MLB daily notes: Fantasy rankings for Monday

— -- In an effort to serve daily fantasy players and season-long fantasy players who use daily lineup settings, we present daily notes each day of the season. It's a daily version of our Fantasy Forecaster in which we project the best pitcher game scores, as well as the best team hitting matchups based upon a number of factors.

Pitching

Elite

Strikeouts are today's theme as all five elite options will face an offense that's whiffing at a minimum of 24 percent against pitchers of their handedness. Making it even more interesting is four of the lineups also sport an above weighted on base average (wOBA) of at least .317 in the specific scenarios, so risk versus reward is a major consideration.

Leading the way is Stephen Strasburg as the Washington Nationals entertain the Detroit Tigers in the opener of an interleague set. The visitors are already fanning at a healthy 24 percent clip against righties and will be playing without a very good hitter (likely Miguel Cabrera or Victor Martinez) since the game is in a National League venue. Strasburg is on his game thus far, sporting a stellar 10.1 K/9 in tandem with a thrifty 1.9 BB/9.

Next up is Jose Fernandez, as the Miami Marlins welcome the Milwaukee Brewers into the Aquarium. (No, that's really not Marlins Park's nickname but it should be.) Like Strasburg, Fernandez is punching out batters at an elevated rate, checking in with a 12.6 K/9. However, the Marlins' righty isn't nearly as efficient, walking 4.3 hitters per nine innings. Despite sporting a lineup that may be fined in spring training for lacking the requisite number of regulars, the Brewers are hitting right-handers well as evidenced by a .330 wOBA. However, they are striking out at a 25 percent pace, so Fernandez is positioned for another big strikeout effort.

Jon Lester has a very favorable matchup on his ledger as the San Diego Padres travel to the Windy City for an early week series in Wrigley Field. The Chicago Cubs' southpaw puts his 8.6 K/9 to the test against a squad that sitting down 26 percent of the time against left-handers. On a docket loaded with solid cash and GPP options, Lester profiles as a strong candidate for both formats.

If your DFS game is of the cash variety, you're better off with Strasburg, Fernandez or Lester. However, if your style is GPP, Corey Kluber is your guy. The Cleveland Indians venture to Minute Maid Park to tangle with the Houston Astros and their 26 percent whiff rate when facing right-handers. Kluber's current 8.8 K/9 would be envied by most, but is below his expected level. He's in a good spot to push that closer to his norm.

The contrarian option among the elite is Felix Hernandez. The good news is he's slated to square off against the Tampa Bay Rays, who visit Safeco Field. The visitors tote a below average .295 wOBA against right-handers while striking out against southpaws at a healthy 27 percent pace. The unsettling news is despite sporting a 2.21 ERA, the King hasn't pitched all that royally, as evidenced by a pedestrian 7.1 K/9 and uncharacteristic 4.4 BB/9. His velocity is down, which rightfully has his seasonal owners concerned. For DFS purposes, that risk makes Fernandez the ideal contrarian candidate as there's no better panacea for a scuffling righty than the Rays.

Solid

Steven Matz is knocking at the door of the elite. In fact, he's already there for home contests and if he keeps up the current pace, it won't be long before he's promoted for road tilts as well. The New York Mets' southpaw will lead his club into Dodger Stadium for the opener of a road series. The Los Angeles Dodgers will send their league-average offense up against Matz, who'll counter with an impressive 9.4 K/9 and 2.2 BB/9. The strikeout potential isn't quite there for tourney action, but the floor is certainly sufficient for cash action.

Matt Moore was given a reprieve as his original turn was in sync with facing the Los Angeles Angels on Mother's Day. However, the club opted to give him an extra day and face the Seattle Mariners instead, as they don't hit southpaws nearly as well as the Halos. It still won't be a cakewalk, as the Mariners handle lefties to the tune of a .320 wOBA, but Moore does enjoy the platoon edge over Robinson Cano and Kyle Seager, two of Seattle's better bats. The Tampa Bay left-hander is off to a strong start in his first full season since rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, carrying a 9.2 K.9 and 2.5 BB/9 into Safeco Field. With the previously discussed issues surrounding Felix Hernandez, Moore is an intriguing tournament option with sufficient strikeout upside and the win in play.

Streamers

There are ten hurlers landing in the borderline range (projected game score between 46 and 51). The problem, even if you prefer to be aggressive early in the week, is that there aren't many that move the needle. Here are a couple options to get your head-to-head week off to a strong start.

Clay Buchholz getting the nod is proof positive the pickings are slim. Fueling the choice is how well Buchholz responded to essentially being called out by manager John Farrell previous to his last start in U.S. Cellular Field. With Eduardo Rodriguez nearing the end of a rehab stint and Joe Kelly close to returning, Buchholz' rotation spot is in jeopardy. He rose to the occasion once, let's see him do it again. With the Oakland Athletics and their tepid .303 wOBA versus righties visiting Fenway Park, the path is there for another solid effort.

Exhibit number two is Tyler Wilson, as there's not a lot of numbers to support the choice of the Baltimore Orioles' right-hander other than the fact that the  Minnesota Twins have not fared well against righties, sporting a .308 wOBA with a 22-percent strikeout rate. Teams usually struggle with pitchers they haven't seen much, if at all, so Wilson should be safe from a week-opening buzzkill effort.

Avoid

This is as lengthy a list as there's been since we tweaked the projected game scores.

Even in the comfort of AT&T Park, Jake Peavy is a risk facing the scuffling but still dangerous Toronto Blue Jays.

Chris Young and his 2.43 HR/9 mark and a date with the Bronx Bombers in Yankee Stadium do not mix.

The Cincinnati Reds can be shut down by good pitching, but they're still potent enough to be productive against lesser arms, especially at home. The way Jonathon Niese is throwing early on, he qualifies as a lesser arm.

Opposing Niese will be Dan Straily, who is saddled with taming the Pittsburgh Pirates, one of the more potent lineups against right-handers.

Even more potent than the Bucs are the Chicago Cubs. Cesar Vargas is in line to be their next victim.

In order to be effective with a low strikeout rate, a pitcher needs pinpoint control along with the ability to keep the ball in the yard. Wily Peralta is doing neither.

Hitting

Here we go again, it's another series at Coors Field with the Colorado Rockies entertaining the Arizona Diamondbacks. Tyler Chatwood is getting the job done on the road, but he's still hittable at home. Jake Lamb, Paul Goldschmidt and David Peralta are the primary Snakes targets. On the other side, while Archie Bradley is no doubt happy to be starting again in The Show, he probably wishes it were in another venue. Charlie Blackmon, Carlos Gonzalez and Nolan Arenado are the usual suspects to focus on, though truth be told, everyone on both clubs is in play.

The Great American Ballpark will also see plenty of scoring. Jon Niese is still tough on lefties so it's better to get exposure to right-handers Brandon Phillips, Eugenio Suarez and Adam Duvall. For the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates, only John Jaso and Gregory Polanco enjoy the platoon edge over Dan Straily. However, since that means others will eschew Starling Marte, Andrew McCutchen and the recently returning Jung Ho Kang, playing the righties is a solid contrarian play.

The left-handed swingers on the New York Yankees all are in play to send a souvenir to the short right-field porch with Chris Young on the hill in the Bronx. Brian McCann moves up in the order with Jacoby Ellsbury not likely to play. Other options include Brett Gardner and Dustin Ackley along with switch hitters Mark Teixeira and Aaron Hicks.

Home runs have been Miguel Gonzalez' Achilles' heel. Look for Rougned Odor and Nomar Mazara to take their hacks at the top of the Texas Rangers order as the Chicago White Sox visit Arlington. Also in play are fellow lefty swingers Mitch Moreland and Prince Fielder. Gonzalez will be opposed by Colby Lewis, who also has a penchant for giving up the long ball. Despite lacking the platoon edge, Jose Abreu and Todd Frazier are the best bets to put one out of Globe Life Park.

Most likely to hit a home run: There are plenty of options on Monday, but let's go with Brian McCann and his matchup with Chris Young in Yankee Stadium.

Most likely to steal a base: It's a Jon Lester night, so let's go with Wil Myers as the San Diego Padres' outfielder is in a good running spot hitting second.