MLB DFS: Top DraftKings, FanDuel daily Fantasy baseball picks, lineups, advice for Monday, Aug. 18, 2025
SportsLine's Mike McClure, a daily Fantasy pro with over $2 million in winnings, gives optimal MLB DFS lineup advice for August 18

The Atlanta Braves have been one of the most surprising dispointments of the 2025 MLB season, but with a series beginning Monday against the Chicago White Sox, who have the second-worst record in baseball, this could be a chance for daily Fantasy baseball players to see the results they've been expecting all year from Braves in the MLB DFS player pool such as Ozzie Albies, Matt Olson and Ronald Acuna Jr. The Braves have also won five straight games, so how should they factor into your Monday MLB DFS strategy?
The Dodgers begin a series at Coors Field against the historically bad Colorado Rockies, and with superstars like Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts, they'll be popular options for MLB DFS lineups as well. Before locking in any MLB DFS picks for Monday, be sure to check out the MLB DFS advice, strategy and projections from SportsLine's daily Fantasy expert Mike McClure.
McClure is a daily Fantasy pro who has won more than $2 million in his career. And when it comes to daily Fantasy baseball, McClure is at his best. Recognized in the book "Fantasy Football (and Baseball) for Smart People: How to Turn Your Hobby into a Fortune" as a top MLB DFS player, McClure's proprietary projection model simulates each game 10,000 times, taking factors such as matchups and recent results into account. This allows him to find the best values on every site.
On Thursday, McClure highlighted Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte as one of his top MLB DFS picks on both sites. The result: Marte went 1-for-4 with a walk, a double and two RBI, returning 11 points on DraftKings and 16 points on FanDuel. Anybody who included him in their lineups could have been well on the way to a profitable day.
Now, with the 2025 MLB season continuing on Monday, McClure has locked in his top MLB daily Fantasy picks for August 18. You can head to SportsLine now to see them.
McClure's top MLB DFS picks for Monday, August 18
One of McClure's top MLB DFS picks for Monday is Ohtani, who is $7,000 on DraftKings and $5,200 on FanDuel for MLB DFS lineups. Ohtani is second in baseball with a 1.014 OPS and tied for second in home runs (43) heading into another series against the Rockies, whom he has dominated this season. He had two home runs in a three-game series in late June in Colorado, as the Dodgers return to Coors Field on Monday. He has four home runs in six games overall against Colorado this season.
Ohtani comes at a significant price for MLB DFS lineups, but he's worth it to McClure against Colorado, especially against this starting pitcher. The Rockies are starting Kyle Freeland, and Ohtani is 4-for-6 with a double and two home runs against the left-handed pitcher in his career. The 32-year-old has a 5.18 ERA this season, including a 6.52 ERA at home, and McClure will find ways to save money elsewhere to use Ohtani in Monday MLB DFS picks.
McClure is also rostering Guardians catcher Bo Naylor ($2,600 on both DraftKings and FanDuel). Naylor went 4-for-5 with a double and an RBI on Sunday. Naylor has struggled this season with a .184 batting average, but that has dropped his price significantly, as McClure views Naylor coming off a strong performance as a value play to pair in a lineup featuring Ohtani.
The Guardians face the Diamondbacks, who are starting RHP Zac Gallen. Naylor is 1-for-3 in his career against Gallen. The 30-year-old has a 5.31 ERA this season, including a 5.59 ERA at home this season, as Arizona will host Cleveland on Monday. Naylor has 11 home runs this season, two shy of matching his career high, and McClure sees value in this price and matchup for Naylor in Monday MLB DFS lineups. See McClure's full MLB DFS player pool right here.
How to set your MLB DFS lineups for August 18, 2025
McClure is also targeting an undervalued player who is set to explode for huge numbers on Monday. The stars are aligning for him to return tournament-winning value, and he comes at a price that won't break the bank. You can only see who it is, and get the rest of McClure's MLB DFS picks, here.
So who are the top MLB DFS picks for Monday? Visit SportsLine now to see DFS millionaire Mike McClure's complete player pool and picks for FanDuel and DraftKings, all from the DFS expert who has won more than $2 million.