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Week 18 of the fantasy season is upon us and with the passing of the MLB trade deadline some owners may find their players in new situations that may have them scrambling to the waiver wire looking for some help. This week’s Waiver Flavor article includes a trio of players who have just come off the disabled list that could help your roster as well as three relievers who just got promoted to the closer's role within the past few days.
Catcher
10-Team League
J.T. Realmuto, MIA – I get you, you may be tired of seeing Realmuto on this list but man continues to rank among the top five fantasy catchers yet is still only owned in 70 percent of standard leagues. He’s hitting .312 with 40 runs, five home runs, 30 RBI and 10 stolen bases on the season so if that doesn’t do it for you in a position as shallow as catcher then good luck to you.
12-Team League
Yasmani Grandal, LAD – I was a big fan of Grandal entering the season but he really slumped hard for a few months which saw nearly all owners cut bait. Over the last month, however, things sure have changed as Grandal is not only hitting for power with his eight home runs but he is also hitting .318 with an OPS of 1.134. He has the ability to be on the league’s top offensive catchers yet is owned in 30 percent of standard leagues likely because his overall average of .221 is scaring off most owners who aren’t paying attention to his recent stretch of play.
15-Team League
Cameron Rupp, PHI - Rupp actually ranks among the top 10 catchers in fantasy despite not being an everyday player as he platoons on the occasion with Carlos Ruiz but when he is in the lineup he has been fairly productive. He is hitting .272 with 26 runs, 11 home runs and 33 RBI on the year while being owned in 10 percent of leagues so in two-catcher formats and deeper mixed leagues he’s worth being owned.
First Base
10-Team League
Mike Napoli, CLE - Napoli is once again “white hot” as he has homered in four straight games while driving in eight RBI during this stretch. On the year he is now hitting .249 with 67 runs, 26 home runs, 76 RBI and three stolen bases which has him well on his way to a 30 home run and 100 RBI season. Despite all this production he is owned in less than 70 percent of standard leagues which is likely due to his poor average, but with all his counting stats ranking him among the tops at the position he really should be owned in more leagues than that.
12-Team League
Brandon Moss, STL – Moss was just activated off of the disabled list on Tuesday and wasted no time making an impact as he went 3-for-5 with a home run and two runs scored. On the year Moss is hitting .263 with 42 runs, 18 home runs and 41 RBI for the Cardinals. He figures to be in the lineup on most days given his ability to play both first base and outfield which is good news for his fantasy owners. Moss is owned in just under 25 percent of standard leagues but given his power upside and dual position eligibility he is worth the snag.
15-Team League
Mitch Moreland, TEX – Moreland has been crushing it of late for the Rangers, hitting .588 with five runs, four home runs and seven RBI with an OPS of 1.905 over the last seven days. He is slated to be the Rangers' primary first baseman going forward and the additions of Carlos Beltran and Jonathan Lucroy to the lineup should only increase his opportunities to hit with men on base. He is currently owned in just under 30 percent of standard leagues so if you are in need of some additional power I would give Moreland a look.
Second Base
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10-Team League
Dee Gordon, MIA - It hasn’t exactly been the most productive return for Gordon since being reinstated from his suspension as he is hitting .278 with four runs and one stolen base but we do know the upside he possess which includes elite stolen base ability which makes him worth adding in all formats for the remainder of the fantasy season.
12-Team League
Trea Turner, WSH – Turner continues to tear up major league pitching as the rookie is hitting .324 with 10 runs, 10 RBI and eight stolen bases since being called up to the show. His elite stolen base ability along with the fact that he is hitting at the top of the Nationals' lineup makes him a must play in nearly all formats. He is currently owned in less than 50 percent of standard leagues so if you are looking for help at second base, middle infield and soon to be outfield I would suggest picking up this top prospect.
15-Team League
Logan Forsythe, TB – Forsythe is having a season similar to his breakout 2015 campaign which saw him hit 17 home runs and swipe nine bags for the Rays. A DL stint earlier in the year slowed his production down a bit but to this point this season he is hitting .272 with 44 runs, 10 home runs, 29 RBI and five stolen bases. He is not going to wow you in any one category but he can hit for some pop and swipe you a bag on the occasion which is good enough for deeper mixed league formats. He is currently owned in just over 50 percent of standard leagues so if you are looking for some help at your middle infield or corner infield positions I would check out Forsythe.
Shortstop
10-Team League
Jonathan Villar, MIL - Villar is ranked among the top five shortstops in fantasy this season yet is owned in just about 80 percent of standard leagues. The Brewers shortstop is hitting .298 with 54 runs, eight home runs, 38 RBI and a league leading 40 stolen bases. The Brewers also just moved him to third base which should very soon give him dual eligibility for leagues with corner and middle infield positions. With injuries to Aledmys Diaz and Trevor Story over the past few days a player like Villar could very easily replace both players although he offers a much different skillset.
12-Team League
Brad Miller, TB – Miller is another Tampa player that will not win you a week on his own but his overall production is good enough to make him owned in more than 30 percent of standard leagues. Miller is hitting .249 with 44 runs, 17 home runs, 39 RBI, four stolen bases and an OPS of .772 on the season. He is also eligible in the outfield which adds to his value. Given some of the injuries to shortstops this week he should see his ownership levels rise over the next few days.
15-Team League
Jhonny Peralta, STL – Peralta was just activated off of the disabled list on Tuesday and it comes as the Cardinals place their starting shortstop Aledmys Diaz on the disabled list. Peralta is hitting just .224 with 11 runs, five home runs and 14 RBI on the season but he finds himself owned in just 10 percent of standard leagues and is an obvious pivot for those looking for some offensive upside after losing either Diaz or Trevor Story this week.
Third Base
10-Team League
Justin Turner, LAD - The home run power has slowed a bit for Turner over the last week or so but he is still driving in runs and notching multi-hit games for the Dodgers which has helped sustain his fantasy value. Turner is owned in under 80 percent of standard leagues despite hitting .272 with 50 runs, 18 home runs, 62 RBI and three stolen bases which has helped him rank among the top 10 third basemen in fantasy.
12-Team League
Anthony Rendon, WSH - Rendon continues to stay hot for the Nationals as he is hitting .333 with eight runs, three home runs, 11 RBI, three stolen bases and an OPS of .994 over the past two weeks. He hits towards the middle of the Nationals lineup which should continue to provide plenty of RBI opportunities and his ability to hit for some power and steal a few bases makes him worth owning in nearly all league formats.
15-Team League
Hernan Perez, MIL – Perez has seemingly come out of nowhere over the last month to hit .342 with 16 runs, five home runs, 18 RBI and nine stolen bases which has seen his ownership levels raise nearly zero to about 50 percent in most standard leagues. He offers dual position eligibility at both third base and outfield which only adds to his value. Nothing in the past indicated that Perez was capable of this level of production but he’s making enough noise that you must add him off the wire until he slows down.
Outfield
10-Team League
Hunter Pence, SF – Pence was just activated off of the disabled list on Saturday after missing nearly two months of action due to hamstring surgery. While on the disabled list his ownership levels dropped to about 80 percent but now that he is active and healthy he is a must own in all formats. Pence is hitting .297 with 29 runs, seven home runs and 36 RBI over 53 games this season.
12-Team League
Khris Davis, OAK – I’m not sure what fantasy owners need to see form Khris Davis to get him owned in more than 70 percent of standard leagues but he really can’t do much else from an offensive stand point. Davis on the year is hitting a respectable .253 with 51 runs, 27 home runs and 69 RBI which lead the A’s offense and have him ranking among the top 25 outfielders in fantasy this season. Davis can win you the home run category by himself in any given week so if you find yourself looking for an upgrade go and pick him up.
15-Team League
David Dahl, COL – There are plenty of young outfielders that are making noise right now from Max Kepler to Tyler Naquin but Dahl has the advantage of calling Coors Field his home which gives him the edge this week. Since being called up from the minors, Dahl is hitting .355 with six runs, two home runs and three RBI. He has locked down a starting outfield spot for the Rockies and is owned in under 50 percent of leagues. It’s always good to own a Rockies player and Colorado is about to start an eight game home stand so what better time to add this young power hitter.
Starting Pitchers
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10-Team League
Junior Guerra, MIL –Guerra ranks among the top 20 starting pitchers in fantasy this season yet finds his ownership levels sitting at just under 70 percent likely due to the team that he plays for. His team aside Guerra is having a breakout season, going 7-2 with a 2.70 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP while striking out 85 over 103.1 innings. His next start will be on Wednesday against the Padres who struggle against right-handed pitching and offer up plenty of strikeout upside for Guerra and he will follow that up with a start at home against the Braves which makes his next team matchups very favorable.
12-Team League
Danny Duffy, KC– Duffy put everybody on notice with his 16-strikeout game against the Rays on Monday but the fact is he has actually been pitching really well for the majority of the season for the Royals with quality starts in six of his last seven outings. He is owned in just over 70 percent of standard leagues and will find a tough matchup in the Blue Jays on Saturday but Toronto is a pretty free swinging club and is a team that Duffy could very easily rack up another impressive strikeout total against.
15-Team League
Ervin Santana, MIN – Santana owned the month of July, going 2-2 with two complete games and a 1.90 ERA while striking out 30 over 42.2 innings. Santana on the year is now 4-9 with a 3.66 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP while striking out 85 over 120.1 innings. The Twins offense is starting to heat up which is good news for Santana’s run support and he draws a very favorable start on Friday against the Rays who struggle against right-handed pitching and just saw Danny Duffy rack up 16 strikeouts on Monday against them.
Closers
10-Team League
Tony Watson, PIT –With Mark Melancon traded to the Nationals the Pirates have named Watson their closer. Watson has been impressive as a reliever this season, going 1-3 with a 2.58 ERA while striking out 40 over 45.1 innings. While the Pirates may not be having the best season Melancon did rack up 30 saves before being traded so Watson should get his fair share of save opportunities over the final two months of the season.
12-Team League
Edwin Diaz, SEA – Diaz is replacing Steve Cishek as the Mariners closer and notched his first save of the season on Tuesday against the Red Sox. Overall this year Diaz has been lights out, going 0-2 with a 1.73 ERA and 52 strikeouts over 26 innings.
15-Team League
Ken Giles, HOU – Giles is finally the Astros' closer after Houston traded for him in the offseason but a poor spring training saw Luke Gregerson named closer to begin the year and then Will Harris named the closer after Gregerson flamed out. With Harris now also struggling and Gregerson on the disabled list Giles will finally get a shot to close out games. On the year he is 1-3 with a 3.80 ERA while striking out 63 over 42.2 innings.