When being contrarian in daily fantasy sports, there's a fine line between taking a calculated risk and being reckless. But differentiating your lineups from everyone else is the name of the game if you plan on taking down one of those highly lucrative DFS tournaments. Whether it's because of Vegas totals, other options at a given position, or some gem you've found that everyone is overlooking, we can always find potential under-owned plays if we look hard enough.
Here are three such players to consider branching out for on FanDuel's main slate
Jack Flaherty, P, St. Louis Cardinals
FanDuel Price: $7,900
Jack Flaherty is coming off his worst start of the year and will that recent bad performance keep his ownership lower tonight?
There is no doubt that Flaherty struggled in his most recent outing against the Chicago Cubs, allowing four earned runs in just 3.2 innings while striking no one out. There is really no other way to put it, he sucked in that game, and since he is back on a slate that features Clayton Kershaw, Jacob deGrom, and Matt Boyd, among others, he will almost certainly be the one to go overlooked.
He still comes in with a 25.7% strikeout rate which is the fourth highest on the slate and has one of the best park factors in his favor, being on the road to take on the New York Mets. Speaking of the Mets, they come in with a 97 wRC+ (13th in the league), a .168 ISO (22nd in the league), and a 23.3% strikeout rate (13th in the league) versus right-handed pitchers.
Regardless of how much Flaherty struggled in his most recent start, this is a good matchup for him to get back on track while coming in at a cheaper price compared to the top-tier pitchers -- and at what should be lower ownership.
Ketel Marte, SS, Arizona Diamondbacks
FanDuel Price: $3,900
A slate that features Coors Field, the New York Yankees, the Boston Red Sox, and a late night Chicago Cubs at Los Angeles Dodgers matchup should see most other teams go overlooked in tournaments.
One of those teams are the Arizona Diamondbacks, who come in with a solid 4.59 implied run total and have a weaker pitcher opposing them. That pitcher is Erick Fedde, who has a 4.95 SIERA and 4.81 xFIP, along with a 10.5% walk rate to left-handed hitters. On paper, he might look good allowing three or fewer earned runs in four straight starts, but this is a pitcher you want to attack.
Ketel Marte might be having the season of his career and comes in with a .213 ISO, 48.3% hard-hit rate, and a 35.9% fly-ball rate against right-handed pitchers. The power is certainly there for him, and he along with the rest of the Diamondbacks make an interesting option tonight when there are plenty of other teams to consider.
Enrique Hernandez, 2B, Los Angeles Dodgers
FanDuel Price: $3,100
A 4.47 implied run total for the Los Angeles Dodgers is nothing to shy away from, especially if some of their players will be lower owned tonight.
When looking at the Dodgers' lineup, there are some very obvious players to roster in DFS, but Enrique Hernandez is normally not one of them. He is hitting right at the Mendoza line this season but has some historic success against Jon Lester, who he is facing tonight. Hernandez has five hits in 22 career at-bats against Lester, with two home runs, and six RBIs. That is good for a .367 wOBA and a .364 ISO.
Yes, this is clearly a small sample size, but if you are a believer in batter versus pitcher, buy in tonight for a lower-owned tournament option.