Tom Viera

Tom Viera is an experienced betting and fantasy sports columnist. He brings a vast knowledge of all things NFL, MLB, and NBA. He lives and breathes player props. During the NFL season, he can be found on Twitter (@Tom_Viera) sharing his successful anytime touchdown picks.

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There is a stacked schedule of MLB games Tuesday. Among them, two of the hottest teams since the All-Star break, the Mariners and Dodgers, have soft matchups against the Athletics and Tigers, respectively. The Braves and Phillies continue to battle for NL dominance.

Joey Lucchesi, Mets LHP, 2.5 Earned Runs Allowed (Higher) – Underdog

This isn’t an indictment of Lucchesi, it’s a shoutout for the Miami offense. The Marlins own the second-highest batting average against left-handed pitching at .283. At home, they have the fourth-highest batting average (.273).

Lucchesi has been giving the Mets length, so this gives Miami more opportunity to rack up runs while he is out there. The Marlins have scored the second-most runs in MLB over the last week.

Taj Bradley, Rays RHP, 6 Pitcher Strikeouts (More) – PrizePicks

Bradley is another young pitcher with great stuff that the Rays somehow keep producing. In two of three starts since returning from the IL, he has gone over six strikeouts. Bradley will face a depleted Angles lineup. Since the All-Star break, the Angles have the fourth-most strikeouts.

Ronald Acuna Jr., Braves OF, 1.5 Total Bases (More) – PrizePicks

It’s easy to back the favorite for NL MVP with confidence on most nights. Tonight, he faces lefty Christopher Sanchez, against whom Acuna is 2 for 4 in his career. Acuna is tied with teammate Matt Olsen with the second-most total bases over the last month. Acuna has topped this number in 10 of 15 games this month, including 4 of 5 against the Phillies.

Luis Castillo, Mariners RHP, 39.5 Fantasy Points (Higher) - Underdog

The Athletics’ lineup is abysmal. Over the last 10 games, they are batting. 213. They have the lowest batting average at home and the lowest team average at .224. The Mariners are in the AL West and Wild Card races.

We can expect Castillo to show up in a big way. In his only other start against Oakland this season, he threw six shutout innings and accumulated 52 fantasy points. We can expect a similar performance tonight.

Kyle Gibson, Orioles RHP, 2.5 Earned Runs (Higher) – Underdog

The Astros host the Orioles in a massive series to measure the strength of each team heading into the postseason. Gibson has allowed at least 3 ER in six of his last seven starts. The Astros have seen Gibson a ton over his career, and Houston has scored the second-most runs in MLB since the All-Star break.

Mookie Betts, Dodgers OF, 0.5 Runs (More) – PrizePicks

The Dodgers and Mookie face the Tigers Tuesday. Detroit will utilize an opener In this game, Miguel Diaz. We like Mookie to cross the plate because the Tigers bullpen is in the bottom 10 in nearly every category. Mookie has scored the second most runs per game this season, and over the last month, he has the second-best on-base percentage behind only Yordan Alvarez. The Dodgers have scored the second most runs this season, and Mookie is a major reason.

We have a full slate of games scheduled for Sunday across MLB, there will be a handful of inexperienced starting pitchers taking the mound, and some big-time smash spots for some of the best lineups in baseball. I’ll dive into the foundational building blocks you need to construct your lineups around.

Weather Report

There are clear skies expected for every game.

Injury Report
  • Ronald Acuna Jr – Calf: Acuna left Friday’s game early due to calf tightness and missed Saturday’s game. It’s uncertain if he will be back in the lineup.
  • Ryan Mountcastle – Shoulder: Mountcastle has missed the last three games and there is no update on whether we will play.
  • Triston Casas – Shoulder: Casas was placed on the 10-day IL.
  • Shohei Ohtani – Oblique: The superstar was placed on the 10-day IL and has been shut down for the remainder of the season.
  • David Peralta – Back: Peralta sat out Friday’s game and it’s unknown if his back tightness will keep him out.
  • Bryan De La Cruz – Ankle: He exited Friday’s game early, sat on Saturday, and it’s unknown if he will be in Sunday’s lineup.
  • Manny Machado – Elbow: Manny did not play Saturday and is questionable for Sunday.
Top Priced Starting Pitchers (DraftKings)
  • Brandon Woodruff vs. WAS: $10,800
  • Framber Valdez @ KC: $9,900
  • Charlie Morton @ MIA: $9,500
  • Sonny Gray @ CWS: $9,300
  • Jesus Luzardo vs. ATL: $8,900
  • Dylan Cease vs. MIN: $8,600

Woodruff appears worth paying the premium for. Since returning from the IL in August, he's allowed two earned runs or less in six of seven outings and hasn't allowed a run in his past two games. In four starts at home, he has a 1.07 ERA over 25.1 innings pitched! The Contrarian Edge Optimizer suggests paying up for Woodruff.

The Braves' Morton looks like a good option on paper but avoid him. In two starts versus Miami he has allowed one ER on seven hits over 12.2 innings, but he has struggled in day games with a 4.35 ERA compared to 3.09 ERA at night. He has also struggled in his two starts in September, and Miami has the fourth-highest batting average in MLB at .270 at home.

Sneaky Option

Dylan Cease vs. MIN: $8,600

There are not many “sneaky” options. There’s a handful of openers so it’s difficult to rely on some of the cheaper choices. Instead, we’re going to turn to Cease and hope he brings his strikeout stuff and better command.

The one holdup I have is that the Twins own the fifth-highest walk rate in MLB. The good part is they have the highest strikeout rate per game. Cease has been better at home this season and he should give us some length. This one is scary to trust but we’re riding with the mustache man.

Stack Attack

Brewers vs. Nationals (Patrick Corbin)

What a shock! We’re looking to stack against Corbin. The Contrarian Edge Optimizer suggests getting Brewers bats in your lineups. Expect a poor outing against a Milwaukee lineup that is in the top 10 in runs scored and has the sixth highest batting average in September.

The Brewers lineup projects nicely despite occasional struggles against lefties. The Nats' bullpen owns the fourth-worst ERA, so if they chase Corbin early, they could continue producing.

  • 1B Carlos Santana $3,800
  • 2B Andruw Monasterio $3,000
  • C William Contreras $5,100
  • SS Willy Adames $4,400
  • OF Mark Canha $3,000
  • OF Joey Weimer $2,600

Astros vs. Royals (Jordan Lyles)

This is what dreams are made of. Lyles and Corbin pitching on the same day! Unfortunately for Lyles, he faces a deep Astros lineup, and has an 8.78 ERA over 11 starts in day games. Jose Altuve has two homers in 14 at-bats off Lyle. Of course, it’s always worth getting Yordan Alvarez in your lineup if you can. He’s 3 for 8 in this series with 2 doubles and has a strong history of success at Kauffman Stadium.

  • 1B Jose Abreu $4,000
  • 2B Jose Altuve $6,400
  • SS Jeremy Pena $4,600
  • 3B Alex Bregman $5,600
  • OF Yordan Alvarez $6,200
  • OF Kyle Tucker $5,900
  • OF Michael Brantley $4,300

On Sunday Night Football, we cap off the NFL’s second weekend with an AFC East battle -- Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins at Foxborough to take on Mac Jones and the New England Patriots.

Game

New England Patriots vs. Miami Dolphins, 8:20 pm ET

Odds (DraftKings)

Line: Patriots +3, Dolphins -3

Moneyline: Patriots (+124), Dolphins (-148)

Over/Under: 46.5

Team Ranks (2023)

Patriots

Points for: 20.0 (16th)

Points Allowed: 25.0 (23rd)

Dolphins

Points For: 36.0 (3rd)

Points Allowed: 34.0 (29th)

Key Injuries to Watch

Patriots

OT Trent Brown (Concussion) – Questionable

G Sidy Sow, (Concussion)- Questionable

CB Jonathan Jones (Ankle)- Questionable

Dolphins

OT Terron Armstead (Back, Ankle, Knee) – Questionable

LB Jaelan Phillips (Back) – Questionable

Armstead is probably the most important injury. Plenty of reports out of Miami’s practice this week are pointing toward him making his season debut. Even without Armstead blocking in Week 1, Tua posted a career-best .60 EPA per dropback.

A major surprise on the injury report is corner Jonathan Jones. He was likely going to be tasked with covering Tyreek Hill, but the missed Friday’s practice with an ankle injury that he may have picked up during the week. New England’s secondary will be in trouble if Jones can’t go.

Captain Prices (DraftKings)

Tyreek Hill, WR $18,900

Tua Tagovailoa, QB, $16,800

Jaylen Waddle, WR, $15,300

Rhamondre Stevenson, RB, $14,100

Mac Jones, QB, $13,500

Raheem Mostert, RB, $12,000

Kendrick Bourne, WR, $10,800

Flex Prices (DraftKings)

Tyreek Hill, WR $12,600

Tua Tagovailoa, QB, $11,200

Jaylen Waddle, WR, $10,200

Rhamondre Stevenson, RB, $9,400

Mac Jones, QB, $9,000

Raheem Mostert, RB, $8,000

Kendrick Bourne, WR, $7,200

According to the Contrarian Edge Optimizer, Tyreek Hill is projected to be the most-owned Captain on the slate over at DraftKings, projected to appear in over 28 percent of lineups. The highest-owned projected player for the Flex spot is Mac Jones.

Surprisingly, the Optimizer is projecting Ezekiel Elliott to appear in just over 1 percent of lineups!

Sneaky Options

Rhamondre Stevenson, Patriots RB, $14,100 – Captain Slot

I’m not sure this qualifies as a “sneaky” choice, but Rhamondre in your Captain slot could pay dividends. Miami’s defense was torched by Chargers running backs in Week 1 to the tune of 255 total yards and two touchdowns.

I’m not convinced we should worry about Zeke Elliott, as Stevenson played 74 percent of snaps in Week 1 compared to Elliot’s 26 percent, and Zeke fumbled.

Since the start of last season, Miami’s defense is bottom six in catches, yards, and receiving scores allowed to opposing running backs. This is noteworthy because Stevenson accumulated 6 catches on 6 targets in Week 1. We can trust his usage to be elite Sunday night.

Hunter Henry, Patriots TE, $5,600

Under new offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien, Mac Jones had his first career 300-plus passing yard game with three touchdowns. He attempted a career-high 52 passes in Week 1. Last season, the Dolphins allowed the third most receptions and touchdowns to opposing tight ends.

Hunter Henry saw solid usage in Week 1, catching 5 passes for 56 yards and a touchdown. Miami’s defense picked up right where it left off in 2022 allowing Chargers tight ends to catch 5 passes and a touchdown in Week 1.

Bargain Option

Mike Gesicki, Patriots TE, $2,400

O’Brien runs a tight end-happy offense. Gesicki is in a revenge game spot against his former team that decided he wasn’t worth paying. See Hunter Henry above as to why we should insert at least one of the Patriots tight ends into our lineups Sunday night. Gesicki is a bargain!

Prediction

I’m seeing plenty of people predicting Tua to stay hot here. He’s 4-0 against Bill Belichick’s Patriots. The odds suggest we should expect the offenses to produce and Tua is the current leader in the clubhouse in MVP odds.

I think the Patriots keep this game close, and Miami’s offense will continue to display its firepower. I think we see chunk gains from Rhamondre in the run game as the Patriots aim to control the tempo. Gesicki scores in the red zone on a short seam route over the middle to cap off a huge win early in the season for the Patriots. Miami gets an early wakeup call.

Final Score: Patriots 24, Dolphins 20

We have a full slate of games scheduled for Saturday across MLB, including a doubleheader between the Rockies and Giants. There’s a handful of aces on the mound that may be worth paying up for, headlined by Clayton Kershaw and Tyler Glasnow, but they have tough road matchups.

I’ll dive into the foundational building blocks you need to construct your lineups around. Additionally, I’ll explain why there’s a smash spot in the first game of that doubleheader out West.

Weather Report

There are clear skies expected for every game, something we should be grateful for with just three weekends left of the regular season!

Injury Report

Ronald Acuna Jr – Calf: Acuna left Friday’s game early due to calf tightness and it has yet to be determined if we will miss Saturday’s game.

Ryan Mountcastle – Shoulder: Mountcastle has missed the last two games and there is no update on whether we will play on Saturday.

Triston Casas – Shoulder: Casas missed Friday’s game, and is yet to be determined if we will be in the lineup on Saturday.

David Peralta – Back: Peralta sat out Friday’s game and it’s unknown if his back tightness will keep him out of Saturday’s tilt with Seattle.

Bryan De La Cruz – Ankle: He exited Friday’s game early and may sit on Saturday.

Top Priced Starting Pitchers (DraftKings)

Tyler Glasnow @ BAL: $10,800

Pablo Lopez @ CWS: $10,500

Corbin Burnes vs. WAS: $10,300

Clayton Kershaw @ SEA: $10,000

Andrew Abbott @ NYM: $9,500

Cole Ragans vs. HOU: $8,500

There is a handful of starting pitchers at the top end of the rotation. Glasnow is the one name that jumps off the board as the top-priced starting pitcher. He’s averaging 23.1 points per game, which is outstanding.

We’re avoiding him mainly because of his home/road splits. He has a 3.48 road ERA, as opposed to 2.81 at Tropicana. In two starts versus Baltimore this season, he’s gone 11.1 innings, allowed 12 hits, and eight earned runs. Those are his worst numbers against any opponent this season.

Of the aces today, Corbin Burnes is  the one worth inserting into your lineups. When using the Contrarian Edge Optimizer, he appears the most often of any pitcher on today’s slate. He’s coming off eight no-hit innings against a hot Yankees lineup and faces a Nationals team against whom he allowed four hits on six innings on the road in July.

Sneaky Option

Tanner Bibee vs. LAA: $9,300 (FanDuel)

Somehow, Cleveland continues to find amazing starting pitchers. Bibee has been the king of consistency, allowing 3 ER or less in 15 straight starts with a 2.50 ERA to lower his ERA to 3.03. On Saturday, he faces a Rangers lineup that has been in the bottom half in most offensive categories over the last month. With bigger names like Kershaw, Burnes, and Glasnow near the top of the board, expect the ownership rate to be somewhat low compared to other arms on Saturday.

Stack Attack

Giants vs. Rockies (Peter Lambert)

Like many pitchers, Lambert struggles at Coors Field. He owns a 6.44 ERA at home, and in two appearances against the Giants this season, he’s gone 6.1 innings, allowing 9 runs and 11 hits! There’s not an obvious choice in the Giants lineup but LaMonte Wade, Thairo Estrada, and Mike Yastrzemski are a few names the Contrarian Edge Optimizer suggests often in today’s lineups.

OF Joc Pederson $4,800

OF Mike Yastrzemski $4,400

1B Thairo Estrada $5,000

1B/OF LaMonte Wade $4,000

Brewers vs. Nationals (Trevor Williams)

Williams was terrible in his last two outings. He is becoming a true get-right spot for any lineup he faces. In six of his last eight starts, he has allowed at least six hits and four runs. Since the start of September, Milwaukee is tied with the seventh most runs scored and the eighth highest batting average.  The Brewers lineup projects nicely on Saturday. The Nats bullpen owns the fourth-worst ERA. I would get as many Dodgers in your lineups as you can.

1B Rowdy Tellez $2,600

1B Carlos Santana $3,800

C William Contreras $5,100

SS Willy Adames $4,400

OF Mark Canha $3,000

Marlins vs. Braves (Jared Shuster)

This stack looks incredible on paper. The Marlins own the second-highest batting average against left-handed pitching at .282. When at home, they have the fourth-highest batting average in MLB at .270. The lefty Shuster has not pitched since August 27 so we can’t say for certain how many innings he will go before the Braves look to their bullpen. Shuster has yet to face any Marlins hitter, but his ERA is inflated o the road at 6.56!

1B/2B Luis Arraez $4,800

1B Josh Bell $3,800

3B Jake Burger $4,400

OF Jazz Chisholm Jr. $5,100

OF/SS Garrett Hampson $2,300

MLB PrizePicks and Underdogs

There is a beautiful schedule of MLB games to kick off our weekend. One pits two of the hottest teams since the All-Star break -- the Mariners and Dodgers. And the Rays and Orioles will continue to battle for AL East crown tonight.

There are plenty of options on PrizePicks and Underdog Friday, but I’ve narrowed it down to the best ones here.

Gerrit Cole, Yankees RHP, 2 Earned Runs Allowed (Lower) – Underdog

Cole is the heavy favorite in the AL Cy Young race. Tonight, he will pitch in PNC Park for the first time since he left the Pirates in 2017! The emotions will be flowing for Cole, who has just three or four more starts left this season.

Expect him to be on his A-game down the stretch. He’s allowed two earned runsor fewer in nine of 11 starts since the All-Star break. Pittsburgh is bottom 10 in almost every major offensive category.

Mike Yastrzemski, Giants OF, 1.5 Total Bases (Higher) – Underdog

I’m going right back to two picks that were originally for Thursday’s rained out game in Colorado. Yastrzemski has been on fire in September. He has the 10th-highest average in baseball at .387. He has solid numbers against Rockies starting pitcher Chase Anderson, going 3 for 7 with 2 doubles.

Oddly enough, he’s yet to record a hit at Coors Field in his young career but I expect that to change tonight. Anderson has allowed an opponent batting average of .310 since joining the Rockies back in May.

Logan Webb, Giants RHP, 5 Strikeouts (More) – Prizepicks

The second play coming from Colorado is simple. Webb has been excellent. He has at least five strikeouts in 22 of 30 starts, and the Rockies have the third most Ks of any team since the All-Star break.

Webb has shut down this Rockies lineup throwing 20.1 innings with 17 K’s and to the tune of a 1.77 ERA. We can trust Webb.

Yordan Alvarez, Astros OF, 1.5 Total Bases (More) – PrizePicks

Yordan is a beast. He doesn’t get enough credit for how good he really is at the plate. On Friday, he goes up against Zack Greinke, who’s having a bad year by his standards.

My favorite part about this play is Yordan’s history hitting at Kauffman Stadium. He has a career .414 batting average there with five extra base hits.

The only place he’s hit better at -- with at least 10 at-bats -- is Fenway (.455). The big lefty is 1 for 3 in his career versus Grienke. He’s top 20 in total bases over the last month.

George Kirby, Mariners RHP, 2.5 Earned Runs (More) – PrizePicks

I’m a fan of Kirby but I believe the Dodgers will quietly dominate this series. Kirby is a strike thrower. The Dodgers bats won’t miss many pitches in the zone. The Dodgers have been a run-scoring machine all season, particularly since the All Star break -- third in .OPS and fourth in runs scored.

Kirby doesn’t have a short leash, so I expect the Dodgers to get at least three runs across the board here for us. Kirby has allowed 3 ER or more in four straight outings.

Nico Hoerner, Cubs 2B, 0.5 Strikeouts – Lower (Underdog)

Hoerner has been one of my favorite picks all season. He’s all the way up to 16th in batting average (.285) and inside the top 10 in strikeout percentage. He is eighth in MLB in strikeout percentage at just 12.7% this season!

He will face Diamondbacks starting pitcher Brandon Pfaadt, who has the ninth lowest strikeout percentage over the last month. When the Diamondbacks go to the bullpen, we shouldn’t be scared as they are 19th in strikeouts per nine innings.

Alright people, we’ve got football, tons of it for the next 16 weeks. It doesn’t get much sweeter than that! Week 2 of the NFL season kicks off tonight with Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles hosting Kirk Cousins and the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday Night Football.

Game

Philadelphia Eagles vs. Minnesota Vikings, 8:15 pm ET

Betting Odds (DraftKings)
  • Line: Vikings +6.5, Eagles -6.5
  • Moneyline: Eagles (-265), Vikings (+215)
  • Over/Under: 49.5
Team Ranks (2023)

Eagles

  • Points for: 25.0 (8th)
  • Points Allowed: 20.0 (14th)

Vikings

  • Points For: 17.0 (20th)
  • Points Allowed: 20.0 (14th)
Key Injuries to Watch

Eagles

  • Reed Blankenship (S) – Out
  • James Bradberry (CB) – Out
  • Kenneth Gainwell (RB) – Out
  • Fletcher Cox (DT) – Questionable

Vikings

  • Garrett Bradbury (C) - Out
  • Christian Darisaw (OT) – Questionable
  • Marcus Davenport (LB) - Questionable

Week 1 saw accumulated injuries across the NFL. The Eagles and Vikings are no exception. Bradbury’s absence will arguably have the biggest impact on tonight’s game. Minnesota will miss its starting Center against one of the best interior defensive line groups in the NFL. The Vikings are desperately hoping Darisaw will be able to suit up to help on the offensive line.

The Eagles will miss running back Kenneth Gainwell, who surprised in Week 1 by dominating touches out of the backfield. There’s plenty of depth at RB with D’Andre Swift, Rashaad Penny and Boston Scott.

With corner James Bradberry out due to a concussion, there is an inexperienced group in the Eagles defensive backfield outside of Darius Slay and Avonte Maddox.

Captain Prices (DraftKings)
  • Justin Jefferson, WR, $18,600
  • Jalen Hurts, QB, $17,100
  • A.J. Brown, WR, $15,900
  • Kirk Cousins, QB $13,800
  • DeVonta Smith, WR, $13,500
  • Alexander Mattison, RB, $11,400
  • T.J. Hockenson, TE, $10,200
Flex Prices (DraftKings)
  • Justin Jefferson, WR, $12,400
  • Jalen Hurts, QB, $11,400
  • A.J. Brown, WR, $10,600
  • Kirk Cousins, QB $9,200
  • DeVonta Smith, WR, $9,000
  • Alexander Mattison, RB, $7,600
  • T.J. Hockenson, TE, $6,800

According to the Contrarian Edge Optimizer, Jalen Hurts is projected to be the most owned Captain on the slate over at DraftKings. Kirk Cousins finds himself in the most lineups in over 57%.

With the Eagles playing without RB Kenneth Gainwell, many will try to guess which Eagles running back will dominate touches. My guess is they run out a true committee approach. Many DFS players are expected to have Rashaad Penny in their lineups as his salary is just $1,600!

Hurts is probably the Eagles’ best option near the goal line and sportsbooks give him the best chance to score a touchdown. It’s wise to find a way to get Hurts in your lineup.

Kirk Cousins is notoriously bad in primetime with a record of 8-10. It may be best to avoid him on the road with a banged up offensive line.

Sneaky Options

T.J. Hockenson, Vikings TE, $10,200 – Captain Slot

The Vikings uber athletic tight end is in a bit of a smash spot here. According to the Contrarian Edge Optimizer, his roster percentage as Captain is just 5.3%. He was second in targets in Week 1, a trend carrying over from last season.

In Week 1, the Patriots’ Hunter Henry was the top scoring tight end in the NFL against the Eagles. Philly will be without Bradberry on the outside, and Slay will shadow Jefferson. The Eagle D will also be without top cover linebacker Nakobe Dean, which opens the door wide open for Hockenson to produce big numbers.

DeVonta Smith, Eagles WR, $9,000

I’m not sure I can truly define Smith as “sneaky” but he isn’t at the top of tonight’s board due to teammates A.J. Brown and Justin Jefferson on the other side of the field. The Eagles’ wide receivers are set up for success. Dating back to the start of last season, the Vikings have the third-highest yards per attempt allowed and the fifth-highest explosive pass play rate.

In Week 1 under new defensive coordinator Brian Flores, the Vikings played the most zone of any team in the NFL. This is important because in 14 games in which Brown, Smith, and Goedert played together, Smith leads the trio with a 25% target share when facing zone defense.

Eagles Defense/Special Teams $4,400

The Eagles defense struggled on the road in Week 1, but in their home opener we can expect that group to come out with their hair on fire. Particularly up front, the Eagles have a massive advantage.

I know what you’re thinking, the Eagles are missing three starters on defense. I’m not sure that matters as slay will be tasked with shadowing Jefferson. If he can slow him down like he did last season (6 catches, 48 yards vs. Eagles), Cousins and the Vikings are in for a long night.

It woudn’t be surprising if the Eagles matched what the Cowboys did Sunday night, racking up 7 sacks. The Eagles had 70 sacks last season and their front seven might be even better in 2023.

Prediction

I expect we will see an MVP-caliber performance from Jalen Hurts. I’m also confident the Eagles defense will make its mark against a banged up offensive line. The Eagles had the highest implied team total of 28 points in Week 2.

We should expect Hurts to throw for multiple scores against the inexperienced Vikings secondary. I’m also predicting Dallas Goedert to not produce another goose egg in Week 2!

Final Score: Eagles 31, Vikings 17

Thursday provides an abbreviated MLB slate of games. Among them the Yankees and Red Sox will have another day-night doubleheader and the Rays and Orioles will battle it out for AL East dominance on FOX. With sportsbooks focused on sharp lines for Thursday Night Football, we’re jumping on some good numbers on PrizePicks and Underdog.

Merril Kelly, Diamondbacks RHP, 17.5 Pitching Out (Higher) – Underdog

This has been one of my favorite picks to turn to this season. They keep giving us 17.5 or lower on Kelly and we keep taking it. He has gone at least six innings in 17 of 25 starts since April. He has struggled a bit of late on the road against the Dodgers and Padres, but the Mets lineup has been terrible at Citi Field. They have the third-lowest batting average of any team at home this season at .234.

Mike Yastrzemski, Giants OF, 1.5 Total Bases (Higher) – Underdog

Yastrzemski has been on fire in September. He has MLB’s 10th-highest average at .387. He has solid numbers against Rockies starting pitcher Chase Anderson, going 3 for 7 with 2 doubles. Oddly, he’s yet to record a hit at Coors Field in his young career but I expect that to change tonight. Anderson has allowed an opponent batting average of .310 since joining the Rockies in May.

Gunnar Henderson, Orioles 3B, 1.5 Total Bases (More) -- PrizePicks

The rookie might be the difference-maker the Orioles need down the stretch to claim the AL East title. He has the fourth most total bases over the last two weeks and the sixth most over the past month.

But he has yet to face starter Aaron Civale, who has been decent since joining the Rays but has struggled in two starts in September with a 6.10 ERA. Henderson has at least two total bases in nine of 12 games in September.

Logan Webb, Giants RHP, 4.5 Strikeouts (More) – Prizepicks

This one is simple. Webb has been excellent this season for the Giants. He has had at least five strikeouts in 22 of 30 starts. The Rockies have the third most strikeouts of any team since the All-Star break. Webb has shut down this Rockies lineup throwing 20.1 innings with 17 K’s and to the tune of a 1.77 ERA.

Bryan Reynolds, Pirates OF, 0.5 Singles (Higher) – Underdog

The Pirates and Reynolds will square off with righty Josiah Gray of the Nationals. Reynolds is 3 for 5 in his career with a .667 wOBA versus Gray. He has a single in 11 of 12 games in the month of September. He sees the ball better in day games with a .282 average versus night where he hits .266.

Rafael Devers, Red Sox 3B, 1.5 Total Bases (Higher) – Underdog

Devers is that dude when he goes up against the Yankees. This season, he’s hitting .410 versus Yankee pitchers in 39 at-bats with 5 homers. He rakes during day games batting .307. He goes up against Michael King in Game 1 of today’s doubleheader. He’s 4 for 6 in his career against King with 2 homeruns. We can count on Devers to stay hot.

There are an jam-packed 17 games across the league, including two doubleheaders. Among them, the Yankees vs Red Sox at Fenway Park. Also, the Braves and Phillies continue to battle it out for National League dominance. There are many options to choose from on Underdog and PrizePicks to make money on the diamond.

Max Scherzer 1.5 Walks Allowed (Higher) – Underdog

Outside of his last outing at home against the rival Astros where he allowed seven earned runs in three innings, Scherzer’s tenure with the Rangers started great. However, he has walked at least two batters in 11 of his last 13 starts. Over the last month, the Blue Jays own the second-highest walk percentage versus right-handed pitching.

Adam Wainwright 6 Hits Allowed (Higher) -- Underdog

The Orioles have been the biggest surprise in recent memory. They have over 90 wins with three weeks left to play and show no signs of slowing down. Over the last 10 days they own the highest batting average in baseball at .309. The next closest team, the Astros sit at .289. The O’s are hot and Waino is not. Wainwright has the slowest average fastball velocity across MLB this season and has allowed more than six hits in 15 of 19 starts.

Gunnar Henderson 8.5 Fantasy Points (Higher) - Underdog

As a result of picking on Wainwright we’re going to back the Orioles' hottest hitter so far in the second half of the season. We picked on Wainwright in his last start out in Atlanta and it paid off so we’re going straight back to the well. The rookie Henderson appears to have figured out hitting at the MLB level. He has the fifth most total bases over the last month.

Aaron Hicks 1.5 Hits + Runs + RBIs (Higher) - Underdog

As much as it pains me as a Yankees fan to write, Aaron Hicks is proving to the Orioles why New York paid him all that money the last couple of years. Since the start of September, he has the highest batting average in MLB at .464. He is 4 for 5 in his career versus Wainwright with a homerun. He has hit this line in seven straight games.

Max Fried 5.5 Hits Allowed (Higher) – Underdog

Fading Fried is risky, but if there is ever a team to do it, it’s the 2023 Phillies. He has allowed six hits or more in five of his seven starts since returning to the rotation. The Phillies' projected lineup has smacked him around, and Philadelphia has the 10th highest BA and second-most HRs versus lefties. Over the last month the Phillies have the third highest BA average.

Trea Turner 8.5 Fantasy Points (More) - PrizepPcks

I’m not always eager to take picks against Max Fried, but there’s no denying the success Turner has had facing him. With a large sample size of 32 at-bats, Turner owns a .406 batting average against Fried. Turner has also been a much better hitter at home this season with a .298 batting average at Citizens Bank Ballpark compared to his .242 on the road. Over the last month, Turner has the fifth most hits in MLB and the second-most total bases.

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