MLB Scoring Breakdown – FanDuel and DraftKings
Whether you are playing daily fantasy baseball or fantasy NASCAR, you need to know the scoring for each of the DFS sites that you are playing on. One of the biggest mistakes that new players make is assuming that all scoring systems are the same. However, if you look at each site’s scoring, you will notice subtle differences that can end up having big impacts on the strategy that you should employ.
Let’s look at the NBA for an example. FanDuel has a very straightforward scoring system, while DraftKings awards fantasy points for 3-pointers made, double-doubles, and triple-doubles. A player like Stephen Curry is inherently more valuable on DraftKings because he makes more 3s than any player in the NBA. That’s not to say that he is a bad play on FanDuel, but Curry’s game is a better fit for the DraftKings’ scoring system.
Learning the ins and outs of each scoring system will help you tailor your strategy to each site that you are playing on. Let’s take a look at FanDuel’s and DraftKings’ scoring systems for baseball…
FanDuel:
Notes on offensive statistics:
• Each base is proportionally worth the same when it comes to hits – three points for a single, six points for a double, nine points for a triple, and 12 points for a home run
• A walk and a hit by pitch are both worth as much as a single – three points
• An RBI and a run are both worth the same as a single – three points
• A stolen base is worth as much as a double – six points
• There is not a penalty for getting caught stealing
Notes on pitching statistics:
• A win for a pitcher is worth 12 points
• Each earned run negates three points, which is the value of an inning pitched or a strikeout
• Each inning pitched is worth three points, which is one-fourth the value of a win
• Each strikeout is worth three points, which is one-fourth the value of a win
• Pitchers do not lose points for hits allowed, walks, etc.
All of the notes above may not seem important, but as you will soon see, there are some key scoring differences between FanDuel and DraftKings. Additionally, FanDuel has made some changes to their scoring since last season. The first thing that you will notice is that they are awarding a lot more fantasy points this season. Each base used to be worth one point last year and now they are each worth three. The second major difference is that there is no longer a penalty for an out made. Last season, every out from a hitter cost you 0.25 fantasy points, or one-fourth the value of a hit.
DraftKings:
Notes on offensive statistics:
• Each base is not worth the same proportionally when it comes to hits. Singles are worth three points, doubles are worth five points, triples are worth eight points, and home runs are worth 10 points
• A walk and a hit by pitch are both worth two points, which is less than the value of a single
• An RBI and a run are both worth two points, which is less than the value of a single
• A stolen base is worth five points, which is the same as a double
• There is no penalty for players that are caught stealing
Notes on pitching statistics:
• A win for a pitcher is worth four points
• Each earned run negates two points, which is the value of a strikeout
• An inning pitched is worth 2.25 points, which is more than half the value of a win
• A strikeout is worth two points, which is half the value of a win
• Pitchers lose points for hits allowed, walks, and hit batters.
• Pitchers receive bonus points for complete games and no-hitters
If you look carefully, you should notice some obvious differences in the two site’s scoring systems. Let’s start on the offensive side of the ball. On FanDuel, each base is worth proportionally the same. This awards more points for doubles, triples, and home runs than DraftKings does. FanDuel also gives out three points for each RBI and each run.
As for pitching, this is where the biggest differences come into play. On FanDuel, a win is worth four times as much as an inning pitch or a strikeout. On DraftKings, a win is worth twice as much. That basically cuts the value of a win in half on DraftKings. It’s also important to point out that DraftKings awards bonuses for complete games and no-hitters. Strikeouts are valuable on both sites, but we want to do everything we can to pick pitchers that have a good chance of picking up a win on FanDuel. On DraftKings, we are more concerned with targeting high-strikeout pitchers.