Brian Dozier, 2B, MIN
Dozier is one of the more underrated fantasy superstars in baseball, but also one of the most consistent. With another HR on Monday, Dozier already has 3 on the young season, to go along with 6 runs scored in 4 games. He is coming off four consecutive seasons of at least 101 runs, 23 HR's, and 12 SB's, and the past two seasons have been his best, with 42 and 34 HR's respectively. He has also played in at least 152 games in each of those four seasons, and his durability increases the chances that this year won't look much different. The one area that Dozier doesn't really help in is BA, as despite an average strikeout rate, he tends to have a low BABIP (career .276) due to his high FB% (43.2%) and IFFB% (15.2%). He's easily a top-5 second baseman anyways, and some BABIP luck away from being a top-20 player overall.
Brian Johnson, SP, BOS
Johnson allowed 1 ER on 6 hits and 2 BB's in 6 IP in a win against the Marlins on Monday. He had a respectable 4.33 ERA across 27 IP for the Red Sox last year, but his 1.48 WHIP was subpar, and he benefitted from an 81.8% LOB%. Monday's start mirrored the same idea, as Johnson allowed 8 baserunners in his 6 innings, but only one (the solo HR) was allowed to score. This may work in the short term, but in the long run, he will have to limit the number of baserunners he allows in order to be a successful pitcher.
Francisco Liriano, SP, DET
Liriano led the Tigers to their first win of the season on Monday, holding the Royals to 1 ER on 4 hits in 6.2 IP. It was a nice debut for Liriano, but let's not confuse a successful outing against a weak lineup with a return to All-Star form. Liriano's K/9 plummeted to 7.89 in 2017, by far his lowest mark in 7 years, to go along with his always high BB-rates, and his 3:2 K:BB in Monday's game wasn't anything to write home about either. Throw in the fact that wins on this Tigers team may be hard to come by, and Liriano doesn't offer a very appealing fantasy package.
Charlie Morton, SP, HOU
Morton continued right where he left off last season, going 6 shutout innings while striking out 6 against the Orioles on Monday. Considering how late Morton went in drafts this seasons, it seems that many fantasy owners are skeptical about him repeating that success, and it's hard to blame them given Morton's previous track record of mediocrity and low strikeout rates. But his peripherals look very strong, with his 3.58 xFIP nearly matching his 3.62 ERA, and his 10.00 K\9 nearly 3 higher than his previous career-high. If Monday is any sort of indication, then Morton could end up being a huge steal for whoever drafted him late.
Josh Reddick, OF, HOU
Reddick hasn't gotten off to a great start this season and as result his daily price is quite reasonable. But last year he posted an .867 OPS against RHP's and a .910 mark at home. On Tuesday, the Astros host the Orioles and will face off against RHP Mike Wright, the O's #5 starter. This makes Reddick a solid play for a cheap price. DraftKings Value Play Salary $3,300.
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