Targeting games with high totals is a tried and true MLB daily Fantasy strategy and with only six games taking place on Thursday evening, it’ll be tough to decide which matchup to target. All six games have totals of nine runs or higher but Yankees vs. Mariners has the highest total of the night at 10 runs at Caesars Sportsbook. Anthony Rizzo continues to be red-hot since being acquired at the MLB trade deadline from the Cubs and he’ll be a popular option in the MLB DFS player pool.
Rizzo has an RBI in each of his first six games with the Yankees and tagged his third home run since joining the squad on Wednesday. However, should you plug Rizzo into your MLB DFS lineups again on Thursday against Mariners lefty Tyler Anderson? Before locking in any MLB DFS picks for Thursday, be sure to check out the MLB DFS advice, strategy and projections from SportsLine daily Fantasy expert Scott Engel.
Engel is a prime source to consult for DFS success. Engel is an inaugural member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association’s Hall of Fame and has been a premier analyst and Fantasy personality for 25 years. He is a four-time FSWA award winner and 10-time nominee, including winning a FSWA award for Best Fantasy Baseball Series.
On Wednesday, Engel included Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson in his player pool on both FanDuel and DraftKings. The result: Swansby went 4-for-4 with three runs scored and a stolen base to return 27.6 points on FD and 23 points on DK. Anybody who followed that pick was well on their way to a profitable day.
Now, with the 2021 MLB season rolling on, Engel has locked in his top MLB daily Fantasy picks for Thursday. Head to SportsLine now to see them.
Engel’s top MLB DFS picks for August 5, 2021
One of Engel’s top MLB DFS picks for Thursday is Yankees outfielder Giancarlo Stanton at $4,300 on DraftKings and $3,400 on FanDuel. After two seasons marred by injury, Stanton has been able to stay in the Yankees lineup most of this season and while it’s not quite up to his usual standard, his .257/.356/.457 is still respectable and there are some encouraging underlying peripherals.
Stanton’s 95.0 mph average exit velocity is his best since 2015 and his 56.6 percent hard-hit contact rate is the highest of his career. Stanton is 4-for-8 in his last two games with a home run and seven RBIs and he now has 17 home runs and 53 RBIs on the season.
Part of Engel’s optimal MLB DFS strategy includes rostering Blue Jays outfielder George Springer ($5,500 on DraftKings, $4,200 on FanDuel). The three-time all-star missed nearly two months with a right quad strain, but he’s been tearing the cover off the ball when healthy. Springer has 13 home runs and 27 RBIs with a 1.021 OPS in 38 games this season.
But he’s been especially hot during a current seven-game hitting streak. Springer is 15-for-29 with five multi-hit games during this streak and he’s hit four home runs while driving in 11 during that span. On Thursday, he’ll match up with Triston McKenzie, who has a 6.11 ERA on the season and has given up 14 home runs already in 63 1/3 innings.
How to set your MLB DFS lineups for August 5, 2021
Engel is also targeting an undervalued player who is set to explode for huge numbers on Thursday. The stars are aligning for him to return tournament-winning value and he comes at a price that won’t break the bank. You can only see who it is here.
So what are the top MLB DFS picks for Thursday? Visit SportsLine now to see Scott Engel’s complete player pool and picks for FanDuel and DraftKings, and cash in big on MLB DFS.
