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Choosing between multiple great options at each position is never easy, but you can end up with a quality daily fantasy baseball team if you know where to look.

Here is a breakdown of the best options to fill your lineup August 22.

Sonny Gray, SP, Oakland Athletics ($11,600)

Both the American and National League ERA leaders are in action Saturday, but Oakland Athletics ace Sonny Gray is a better option thanks to the matchup. While Los Angeles Dodgers starter Zack Greinke has to face the dangerous Houston Astros lineup, Gray opposes a Tampa Bay Rays team that entered the day ranked 29th in baseball in runs scored (453).

A fourth-inning error disrupted the Athletics starter in his last appearance, but he has allowed only three earned runs in his last four starts. Even without high strikeout totals, Gray remains a safe bet to have a strong game.

Marco Estrada, SP, Toronto Blue Jays ($7,400)

There have been some bad starts here and there, but Marco Estrada has been impressive since joining the Toronto Blue Jays rotation. Since the All-Star break, he has a 2.45 ERA, including a mark of 1.42 in August.

In 10 of his last 11 starts, Estrada has allowed two runs or fewer. This is the type of effort you want from a fantasy pitcher.

Dee Gordon, 2B, Miami Marlins ($4,800)

Not only does Dee Gordon lead the majors with a .338 batting average, but he has also been even better over the past week. The second baseman has six multihit games in a row, going 13-for-25 with five stolen bases and seven runs in this stretch.

He seems unlikely to slow down, so you might as well have him put up points for your team.

Josh Donaldson, 3B, Toronto Blue Jays ($4,600)

He might be worse on the road—and opposing starter Andrew Heaney doesn’t allow many home runs—but this price is too cheap for a player considered to be an AL MVP top contender, according to Fox Sports:

Josh Donaldson is in the midst of an incredible season, and he is only getting better, currently holding a season-high 1.127 OPS in August. There is no reason players like Jose Reyes or Travis d’Arnaud should be more expensive on DraftKings, but don’t overthink this gift.

Darin Ruf, 1B, Philadelphia Phillies ($2,100)

Those looking for an extremely cheap option Saturday could get production from Darin Ruf, who is now getting playing time against lefties for the Philadelphia Phillies. The reason for this is his .391 batting average against southpaws, which ranks second among all hitters with at least 50 plate appearances.

Rookie left-hander Justin Nicolino will get the start for the Miami Marlins, so Ruf remains a quality high-upside pick for a low price.

Team to Stack: Kansas City Royals

The Boston Red Sox are willing to give their young players a chance to show what they can do, including pitcher Matt Barnes. The problem is that the 25-year-old right-hander had a 5.64 ERA in 21 appearances as a reliever and allowed six runs in his only career start last week.

Barnes could be a quality pitcher down the line, but the Kansas City Royals have a deep lineup that will give him nightmares.

Note: All prices and fantasy score info courtesy of DraftKings. Unless otherwise noted, all stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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It’s August 21, and just about three-fourths of the season is in the books. Some teams are rounding out their playoff rosters, gearing up for the chance at an extended run through late October. Others are bringing up prospects who, in some cases, have spent years in the minors. 

So what does all that mean? 

It means that most rosters will be dotted with “green” players—guys who don’t have much prior experience. Those guys are inherently cheap on sites like DraftKings. If you can plug in the right inexpensive players, you can fill out the rest of your roster with studs.

P Kendry Flores, Marlins ($4,000) vs. Phillies

For the first time in his brief career, the Miami Marlins are expected to hand the ball to 23-year-old rookie right-hander Kendry Flores on Friday against the visiting Philadelphia Phillies. Flores is 1-1 with a 2.35 ERA and six relief appearances to his name. 

This is a dream scenario for Flores, who gets to face the second-worst lineup in the majors (Flores’ Marlins are the worst) at home in front of a couple thousand yawning fans. According to FanGraphs, the Phillies rank 29th in the league in weighted on-base average (wOBA) and weighted runs created plus (wRC+) against right-handed pitchers.

According to ESPN.com, the Marlins average just over 22,000 fans at Marlins Park, the fourth-lowest mark in the league.

Other good pitching options: Gio Gonzalez, Nationals ($8,500) vs. Brewers; Kyle Hendricks, Cubs ($7,100) vs. Braves; Andrew Cashner, Padres ($6,000) vs. Cardinals; Jerad Eickhoff, Phillies ($4,600) at Marlins

1B/C Buster Posey, Giants ($4,100) at Pirates

Buster Posey has quietly put together another MVP-caliber season in San Francisco. The 28-year-old Georgia native is batting .322 with 16 jacks and 58 runs for the second-place Giants. 

The Giants will face lefty Jeff Locke in Pittsburgh on Friday. Posey is a career .327 hitter off lefties with a stout .946 OPS, according to Baseball-Reference.com.

Other good catching options: Russell Martin, Blue Jays ($3,200) at Angels

2B Kelby Tomlinson ($2,100) or 2B Ehire Adrianza ($2,000), Giants at Pirates

Kelby Tomlinson and Ehire Adrianza have been platooning at second base for the reigning world champions. Recently, Tomlinson has gotten the majority of the playing time, but it’s your duty as a daily fantasy player to monitor the starting lineups and make sure you start 10 guys who are on the scorecard. 

Tomlinson has been solid as the Giants’ alternative to the injured Joe Panik. He’s stroked at least one base hit in seven straight games in which he’s played. He also gets to bat leadoff for one of the best hitting road teams in the whole league. According to FanGraphs, the Giants offense ranks first in wOBA and wRC in road games this season. 

Adrianza hasn’t been as consistent as Tomlinson, but if he gets the start, he’ll enjoy the same team-based advantages that Tomlinson does, for a slightly lower price.

Rocky Mountain High Scoring

3B Nolan Arenado ($5,100) and OF Charlie Blackmon ($4,500), Rockies vs. Mets

What does everyone else in this article have in common? They’re cheap. These two? Not so much.

With the thin Colorado air cutting down on the movement of Bartolo Colon‘s fastballs, expect the Rockies bats to send their fans home with some souvenirs. Eleven of Charlie Blackmon‘s 13 home runs have come against righties, as have 24 of his 31 stolen bases. 

Nolan Arenado‘s dominance against right-handed pitching is even more evident. The third baseman has hit 27 of his 29 homers off righties thus far. He also holds a batting average of .287 against right-handed hurlers, compared to a paltry .247 against southpaws.

Other good outfield options: Yoenis Cespedes, Mets ($5,300) at Rockies

All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com unless otherwise noted.

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Don’t start packing it in for the weekend already, because Friday is another chance to dominate in daily fantasy baseball. And with a full schedule to choose from, expect a lot of room for variance when it comes to Friday’s guaranteed prize pools, or GPPs, for extra spending money this weekend.

But in order to fill out the perfect lineup, you’ll need to know which bargain players you can target. That’s why we’re here. So before kicking back on the La-Z-Boy with a beer to take in the games, take a look at these players to help you win on Friday night.

Pitcher: Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers ($7,300)

The comeback trail has started for Justin Verlander. Sure, he returned from the disabled list weeks ago, but he didn’t look like the Verlander of old until recently. Going up against the Texas Rangers on Friday, he’s certainly worth the $7,300 asking price on DraftKings.

Verlander has scored over 23 fantasy points in three of his last four starts. While his 1-5 record with a 4.11 ERA is daunting, expect Verlander to outperform his salary against Texas. Who knows, he might even earn a win against Colby Lewis—that is, if the Tigers give him some run support.

First Baseman: Pedro Alvarez, Pittsburgh Pirates ($2,900)

Over his last 10 games, Pedro Alvarez is averaging 10.9 fantasy points and has just two games with less than five. Those two games just so happen to be the only ones where he didn’t start. So the moral of the story is that when Alvarez starts, he’s posting great fantasy outings.

He may be facing Madison Bumgarner, who has been a shutdown pitcher this month, but Alvarez is worth the risk. At just $2,900, having a left-handed batter who hits better against lefties this season is a crucial key to building a balanced lineup.

Third Baseman: Derek Dietrich, Miami Marlins ($3,700)

Where did Derek Dietrich come from? In a four-game stretch, the Miami Marlins third baseman has broken out with multiple huge nights. In daily fantasy, he’s averaging 13.2 points over that stretch, and he’s heading into a great matchup with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Jerad Eickhoff will be making his first start for the Phillies on Friday after three solid games in the minors. With Dietrich heating up and hitting near the middle of the lineup, expect good things from him against the 25-year-old pitcher.

Shortstop: Jimmy Rollins, Los Angeles Dodgers ($3,000)

Jimmy Rollins is just a professional hitter. The former Phillies shortstop got off to an extremely slow start for the Dodgers, but he is gradually coming around. With 12 or more fantasy points in three of his last five games, he’s also becoming a player to target for owners.

Going up against Mike Fiers isn’t a terrible matchup, especially considering 10 of his 12 homers have been against righties. He may have a huge dip in batting average from the left side of the plate, but he has great power numbers against righties. Batting at the top of the lineup, look for another solid night from Rollins.

Outfielder: Billy Burns, Oakland Athletics ($3,800)

By now, most DFS players know that Billy Burns has been a stud this season. The Oakland Athletics outfielder doesn’t have the power numbers of some other outfielders, but he gets the job done on the bases with 24 steals this year.

Burns’ numbers over the last 10 games are skewed a little by having one at-bat during his off day and going hitless in another. But with double-digit points in four of his last six starts, Burns is a smart option for a No. 2 or 3 outfielder. And with Drew Smyly on the mound, who gave up five earned runs in his last start, expect big things from Burns.

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There is a ton of big-time pitching available in Friday’s daily fantasy baseball contests, which leaves you with plenty of options. However, don’t think you need to draft the highest-priced players to have the best team.

Here is a look at some of the best and worst picks for August 21.

Players to Draft

Felix Hernandez, SP, Seattle Mariners ($9,900)

Yes, Felix Hernandez is coming off arguably the worst start of his career, allowing 10 earned runs to the Boston Red Sox in 2.1 innings. However, he allowed just two runs in seven innings the game before, which is more of what we expect from the former Cy Young winner.

Most importantly, Hernandez will return to his home stadium Friday, where he has been much better this year. He will also go from facing one of the top offenses in baseball to one of the worst in the Chicago White Sox.

While players such as Chris Sale ($13,200) and David Price ($12,300) have been great lately with high strikeout totals, King Felix represents the best value on the board.

Jimmy Nelson, SP, Milwaukee Brewers ($8,200)

For those looking for a cheaper pitching option, it doesn’t get much better than Jimmy Nelson. The 26-year-old starter has had a great second half of the year, totaling a 1.99 ERA with a 3-0 record in six starts since the All-Star break.

Meanwhile, Nelson has shown off his consistency by totaling at least 17 fantasy points in each of his last seven starts. There is no reason to doubt his ability to keep it going Friday.

Paul Goldschmidt, 1B, Arizona Diamondbacks ($5,600)

Paul Goldschmidt is great against any pitcher. However, he has been even better against lefties, with a career OPS well over 1.000. This is bad news for Cincinnati Reds starter David Holmberg, who allowed seven runs and three home runs in his last start.

If you are going to spend big on a hitter, Goldschmidt is the one you want.

Ryan Braun, OF, Milwaukee Brewers ($4,300)

It’s been an up-and-down year for Ryan Braun, but he has been solid as of late with a .333 batting average and a .971 OPS in August. Not only does he have three home runs, but he also has three stolen bases in this stretch, showing he is capable of adding fantasy points in a number of ways.

A matchup against Gio Gonzalez gives him a good chance at another big day.

Travis Shaw, 1B/3B, Boston Red Sox ($3,800)

While he might not be a household name yet, few players in the league have been hotter over the past week. In the last seven games, Travis Shaw has a .500 batting average (15-for-30), four home runs and eight RBI.

You might as well put him on your team while he is still this cheap.

Players to Avoid

Johnny Cueto, SP, Kansas City Royals ($10,000)

The problem is not Johnny Cueto but the matchup. The Boston Red Sox are in last place, but they have one of the hottest offenses in baseball, averaging 9.4 runs in the last seven games. Playing in the third-biggest hitter’s park in the majors, according to ESPN.com, it makes sense to pass on the ace pitcher this week. 

Lucas Duda, 1B, New York Mets ($5,000)

Ordinarily, any trip to Coors Field is good for hitters, but Lucas Duda has been ice-cold lately. He is batting .218 in his last 10 games with no home runs, which came around a few days off due to a sore back. 

Considering he is batting just .199 on the road this year with three home runs (compared to .295 and 18 home runs at home), Duda is not worth putting in your lineup.

Team to Stack

Colorado Rockies

Consistency has been a major problem for New York Mets starter Bartolo Colon, who has allowed five or more earned runs in five games this year. He also has a 5.03 road ERA, which likely won’t get any better at Coors Field, which is a tough hitter’s park.

Add this to the fact that Colon has allowed lefties to hit .302 against him this year, and this could be a huge game for Carlos Gonzalez, Charlie Blackmon, Ben Paulsen and others.

Note: All prices and fantasy score info courtesy of DraftKings. Unless otherwise noted, all stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com. 

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Fantasy baseball players receive exposure to several new contributors once MLB’s rosters expand to 40 on Sept. 1.

While odd to change the league’s roster limitations as teams push for the playoffs, the rule benefits fantasy gamers vying for a championship. Talented youngsters stuck in the minors now get a taste for the big leagues.

Dynasty owners out of the hunt should use September to scout and stockpile future stars. Search the league’s waiver wire for available prospects to stash for 2016 and beyond. This way, the stretch run will mean more in upcoming years.

These guys should be long gone in dynasty formats, but redraft managers can get a boost by claiming them for the season’s final month. Not every highlighted prospect is new to the majors, and some are recovering big leaguers rather than neophytes.

They won’t pay off immediately, but grab them now before the opportunity passes.

Begin Slideshow

Welcome to the Throwback Thursday edition of my daily fantasy baseball advice column. The theme will be focusing on players you should target to throw back in your lineup and some you should throw back onto the DraftKings salary sheet.

Yes, we’ll be keying in on the daily fantasy studs and duds. With 11 matchups and myriad players to choose from, some of these players are established stars, while others are coming into their own. Ahead of the first pitch being thrown, here’s a look at players to keep and cut from your DraftKings lineups.

Studs

SP Chris Archer, Tampa Bay Rays ($12,400)

If there is one pitcher who’s worth the high price on Thursday, it’s Chris Archer. The former Rookie of the Year runner-up has come into his own this season and shouldn’t be judged by one poor recent start.

As a rule of thumb, any high-strikeout pitcher should be started against the Houston Astros. Why? Well, because even though Houston is 11 games above .500, it ranks second in MLB in strikeouts. Currently sitting at third in MLB in strikeouts (194), Archer should have a huge fantasy outing.

1B Brandon Belt, San Francisco Giants ($4,400)

Brandon Belt’s bat has quieted down a little recently, but he’s still one of the hottest-hitting first basemen in August. His double-digit fantasy points average over the last 10 games proves that. And at over $1,000 less than the top two options, Belt is a great value.

Going up against Charlie Morton isn’t a great matchup, but he doesn’t exactly strike fear into batters with a 4.36 ERA. Batting .288/.359/.507 with 13 of his 17 homers coming against righties, look for Belt to shine for owners on Thursday.

OF David Peralta, Arizona Diamondbacks ($3,800)

In order to afford a pitcher like Archer, owners will need to target low-priced players elsewhere. David Peralta is a perfect candidate for a low-end No. 2 outfielder. And at $3,800, he’s an affordable option for any lineup.

Over his last 10 games, Peralta has averaged more than seven fantasy points. Oh, and he’ll bring his .384/.426/.636 average up against rookie John Lamb on Thursday. After getting a day off, expect the fresh Peralta to continue his surge against Lamb.

Duds

SP Jake Peavy, San Francisco Giants ($6,700)

Even at a low salary, Jake Peavy simply isn’t worth the risk. The 34-year-old starter was shelled in his last outing, allowing five earned runs on nine hits and three walks against the Washington Nationals. Now he faces another strong offensive team in the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Scoring over six runs on average over their last six games coming into Thursday’s matchup, Pittsburgh is rolling. The Pirates match up well against Peavy as well with left-handed batters in Gregory Polanco and Pedro Alvarez. Oh, and Andrew McCutchen and Starling Marte also have a little pop in their bats.

Suffice to say, Pittsburgh will feast on Peavy. Don’t target him for any lineup.

OF Cameron Maybin, Atlanta Braves ($4,200)

In the midst of a strong season for the Atlanta Braves, Cameron Maybin is on one of his hottest stretches. However, he runs up against one of the best starters in the majors on Thursday: Jake Arrieta.

The Chicago Cubs hurler has been phenomenal recently, allowing just two earned runs over his last three starts—total. Maybin‘s likelihood of putting any runs or RBI together is slim, and his OBP and slugging percentage take a dip against right-handed pitchers. Don’t take a chance on Maybin at this price.

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Given all the rocky starting pitchers competing on Thursday, a dozen active hitters are priced above $5,000 on DraftKings. All those poor hurlers inflate the cost of mid-tier options (Patrick Corbin, Collin McHugh and Jose Quintana), which will make Chris Archer and Jake Arrieta popular building blocks.

Gamers have tough choices to make when constructing a DraftKings lineup. Pay up for both aces and sacrifice the offensive studs, or splurge for elite bats and roll the dice with a risky pitcher? Either way, players need to locate bargains.

Save some money with these value picks, whose low costs will help fund a superstar or two. 

SP Jose Quintana ($8,500), Chicago White Sox at Los Angeles Angels

After Archer and Arrieta, Quintana is the best pitching play. A far more affordable selection at $8,500, the Chicago White Sox southpaw owns a 3.62 ERA and 3.20 fielding independent pitching (FIP). His 20.4 strikeout percentage has taken a slight tumble from last year’s 21.5, but he’s drawing more whiffs with a career-high 9.7 swinging-strike percentage.

The Los Angeles Angels rank No. 24 in weighted on-base average (wOBA) against lefties. Competitors might avoid Quintana due to the 15 hits and seven earned runs relinquished in his last two starts, but the four-figure alternatives are far uglier.

Stack: Detroit Tigers vs. Texas Rangers (LHP Martin Perez) 

The Detroit Tigers host a cavalcade of cheap options when facing a weak lefty. A healthy Miguel Cabrera comes with a $5,300 asking price, but several others cost $3,500 and below. 

Six starts back from Tommy John surgery, Martin Perez has performed better than his surface stats suggest. The Texas Rangers lefty has submitted a 2.98 FIP despite a far worse 5.29 ERA. Yet he has also generated only 17 strikeouts, and Detroit just torched the far tougher Jon Lester for seven runs.

2B/3B Danny Espinosa ($3,700), Washington Nationals at Colorado Rockies

It’s not easy finding cheap Coors Field exposure, especially for someone receiving a platoon advantage. While his numbers don’t pop off the page, Danny Espinosa sports a .328 wOBA against southpaws with an incoming tilt against Yohan Flande.

Although a healthy Washington Nationals lineup pushed him out of plate appearances, Anthony Rendon has missed the past two games. Even if the infielder returns, Washington should let Espinosa face the southpaw rather than Yunel Escobar. 

3B Derek Dietrich ($3,100) and OF Marcell Ozuna ($3,300), Miami Marlins vs. Philadelphia Phillies

Now popular prey for opposing pitchers, even the Miami Marlins have a shot against Jerome Williams. Opponents are hitting .317/.357/.496 off the Philadelphia Phillies righty, who possesses a 5.47 ERA. 

Quietly on a tear, Derek Dietrich is hitting .278/.382/.521 with eight homers and a .389 wOBA. An unlikely hero down the stretch, the 26-year-old has obtained most of his success against righties, making him a worthwhile gamble for only $3,100.

Righties have staked Williams to a .908 OPS, which is great news for the returning Marcell Ozuna. After spending 33 unnecessary games in Triple-A purgatory, the freed outfielder homered in his fourth start back with Miami on Wednesday. Look for him to make up for lost time on Thursday.

OF Shin-Soo Choo ($4,000), Texas Rangers at Detroit Tigers

Alfredo Simon still stinks. The scheduled Detroit Tigers starter has surrendered 47 earned runs over his last 10 starts, only once limiting the opposition to fewer than four scores. Lefties have inflicted most of the damage, batting .307/.361/.535 with a dozen homers. 

Along with his .864 OPS against righties, Shin-Soo Choo is raking with a .333/.441/.607 line since the All-Star break. Place the whole puzzle together, and $4,000 is a bargain for the Texas Rangers outfielder. In fact, Mitch Moreland ($3,800) and Rougned Odor ($3,500) also look good for a complete stack against Simon.

Note: All advanced statistics, updated as of Wednesday night, are courtesy of FanGraphs.

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I usually build my DraftKings lineups by selecting my two pitchers first, then filling in the eight position players with the remaining salary. However, I feel like going a different route Wednesday. 

When I looked over Wednesday’s slate, one team jumped out at me: Toronto. The Blue Jays are the highest-scoring team in baseball—they’ve tallied 63 more runs than any other team—and they are playing in Citizens Bank Park in South Philly—the third-smallest ballpark in the bigs, according to a 2014 study done by BusinessInsider.com‘s Cork Gaines.

The opposing starter? Adam Morgan, a 6’1″, 195-pound lefty making his 10th career start.

Morgan has been serviceable nine games into his career, as he currently sports a 4.11 ERA and 1.29 WHIP. Unfortunately for Morgan, the Blue Jays tee off against lefties; they currently rank first in the majors in on-base percentage, slugging percentage and wRC+, an advanced metric that measures the runs created by a player (or team) against the league average. 

Every day, numberFire.com uses its advanced algorithm to project every player’s statistics. Games are simulated thousands of times, and eventually each player’s true projections become apparent. For Wednesday’s slate, numberFire projects each of these Blue Jays to lead their respective position in fantasy points:

• OF: Jose Bautista ($5,500), at Phillies
• 3B: Josh Donaldson ($5,900), at Phillies
• SS: Troy Tulowitzki ($4,600), at Phillies
• C: Russell Martin ($3,600), at Phillies

All four are right-handed batters, and three of the four are hitting over .310 against lefties this season. (Joey Bats is hitting just .244, but he has traditionally hit .269 against southpaws with a slugging percentage over .500.)

But the best part about starting these four is their hit clustering. To date, there is little empirical data that proves whether or not it is easier to hit with runners on base. However, for daily fantasy purposes, it is much easier to score fantasy points when surrounded with talented offensive players.

Think about it, if Tulo gets on via the walk, he has sluggers like Donaldson, Bautista, Martin and Edwin Encarnacion to knock him in. Not too shabby. 

Cheap Pitchers to Target

The Blue Jays are the most expensive team to stack at DraftKings for Wednesday’s games, so you’ll have to throw out one or two bargain-bin pitchers to fit their bats into your roster. Here are a couple of suggestions.

Jered Weaver, Los Angeles Angels ($6,100) vs. Chicago White Sox

The 6’7″ right-hander is (probably not) enjoying the worst season of his career—he is currently 4-9 with a 4.60 ERA, the worst ERA of his 10-year career. Jered Weaver is dirt cheap because of his poor season, and he gets to throw against the White Sox. Chicago ranks last in the AL in on-base plus slugging (OPS) and is last in the entire league in runs produced. If there was ever a time for Weaver to right the ship, it’s Wednesday night in Anaheim.

Jeremy Guthrie, Kansas City Royals ($4,000) at Cincinnati Reds

Jeremy Guthrie is having a worse season than Weaver! His WHIP is nearly 1.6, he doesn’t strike people out, his ERA is crap and his 8-7 record is extremely misleading. But he only costs $4,000 and will be throwing against a Reds team that ranks 26th in wRC+ against righties.

Guthrie won’t have to face a designated hitter since the Royals are in Cincinnati. He also benefits from pitching in front of the best defensive team in the league by far, as KC is nearly doubling up the second-place Tampa Bay Rays.

All prices come from DraftKings.com. All statistics are courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com and FanGraphs.com unless otherwise noted. 

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Based on the prices for Tuesday’s daily fantasy baseball contests, you almost can’t help but find value in other places. If you want to draft Clayton Kershaw ($15,000) or Bryce Harper ($6,400), you better also find some bargain picks to fill your lineup.

Here is a look at some of the top options at each position, as well as value picks to balance everything out.

Value Picks

Raisel Iglesias, SP, Cincinnati Reds ($6,800)

Thanks to some great strikeout totals (9.3 per nine innings), Raisel Iglesias has turned himself into a quality fantasy pitcher. He has scored at least 21 points on DraftKings in each of his last three starts and is getting more comfortable within the Cincinnati Reds rotation.

Additionally, the Cuban pitcher has fared much better at home, where he has a 3.82 ERA compared to 5.81 on the road. A matchup with the Kansas City Royals isn’t easy, but Iglesias can be a cheap source of points.

Francisco Cervelli, C, Pittsburgh Pirates ($3,600)

While Francisco Cervelli has been little more than a defensive-minded backup for most of his career, he is finally starting to become an offensive weapon with the Pirates. He is consistently getting on base and has even showed extra-base power over the past week.

After Arizona Diamondbacks starter Chase Anderson allowed five runs and nine hits in his last start, it is clear Cervelli has a chance to continue his quality season.

Daniel Murphy, 2B, New York Mets ($3,600)

The consistency hasn’t been there this season, but Daniel Murphy is currently on a hot streak. The versatile infielder is batting .316 in August with five doubles and two home runs. He has six multihit games in his last 12 starts with only one hitless outing in this stretch.

Traveling to a hitter’s park like Camden Yards should only help Murphy keep up his recent run of quality hitting.

Ben Paulsen, 1B, Colorado Rockies ($3,500)

Ben Paulsen doesn’t do well on the road or against lefties, but those two factors don’t matter much for Tuesday’s contests. His statistics at Coors Field (.320 batting average, .946 OPS) are all you need to worry about.

Although Jordan Zimmermann can be a tough matchup, Paulsen is a good low-risk bet to succeed at home.

Kike Hernandez, SS, Los Angeles Dodgers ($2,800)

When you have a player who is red-hot, has a great matchup and is extremely affordable, you almost have to put him on your team.

In 10 games in August, Kike Hernandez is batting .364 with three home runs. Most importantly, he is batting .414 with a 1.271 OPS against left-handed pitchers like Tuesday’s starter Felix Doubront. This all adds up to a good chance of a big game.

Note: All prices courtesy of DraftKings. Unless otherwise noted, all stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com. 

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All 30 MLB teams are in action Tuesday night, which gives DraftKings daily fantasy players a great many options to choose from.

Clayton Kershaw leads a solid field of starting pitchers, but at $15,000, his salary is difficult to swallow.  Two other top-shelf arms possess much more reasonable price tags.  A must-start catcher from New York and a future Hall of Famer from Boston help round out a list of five ideal lineup selections for August 18.

SP Jacob deGrom, New York Mets ($11,600) at Baltimore Orioles

Jacob deGrom‘s spectacular 2015 season is flying somewhat under the radar.  The 27-year-old owns a 2.03 ERA, a 0.89 WHIP and a .197 batting average against, each of which is the second-best in baseball.  Even though his numbers are superior to Kershaw‘s in all three categories, deGrom can be had for $3,400 less than the Los Angeles Dodgers ace.

ESPN New York’s Adam Rubin pointed out how impressive deGrom has been since he started the season 3-4 with a 3.46 ERA through early May:

The Mets righty has also held his opponents scoreless in eight of 22 total starts this year.  Over his last six outings, deGrom is averaging a whopping 29.2 fantasy points per game.

SP Hisashi Iwakuma, Seattle Mariners ($9,300) at Texas Rangers

The above video features highlights of Hisashi Iwakuma‘s previous start, a no-hitter against the Baltimore Orioles.  Spanning his last three appearances, Iwakuma has allowed just four runs while striking out 21 batters in 24.2 innings, an average of more than eight innings per game.  He’s also scored a total of 99.2 fantasy points in that time.

Iwakuma has lasted at least five innings in every start he’s made this year.  He’s surrendered three runs or fewer in six of his past seven outings, including no more than two runs in five of them.

The 34-year-old also beat the Rangers earlier this month.  On August 7, he struck out six and did not walk a batter while yielding six hits and three runs in seven innings.

C Brian McCann, New York Yankees ($4,700) vs. Minnesota Twins

Brian McCann is an absolute no-brainer in daily fantasy contests Tuesday.  McCann comes in on a five-game hitting streak, with home runs in three of the five.  In that stretch, he’s 7-for-20 with three homers, four runs scored and nine RBI.

Not only is McCann red-hot, he’s also been wearing out Twins pitcher Mike Pelfrey for quite some time.  Dating back to 2007, McCann has an astonishing 19 hits in 40 career at-bats versus Pelfrey:

McCann is easily the highest-priced catcher available, but that shouldn’t prevent him from being a lock for your DraftKings lineup.

1B David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox ($4,700) vs. Cleveland Indians

Like McCann, David Ortiz is in a zone at the moment.  The Red Sox designated hitter owns a nine-game hitting streak, during which he’s lifted his average from .241 to .263.  His stats over the last 10 days are borderline superhuman:

After batting just .228 through the first three months of the season, Ortiz hit .298 in July, followed by a spectacular .396 so far in August.

Ortiz’s most recent home run was the 491st of his career.  With 44 games remaining and Boston all but eliminated from playoff contention, the 39-year-old slugger’s primary objective could be to reach 500 before the 2015 campaign comes to a close. 

OF Jay Bruce, Cincinnati Reds ($3,900) vs. Kansas City Royals

On August 10, Jay Bruce launched his 200th dinger, which placed him in very elite company in Reds history, according to MLB Stat of the Day:

Aside from the milestone, Bruce is in a major slump lately, going just 5-for-47 in his last 12 games.  However, his matchup Tuesday may be exactly what he needs to get back on track.  In 17 plate appearances against Edinson Volquez, Bruce is 7-for-14 with three walks, a double, a home run and seven runs scored.

Considering his .588 OBP when facing Volquez, at only $3,900, it’s worth taking a gamble on the Cincinnati outfielder.

All prices courtesy of DraftKings. Statistics via MLB.com unless otherwise noted. Mark Vandeusen is an MLB Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @LucidSportsFan.

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