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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