Rankings for DraftKings Post-Break Best Ball

Rankings for DraftKings Post-Break Best Ball

This article is part of our The Z Files series.

If your first half didn't go so well, and you're not ready (or inclined) to dive into fantasy football, DraftKings has just what you need: a second-half best ball contest. They're available at a few different price points with overall prizes up to $100,000 ($20 per entry). There is a lower entry version ($4 per team) with a $25,000 top prize. There are even $1 entries where it's winner-take-all.

Regardless of the format, the rosters and scoring are the same. Each team drafts 20 players, with nine making each weekly active lineup: three infielders, three outfielders and three pitchers. Each player is assigned one position.

Scoring is as follows:

Hitters

  • Single: 3 points
  • Double: 5 points
  • Triple: 8 points
  • Home Run: 10 points
  • RBI: 2 points
  • Run: 2 points
  • Walk: 2 points
  • HBP: 2 points
  • Stolen Base: 5 points

Pitchers

  • Inning Pitched: 2.25 points
  • Strikeout: 2 points
  • Win: 4 points
  • Earned Run: -2 points
  • Hit: -.6 points
  • Walk: -.6 points
  • HBP: -.6 points
  • Complete Game: 2.5 points
  • Complete Game Shutout: 2.5 points

Best ball contests are designed for multi-entries, which lessens the utility of rankings. That encourages embracing variance and designing a series of rosters to cover the most likely scenarios. For instance, you want to have different rosters stacked with the top offenses. Of course, other competitors have the same plan, so the ability to pull it off requires a fortuitous draft spot and ignoring ADP to get multiple players from the same team. Another approach is to focus

If your first half didn't go so well, and you're not ready (or inclined) to dive into fantasy football, DraftKings has just what you need: a second-half best ball contest. They're available at a few different price points with overall prizes up to $100,000 ($20 per entry). There is a lower entry version ($4 per team) with a $25,000 top prize. There are even $1 entries where it's winner-take-all.

Regardless of the format, the rosters and scoring are the same. Each team drafts 20 players, with nine making each weekly active lineup: three infielders, three outfielders and three pitchers. Each player is assigned one position.

Scoring is as follows:

Hitters

  • Single: 3 points
  • Double: 5 points
  • Triple: 8 points
  • Home Run: 10 points
  • RBI: 2 points
  • Run: 2 points
  • Walk: 2 points
  • HBP: 2 points
  • Stolen Base: 5 points

Pitchers

  • Inning Pitched: 2.25 points
  • Strikeout: 2 points
  • Win: 4 points
  • Earned Run: -2 points
  • Hit: -.6 points
  • Walk: -.6 points
  • HBP: -.6 points
  • Complete Game: 2.5 points
  • Complete Game Shutout: 2.5 points

Best ball contests are designed for multi-entries, which lessens the utility of rankings. That encourages embracing variance and designing a series of rosters to cover the most likely scenarios. For instance, you want to have different rosters stacked with the top offenses. Of course, other competitors have the same plan, so the ability to pull it off requires a fortuitous draft spot and ignoring ADP to get multiple players from the same team. Another approach is to focus on the best players from the second-tier lineups, since it will be easier to roster more of the better hitters from these teams.

The following rankings are a combination of rest-of-season projections (which factor in potential loss of playing time) with assigning everyone the same playing time and ranking just on skills.

Please note, these leagues have been drafting for awhile, so the ADP does not reflect all of the factors going into the rankings. An example is how long it has taken for Kyle Tucker to return from his calf contusion. 

Good luck, and if you see ToddZ in your draft room, go easy on him. He could use something to root for down the stretch.

NameTEAMPOSADP
1Shohei OhtaniLADOF1.10
2Elly De La CruzCINIF6.29
3Aaron JudgeNYYOF2.06
4Bobby WittKCIF5.00
5Gunnar HendersonBALIF3.37
6Jose RamirezCLEIF7.41
7Juan SotoNYYOF4.81
8Yordan AlvarezHOUOF9.22
9Freddie FreemanLADIF13.21
10Trea TurnerPHIIF9.59
11Christian YelichMILOF14.06
12Bryce HarperPHIIF15.17
13Jarren DuranBOSOF22.00
14Fernando TatisSDOF31.05
15Jose AltuveHOUIF27.10
16Rafael DeversBOSIF11.06
17CJ AbramsWSHIF21.90
18Chris SaleATLP16.00
19Marcell OzunaATLOF14.17
20Tarik SkubalDETP17.60
21Brandon NimmoNYMOF55.19
22Tyler GlasnowLADP20.35
23Julio RodriguezSEAOF33.68
24Steven KwanCLEOF23.00
25Zack WheelerPHIP26.22
26Francisco LindorNYMIF35.14
27Bryan ReynoldsPITOF48.38
28Kyle TuckerHOUOF19.32
29Jazz ChisholmMIAOF94.24
30Corbin BurnesBALP24.10
31Corey SeagerTEXIF23.67
32Mike TroutLAAOF77.59
33Ketel MarteARIIF38.57
34Mookie BettsLADIF52.02
35Brenton DoyleCOLOF99.41
36Paul SkenesPITP10.03
37Joe RyanMINP46.24
38Aaron NolaPHIP46.27
39Gerrit ColeNYYP34.21
40Christian WalkerARIIF42.60
41Riley GreeneDETOF55.33
42Lane ThomasWSHOF41.70
43Sonny GraySTLP59.52
44Ranger SuarezPHIP39.62
45Luis RobertCWSOF34.79
46Randy ArozarenaTBOF104.78
47Dylan CeaseSDP68.14
48Marcus SemienTEXIF74.57
49Garrett CrochetCWSP27.86
50David HamiltonBOSIF215.56
51Pete AlonsoNYMIF47.71
52Freddy PeraltaMILP73.02
53Matt OlsonATLIF42.54
54Ozzie AlbiesATLIF59.86
55Teoscar HernandezLADOF29.35
56Spencer SteerCINOF73.92
57Zac GallenARIP79.89
58Cole RagansKCP53.29
59Logan GilbertSEAP51.89
60Vladimir GuerreroTORIF40.89
61Kyle SchwarberPHIOF23.38
62Tanner HouckBOSP67.62
63Adley RutschmanBALIF37.54
64Josh LoweTBOF179.16
65Corbin CarrollARIOF73.17
66George KirbySEAP77.16
67James WoodWSHOF79.79
68William ContrerasMILIF53.41
69Pablo LopezMINP84.40
70Ha-Seong KimSDIF141.03
71Adolis GarciaTEXOF63.62
72Nolan JonesCOLOF144.88
73Jose CaballeroTBIF 
74Tyler O'NeillBOSOF48.59
75George SpringerTOROF127.48
76Grayson RodriguezBALP62.71
77Luis GilNYYP84.13
78Tanner BibeeCLEP99.59
79Taj BradleyTBP111.23
80Austin RileyATLIF44.95
81Willi CastroMINIF166.33
82Ronel BlancoHOUP87.40
83Taylor WardLAAOF147.45
84Reynaldo LopezATLP103.95
85Andres GimenezCLEIF192.10
86Ceddanne RafaelaBOSIF181.95
87Anthony VolpeNYYIF126.08
88Seiya SuzukiCHCOF68.05
89Oneil CruzPITIF86.92
90Luis CastilloSEAP101.24
91Jack FlahertyDETP88.37
92Logan WebbSFP97.35
93Justin SteeleCHCP114.14
94Zack GelofOAKIF217.97
95Shota ImanagaCHCP89.43
96Jordan WestburgBALIF85.59
97Jurickson ProfarSDOF69.27
98Max FriedATLP92.79
99Will SmithLADIF63.05
100Bryson StottPHIIF133.19
101Seth LugoKCP58.05
102Matt ChapmanSFIF117.22
103Anthony SantanderBALOF59.41
104Wilyer AbreuBOSOF199.81
105Bailey OberMINP122.52
106Kevin GausmanTORP125.13
107Ian HappCHCOF102.78
108Paul GoldschmidtSTLIF143.55
109Michael KingSDP119.44
110Hunter GreeneCINP107.36
111Nathan EovaldiTEXP100.70
112J.D. MartinezNYMOF104.43
113Brice TurangMILIF90.83
114Nick LodoloCINP141.61
115Byron BuxtonMINOF93.91
116Nick PivettaBOSP170.27
117Mitch KellerPITP116.62
118Willy AdamesMILIF103.37
119TJ FriedlCINOF199.83
120Yoshinobu YamamotoLADP152.61
121Blake SnellSFP156.67
122Kutter CrawfordBOSP147.81
123Jared JonesPITP146.11
124Salvador PerezKCIF99.00
125Max ScherzerTEXP115.22
126Ryan McMahonCOLIF120.39
127Evan CarterTEXOF225.48
128Cristopher SanchezPHIP132.19
129Carlos CorreaMINIF71.38
130Cody BellingerCHCOF42.21
131Jake IrvinWSHP142.31
132Hunter BrownHOUP124.56
133Maikel GarciaKCIF177.31
134Chris BassittTORP173.92
135Wyatt LangfordTEXOF83.81
136Shane BazTBP193.56
137Christopher MorelCHCIF145.69
138Nico HoernerCHCIF219.91
139Nestor CortesNYYP138.67
140Charlie MortonATLP172.42
141Daulton VarshoTOROF220.84
142Michael HarrisATLOF162.63
143Pete Crow-ArmstrongCHCOF 
144Brent RookerOAKOF74.71
145Manny MachadoSDIF58.17
146Bryce MillerSEAP164.11
147Will BensonCINOF 
148MacKenzie GoreWSHP147.56
149Ryan PepiotTBP204.97
150Tommy PhamCWSOF194.05
151Framber ValdezHOUP152.36
152Reese OlsonDETP188.03
153Jonathan IndiaCINIF154.59
154Bobby MillerLADP197.46
155Kodai SengaNYMP177.72
156Nick CastellanosPHIOF106.02
157Ke'Bryan HayesPITIF 
158Dean KremerBALP203.48
159Brady SingerKCP173.83
160Carlos RodonNYYP162.30
161Jeremy PenaHOUIF193.31
162Luis RengifoLAAIF152.94
163Bryan WooSEAP211.07
164Ben LivelyCLEP205.81
165Jeimer CandelarioCINIF173.58
166Zach NetoLAAIF222.23
167Andrew AbbottCINP196.88
168Yusei KikuchiTORP220.65
169Gavin WilliamsCLEP216.21
170Rhys HoskinsMILIF193.28
171Ezequiel TovarCOLIF130.69
172Kyle GibsonSTLP223.11
173Jose BerriosTORP195.22
174Jose SiriTBOF 
175Sal FrelickMILOF223.00
176Alec BohmPHIIF34.78
177Jacob deGromTEXP225.89
178Alex BregmanHOUIF104.50
179Yandy DiazTBIF177.08
180Jake FraleyCINOF 
181Jackson ChourioMILOF138.27
182Bo BichetteTORIF136.38
183Triston CasasBOSIF215.26
184Andrew HeaneyTEXP226.63
185Zach EflinTBP213.11
186Ryan MountcastleBALIF150.06
187Jameson TaillonCHCP214.98
188Brayan BelloBOSP229.38
189Starling MarteNYMOF221.71
190Gleyber TorresNYYIF212.97
191Colton CowserBALOF212.72
192Jake McCarthyARIOF 
193Leody TaverasTEXOF 
194Brandon MarshPHIOF183.80
195Clayton KershawLADP220.22
196Lance LynnSTLP 
197Royce LewisMINIF53.24
198Lars NootbaarSTLOF199.62
199Sean ManaeaNYMP231.44
200Jarred KelenicATLOF124.45
201Isaac ParedesTBIF153.33
202Cedric MullinsBALOF183.49
203Parker MeadowsDETOF 
204Jake CronenworthSDIF117.83
205Marcus StromanNYYP224.54
206Bryan De La CruzMIAOF170.11
207Josh NaylorCLEIF65.22
208Javier AssadCHCP 
209Jackson MerrillSDOF88.83
210Jordan HicksSFP 
211Ben BrownCHCP 
212Clarke SchmidtNYYP 
213Josh JungTEXIF171.66
214Brandon LoweTBIF228.30
215Jon GrayTEXP 
216Noelvi MarteCINIF213.79
217Merrill KellyARIP 
218Jacob YoungWSHOF 
219Aaron CivaleMILP 
220Jordan WalkerSTLOF 
221Joe MusgroveSDP 
222Logan AllenCLEP 
223Nick GonzalesPITIF 
224Garrett CleavingerTBP 
225Vinnie PasquantinoKCIF143.39
226Dansby SwansonCHCIF 
227Brendan DonovanSTLOF162.45
228Jeffrey SpringsTBP 
229Braxton GarrettMIAP 
230Luis ArraezSDIF82.52
231Kenta MaedaDETP 
232AJ Smith-ShawverATLP 
233Esteury RuizOAKOF 
234Jake BurgerMIAIF 
235Lance McCullersHOUP 
236Max MuncyLADIF220.63
237David PetersonNYMP 
238Christian ScottNYMP 
239Edward CabreraMIAP 
240Jorge SolerSFOF146.17
241Alex VerdugoNYYOF152.91
242Ryan O'HearnBALIF175.09
243Andy PagesLADOF200.00
244Drew ThorpeCWSP 
245Chase SilsethLAAP 
246Davis SchneiderTOROF 
247Ryan JeffersMINIF223.10
248Lourdes GurrielARIOF108.78
249Reid DetmersLAAP 
250Eduardo RodriguezARIP 

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Todd Zola
Todd has been writing about fantasy baseball since 1997. He won NL Tout Wars and Mixed LABR in 2016 as well as a multi-time league winner in the National Fantasy Baseball Championship. Todd is now setting his sights even higher: The Rotowire Staff League. Lord Zola, as he's known in the industry, won the 2013 FSWA Fantasy Baseball Article of the Year award and was named the 2017 FSWA Fantasy Baseball Writer of the Year. Todd is a five-time FSWA awards finalist.
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