San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado went 1-for-5 with a two-run shot in their loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1 of the NLDS. Machado put the Padres up early as he hit a two-run homer in the opening frame off Yoshinobu Yamamoto, which scored Fernando Tatis Jr. Machado tallied two RBI in the Wild Card series against the Atlanta Braves and is continuing to serve as a focal point of the offense in the NLDS. DFS players should always consider putting Machado in their lineup, given his upside for power and scoring opportunities batting in the heart of a potent lineup. Machado held a solid .275 AVG this season with 29 long balls and 11 stolen bases. He will face Dodger right-hander Jack Flaherty on Sunday evening in Game 2 and will likely bat in the cleanup spot as he has done through most of the summer.

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Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani went 2-for-5 with a three-run home run in Game 1 of the NLDS. Ohtani brought the Dodgers back from a three-run deficit in the second frame by hitting a three-run blast, which scored Will Smith and Gavin Lux. Later in the game, Ohtani hit a single and eventually scored off a Teoscar Hernandez single. The 30-year-old enjoyed an incredible regular season, boasting a .310/.390/.646 slash line with 54 home runs and 59 stolen bases. DFS players should always consider adding the superstar to their lineup despite the hefty price cost, as he always carries immense upside in any matchup.

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New York Mets outfielder Jesse Winker is not in the starting nine as the Mets look to go up two games in the NLDS on Sunday afternoon. Winker got the nod in the opening game but went 0-for-1 with two walks. Instead, J.D. Martinez will start at DH and bat in the six-hole. Winker is likely sitting because the Phillies are sending out left-hand Cristopher Sanchez, as Winker typically sits against southpaws during the final months of the season. DFS players should expect Winker to return to the starting nine for Game 3 when the Phillies send out Aaron Nola. Martinez is worth a look in DFS this afternoon, as he tallied two hits and three RBI during the Wild Card Series.

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New York Mets starting pitcher Sean Manaea will start in Game 3 of the NLDS, according to Anthony Dicomo of MLB.com. This was expected as the southpaw will enter this game, pitching on a typical five days of rest. In his previous outing in the Wild Card Series, Manaea tossed five innings of two-run ball in a no-decision. The 32-year-old enjoyed a strong second half, boasting a 3.48 ERA and a 0.94 WHIP. However, during the regular season, he struggled against the Phillies, holding an underwhelming 5.40 ERA with four home runs in just 16 2/3 innings of work.

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New York Mets outfielder Harrison Bader will cover center field and bat in the nine-hole on Sunday afternoon in Game 2 of the NLDS. Bader is getting the nod over Tyrone Taylor who covered center field in Game 1. Taylor went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts on Saturday. Bader entered the game late as a pinch-runner and was able to score twice, stole a base, and tallied a hit which is why he has earned a starting opportunity. He will face Philadelphia southpaw Cristopher Sanchez, who posted a strong 2.43 ERA and 1.08 WHIP through his final five starts of the regular season. Bader remains a high-risk option in DFS, given his spot in the lineup and rather difficult matchup.

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Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm is not in the starting nine of Game 2 of the NLDS. Instead, Edmundo Sosa will get the nod at the hot corner and bat in the eight-hole. Bohm went 0-for-4 in yesterday's match and will take a seat on Sunday afternoon. Sosa has carried a .214/.324/.393 line across his past 12 games. He will face New York right-hander Luis Severino, who was able to win his last start in the Wild Card Series against the Milwaukee Brewers by tossing six frames of three-run ball. Sosa remains a high-risk option in DFS this afternoon, given his inconsistencies this summer and lack of power.

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New York Yankees outfielder Alex Verdugo went 2-for-3 with two singles, two runs, and a walk in their Game 1 victory over the Kansas City Royals. Verdugo tallied his two runs off a Gleyber Torres home run in the third inning and an Austin Wells single in the sixth. In the seventh inning, Verdugo knocked a single to left field, which scored Jazz Chisholm Jr. to put the Yankees in the lead. Rookie Jasson Dominguez was in danger of taking Verdugo's starting role in left field, but given this performance, he should continue to see most of the opportunities there throughout the playoffs. Despite the strong outing, the 28-year-old is best to fade in DFS on Monday when he will face Kansas City southpaw Cole Ragans.

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Cleveland Guardians outfielder Lane Thomas went 1-for-4 with a three-run shot in Game 1 of the ALDS. Thomas broke the game open early by hitting a three-run blast in the first inning to score third baseman Jose Ramirez and first baseman Josh Naylor to cap off an impressive five-run inning. The 29-year-old was able to carry his power surge into the postseason after tallying seven round-trippers with a .560 SLG during the final month of the regular season. Thomas should continue to bat in the five-hole of a deep Guardians lineup, which should present him with several RBI opportunities. However, Thomas is best to fade in DFS on Monday as he will face Detroit ace Tarik Skubal, who is coming off a six-inning shutout in the AL Wild Card Series.

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New York Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a walk in their victory over the Philadelphia Phillies. Nimmo was quiet at the plate until the eighth inning when he knocked a single to left field, which brought in the eventual game-winning run. Later in that inning he was able to score off a J.D. Martinez single. Then, in the ninth, Nimmo hit his second single to bring in an additional run to increase their lead. The 31-year-old has now tallied at least one hit in every playoff game, providing a great spark at the top of the New York lineup. Nimmo remains a solid pick in DFS formats on Sunday when he will face Philadelphia southpaw Cristopher Sanchez, who carries a 3.32 ERA.

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Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Zack Wheeler tossed seven shutout frames in Game 1 of the NLDS on Saturday afternoon. He allowed just one hit to third baseman Mark Vientos and four free passes. He struck out nine. Wheeler put the Phillies in position to win the opening game of the series, but the bullpen could not hold the one-run lead late into the game. The 34-year-old will likely take the again mound in Game 4 or 5, depending on where the Phillies stand in the series. This was another stellar outing for the Cy Young candidate as he posted a dominant 1.83 ERA and 0.79 WHIP across his final six starts of the regular season. Wheeler remains a top pick in DFS formats when he makes his next start this postseason, given his ability to go deep into games and generate a high number of strikeouts.

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Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Miguel Rojas (thigh) will start in Game 1 of the NLDS, according to Eric Stephen of SB Nation. Rojas was sidelined during the final series of the regular season with a minor thigh injury and will return to the starting nine on Saturday evening. Across 103 games this summer, the 35-year-old has held a .283/.337/.410 line with six home runs and eight swiped bags. Since the start of September, he posted a modest .250 AVG. Rojas is best to fade in DFS this evening as he will face San Diego right-hander Dylan Cease, who has carried a stellar 1.40 ERA across his previous three outings.

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Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (toe) will not pitch again this season, according to David Vassegh of SportsNet LA. Kershaw was originally targeting a return late into October but faced a setback last week and will remain sidelined regardless of how far the Dodgers go in the playoffs. The southpaw had a delayed start to the 2024 season due to offseason surgery and logged just 30 innings with a 4.50 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP before suffering a bone spur in his toe. The Dodgers rotation during the playoffs will now consist of Jack Flaherty, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Walker Buehler, and Landon Knack. Yamamoto will get the nod in Game 1 of the NLDS on Saturday evening and is best to fade in DFS as he will face a San Diego lineup that holds a stellar 16.9% K rate against right-handed pitching.

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Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (ankle) remains questionable for the opening game of the NLDS. Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reported that manager Dave Roberts said, "I'm hopeful. Maybe not as hopeful as I was yesterday," regarding the first baseman's status. This is not a good sign for the 35-year-old as he hopes to return from an ankle sprain he suffered during the final week of the regular season. If Freeman were to sit out for the opener, Kike Hernandez would likely get the starting nod at first base. Freeman held a strong .282/.378/.476 line this season with 22 home runs and nine stolen bases. Hernandez would be best to fade in DFS competitions as he will face San Diego right-hander Dylan Cease, who has held a 1.40 ERA and a 0.83 WHIP across his past three starts.

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New York Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres will start at the keystone and bat in the leadoff spot in Game 1 of the ALDS. Torres had a rough start to the summer, hitting for a disappointing .231/.307/.347 slash line. However, after the All-Star Game, Torres was able to find his footing and held a strong .292/.361/.419 line with seven home runs and 11 doubles. Through September, Torres was swinging a hot bat with a .333/.387/.472 line. Torres will be a popular play in DFS this evening as he will have numerous scoring opportunities batting in front of Aaron Judge and Juan Soto. He will face Kansas City right-hander Michael Wacha who enters Saturday with a solid 3.35 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP.

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New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells will start at catcher and bat in the cleanup spot in Game 1 of the ALDS on Saturday evening. Wells opened the campaign, typically batting in the back half of the lineup, but began to move up to the four-spot deeper into the campaign. In the first half of the summer, Wells held a mere .216/.309/.377 line but posted a much-improved .241/.33/.412 line after the All-Star Break. However, since the start of September, the 25-year-old has been in a bit of a slump, holding a .111 AVG. DFS players should consider leaving Wells out of their lineup as he will face Kansas City right-hander Michael Wacha, who has posted a 2.60 ERA and 1.12 WHIP through September.

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Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Michael Grove was named to the NLDS roster, while right-handed pitcher Joe Kelly was left off. Grove has typically been deployed out of the bullpen this summer and has logged just two starts. Across 51 frames, Grove held a 5.12 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP, with a 16:54 BB:K ratio. Grove could be deployed in long relief or even in a spot start during the series. Joe Kelly operated exclusively out of the bullpen this season and posted a 4.78 ERA and 1.47 WHIP. Kelly was typically given set-up duties during the 2024 campaign but battled a shoulder injury late into the season. He eventually returned in September but will sit out in the upcoming series. DFS players should expect Evan Phillips, Michael Kopech, and Alex Vesia to be called upon in high-leverage situations during their tilt against the San Diego Padres.

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New York Yankees outfielder/third baseman Oswaldo Cabrera will start at first base and bat in the eight-hole in Game 1 of the ALDS. Cabrera replaced Anthony Rizzo (finger) after he suffered a fracture during the final week of the regular season and will continue in that current role. Cabrera logged most of his starts at the hot corner this season, but Jazz Chisholm Jr. has claimed that spot since coming over from Miami at the trade deadline. Through September, Cabrera held a solid .280 AVG with two extra-base hits and an overall .247 AVG across 109 games this summer. DFS players should leave the 25-year-old out of their lineup this afternoon as he will face Kansas City right-hander Michael Wacha, who held a strong 2.60 ERA across his final five starts of the season.

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San Diego Padres starting pitcher Martin Perez is on the NLDS roster after being left off the Wild Card roster last week. Perez is rejoining the roster because Joe Musgrove (elbow) is set to undergo Tommy John surgery. As a result, the Padres will enter the NLDS with four potential starters, including Dylan Cease, Yu Darvish, Michael King, and Perez. Since joining San Diego at the trade deadline, the southpaw has held a modest 3.46 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP, with a 17:44 BB:K ratio across 52 frames. However, he struggled with Pittsburgh in the first half, holding a hefty 5.20 ERA and 1.65 WHIP. Perez could start Game 4, but it is best to leave him off your DFS lineup as he sits with an underwhelming 18.1% K rate and a poor 41.5% hard-hit rate.

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New York Mets second baseman Jeff McNeil (wrist) is set to join the Mets in Philadelphia and begin to ramp up activities in hopes of returning to the diamond in the NLCS or World Series, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. McNeil was placed on the injured list with a fractured wrist earlier in September and was ruled out of the season. However, the 32-year-old has begun to make progress and could return to the starting lineup if the Mets continue their playoff run. McNeil had a disappointing season, posting a mere .238/.308/.384 line, which is a stark drop compared to the .270 AVG and .326 AVG he held over the previous two campaigns. If McNeil can return, he could see occasional starts in the outfield and at the keystone but will likely serve as a bench bat.

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Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (toe) is not on the NLDS roster, according to David Vassegh of SportsNet LA. Kershaw hit the injured list at the end of August with a bone spur in his toe. The southpaw began to make progress in September but faced a minor setback last week and will need at least another week to recover before taking the mound. As a result, the Dodgers will enter the NLDS with Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Jack Flaherty, Walker Buehler, and Landon Knack as their starters. Kershaw had a delayed start to the 2024 campaign due to offseason surgery and was only able to log 30 innings to the tune of a 4.50 ERA and 1.50 WHIP.

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