MLB DFS Expert Survey: Friday, August 21st

by Justin Bailey (Jbails26)

Created Aug 21, 2026

Last Updated 2026-08-21 18:10:53 Premium Content Part of the product MLB DFS

Our panel of experts is here to give you their insights on MLB DFS today for the 8/21 main slate on DraftKings and FanDuel. They’re here to answer key questions that will assist you in making those crucial lineup-building decisions. Curious who our experts have as their favorite sneaky stack? Or perhaps you’re wondering who they have as their top overall pitcher? Read their thoughts below!

MLB DFS Picks: DraftKings & FanDuel Expert Survey for Friday, August 21

Who is your favorite hitter to spend up for in cash games?

CheeseIsGood: Jose Ramirez
ebeimfohr: Jose Ramirez
boggslite: Jose Ramirez
Dean78904: Jose Ramirez

What is your preferred tournament format (e.g. large-field, single-entry) to play on this slate? How do you plan to beat that field of opponents? What tactic or strategy will set you apart?

CheeseIsGood: I much prefer smaller-field tournaments tonight. This is such a closely-bunched and wide-open offensive slate that I don’t want to have to throw random darts to catch the off-the-wall teams that are going to be needed to win the big MME contests. I want to stay narrowed down to a pool of 4-5 offenses, where simply fading the Coors Field game should keep me just different enough that I don’t have to overthink it at pitcher either. I am not prioritizing Cam Schlittler and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, as I think we can get similar scores from the pitchers in the upper mid-tier, like Reid Detmers, Sean Burke, MacKenzie Gore, and Sonny Gray. This will allow me to get some high-end one-off bats around my stacks.

ebeimfohr: I have a focused plan for smaller-field, single-entry tournaments. There are some clear standout hitting options at the top of the salary scale, particularly the Guardians at Coors Field, and I plan to target them with high-end one-offs. That’s especially easy to do tonight, with several inexpensive pitchers offering real upside on both sites, including Reid Detmers, MacKenzie Gore, and Noah Cameron.

boggslite: I’m playing single-entry contests. I prefer spending up on bats, which means I’ll look for savings at pitcher, especially on DK, where MacKenzie Gore, Reid Detmers, and Noah Cameron stand out. I won’t fully fade Cleveland in Coors Field, but I see more upside from the Astros and Dodgers at lower pOWN%, so I’ll build around those teams instead.

Dean78904: I mostly focus on single-entry and smaller-field contests. My SP pool is deeper than usual. If salary allows, I’m happy to spend up for Cam Schlittler and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. That said, cheaper arms such as Reid Detmers, MacKenzie Gore, Sean Burke, Sonny Gray, and Noah Cameron (who is a better option on DK) all look good to me and have a chance to make my main lineup. I don’t expect to include anyone else in my pitching pool. As for offense, we have 26 teams to choose from, and only one (a power-starved Guardians team) has an implied total above 5 runs. I may use some Cleveland hitters in my main lineup, but I don’t expect to play a full stack, as I anticipate being underweight on the Guardians. I don’t know exactly where I’ll land, but I’ll likely have some combination of Dodgers, Yankees, and Astros.

Who is your favorite pitcher (when considering price, matchup, projected ownership, etc.) on the board and why?

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