This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
Many thanks to the team here at Rotowire for allowing me to miss the first week of the season while traveling with the family. Super excited to be back for another season of this DFS grind, just hope I'm not a tad behind the rest of the crowd as I get started on this column for the year.
FanDuel is offering a six-game main slate, with first pitch at 6:40 p.m. EDT. Weather looks like a major concern in Atlanta, where wind can be a contrary benefactor if they actually play. That makes for tough builds as it's a game we'd want to target if we were confident in nine innings, as the pitching matchup leaves plenty to be desired on both sides. Don't be afraid to build around this game, just be ready for last hour pivots if Mother Nature doesn't lend confidence to opportunity.
Pitching
Brandon Woodruff, MIL vs. STL ($10,500): The pitching choices aren't plentiful Friday, to where I'm fine taking a middling option and hoping he doesn't combust. But if paying up, I'll take the best talent at a slight discount to Clayton Kershaw ($10,800), who likely lacks longevity. Woodruff went six in his opener, fanning eight while only allowing a solo homer. The Cardinals are fanning only 16.2 percent in the early going, but just got shut down by a handful of Braves' rookies. Woodruff fanned 16 across 15.0 innings last season against St. Louis, allowing just a .204 wOBA.
Zach Eflin, TB vs. OAK ($8,800): Chalk city, but on a slate like this, it makes all the sense in the world. Take the square everyone else will, differentiate elsewhere. Oakland stinks, we all know it, which includes a .277 wOBA and 23.2 percent K rate in the early going. I don't trust Eflin to go beyond six, if that, but damage should be minimal.
Ken Waldichuk, OAK at TB ($6,400): Waldichuk was victimised by homers in his first start, allowing three of his nine hits to clear the wall. But he was allowed to throw 96 pitches and made it through six innings. Tampa isn't a slugging team, so if he gets through six, there's certainly potential here while freeing up budgets for offense. It's a GPP option with the hope of 20 FDP and nothing more, but on this limited slate, he's worth at least a glance if you feel strongly about some offensive stacks.
Top Targets
Kris Bryant ($3,900) has hit safely in every game to date, and while the pop hasn't returned, he looks healthy and a viable option so long as that remains. And if we don't trust Mackenzie Gore's breaking stuff to travel to Coors Field, there's even more reason to ride this hot hand.
You'd expect at least somewhat of a bounceback from Chris Bassitt ($7,600), but it's hard to ignore the four homers and 10 hits he allowed in his debut, spanning just 3.1 innings. Mike Trout ($3,900) and Shohei Ohtani ($4,200) make perfect sense, especially if the game in Atlanta isn't able to be played. Both will likely be popular, but not pricey, and we can quickly pivot to be different if rain allows.
Bargain Bats
There's a surprising lack of BvP numbers from the Dodgers against Madison Bumgarner ($6,300) despite division familiarity. And the Dodgers are also saddled by injuries early. We may have to adjust based on their lineup, but the contact skills of Miguel Vargas ($2,500) work terrificially if he returns to action, and is far less obvious than Trayce Thompson ($2,900).
The Brewers lineup is feast or famine nightly, making it difficult to rely on multiple pieces. But only Christian Yelich ($3,200) checks in north of 3k, creating plenty of opportunity. Both Jesse Winker ($2,700) and Willy Adames ($2,900) have two homers off of Jack Flaherty ($9,000), while any of Rowdy Telez ($2,500), Garrett Mitchell ($2,900) and/or William Contreras ($2,600) offer power potential for cheap, making for nice options to round out lineups based on what holes remain positionally.
Stacks to Consider
Nationals at Jose Urena: Joey Meneses ($3,700), Lane Thomas ($3,400), Jeimer Candelario ($3,100)
Who stinks worse, the Nationals offense, or Jose Urena, who posted a 5.01 ERA and 1.57 WHIP a year ago and allowed four runs, five hits and four walks in 2.1 innings in his season debut? While the answer is likely both, and I loathe the price uptick in these Nationals' bats, the fact remains there's a plus matchup in a plus hitters park. Meneses gives us power and contact in the middle of the order, Thomas a likely leadoff option with contact skills, and Candalerio a third top of the order option.
