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.
Kyle Hendricks, P, Chicago Cubs
FanDuel Price: $8,300
Kyle Hendricks is what some might consider a better real-life pitcher compared to a fantasy pitcher, but that is often why he goes overlooked.
Hendricks is carrying a 21.4% strikeout rate this season, which is really average and can potentially limit his upside on a nightly basis. But, even with the potential lack of strikeouts, Hendricks comes in allowing three or fewer earned runs in nine of his last 10 starts, picking up the quality start in six of those outings. He is able to limit the damage due to his solid 35.7% hard-contact rate allowed this year, along with relying on his 41.2% ground-ball rate. He gets strikeouts when he can but leans on his ability to generate medium or soft contact and inducing ground ball outs.
A 4.20 implied run total for the St. Louis Cardinals isn't too much to worry about, and Hendricks should be able to keep them in check tonight, as he has done each of the first two times he faced them this season.
Keston Hiura, 2B, Milwaukee Brewers
FanDuel Price: $4,000
The Milwaukee Brewers have a negative park shift against them because they are on the road to take on the Oakland Athletics. Does that mean their players will go under-owned tonight?
Milwaukee is sporting a 4.33 implied run total tonight, which is 10th-highest on the slate, clearly putting them a few steps behind other teams. But, they have a great matchup tonight versus Brett Anderson, and you should be looking to attack him whenever he pitches. Anderson is carrying a 4.93 xFIP and a 43.2% hard-hit rate but a solid 12.9% home-run-to-fly-ball ratio versus righty hitters this season. He doesn't give up a ton of home runs, but he gets hit -- and hit hard by right-handed hitters -- making this a spot to attack.
Keston Hiura has been awesome for the Brewers this season -- in a small sample -- and if he is going to continue to produce, you should continue to roster him. He is carrying a .330 wOBA, 47.8% hard-hit rate, 39.1% fly-ball rate, but a tough 31.6% strikeout rate versus left-handed pitchers. That strikeout rate shouldn't be too much of a problem tonight because Anderson has a super low 12.9% strikeout rate versus righty hitters this season.
Pablo Sandoval, 3B, San Francisco Giants
FanDuel Price: $2,700
The San Francisco Giants were a relatively popular team last night in DFS, and they should be in the same spot tonight.
The Giants are playing better as of late and come in sporting a 4.46 implied run total tonight, going up against Vincent Velasquez, who is a pitcher worth attacking all the time. Velasquez hasn't had the best year for the Philadelphia Phillies, who have sent him up and down from the minors. Velasquez is allowing 2.30 home runs per nine innings this season to left-handed hitters, which comes from his 25.0% home-run-to-fly-ball ratio. If the ball gets in the air versus Velasquez, we could be looking at a home run, which shouldn't be too much of a surprise since this is a hitter-friendly park.
The veteran Pablo Sandoval has been getting it done this season in a bit of a resurgence. He comes in boasting a .244 ISO, a 42.6% hard-hit rate, and a 21.6% home-run-to-fly ball ratio versus righty pitchers this season. At under $3K tonight, the Giants and Sandoval are in a great spot to score some runs versus Velasquez.