- Tim Haberin - Fantasy Focus
Fantasy Baseball Sleepers
Few could have predicted the kind of performance Houston Astros infielder Luis Valbuena has delivered during his first 13 games. On Monday night, he hit solo two home runs and drove in three runs to lead Houston to a 7-5 victory over the Mariners. In 50 total at-bats, he’s smashed five homers and collected seven RBI. It's really been all power so far from the third basemen: his round-trippers account for nearly half of his hits (11).
It's easy to get excited by this kind of early-season display of power, especially from a player typically not on anyone's radar. The main problem is that aside from his unexpected slugging, there's not too much to like about Valbuena from an MLB fantasy perspective. Over the course eight seasons, he's averaged a .229/.312/.378 slash line. His current .220 batting average and .286 OBP are in line with those figures. Valbuena's career-highs in home runs and RBI came last season with 16 and 51, respectively.
This is Valbuena's first year in an Astros uniform after spending time with the Cubs, Indians, and Mariners. His playing time has fluctuated significantly from season to season. The 149 games he played last year were his most in a season by a decent margin; he had not played more than 108 before then.
It's unclear exactly how much Valbuena may have benefited from regular playing time, and at 29 years old, it's debatable how much more room he has to grow. All things considered, his 2014 numbers are probably a fairly good indication of who he is as a hitter.
If you can afford the roster spot and want to see how long Valbuena can continue his hot hitting, feel free to pick him up. Just don't count on him maintaining his current home run pace.
Stay tuned to ASL all season long for the most comprehensive fantasy baseball news and advice!
- Greg Pokriki - Fantasy Focus
In this week's fantasy sit start report, we look at a pair of red hot batters and two long time starters who should be benched until further notice.
- Start -
Jose Iglesias- Detroit Tigers
After an injury plagued 2014, Iglesias has rebounded splendidly. Considering that his injuries were in his legs, the shortstop has shown excellent speed grabbing four steals in the young season. He’s also batting .439 and has four doubles. In his last seven games, he has stayed hot, batting .421. In a packed Tigers lineup, Iglesias should score plenty of runs and steal a good amount of bags. Shortstops are hard to come by nowadays, and Iglesias is a solid one for your starting lineup.
Lorenzo Cain- Kansas City Royals
Cain leads the league in OBP at .491 which is imperative to his style of game. He’s already stolen four bases on the season and scored a league leading 12 runs. Oh, and his .414 average can’t hurt. In MLB outfields often full of easy to find power, Cain could be perfect to win over the more difficult 5x5 statistical categories. Give him a start, especially if you need that speed in the lineup.
- Sit -
Ben Zobrist- Oakland Athletics
Zobrist is putting in a fine first campaign with the Athletics. He’s batting .269 with five doubles and four walks. He also is the ultimate utility man, fantasy eligible at second base, shortstop and outfield. However, he is day to day currently after receiving a cortisone shot on Monday. He is expected to be out several days. Also, over his last seven games he has struggled, going 2-12. Hopefully he gets back to his normal self once recovered, but for now, Zobrist should seat himself on your bench.
Elvis Andrus- Texas Rangers
It saddens me to be sitting the namesake of my fantasy baseball team (Sippin On Gin Andrus), but this is an objective, “what have you done for me lately” game. Andrus is batting .164 so far this season in 55 at bats and just .190 in his last seven games. He hasn’t walked once either, keeping him off the base paths even further. That hinders his chances to steal bags (one in 2015) and score runs (five in 2015). The power has never been there for Andrus either, hitting a career high six home runs in 2009. Currently, Andrus is struggling in all of the fantasy baseball statistical categories. He may be a name you can recognize (and certainly one worthy of a team name pun) but he isn’t worthy of a start with his play currently.
Keep reading ASL for the best fantasy football start and fantasy baseball start guidance!
- Tim Haberin - Fantasy Focus
Here's a list of this week's top waiver wire pickups:
Kendrys Morales - 1B, Kansas City Royals
After a nightmarish 2014 season in which he hit .213 over 98 games for the Mariners and Twins, Morales has gotten off on the right foot with Kansas City. Looking much more like the middle-of-the-order slugger he was earlier in his career, he is currently batting .358 with a .424 OBP, along with an American League-leading 12 runs scored. He has also displayed some of his trademark pop, hitting two home runs and collecting nine RBI over the first two weeks.
Ender Inciarte - OF, Arizona Diamondbacks
Inciarte's hot start has earned him regular playing time with the D'backs and MLB fantasy owners can expect him to be a daily factor in leagues now. The 24-year-old outfielder put up decent numbers in 2014 but if his early performance in the current campaign is any indication, he's poised for a significant improvement. He's batting .327 and reaching base at a .364 clip over his first 13 games. He's also scored 11 runs batting in the leadoff spot for Arizona. Though you shouldn't expect much of anything in the way of power numbers, the early returns on Inciarte are enough to keep owners intrigued. As is the thought of seeing Paul Goldschmidt driving him in all season long.
Alex Rodriguez - 3B, New York Yankees
If the owners in your league stayed away from A-Rod on draft night and he's still sitting in the free agent pool, now might be a good time to scoop him up as he is one of the most attractive fantasy pickups. Rodriguez has smashed all preseason expectations, currently sporting a .286/.412/.643 slash line and serving as the main power threat in the Yankees lineup with four home runs and 11 RBI in 13 games. His early season highlight came last Friday night, when he belted two monster homers and drove in four runs to lead the Bombers to a 5-4 win over the Rays. There's no telling how long he'll maintain this pace, but you might as well take advantage of it while you can.
Angel Pagan - OF, San Francisco Giants
He's struggled with injuries the last couple years, but when he's on the field Pagan is useful to fantasy owners in several key areas. If you can afford to get your homers and RBI elsewhere, Pagan should offer a solid batting average and OBP. Through 14 games he's flourishing in that regard, hitting .321 with a .373 OBP. But where Pagan really shines is in the speed department. Though he's only stolen one base so far, he should accumulate his fair share if he stays healthy. A return to 2010's form when he swiped 37 is probably too optimistic, but if you're in search of steals Pagan could be a promising and widely available option.
Eli Manning wants to limit his turnovers for the upcoming season and his goal is very much in reach. Manning isn't among the top fantasy football keepers, but he had a very successful season, posting a 2.14 to 1 TD/Int ratio and there's no reason to doubt that can improve upon those numbers and put himself in the conversation for an MVP award.
The Giants offensive unit has been significantly upgraded and will alleviate some stress for QB Eli Manning. New York just recently added pass-catching RB Shane Vereen whose contributions helped the Patriots secure the team's 4th Super Bowl title. Vereen's presence in the backfield will provide a safety outlet for Manning to turn to in high-pressure situations.
In addition to adding Vereen, the Giants will also benefit from the return of WR Victor Cruz if he can get healthy. Cruz has proven his ability to create separation and make big plays, as he broke 1,000 receiving yards in 2011 and 2012 (and reached 998 in 2013 in 14 games) and registered 19 total touchdowns. Following surgery to repair a torn patellar tendon, his ability to once again play at an elite level is questionable, but with a strong recovery, he could blow up for another strong year.
Manning will also be able to turn to TE Larry Donnell who could be one of this year's fantasy sleeper picks. Donnell is not afraid to catch the ball over the middle and can be decent target in the red zone. He flashed signs of that potential during his 3 touchdown performance Week 4 in New York's road win against the Washington Redskins. With the WR corps calling for most of opposing defenses' attention, Donnell should benefit from the lack of attention.
The last important piece to Eli Manning's successful season is the most important player in this offensive unit. Odell Beckham. Beckham exploded for a rookie season campaign that earned him the 2014 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award. The 22-year-old freak athlete went for 1,305 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns on 91 receptions. The stats prove to be very impressive, and even more so since he only played in 12 games, and he broke 100 yards in 7 of them.
With Cruz and Beckham operating in the same system together for the first time, Eli Manning should have little trouble finding open receivers. It's not out of the question for Manning to keep his interceptions in single digits as he has suggested he can do, so long as his targets stay healthy and focused.
For the best NFL fantasy sleepers, keep reading ASL all season long!
NFL Fantasy QB Philip Rivers faces a very murky future in San Diego as rumors swirl about a possible trade to another team. The 33 year-old QB cut off contract extension negotiations in March and reports are coming out that the Chargers may try to acquire the #2 overall pick in the draft to get Oregon QB Marcus Mariota.
The writing on the wall is clear, and 2015 will be Rivers last season in San Diego, unless of course he ends up somewhere else this season. The Chargers don't want to pay the former fantasy football stud and feel that his long-term health is an issue.
Many people feel that a trade with the Titans for the #2 overall pick makes a lot of sense because Rivers would be playing with his ex-Offensive Coordinator Ken Whisenhunt.
Trading Rivers to the Titans seems like a no-brainer for the Chargers organization since they will be getting rid of a disgruntled QB who only has a few decent years left in the tank.
The reason this trade is not inevitable is because the Titans may see more long-term success drafting Mariota, Leonard Williams or maybe even Amari Cooper.
It will be interesting to see what happens during the next few weeks and if no trade occurs by the start of the NFL draft, the #2 overall pick will be the pick that everyone is talking about and has the most speculation.
The Union-Tribune San Diego suggests Philip Rivers will likely retire after this season.
Stay tuned for the latest in NFL player news!
- Tim Haberin - Fantasy Focus
Fantasy Baseball Sleepers
The Red Sox pinned a lot of expectations onto 22-year-old Mookie Betts coming into this season. So far he has shown definite signs of being able to live up to those expectations and his MLB fantasy value is on the rise.
In eight games, Betts has collected nine hits and two of those have left the park. He's also driven in eight runs and swiped three bags, sending his MLB fantasy stock into uncharted territory. He'll need to reach base at higher clip going forward - he sports a .273 OBP so far - but we're still in the very early stages of the 2015 season.
Fantasy owners wishing to evaluate a larger sample size should take a look at Betts' numbers from 52 games last year. In 213 plate appearances, he hit .291 with a .368 OBP. He's already flexing his power and run production muscles at greater rates in 2015 (he had totals of 5 HR and 18 RBI during his time last year), so if his BA and OBP climb back up towards 2014's levels he will be a far more complete fantasy player.
If Mookie has both OF and 2B positional eligibility in your league, that of course only enhances his appeal. It's hard not to feel good about his prospects batting atop a Boston lineup stacked with names like David Ortiz, Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval. If all goes according to plan, he should end up scoring plenty of runs and be able to show off his speed and athleticism on the base paths often. All considered, Betts should end the season as a top 75 player.
Keep up with fantasy baseball news all season long with ASL!
- Greg Pokriki - Fantasy Focus
Start
Billy Butler- Oakland Athletics
Fantasy Sit Start
There's no mystery in Oakland when it comes to a sit or start decision with Billy Butler. He's off to a prolific start batting .387 in 31 at bats for the Athletics He’s knocked in five RBI, including three off a home run knock against the Astros. Butler obviously will not be racking up the stolen bases for your team, but could provide solid contributions to the other four categories in standard 5x5 leagues. Thus far, Butler has strictly been played as a DH, but the A’s don’t have an interleague series until mid-June. He should be seeing plenty of plate appearances and opportunities in an undervalued Athletics lineup. The slugger is available in approximately 38% of ESPN leagues.
C.J. Wilson- Los Angeles Angels
Ridiculously, Wilson is still available in 56.6% of ESPN fantasy leagues. Wilson had his fair share of question marks heading into the season, and struggled mightily in his last start against the Royals, allowing seven runs (six earned) in 5.2 innings. However, Wilson only allowed one walk in his outing against the Royals and had a stellar first outing of 2015. On April 7, Wilson pitched eight shutout innings of two hit ball. Sure, his first two starts are extremely polarizing. But, his third start comes next Saturday against the mediocre Astros. Wilson certainly will be looking for a bounce back start, and you should have the faith in him for a fantasy start on your lineup.
Sit
Dellin Betances- New York Yankees
Any person I chose to “sit” will come off as a knee-jerk overreaction this early in the season, so take these with a grain of salt. But, in The Bronx it is obvious that, at least for now, Andrew Miller is the Yankees closer. Betances has struggled with his command early, handing the job to Miller (not to say Miller hasn’t pitched lights out). Betances has walked six in 3.1 innings. Monday he did work out of a jam, earning himself a hold, but not before putting himself in that jam with two hits and two walks in the inning. Betances likely will turn this early slump around, but until proven otherwise Betances could be earning himself a spot on your bench.
Curtis Granderson- New York Mets
Granderson put in a great spring training this year. He had a lot of promise heading into 2015, and I had a lot of faith in him to open the season hot. But, he’s fell on his face out of the gate, batting .056 in 16 at bats. He tallied one stolen base and has scored four runs. He’s walked a league leading nine times, but walks are worth nothing in the standard 5x5 fantasy scoring format. Granderson’s percentage owned in ESPN leagues has dropped over 15% in the last seven days, and rightfully so. Granderson got a day off, likely to get his head straight, but for now he is not worthy of a start and barely a roster spot. Keep a close eye on Granderson over the next few weeks for improvement, but for now avoid…heavily avoid.
Stay tuned to ASL for the best fantasy football start and fantasy baseball start info!
- Tim Haberin - Fantasy Focus
Fantasy Waiver Wire Pickups -
With only a week in the books, you're probably still getting a feel for your MLB fantasy squad. But if you're the proactive type, here are a few waiver wire pickups you might consider to stay ahead of the competition.
Anthony Gose - OF, Detroit Tigers
The young outfielder, traded from Toronto in the offseason, is off to a fast start in Detroit. He has gone 9-for-23 in his first five games with six runs scored, a home run, five RBI, and a stolen base. Though he didn't exactly set the world on fire during his time with the Blue Jays (.633 OPS in three seasons), he was a well-regarded prospect and still has plenty of room to improve at 24 years old. Though you shouldn't expect him to maintain his current pace, batting atop a stacked Tigers lineup should continue to offer him plenty of opportunities to score runs and show off his speed.
Roberto Perez - C, Cleveland Indians
With starting catcher Yan Gomes out 6-8 weeks with a knee sprain, backup Roberto Perez will assume the role for Cleveland. Perez exhibited some solid offense in limited action last season, hitting .271 with five doubles over 29 games. He's enjoyed success in the early going this year as well, with a home run and three RBI in his first eight plate appearances. His plate discipline can use some work (26 strikeouts in 85 at-bats in 2014), but Perez will now have the chance to show what he can do on a regular basis. Gomes owners or those seeking depth at catcher should give Perez a look.
Jed Lowrie - SS, Houston Astros
Lowrie showed some pop in the opening week of 2015, belting two homers in his first six games back with the Astros after returning to the team as a free agent. That's already a third of his total from last year, and although you shouldn't bet on Lowrie turning into a bona fide slugger or anything, he is only two years removed from hitting .290 with 15 HR and 75 RBI for the A's. With offense always at a premium at the middle infield spots, it might be worth your while to take a flyer on a player like Lowrie who's still widely available throughout leagues. He could prove to be one of the better early season fantasy pickups.
Archie Bradley - SP, Arizona Diamondbacks
Bradley had a major league debut to remember, limiting a potent Dodgers lineup to one hit over six innings, allowing no runs and striking out six as well. His youth (22 years old) and upside make him an appealing commodity, but he isn't one of those mandatory fantasy pickups. Bradley has exhibited some lack of control, walking four and needing 112 pitches to make it through those six innings. He earned a rotation spot on the strength of his Spring Training, posting a 1.61 ERA and 1.16 WHIP over six spring appearances. Fantasy owners in deeper leagues willing to roll the dice on a back-end rotation piece would do well to pick up Bradley.
Basketball News
C.J. McCollum has been on fire since the beginning of the month and his high level of production should continue despite spraining his ankle. He's putting up solid fantasy basketball numbers in multiple categories and should be counted on to stay hot as the season comes to an end. He could be a great fantasy NBA option going into the home stretch.
McCollum sprained his ankle in Portland's road loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, but the sprain was too petty to even require an MRI, and he should have little restriction in the season finale.
With one game remaining on Portland's schedule, C.J. McCollum will get the start at shooting guard. The Blazers will take on the Dallas Mavericks, and the young scorer should see plenty of action with the myriad of injuries plaguing the Portland squad. The Northwestern division champions will be without Wesley Matthews, Arron Afflalo, and possibly Nicholas Batum as well, leaving major gaps to be filled by McCollum and company.
Before the loss to the Thunder (when McCollum left early due to injury), the 23-year-old guard had strung together 6 straight impressive performances. Over that span, C.J. McCollum posted averages of 18 points and 1.3 threes on 54 FG%, 4.3 rebounds, 2 assists and 1.7 steals per contest. This particular upcoming match up with the Mavericks might be an easy one for McCollum, as they could be without their best NBA players Chandler Parsons, Monta Ellis, Dirk Nowitzki, and Tyson Chandler, as Dallas is already locked in at the 7 seed for the playoffs.
Look for C.J. McCollum to continue his high level of play in a plus match up with the Mavericks, and for him to get some solid run for the playoffs as well.
NFL Player News
The New York Jets are banking on the fact that running back Stevan Ridley will be good to go when training camp kicks off this year. It’s been five months since his knee surgery and many believe that this former fantasy football RB stud can lead a crowded New York backfield.
Ridley's 2014 season got cut short when he tore his ACL and MCL in October playing for the Patriots. His injury dropped his stock in free agency dramatically considering he’s only two years removed from a 1,200 yard, 12 TD season.
Ridley has always had issues with ball security but if he can protect the ball and get back to his old self, he could regain fantasy relevance.
Ridley joins Chris Ivory as the second power-back on the roster. Ridley will need to establish himself in the passing game if he wants to get on the field during third down situations. Ridley has always had success finding the end zone so there is a lot of upside for the Jets.
At 26, Ridley has several good years left in the tank and could end up being the top-dog for Gang Green's backfield this season.
Keep reading for the latest NFL fantasy info!
