Friday hits with a full 15-game slate seeing every team across baseball playing for the first time all season. FantasyAces offers two separate contest slates focusing on both the day and night games. FantasyAces has its own idiosyncrasies in scoring and positions, so here's a breakdown:
OPS is a great indicator of point potential under the scoring system with walks be worth just as much as singles.
Pitchers Gio Gonzalez ($6,250): Gonzalez is just another cog in the machine that is the Nationals' starting rotation. Projections have Gonzalez as being in the top 15 in strikeouts and his team is the hottest favorite on the day. Considering he's somehow not even the top priced pitcher on the day, Gonazlez is a strong start to build the rest of your lineup around. As a follower of the taking the best available pitching, and taking what I can get on the hitting side, school of thought, that's definitely what I'll be doing. Weather is a pretty big concern in Philadelphia on Friday, so make sure to stay up to date on the status of the game before locking in your lineup.
Jon Niese ($5,750): It's hard to know what to make of Atlanta's sweep of the Marlins. Excluding the Mat Latos start, which will forever be remembered in the DFS community, Atlanta only managed two runs against the Marlins. The game has the lowest over/under on the day and makes a lot of sense to fall into that category with two extremely lacking offenses. The Mets are the slight favorites, and Niese is just an all-around solid option, especially if he can get some run support.
Dan Haren ($5,650): Despite being swept in their first series of the season, the Marlins are favored against Tampa Bay in what figures to be a low scoring affair. Harren has a history of success against the Tampa Bay batters holding a .185 net OBP. He is always a risk, and run support has been a big problem, but in the confines of his home ballpark against a less than flattering Tampa Bay lineup you could do a lot worse – plus you don't have to worry about a rainout.
Catchers Wilin Rosario ($4,800): With Justin Morneau struggling and a lefty on the mound, Rosario figures to be a strong contender to draw a start at first while being eligible at catcher. He hit a home run in his only at-bat this season, so there's certainly nothing to be scared of in that department, especially in hitter-friendly Coors Field.
Yasmani Grandal ($4,300): Arizona has been a hotbed for offense so far this season and Grandal hits right in the meat of the Dodgers' lineup. Grandal is a price play with a good eye. Walks are just as valuable as singles under the Fantasy Aces scoring criteria, and Grandal is a perfect example of the type of player to exploit it.
Corner Infielders Nolan Arenado ($5,200): Another position, another Rockie. You'll find this is a familiar trend. Arenado has started the season red hot, as has the rest of the Colorado offense. A lefty on the mound Friday afternoon should be right up Arenado's alley as he looks to continue his fantastic start to the season.
Adrian Gonzalez ($5,750): It's tough to pay this much for a hitter, but did you see what Gonzalez did Wednesday night? Three home runs and an RBI single. He's started the season with a .769 average. Against a right-handed pitcher in a hitter-friendly ballpark, Gonzalez figures to punish all of those who decide not to cough up his price tag.
Pablo Sandoval ($4,900): Sandoval has been solid to start the season and holds the best matchup of the day with a 1.939 OPS through 11 career at-bats against Nathan Eovaldi. He surprisingly has walks in consecutive games, and Sandoval really climbs in potential if he continues to draw them.
Middle Infielders Troy Tulowitzki ($5,850): There's nothing creative about this; Tulo is at home against a left-handed pitcher and he's started the season hot. He's by far the most expensive option at this position (and the all-out most expensive player in the early slate), but he's simply worth it.
Danny Santana ($4,550): Santana bats leadoff, which means maximum at bats, and owns a very healthy 1.071 career OPS against opposing pitcher Hector Noesi. This figures to be one of the higher scoring affairs of the day and Santana should be right in the midst of it.
Howie Kendrick ($4,700): Kendrick has the privilege of batting behind Jimmy Rollins, Yasiel Puig and Adrien Gonzalez. With a .417 average to start the season and entering in a hitter-friendly ballpark, Kendrick will look to continue his line of success. He has some base stealing upside too, in a very stackable Dodger middle of the order.
Outfielders Drew Stubbs ($4,350): Stubbs has missed out on the lineup so far this season, but against a lefty he has past success against, he seems a strong candidate to draw in. Stubbs is a very high strikeout risk, which is a negative, but he has enough power and base-stealing ability to deserve a look if he does play. Oh, and this is a Rockies game at home, so runs will be scored (can you smell a stack?).
Delmon Young ($4,000): The price is right if Young is in the starting lineup against a pitcher he has a career .420 average against in 50 at-bats. Young could be slotted in either the outfield or DH, where he played Opening Day. Young is on this Orioles team for matchups like this when he has such a history of success.
Alex Rios ($4,700): Rios is a great example of diversification. He's started the season with a very good .417 batting average and a home run, and he has a 1.152 OPS career against Hector Santiago. Rios also has a great affability for steals, already swiping two through the first two games of the season.
Designated Hitter Fantasy Aces list DHs as just that, and the only way to incorporate them into your lineup is through the utility spot.
Victor Martinez ($5,250): Martinez has been very modest to start his season, but draws a fantastic matchup against Zach McAllister, who he holds a fantastic .500 batting average and 1.415 OPS against in 18 at-bats.
The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. Alex Spalding plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: FanDuel: ajump08, DraftKings: ajump08.
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Alex splits his expertise between College Basketball, NBA, NFL, MLB, and Saturday morning BPL. You'll find him under the username ajump08 on DraftKings and FanDuel.
