Chris Coghlan Daily Fantasy News, Rankings, Projections

While there aren't really many incredibly expensive arms tonight, the game in Coors likely dictates players are still going to need to save money somewhere. Players can probably consider Ezequiel Carrera a top punt option, batting second for the Blue Jays against Chase De Jong for exactly $2.7K on either site. De Jong has just a 10 K% and 50% fly ball rate through two starts. Ryan Rua is a league average bat against LHP that bats further down in the lineup, but in one of the more run friendly environments in Texas and at a cost of $3K on DraftKings, $2.5K on FanDuel. Chris Coghlan is another average bat against RHP, who is even cheaper ($2.5K on DK, $2K on FD). Matt Davidson (139 wRC+, .361 ISO vs RHP) bats sixth against Phil Hughes (RHBs .355 wOBA since 2015) for just $2.6K on FanDuel. The punt catcher may be Chris Gimenez tonight. He faces Derek Holland (RHBs .340 wOBA since 2015) for less than $3K on either site and has done the most with his opportunities against southpaws since 2015 (129 wRC+, .244 ISO). He can be paired with teammate Jorge Polanco (117 wRC+, .179 ISO vs LHP since 2015) for just a bit more on either site ($3.2 DK, $2.8 FD) at another difficult position. Matt Szczur (77 wRC+, .162 ISO vs LHP since 2015) bats second against Martin Perez (RHBs .339 wOBA since 2015) for just $2.3K on FanDuel. Conor Gillaspie (84 wRC+, .154 ISO vs RHP since last season) could be a min-priced bat or close to it in the middle of the San Francisco lineup against Bronson Arroyo. If Andrew Romine (77 wRC+ vs RHP since last season) leads off again against JC Ramirez, he's not very good, but costs just $2.1K on DraftKings.

Ryan Vogelsong is a very low strikeout pitcher (14.2% K%) with no control (12.8% BB%) against left-handed batters and has been unable to keep the ball on the ground against right-handed batters (38.5%). The Cubs are running out a lineup of almost all lefties tonight, making Dexter Fowler 124 wRC+, .359 wOBA, .168 ISO vs RHP), Anthony Rizzo (156 wRC+, .408 wOBA, .276 ISO vs RHP), Ben Zobrist (118 wRC+, .351 wOBA, .163 ISO vs RHP), and Tommy La Stella (.151 ISO vs RHP) our primary targets for a high-upside tournament stack. The Cubs bats are probably not worth spending on in cash games, outside of Coghlan and La Stella, but could make fantastic lineup fillers in tournaments if not opting for the full stack in tournaments.

Dexter Fowler and Ben Zobrist will rest tonight in Pittsburgh as the Cubs gear up for the post-season and have nothing left to play for this week. The Cubs have touched up Chad Kuhl for seven runs in 7.1 innings in two previous starts, the more recent one without Fowler and Zobrist also. Kuhl pitches in a park that decimates RH power, but he's really struggled with LHBs (.347 wOBA, 36.5 Hard%). The Cubs (105 wRC+ on the road, 102 wRC+ vs RHP, 134 wRC+ last seven days) are a deep offense that can still put up some runs even without those two key bats. Anthony Rizzo (150 wRC+, .265 ISO vs RHP since 2015) is obviously the top bat here. Chris Coghlan (104 wRC+, .185 ISO vs RHP since 2015) has some value in the leadoff spot for $2.9K on either site. Willson Contreras (118 wRC+, .207 ISO vs RHP) has a 379 wRC+ and 50 Hard% over the last week and gets a nice bump in the lineup to the cleanup spot tonight.

Matt Garza has struck out 17 of his last 53 batters with a 3.67 ERA over the last month, but estimators still nearly a run higher. The lean here is still towards the Cubs as batters from either side have a wOBA above .330, making hard contact over one-third of the time since last season, but LHBs have really torched him (.367 wOBA, 34.8 Hard%). Anthony Rizzo (151 wRC+, .266 ISO vs RHP since 2015) may be one of tonight's top overall bats. He's also only one of two bats in this lineup with a wRC+ above 100 over the last week (144). While nearly all bats project as playable in this matchup, Chris Coghlan (102 wRC+, .183 ISO vs RHP since 2015) is by far the cheapest on DraftKings ($2.7K), while Addison Russell (101 wRC+, .155 ISO vs RHP since 2015) costs just $2.6K on FanDuel. Kris Bryant (146 wRC+, .234 ISO vs RHP career) is also a top overall bat at eligible positions, as he normally is.

Jon Lester and the Cubs host the Mariners and Hisashi Iwakuma in the lone Friday afternoon game and as is usually the case for these kick off the weekend affairs, the home team (Cubs) are large (-179) favorites. Lester has been excellent this season, especially against LH bats (.247 wOBA allowed with 28.3% K rate). He more than holds his own (.297 wOBA, 22.7% K rate) against RH bats as well. Nelson Cruz (.426 wOBA vs LHP) is always a viable option but outside of maybe Franklin Gutierrez is the only Mariner worth targeting from this game. Iwakuma has allowed a .315+ wOBA to both sides of the plate this season including a .337 wOBA to LH bats. Chris Coghlan leads off for the Cubs and is an intriguing value option. Anthony Rizzo is always a great target when facing a RHP and Kris Bryant and Ben Zobrist are also worth consideration if playing a GPP using this game.

Tom Koehler is generating weaker contact than in previous years (23.6 Hard%), but his 5.3 HR/FB is well below his career rate, allowing him to maintain an ERA below four with estimators around five. A 12.9 BB% is a major culprit and won't mesh well with the Cubs 11.0 BB% vs RHP. Unfortunately, walks don't often get the job done in DFS, setting this up as a potential fade situation without Rizzo and Fowler. New leadoff man Jason Heyward has just a 76 wRC+ and .094 ISO vs RHP this season, while Ben Zobrist bats 3rd with a 28 wRC+ over the last week. Kris Bryant, batting 2nd tonight, is the top overall bat (138 wRC+, .216 ISO vs RHP career), but costs quite a bit with RHBs carrying just a .298 wOBA against Koehler since last season. Cleanup Catcher Willson Contreras (239 wRC+ in his first week in the majors) and Chris Coghlan behind him (104 wRC+ vs RHP since 2015, but just 49 wRC+ this year) are the likely value plays here for around $2.5K on either site.

Chris Coghlan has not been as good this year as he was last year, but he does face a RHP tonight. His wRC+ is still a meager 40 against RHP in 2016, but he does still boast a 0.139 ISO. On late swap sites, Coghlan is a value option that offers home run upside and will be leading off for a productive offense against a young pitcher, Jameson Taillon, who will be pitching on the road.

At first look, Nate Karns and his 25.0 K% might look like a strong option in a decent matchup in Oakland, but a deeper look shows a league average 9.7 SwStr% and a 12.5 BB% that hasn't allowed him to go past 5.1 innings in three of his four starts. Additionally, he has a HR/FB above 15% both this year and career despite pitching in great parks. With little overall platoon split for Karns, RHBs do have an 18.3 HR/FB against him in his career. You might want to look at the Khris Davis (120 wRC+, .243 ISO vs RHP since last season) for nearly $3K on both sites as they guy with the strongest potential to go yard and provide extra value in the cleanup spot. Reddick, Vogt and Coughlan also have ISOs right around .200 against righties since 2015 with a wRC+ between 118 and 132. It's a tough park, but Karns has shown a tendency to be unable to avoid HRs in any park.

Mike Pelfrey has somehow turned a -5.6 K-BB%, .367 BABIP, and 16.7 HR/FB into a 3.68 ERA with estimators over two runs higher. He has allowed a .382 wOBA to LHBs last year and is definitely a pitcher we want to target tonight with the team projected to score the 2nd most runs tonight (4.8) even with a game at Coors. The prime target should be Chris Coughlan (124 wRC+, .220 ISO vs RHP since last season) at a low price in the two slot. Stephen Vogt (125 wRC+, .205 ISO vs RHP) is also usually a popular catcher choice at a similarly low price, while Josh Reddick (134 wRC+, .205 ISO vs RHP) plays the OF and costs a bit more, but performs equally well. Billy Burns (95 wRC+ vs RHP) isn't a great bat, but is the most likely to steal a base and score some runs ahead of the pack.