Fantasy baseball advice: MLB FanDuel lineup advice for the weekend

As for what we're going to be doing in this space: The goal here will be to direct your attention toward some players who you might not otherwise consider. If you're here and reading this, then you already know that Mike Trout is really good. But when filling out a roster you can't just pick out stars. You'll blow your cap that way and get stuck praying to the baseball gods that a guy like Wilmer Flores actually gets a few hits. No, if you want to win, you have to take advantage of certain matchups -- and in order to do that you have to know where to look. That's what we're here for. Below are three players to target and three to avoid this weekend.

Rubby de la Rossa, SP, Diamondbacks: You can go with Matt Harvey if you want, and you likely won't regret it, but in de la Rossa you have the chance to get a big game for about $3,000 less. Here's why he's a good bet for Friday night: Over his last four starts de la Rossa has thrown 29 innings, struck out 24 batters and walked just six. He has surrendered 10 earned runs, but the rate stats are there. That's pretty much how his season has gone; De la Rossa's FIP (3.79) this year is significantly lower than his ERA (4.27).

So, why should you assume that his Friday line will be better? Because of the Brewers, the team he's facing. A whopping 23 percent of Milwaukee's at bats this season have ended in strikeouts, the third-worst number in the league. Mix a swing-and-miss pitcher with a team that swings and misses a lot, and struggles to score runs, and what you have is a perfect FanDuel sleeper.

Andre Ethier, OF, Dodgers: Once an All-Star-caliber outfielder, Ethier had been relegated to the bench as the Dodgers continued to bring in new players. But with Yasiel Puig out with an injury Ethier has found himself back in the L.A. lineup, and he's looked like his old self. He played 24 games in May and had a slash line of .324/.412/.527. He's hit six home runs this year. He's got a six-game hitting streak. He's hitting .317/.425/.584 off right-handers this season, and will face three of them this weekend. He also costs just $2,700. He should be in your lineup.

Kolten Wong, 2B, Cardinals: Why Wong is just $3,400, $500,000 less than Brian Dozier and $1,400,000 than Jason Kipnis, is a bit baffling. He's raked all year (.316/.373/.483) and has been even hotter of late. In May that slash line has jumped to .330/.396/.530. Wong, a left-handed hitter, has enjoyed most of his success this season against right-handed pitchers (328/.389/.516) and he'll be facing two of them this weekend in St. Louis, where the Cardinals host the Dodgers. On Sunday Los Angeles will put southpaw Brett Anderson on the bump, so you might want to bench Wong then, but Friday and Saturday he should be one of the first players you select.

James Shields, SP, Padres: So this season has not gone as planned for Shields. He's got an ERA of 3.75, which, if you go by FIP (Shields' FIP is 4.59), is actually lower than it should be, and somehow he's surrendered a league-high 15 home runs despite playing in spacious Petco Park. The Pirates, who Shields will face on Friday, aren't exactly mashers. But they're also not a bunch of easy outs. You should be staying far away from Shields until he turns things around, or at least until his price, currently $9,300, falls.

Josh Hamilton, OF, Rangers: The return to his former team has not gone as planned. Since rejoining the Rangers, Hamilton has registered just three hits in 15 at bats and struck out five times. He has one extra-base hit and looks slow at the plate. This is not to say that Hamilton's career is over. But it's hard to come back after missing as much time as he did. There's a reason spring training exists. Right now Hamilton is in the midst of his. Even at a low price he should be avoided.

Joey Votto, 1B, Reds: Look past the season totals and just at how he's faired recently and you'll see a hitter struggling immensely. In April Votto's slash line was .317/.423/.646. In May those numbers have plummeted to .235/.323/.282. He's also yet to homer this month, after hitting seven in April. He'll get to tee off against the struggling Stephen Strasburg on Friday, but then will have to face Gio Gonzalez on Saturday before seeing Tanner Roark on Sunday. A hot Votto could destroy those three, but this Votto is certainly not that. Stay away.

Wilin Rosario continues to get playing time in place of the injured Justin Morneau. He destroys left-handed throwers and on Friday will face Cole Hamels, who he's faced 15 times in his career and registered six hits and hit two home runs (h/t to the Sporting News for that tidbit) ... Prince Fielder over his last 14 days (56 at bats): six home runs and a 1.210 OPS... Strasburg was mentioned above -- here's how he's faired over his last four stars: 15 innings, 17 earned runs, four home runs allowed and five walks issued. And yet, he still costs $8,400 for Friday night.