Fantasy

For many fantasy baseball players, this is the end. Most head-to-head leagues start the playoffs on Monday, and rotisserie gamers tucked down the standings will need a miracle to climb into first place. Don't hold back now.

Patience is a virtue, except when big-name players are stinking up the joint with three weeks left in the season. Many decisions that would be irresponsible in June are conversely necessary in September.

Thursday's slate of MLB action features two games in the afternoon and six at night.  Both early and late DraftKings contests contain small fields of available players to choose from.

Sleepers are more difficult to find than usual, especially when it comes to pitchers.  For example, plunking down $11,100 for Felix Hernandez is a much better value than hoping for the best with Jorge De La Rosa at $8,700.

It's OK to leave some money on the board in MLB DraftKings contests on Wednesday.

The best players aren't the most expensive ones on the schedule. In fact, there's one game in particular that looks like a good bet to produce a fair number of offensive standouts from budget-friendly position players.

Stack the O's and Yanks

All 30 MLB teams are in action Tuesday night, allowing DraftKings daily fantasy players a wide array of big names to choose from.  Deciding on a few stars like Clayton Kershaw and Josh Donaldson is the easy part—the challenge lies in filling out the rest of your roster with more affordable options who can still produce.

We may be another week closer to the MLB playoffs, but there is still plenty of time for daily fantasy baseball. The 2015 season is still going strong, and DFS owners can still cash in with massive payouts every day on DraftKings.

Still searching for waiver-wire adds to close the fantasy baseball season in style? That's a good sign.

Saying "there's plenty of time" doesn't offer much solace with four weeks remaining in the season. Honestly, there's not. Most head-to-head players have one week left to lock down a playoff spot, and rotisserie gamers know by now whether they have a realistic shot at first place.

On Tuesday, team rosters expanded to 40 players. They'll remain that way until the playoffs start. An influx of relief pitchers and utility hitters allow teams to substitute more frequently. Clearly, these roster adjustments change the way managers handle their squads.

Due to Labor Day weekend, MLB's Saturday schedule contains more afternoon matchups than usual. DraftKings divides the action into separate slates, allowing gamers to pick their poison.

Even if you have been playing daily fantasy baseball all season long, there are still new players who can surprise you with big-time efforts. This is especially true in September with young studs getting their first glimpses of the majors.

Here is a look at the top options for September 4 with players who might have been a bit off the radar to this point.

Breaking up is hard to do, especially when good times from the past challenge the ugly present. Fantasy baseball managers shared laughs and victories with these players, so what's to say they can't go back to the way things were before?

Sorry, but it's not working anymore. At least not right now. It's not us; it's them. They have abandoned us when we needed them the most, and now it's time to spend September apart. These guys are no longer helping gamers secure a championship, so it's time to show them the door.