3 MLB FanDuel Studs to Target on Friday 10/1/21
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 RBIs. 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.
Lance Lynn, SP, Chicago White Sox ($10,000)
We are headed for a mega-sized showdown in the American League playoffs, and the Chicago White Sox are going to lean heavily on Lance Lynn in their postseason rotation.
The 34-year-old right-hander has been outstanding this season for the South Siders -- over 152 innings pitched, we have seen typical Lynn excellence, logging a 27.6% strikeout rate and a healthy 7.1% walk rate. His 3.34 FIP is among the league's best marks as well.
Lynn's opponent, the Detroit Tigers, have been nearly a .500 baseball team after April -- their middle-of-the-pack offense ranks 16th in the last 30 days (.316), and they have a 23.3% strikeout rate that we can attack for DFS purposes. Detroit, though, has just an 84 wRC+ versus right-handed pitching since the trade deadline as well. With this likely being Lynn's final tune up prior to the playoffs, in a soft matchup, he should be in fine form for a big night.
Luis Robert, OF, Chicago White Sox ($3,600)
While teammate Lance Lynn is primed for a big night, we would be remiss to ignore the offensive side of things in that game, and Luis Robert could be ready to blast off.
First, we know that Robert is one of the league's best talents, and it helps that he now is batting second in a revved-up lineup. Over the last month, the righty has bopped six long balls, and this matchup is truly a delight. He will face veteran Wily Peralta of the Detroit Tigers -- and while he has allowed only 1.16 HR/9 this season, he's been absolutely slammed by same-sided bats, who have posted a .449 slugging percentage and 1.30 HR/9.
All of this adds up to a monster night for Robert.
Freddie Freeman, 1B, Atlanta Braves ($3,900)
Slugging first baseman Freddie Freeman has been among the league's elite hitters yet again in 2021. He's posted a .391 OBP, slugging 31 homers and scoring 119 runs this season, and he could add to those gaudy totals night.
Tylor Megill takes the mound for the Mets, and he has been absolutely blasted by lefties this season. He's allowed a .637 slugging percentage that includes 3.16 HR/9. That's right, that's not a typo -- they are truly smashing him. A 39.6% hard-hit rate against lefties does not imply that trend is going to stop in this final start of the season either.
With Atlanta locked into the NL East crown, Freeman may not play. But if he does, he makes for a great option.
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.
