X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Join the Best Live Fantasy Chat Community!

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Three Post-Hype Sleepers Primed for 2016 Breakouts

My recent article on over-hyped prospects advised fantasy owners against buying too high for relatively small or non-existent sample sizes. Baseball trumps every other sport, except possibly international soccer, in terms of labeling minor leaguers as future legends before they have proven their worth on the big stage. On the other side of the coin are players who have been written off by the age of 23 because they did not immediately live up to the lofty expectations set by scouts and the media.

It wasn't too long ago that Bryce Harper, reigning NL MVP, was being called a bust.  To quote Axl Rose, sometimes all you need is a little patience... Here are some fallen stars who might provide surprising fantasy value this season.

Editor's note: Read about more draft values and sleepers with our daily updated list. Make sure to also bookmark our fantasy baseball rankings dashboard. Our rankings assistant tool consolidates all our staff ranks in one easy place. Filter, sort, and export various rankings for various leagues - mixed leagues, AL/NL only, top prospects, dynasty, keeper values, and more. And it's all 100% free!

 

Undervalued Draft Targets

Matt Moore (SP, TB)

Tampa Bay knows how to develop young pitchers (e.g. Chris Archer, Alex Cobb, David Price, etc). Moore was supposed to be the ace of the Rays staff at this point in his career, but injuries have derailed him. Moore missed almost the entire 2014 season and the first half of 2015 recovering from Tommy John surgery. What may be forgotten is that Moore was an All-Star in 2013, posting a 17-4 record and 3.29 ERA despite pitching in the AL East. Now healthy, Moore has the ability to bounce back in a big way. His numbers upon returning late last season look worrisome, but further inspection indicates that he just needed time to shake off some rust. In his final six starts of 2015, Moore posted a 2.97 ERA.

These Tampa Bay Rays aren't the same team from three years ago and Moore may not ever be the same pitcher. Don't expect an ace, but if all goes well he can be a solid third starter for the Rays and your fantasy team. Moore is going undrafted in many leagues and should definitely be available after pick 200. At that point, instead of reaching for a rookie or journeyman fifth starter, consider Moore to fill out your rotation.

 

Nick Castellanos (3B, DET)

Only 24, it seems like Nick Castellanos has been around forever. I swear I've seen a picture of him on the field with Alan Trammell, Lou Whitaker and Darrell Evans... but I digress. Castellanos has logged 1100 big league at-bats so far and driven in 139 RBI over two full seasons. He has been injury-free so far and at 6'4"/210 he has the frame and potential to become an elite slugger, as indicated by his first-round draft status.

So why is he being picked no higher than 20th at his position, behind the likes of light-hitting Josh Harrison and late-blooming Justin Turner, neither of whom have matched his power numbers over their careers? It would seem too early to give up Castellanos, but impatience rears its ugly head when expectations aren't immediately met. The problem is that he hasn't shown much progress from one year to the next. In his rookie season, he hit .259/.306/.394 while playing every day. The following season, a nearly identical line of .255/.303/.419 was met with disappointment to those expecting a breakout. His strikeout rate also took a downward turn as he posted a 25.5% K rate. He has yet to hit more than 15 HR either, so it's not as if the power is making up for his lack of contact.

So why consider Castellanos? Simple - he's only 24 years old. Often, star players who have an immediate impact as a rookie will see their numbers dip the following season (the dreaded sophomore slump), before returning to form. Bryce Harper has already proven that we can dissect the numbers all we want, but you can't simply overlook talent. Castellanos didn't have that slump, so a sharp uptick in production is definitely reasonable. Even if he hits for a mediocre average, he could very well go for 20+ HR and 80+ RBI on a loaded Tigers lineup. At a position where premium power hitters are becoming increasingly rare, Castellanos might be worth the bet.

 

Wil Myers (OF, SD)

Nothing hurts a player's chances of success as much as, well, being hurt. Myers is becoming a poster child for fragility, so the Padres have decided to move him to first base in an effort to prevent him from shattering into tiny pieces on the outfield grass. Myers slashed .293/.354/.478 with 13 HR/53 RBI in only 88 games en route to winning Rookie of the Year in 2013. Since then, wrist injuries have limited him to 147 games over the past two seasons combined. In the time he has played, Myers has not displayed the power or contact rate that had scouts raving about him as a prospect in the Kansas City farm system. He has gone from being the centerpiece of major trades to a reclamation project in short time. While rising stars Joe Ross and Trea Turner are ready to make an impact in Washington, the Padres are hoping for Myers to stay on the field.

So why invest in Myers this year? Moving to San Diego is not a move that typically inspires a spike in offensive production, particularly in the power category. Switching defensive positions might do the trick though. Instead of moving around the outfield,  he can focus on one position - a relatively stationary one at that. The main issue here is his wrist. Nothing saps power from a hitter like a wrist injury. Even after coming back presumably healthy in 2014, he wasn't quite the same hitter. After experiencing similar issues last year, it is obvious he wasn't 100% upon his return. Given his track record in the minors and early success in the majors, we know Myers can hit. The good news? Even playing with the wrist issues in a pitcher-friendly park, Myers' .174 ISO is above average. If he can stay on the field, this may be the year he puts it all together. 25 homers might be his ceiling at Petco, but for a first baseman currently ranked in the 30s for his position, that's a pretty good value.

 

MLB & Fantasy Baseball Chat Room


Check out RotoBaller's entire fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups and sleepers list, updated daily!




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Yandy Díaz4 hours ago

X-Rays Negative On Yandy Diaz's Hand
Jhoan Duran4 hours ago

Making Another Rehab Appearance Saturday
John Means4 hours ago

Needs One More Rehab Start
Jake Burger4 hours ago

Completes Full Workout Friday
Zac Gallen4 hours ago

Dealing With Hamstring Tightness
Paul Sewald4 hours ago

Likely Needs Another Rehab Game
Blake Snell5 hours ago

Resumes Playing Catch Friday
Deebo Samuel5 hours ago

49ers Set To Keep Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk?
J.P. Crawford5 hours ago

Not Expected To Return When Eligible
Luke McCaffrey5 hours ago

Selected By Commanders 100th Overall
Kawhi Leonard6 hours ago

Struggles In Game 3
Jalen McMillan6 hours ago

Heads To Tampa Bay
Tip Reiman6 hours ago

Cardinals Take Tip Reiman At No. 82
Roman Wilson6 hours ago

Selected 84th Overall By Steelers
Blake Corum6 hours ago

Rams Select Blake Corum With 83rd Pick
Jermaine Burton6 hours ago

Taken At No. 80 By Cincinnati
Yandy Díaz6 hours ago

Yandy Diaz Hit By Pitch, Leaves Game Early
Jasson Domínguez7 hours ago

Jasson Dominguez A Few Weeks Away From Rehab Games
Alex Cobb7 hours ago

Still Feeling Soreness In Shoulder, Will See Doctor
Trey Benson7 hours ago

Cardinals Select Trey Benson With The 66th Pick
Malachi Corley7 hours ago

Jets Trade Up To Select Malachi Corley
Bobby Witt Jr.7 hours ago

Hits Triple, Has Three-RBI Day
Ben Sinnott8 hours ago

Taken At No. 53 On Friday Night
Adonai Mitchell8 hours ago

Colts Snag Adonai Mitchell At No. 52
Jonathon Brooks8 hours ago

Panthers Trade Up To Select Jonathon Brooks
New Orleans Saints9 hours ago

Saints Take Kool-Aid McKinstry At No. 41
Delon Wright9 hours ago

Questionable For Game 3
Daniel Gafford9 hours ago

Will Play In Game 3
Keon Coleman9 hours ago

Bills Select Keon Coleman At Pick 33
Vaughn Grissom9 hours ago

Could Be Activated On Tuesday
Kawhi Leonard9 hours ago

Available On Friday Evening
Anthony Rendon10 hours ago

Dealing With Partial Hamstring Tear
Terry Rozier10 hours ago

Out Again For Game 3
Giancarlo Stanton10 hours ago

Absent On Friday
Jackson Merrill10 hours ago

Remains Out On Friday
Manny Machado10 hours ago

Returning On Friday
Josh Lowe10 hours ago

Appears Ready To Return
Deebo Samuel10 hours ago

Bills, Patriots Unlikely To Trade For Deebo Samuel
Nicolas Hague11 hours ago

Not Ready To Return On Saturday
Justus Annunen11 hours ago

Available On Friday
Ricky Tiedemann11 hours ago

Hoping To Throw In 7-10 Days
Luis Robert Jr.11 hours ago

Could Be Back By Mid-May
Rasmus Sandin11 hours ago

A Game-Time Call Friday
Walker Buehler11 hours ago

To Make Another Rehab Start Tuesday
Nick Jensen11 hours ago

Could Be Back In Action Friday
Ivan Miroshnichenko11 hours ago

Makes Stanley Cup Playoffs Debut
Sonny Milano11 hours ago

Ready For Action
Khris Middleton11 hours ago

Upgraded To Active For Game 3
NYR12 hours ago

Alex Wennberg Good To Go Friday
Grayson Allen12 hours ago

Remains Questionable For Game 3
Kyle Anderson12 hours ago

Tagged As Questionable For Game 3
Tennessee Titans12 hours ago

JC Latham To Play Left Tackle For Tennessee
Giannis Antetokounmpo12 hours ago

Ruled Out For Game 3
Matthew Stafford12 hours ago

Seeking Reworked Contract
Deebo Samuel14 hours ago

Bills Have Interest In Trading For Deebo Samuel
Jacoby Brissett14 hours ago

Drake Maye To Compete With Jacoby Brissett
Jonathon Brooks14 hours ago

Cowboys High On Jonathon Brooks
Ezekiel Elliott15 hours ago

Reunion With Cowboys Is Imminent
Alex Perez16 hours ago

In Dire Need Of Victory
Matheus Nicolau16 hours ago

Returns To Action At UFC Vegas 91
Ariane da Silva16 hours ago

Ariane Lipski Looks To Extend Her Win Streak
Karine Silva16 hours ago

Looks For Ninth Victory In A Row
David Onama16 hours ago

An Underdog At UFC Vegas 91
Jonathan Pearce16 hours ago

Looks To Get Back In Win Column
Donovan Mitchell16 hours ago

Struggles In Game 3
Paolo Banchero17 hours ago

Dominates In Game 3
Anthony Davis17 hours ago

Leads All Scorers In Game 3 Loss
Nikola Jokic17 hours ago

Just One Assist Shy Of Triple-Double In Game 3
Aaron Gordon18 hours ago

Posts Big Double-Double
Tyler Myers18 hours ago

On Track To Return Friday
Jesper Fast18 hours ago

Unlikely To Feature In The Playoffs
Matthew Tkachuk18 hours ago

Bags Two Goals In Game 3 Victory
Steven Stamkos18 hours ago

Scores Third Postseason Goal
Ilya Sorokin18 hours ago

Lasts 27 Minutes In Game 3
Frederik Andersen18 hours ago

Stops 29 Pucks In Another Win
Mitchell Robinson1 day ago

Injured Again On Thursday
Jalen Brunson1 day ago

Has Another Big Game
Tyrese Maxey1 day ago

Helps Philly Take Game 3
Joel Embiid1 day ago

Dominates In Game 3
Olivier-Maxence Prosper1 day ago

Won't Play In Game 3
Kawhi Leonard1 day ago

Questionable For Game 3
Stephen Curry1 day ago

Named Clutch Player Of The Year
Sonny Milano1 day ago

Misses Practice On Thursday
Filip Chytil1 day ago

Joins Rangers For Trip To Washington
Jesper Fast1 day ago

Remains Out On Thursday
Matt Martin1 day ago

A Game-Time Call Thursday
Anton Lundell1 day ago

Takes Over As Second-Line Center Thursday
Ryan Lomberg1 day ago

Ruled Out For Game 3
Alex Vlasic2 days ago

Inks Six-Year Extension With Blackhawks
Kyle Okposo2 days ago

To Suit Up In Game 3
Uros Medic2 days ago

A Massive Favorite At UFC Vegas 91
Tim Means2 days ago

An Underdog At UFC Vegas 91
Austen Lane2 days ago

Searching For First UFC Win
Jhonata Diniz2 days ago

Making UFC Debut
Bogdan Guskov2 days ago

Gets Ranked Opponent At UFC Vegas 91
Ryan Spann2 days ago

Looks To Snap Losing Skid At UFC Vegas 91
Tyler Reddick5 days ago

Survives At Talladega For First Win Of 2024
Brad Keselowski5 days ago

Finishes Second At Talladega After Last-Lap Wreck
Anthony Alfredo5 days ago

Gets Best Finish For Beard Motorsports Since 2022
Todd Gilliland5 days ago

One Of The Strongest At Talladega
NASCAR5 days ago

Bubba Wallace Finishes 36th At Talladega Superspeedway
Kyle Larson5 days ago

Fails To Deliver Value In DFS At Talladega
NASCAR5 days ago

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Finishes Fourth At Talladega
Noah Gragson5 days ago

Surprisingly The Most Consistent Driver At Talladega
Shane Van Gisbergen5 days ago

Shane van Gisbergen Acquits Himself Nicely In Drafting Debut
Michael McDowell5 days ago

Ends Talladega Wrecked From The Lead
Alex Bowman5 days ago

Quietly Captures Top-Five Finish At Talladega
Daniel Hemric5 days ago

Surges To Ninth-Place Result At Talladega
Harrison Burton5 days ago

Squeezes Into Top 10 At Talladega
NASCAR6 days ago

Bubba Wallace Will Start 14th For the GEICO 500
Tyler Reddick6 days ago

Avoid Rostering Tyler Reddick At Talladega?
John Hunter Nemechek6 days ago

Should DFS Players Roster John Hunter Nemechek At Talladega?
Joey Logano6 days ago

Expect Joey Logano To Compete For The Win At Talladega
Denny Hamlin6 days ago

Is Denny Hamlin Recommended For Talladega?
Justin Haley6 days ago

Is A Top DFS Value At Talladega
William Byron6 days ago

Is One Of The Top Favorites To Win Talladega
Christopher Bell6 days ago

Is Best Suited As A Tournament Play At Talladega
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
UFL DFS PICKS, FANTASY FOOTBALL, DRAFTKINGS, FANDUEL

UFL DFS Lineup Picks: DraftKings Daily Fantasy Fantasy Advice for Week 5

Welcome to Week 5 of the inaugural UFL season, RotoBallers! The Birmingham Stallions remain undefeated, and they'll take on the Houston Roughnecks in the only matchup this week with a spread of more than three points. The 3-1 San Antonio Brahmas will face off with the winless Arlington Renegades in a Texas showdown, the 3-1... Read More


NFL Draft - 2024

2024 NFL Draft Grades For Every First Round Pick

As we exit the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, it's fun to offer up "instant reactions" to the impactful decisions teams made with precious first-round draft capital. Many expected this to be a draft that was jam-packed with quarterback and wide receiver selections, and Thursday night didn't disappoint, as QBs went off the... Read More


Keon Coleman- Fantasy Football Rankings, College FB, WR, NFL Draft Sleepers

NFL Draft Predictions - Second Round Mock Draft (2024)

Round 1 of the 2024 NFL Draft is in the books! The good news is all the draft action will pick back up tonight at 7 pm ET as Rounds 2-3 of the draft will begin. There are still plenty of good players on the board who could have a big impact on fantasy football... Read More


Malik Nabers - Fantasy Football Rankings, College FB, WR, NFL Draft Sleepers

2024 NFL Draft Results - Malik Nabers Fantasy Football Outlook

After months of waiting, Malik Nabers finally has his NFL team. The LSU prospect was in contention for WR1 in the class and went only two picks after Marvin Harrison Jr. The Giants have desperately needed a playmaking receiver to elevate the offense. Nabers has all the speed in the world and a thick frame... Read More


Adonai Mitchell - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2024 NFL Draft - Predicting The Next QB, RB, WR, and TE Selected (Round 2)

The first round of the 2024 NFL draft was loaded with surprises. A record-breaking wait on defense, some winners and losers, and an early Michael Penix Jr. appearance headlined the night. There are still plenty of exciting talents at skill positions floating around. Who will be the next QB, RB, WR, and TE selected in... Read More


Kirk Cousins - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2024 NFL Draft Instant Reaction: Round 1 Winners and Losers For Fantasy Football

The first round of the 2024 NFL Draft is now in the books. It was a night full of surprises, with six quarterbacks going in the first 12 picks. Thursday really shook things up across the league, so it's time to parse through what happened and make some sense of things. Below are some of... Read More


Michael Penix Jr. - CFB DFS Picks, Daily College Fantasy Football, NFL Draft Rookies

2024 NFL Draft - Worst Draft Picks In The First Round

Some teams made some really good picks on Thursday night in the first round of the NFL Draft. Other teams...well, let's just say that some teams made some baffling decisions. These decisions could prove to be smart moves, or they could set these organizations back in a big way. Here are the worst picks from... Read More


Bijan Robinson - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Rookies, Draft Sleepers

2024 Fantasy Football Blind Resumes – Running Back Edition

Fantasy football drafts won't take place for a couple of months, but it's never too early to get into the fantasy mindset after a wild offseason. Many star running backs like Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs, and Aaron Jones found new homes while Joe Mixon was traded to the Houston Texans. Those moves will certainly affect where each player will go next season. Luckily, on Underdog Fantasy, we can... Read More


UFL DFS PICKS, FANTASY FOOTBALL, DRAFTKINGS, FANDUEL

UFL DFS Value Plays: Week 5 Bargain Bin for DraftKings Including Quinten Dormady, Jacob Saylors, Jahcour Pearson, More

Welcome to the Week 5 edition of RotoBaller's UFL DFS Bargain Bin, where the goal is to touch on some potentially mispriced players in DraftKings' Week 5 UFL contests. Each week during the UFL 2024 season and postseason, I’ll give you my thoughts on where there may be some value spots to exploit for DraftKings'... Read More


Kyler Murray - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2024 NFL Draft - Why Do The Bears, Cardinals, and Vikings Have Two First-Round Picks?

The NFL Draft is always one of the most exciting days for organizations and fans, but fans of teams with more than one first-round pick are even more excited and overjoyed. In the 2024 NFL Draft, three teams have multiple picks on Day 1. Landing two studs on the first day of the event can... Read More


Brian Thomas Jr. - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2024 NFL Draft: What Time Is The NFL Draft Tonight? How To Watch Thursday's Draft Picks

It’s finally here, RotoBallers! After months of waiting and speculation, the 2024 NFL Draft starts tonight. Along with the Super Bowl and the Kickoff Game that starts the season, Draft Day is one of the most exciting days on the NFL calendar. The anticipation is over and it is time to get things rolling. It... Read More


Darius Slayton - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2024 NFL Draft - Veterans With The Most Fantasy Football Value To Lose On Draft Night

It's almost here! The first round of the 2024 NFL Draft will take place tonight in Detroit, with 32 players set to join their first NFL team after all is said and done. But those players aren't just being drafted into empty roster spots. The NFL is a zero-sum game. For every new player that... Read More


2024 NFL Draft: Biggest Fantasy Football Questions

Football never sleeps at RotoBaller! The 2024 NFL Draft is upon us and anticipation is high for what could be a wild edition that will likely have huge fantasy football implications for the season ahead. RotoBaller's David Rispoli digs into the biggest fantasy football questions of the 2024 NFL Draft. What draft decisions could have... Read More