This article is part of our The Daily Duel series.
This week's column will focus on players that are good "Values" in FanDuel's salary cap contests. Typically, I'll try to cover a player or two at each position every week throughout the season. Remember a value here could be a minimum-priced player ($2,200) or a higher-priced option that is still undervalued based on expected production.
VALUES
Catcher
Stephen Vogt, $2,700 - Vogt first caught my eye during his time with the Rays, and he has given Oakland a great problem as the A's now have three capable catchers on their roster. He's hitting .367 on the season with a 1.284 OPS over the last week. Vogt, in real baseball, offers a ton of versatility being able to catch (where he's only eligible on Fanduel), and play at first base or the outfield. He's hit safely in the last 10 games and his price hasn't caught up to his production yet. To put Vogt's price in perspective, consider that Victor Martinez is $4,600 - the highest-priced player at the position.
First Base
Nick Swisher, $2,500 - Swisher has been hovering on both sides of the Mendoza line the last few weeks, but he's finally showing signs of breaking out of his three-month slump. He's hit safely in each of his last six games, while hitting two home runs over that span. Swisher has always been a streaky hitter and should progress to the mean over the second half as far as OPS goes. The Indians' lineup is potent and Swisher could provide cheap power and RBI throughout the second half.
Second Base
Daniel Murphy, $2,900 - Murphy really broke out last season with 13 home runs and 23 stolen bases, yet he seems to be an afterthought at the position considering all of the brand names. He hit .286 last season and has hit .297 this season while staying on pace to match or improve his home run and stolen base totals. I'm not sure why he's priced so low, but take advantage of it while you can.
Third Base
Josh Donaldson, $3,200 - While this doesn't seem to be a great value, he's equal or lower in cost than 14 other players at the position. He crushed a Tim Hudson offering to the opposite field for a home run at AT&T Park on Thursday, and now has 20 home runs, 60 runs and 65 RBI on the season. In addition to being named to the AL All-Star team, he has a pretty awesome mullet; another reason to use him in daily fantasy.
Shortstop
Jimmy Rollins, $2,800 - Rollins entered Wednesday's game with an 0-for-15 mark over his previous five games, but he quickly turned things around. He hit a two-run home run Wednesday and followed that Thursday with a 2-for-4 performance and a stolen base. At 35, Rollins is showing he still has something left and his nine home runs and 18 stolen bases are evidence of that. He's flying a little under the radar right now after the aforementioned skid, making him a sneaky play.
Outfield
Curtis Granderson, $3,700 - No, this isn't a cheap price but since Terry Collins put Granderson in the leadoff spot, he's produced. When batting atop the order, Granderson has an .891 OPS, five home runs and a respectable 10:13 BB:K. The Mets' bats have finally started heating up, and prior to last season Granderson had 41 and 43 home runs with the Yankees, demonstrating very impressive power in the process.
Lorenzo Cain, $3,500 - The price isn't cheap, but you can't ignore what Cain has done over the last two weeks. He has a .921 OPS over that span and has swiped five bags over his last six games. Keep in mind Cain has typically hit better at home and against southpaws.
NEWBIES
Outfield
Kyle Parker, $2,200 - Parker was called up Tuesday to provide some outfield depth and went 1-for-3 in Wednesday's game. He's posted solid numbers throughout his minor league career in the power department and had an .819 OPS at Colorado Springs before his call-up. Parker will likely be sent down once Carlos Gonzalez returns, but he's a name to keep on your radar for later this season and next year.
Jake Smolinski, $3,000 - Smolinkski has been pressed into play with the continued injuries befalling the Rangers' outfield. He's produced instantly with three straight multi-hit games including a 3-for-4 performance Thursday with two doubles and two runs scored. He's not a great prospect and his minor league numbers suggest he's not going to be an everyday player in the majors. However, it appears that opposing pitchers don't have the book on him yet and he looks locked in at the plate right now.
