This article is part of our FantasyDraft MLB series.
Friday's slate at FantasyDraft has more than $20,000 in guaranteed contests up for grabs, including a $4,000 prize pool, $2 entry contest where you "Win Or Get Your Money Back".
Below, we'll identify players who can help you earn a piece of that pie.
For those unfamiliar with FantasyDraft's MLB offerings, click through for the scoring/rules and available contest types.
FantasyDraft's roster construction is as follows: two pitchers, three infielders (can be anyone listed as a catcher, first baseman, second baseman, third baseman or shortstop), three outfielders and two utility spots.
FantasyDraft offers contests at a benefit to players by placing a multi-entry cap on tournaments. This allows just a few lineups per player to be entered, making for a more level playing field in terms of how many entries one player owns.
There are six big tournaments on FantasyDraft for Friday's slate:
• $4,000 Called Up - $25 Entry
• $2,400 Brushback - $12 Entry
• $2,500 Line Drive - $5 Entry
• $1,500 Slider - $3 Entry
• $1,000 Two Seamer - $2 Entry
• $500 Ace - $1 Entry
There is a larger payout zone on FantasyDraft, meaning you have an even better chance of cashing. In the $5 tournament, 139 entries are paid out. That is 25 percent of the total field, or five percent higher than most tournaments pay. There has been some overlay on FantasyDraft, so be sure to get into those tournaments for a higher chance of cashing.
Each week, RotoWire will provide picks and analysis for players to target on FantasyDraft for your DFS MLB lineups.
Pitcher
Value Play
Robbie Ray, ARI, $14,400
Ray has been a value pitcher for a better part of the season, and Friday's slate is no exception. Ray has a 3.13 ERA and has averaged 16.84 fantasy points per start this season. In starts with a good matchup (Rockies, Padres twice, and the Rangers) he has scored 22.5, 15.95, 16.5, and 26.25 fantasy points, respectively.
He has another good matchup against the Braves on Friday, as Atlanta is hitting just over .230 against left-handed pitching and is dead last in home runs. Ray's price allows you to select some top options, and you are still getting a player with an excellent matchup.
Top Play
Max Scherzer, WAS, $21,100
While Corey Kluber actually has a much better matchup and could be a better play, Scherzer's price on FantasyDraft is enticing. He is the third-highest priced pitcher for Friday's slate, which makes him a better play considering his price dropped for the tough matchup against the Giants. It's rare for Scherzer not to be the most expensive pitcher, so Friday is a chance to get him at a discount.
While Scherzer's matchup may scare off those selecting for cash games, he is an elite tournament play at his price, which is $2,000 less than the most expensive pitcher on the slate. Scherzer's strikeout ability makes him a top tournament play, and he has proven to be a top option, scoring just under a combined 120 fantasy points in two straight starts earlier this season.
Despite the Giants' ability to hit the ball, Scherzer gets a park boost and still has one of the highest strikeout rates in baseball.
Infield
Value Play
Logan Forsythe, TB, $7,500
Forsythe, a left-handed pitcher and a cheap price -- these things come together a few times a month, and when they do it's a perfect storm for a value infielder. Forsythe is one of the top split plays in daily fantasy baseball, meaning that he has incredible numbers against one handedness or the other.
Forsythe has hit eight home runs in 111 at-bats against left-handed pitching, accruing a .404 wOBA and a .324 ISO. Those are elite numbers in terms of splits and his price is only $7,500.
Forsythe will face Martin Perez on Friday. Righties are hitting .329 against Perez this season, and while it's a small sample size, right-handed hitters have still managed a respectable .279 batting average against Perez throughout his career. Considering Forsythe's success against lefties and Perez' struggles against righties, this makes for a perfect value play on FantasyDraft.
Value Play
Jedd Gyorko, SDP, $7,900
Gyorko is another infield value on FantasyDraft, as he faces a left-handed pitcher in Coors Field. The Padres infielder is an excellent platoon player, as he crushes left-handed pitching on a routine basis.
This season, he has a .354 wOBA against left-handed pitching and an ISO of .156. In his career, he has a .182 ISO against lefties, making him a top power option. That power receives a boost in a big way for Friday's slate.
Gyorko plays in Coors Field, which is the best hitter's park in baseball. The ball travels farther, the pitches have less movement, and the deep alleys allow for more extra-base hits.
He also has an excellent matchup against Yohan Flande, who is allowing righties to slug .471 so far this season. Flande has given up four home runs in 22 innings of work to right-handed batters already.
Outfield
Value Play
Chris Young, NYY, $6,900
Every time Young is in the lineup against a left-handed pitcher, he is worth consideration. The only issue for Friday's matchup is that David Price is not a normal left-handed pitcher.
That being said, Young has absolutely dominated southpaws this year. He is hitting .348 with a .652 slugging percentage, .446 wOBA and .304 ISO rating against lefties, which are all elite splits.
Price has been excellent against right-handed hitters throughout his career, and even more so this season, but with Young's dominance, he makes for a solid tournament option considering the fact that he will be low owned despite top-tier splits.
Top Play
Ryan Braun, MIL, $9,600
Braun has been an absolute headache for opposing left-handed pitchers throughout his career. He has also been incredible at Miller Park. On Friday, those things come together perfectly.
In his career, Braun has a .435 wOBA and .296 ISO against left-handed pitching. He is hitting .334 with a .551 slugging percentage against southpaws this season.
Braun will face Adam Morgan, who has allowed a .294 batting average and .496 slugging percentage against righties this season. Morgan has given up six home runs in just 34 innings to right-handed batters. The stars are aligning for Braun, as he makes for the top outfield play of the night on FantasyDraft.
