Arizona is the obvious place to start tonight. What you put around those bats could decide whether your lineup has a path past the field.
For the September 23 MLB main slate, JARVIS projects the Diamondbacks for more than six runs at Coors Field on both DraftKings and FanDuel. Colorado offers another way into that environment, while the Dodgers bring a strong offensive projection and a different tournament direction.
Pitching adds another decision: how much salary should you commit to Chris Sale, and what do you gain by spending less?
Below are the main stack targets, pitching considerations, and lineup-building decisions from the JARVIS slate analysis. To follow along with the full contest-specific analysis and build your lineup, you can try JARVIS free for seven days.
Projection note: Figures below come from the September 23 JARVIS analysis snapshots. They are model estimates, not sportsbook totals or guaranteed outcomes. Check the latest starting lineups, player availability, weather, and slate information before entering.
Top MLB DFS stacks for September 23
These five offenses stand out in the supplied JARVIS analysis. Their projected runs provide a starting point; salary, batting order, and popularity determine how they fit your lineup.
| Team | DraftKings snapshot: projected runs | FanDuel snapshot: projected runs | Main decision |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona Diamondbacks | 6.22 | 6.36 | How to build around a popular offense |
| Los Angeles Angels | 5.31 | 5.31 | Whether the stack fits alongside your primary bats |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | 5.06 | 5.06 | An alternative primary stack for tournaments |
| Colorado Rockies | 4.93 | 5.10 | Accessing the other side of Coors |
| Atlanta Braves | 4.76 | 4.76 | Checking availability before committing |
Small differences between the two snapshots should not be interpreted as platform scoring changing a team's actual run expectation.
Arizona Diamondbacks: the strongest offensive projection
Arizona leads both snapshots, with Ketel Marte and Corbin Carroll among the central bats to consider. Gabriel Moreno and Geraldo Perdomo also appear in the recommended core.
The case for Arizona is straightforward. The harder question is whether the rest of your lineup gives you enough separation when other entries use the same offense.
If you like Arizona, start there. Then inspect the pitcher combination, secondary stack, and remaining salary. An Arizona lineup paired with a less popular secondary offense tells a different story from an Arizona lineup that also follows the field at every other position.
Fading the highest-projected offense entirely is a substantial bet. You can take a more measured position by changing the supporting pieces or using a different primary stack in some entries.
Colorado Rockies: another route into Coors
Colorado projects below Arizona, but the Rockies still sit near five runs in both snapshots. Hunter Goodman is a central bat to evaluate, with Jake McCarthy, Cole Carrigg, and TJ Rumfield among the names to check against the final lineup.
The tournament appeal is access to the same game through an offense receiving less projected attention in the source analysis.
That does not make the two sides interchangeable. Colorado faces Merrill Kelly, and a shared ballpark does not erase the difference in opponent quality or offensive talent. A Rockies stack needs Colorado to produce; an Arizona scoring outburst alone will not carry it.
Goodman also creates a specific DraftKings decision at catcher. Compare what you gain from his place in a Colorado stack with what his salary costs the rest of your lineup.
Los Angeles Dodgers: a credible tournament alternative
The Dodgers project for 5.06 runs in both snapshots. That puts them firmly in the discussion when you want a primary stack outside Coors.
Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and Teoscar Hernández are names to evaluate alongside Shohei Ohtani, subject to confirmed availability and the posted order.
The useful comparison is the complete build: can a Dodgers stack give you a strong offensive ceiling while preserving the pitching and secondary bats you want?
The DraftKings analysis makes Los Angeles a priority tournament stack. Its value still depends on the actual lineup and updated ownership estimates. Avoid making the entire case rest on an unusually low ownership number for one star.
Angels and Braves: two more offenses to consider
The Angels' 5.31-run projection puts them near the top of the board. Zach Neto and Mike Trout are starting points for evaluating the stack. Once the order posts, compare the cost of its most prominent bats with the other confirmed hitters around them.
Atlanta projects for 4.76 runs, with Matt Olson, Drake Baldwin, and Ozzie Albies among the relevant options. Ronald Acuña Jr.'s availability is unresolved in the supplied analysis. Build from the posted lineup before committing to a particular Braves combination.
If you're weighing a Coors stack against the Dodgers, the seven-day JARVIS trial gives you the full analysis and lineup builder to turn that choice into a complete build for your contest.
DraftKings MLB pitching: start with the pair
Chris Sale is the premium starting point at $11,000. His projected median is 22.25 DraftKings points in the supplied analysis, making him an important benchmark for evaluating cheaper combinations.
Three alternatives show the salary tradeoffs:
| Pitcher | DraftKings salary | Projected points |
|---|---|---|
| Yoshinobu Yamamoto | $10,500 | 19.67 |
| Kevin Gausman | $8,800 | 19.41 |
| Nolan McLean | $9,200 | 16.45 |
The table shows mean projections. Sale's 22.25 figure above is a median, a different statistic.
Gausman costs $2,200 less than Sale. That saving matters only if it improves the hitters enough to justify the pitching tradeoff. McLean offers another tournament route, but his lower projection means the rest of the build needs to make a convincing case.
Evaluate your two pitchers together. If paying for Sale forces you to break the stack you most want or settle for weak remaining bats, compare a cheaper pairing. If the Sale build still gives you the offense you want, popularity alone is a thin reason to abandon it.
FanDuel MLB pitching: what does the salary saving buy?
The FanDuel snapshot creates a particularly interesting comparison:
| Pitcher | FanDuel salary | Projected points |
|---|---|---|
| Chris Sale | $11,000 | 37.11 |
| Yoshinobu Yamamoto | $10,700 | 34.70 |
| Kevin Gausman | $8,300 | 33.75 |
Sale leads this group in projected points. Gausman costs $2,700 less for a projection about 3.4 points lower.
That makes Gausman worth testing in a complete build. Compare the hitters available with each pitcher. Does the saving secure a stronger stack, preserve another premium bat, or simply leave money unused?
Mason Englert is the aggressive salary-saving option in the source analysis at $5,500. His 26.54-point projection comes with a substantial drop from Sale. Consider that route only after checking his expected role and workload, then judge whether the upgraded offense compensates for the pitching risk.
With one pitcher carrying your entire pitching score, that decision deserves more scrutiny than a glance at points per dollar.
How to approach tonight's MLB GPP builds
Start with a clear position on which offense you expect to drive the lineup.
An Arizona-first build accepts the strongest offensive projection and looks for differentiation elsewhere. A Colorado-first build takes a more aggressive position within Coors. A Dodgers-first build gives you a credible route if Los Angeles produces the offensive performance you need.
For single entry, choose the case you trust most and build around it. Check that your pitchers and hitters support the same outcome, and that the final pieces have a purpose beyond low ownership.
For multiple entries, review how often each offense and pitcher appears. Three lineups with the same main stack and pitching pair still depend heavily on the same result, even if their last hitters differ.
If you want more detail on evaluating the complete lineup, see the JARVIS guide to building, reviewing, and revising DFS lineups.
Get the full September 23 MLB analysis and build with JARVIS
The preview identifies the key choices. The next step is deciding which players and combinations fit the contest you are entering.
Inside JARVIS, you can review contest-specific player grades and game environments, ask the AI assistant strategy questions, and use the lineup builder with one-click export.
For this slate, start by comparing your preferred Coors build with a Dodgers-led alternative. Review what changes at pitcher, which hitters the salary allows, and where your lineup depends on uncertain news.
When you're ready to put your approach into a full build, start your seven-day free trial to access the complete MLB analysis and create your DraftKings or FanDuel lineups with JARVIS.