/24/21

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.

Logan Gilbert, P, Seattle Mariners ($8,200)

A loaded 14-game has plenty of options but a few that could be going overlooked.

There are six pitchers who are $9,000 or more tonight, and they are some of the most consistent options you can find in MLB DFS. However, we also have Coors Field on this slate, and if you want to pay up for some of those hitters, you need a bit of salary relief. This is where Logan Gilbert comes into the conversation; he has a great matchup versus the Los Angeles Angels.

Gilbert is carrying a 26.3% strikeout rate, a 5.0% walk rate, a 3.72 SIERA, and a 52.6% medium-contact rate this season. He has allowed three earned runs or fewer in six of his last ten starts and that is something he can replicate versus the Angels.

Speaking of the Angels, they come in with a 97 wRC+ (14th in the league), a .167 ISO (13th), a 24.9% strikeout rate (6th), a 31.6% hard-contact rate (22nd), and a 35.2% fly-ball rate (20th) versus right-handed pitchers this season. They aren't a good offensive team, and Gilbert should be able to handle them tonight.

Austin Meadows, OF, Tampa Bay Rays ($3,100)

How popular are the Tampa Bay Rays going to be tonight?

We have a loaded 14-game slate that also features Coors Field, so we could certainly see some teams fly under the radar. That is perfect for tournaments. The Rays are going up against Edward Cabrera, who is struggling in his first year in MLB. He comes in with a 6.23 xFIP, 3.38 HR/9, a 14.6% walk rate, and a 39.4% hard-contact rate versus left-handed hitters. This could be a blow-up spot for the Rays' offense tonight.

Austin Meadows is a very viable option tonight with a 140 wRC+, a .292 ISO, a 10.9% walk rate, a 54.0% fly-ball rate, and a 36.1% hard-contact rate versus right-handed pitchers. That massive fly ball rate puts him in a spot to hit a home run against Cabrera, who has gifted his fair share of dingers to opposing lefties.

Adolis Garcia, OF, Texas Rangers ($3,400)

Adolis Garcia is a boom or bust play.

Garcia has shown tremendous power in his rookie season, but he is also carrying a 34.6% strikeout rate versus left-handed pitchers. He's a young hitter, so that is expected, but his .205 ISO, 42.4% fly-ball rate, and 43.2% hard-contact rate in this split have him looking like a seasoned home-run hitter. That is what we could be seeing from him tonight versus Alexander Wells.

Wells is allowing a massive .303 ISO, a 6.99 xFIP, 3.32 HR/9, a 45.5% fly-ball rate, a 38.6% hard-contact rate, and a 20.0% HR/FB ratio versus right-handed hitters this season. Add in a positive hitting environment in Baltimore and we could be seeing multiple home runs from the Texas Rangers tonight.