X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

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
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Buy or Sell - Underowned and Overowned Players for Week 5

Pierre Camus takes a look at players who may be overvalued or undervalued. These players could be buy or sell candidates for the 2017 fantasy baseball season.

The weather's warming up and so is the trade market in fantasy leagues. You've likely received a few unsavory trade offers by now that leave you wondering what people think before hitting the "Propose Trade" button. While you don't want to be that guy, there are opportunities to be had if you can figure out which players to flip and for whom.

Scouting players who may be undervalued and re-assessing players who may be overvalued is a weekly exercise that you should pursue. Fortunately, I have you covered. Here are a few players who are good buy or sell candidates based on their current performance compared to ownership levels. This could mean scooping them off waivers if possible or actively seeking a trade to acquire or discard certain players in order to maximize value.

Early in the season, my values will be based more on ADP than performance due to small sample size. I will include one player at each key position group (Infield, Outfield, Pitcher). Ownership levels are taken from Yahoo! Fantasy Sports.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and resources:

 

Underrated Players - Week 5

Jonathan Schoop (2B, BAL) - 76% owned

The fact that Schoop is owned is less leagues than Chris Owings (see below) is hard to fathom. Schoop has been criminally underrated since last season and I'm not sure why people refuse to buy into him. I even saw him outright dropped in two of my leagues this past week, even though he's picked up three home runs and 12 RBI in the last 12 games. He's raised his average to .294, lowered his K% this season to 15.8% and is fifth in RBI among all second basemen. He could stand to improve his 74.5% Contact% and 14% SwStr%, but he seems to be the type of player who makes the most out of his contact. If anything, his .278 BABIP shows that he could be faring even better. Schoop belongs in the conversation as a top-10 2B, not on the waiver wire in any format.

Avisail Garcia (OF, CHW) - 69% owned

What's it going to take, a season's worth of MVP-type numbers for people to believe in Garcia? It's understandable why fantasy owners are skeptical after Garcia hit just .245 with a wOBA of .302 last season. He was widely expected to prove his worth last season, but a slow start in the spring relegated him to part-time DH duties. He responded with a mediocre season that included a 25.4% K% and 68.6% Contact%. Garcia has only improved on those numbers slightly this season, but he's making much better contact within the zone (87% Z-Contact%). He's also pulling the ball much more and not settling for soft contact (12.5%). The concerns about his previously terrible plate discipline and the weak pitching he's faced so far are fair criticisms, but Garcia's ability to hit for power should at least be taken seriously for now as he's always had the hit tool to perform this way when it all clicks (it has).

Julio Urias (SP, LAD) - 75% owned

It won't be long before the ownership level for this star prospect skyrockets. Urias had a brief stint in his rookie season due to innings limitations, but he impressed for a 20-year old. Urias pitched to a 3.39 ERA and whiffed nearly 10 batters per nine innings. It will take some time for the walks to go away, as is par for the course for young pitchers, but Urias has shown the ability to strand runners at a high rate. His first start of this season was highly effective; he allowed one earned run over 5 2/3 innings. Even if you know he won't give you 200 IP this season, the upside is worth owning. If he's taken in your league, consider offering a more erratic young pitcher like Vince Velasquez, Taijuan Walker, or Kevin Gausman in exchange for Urias' talents.

 

Overrated Players - Week 5

Chris Owings (SS/OF, ARI) - 79% owned

It seems like just two weeks ago I was advocating for fantasy managers to add Owings off the waiver wire. Hopefully you did, because it's time to turn a profit. Owings is hitting .325 with four HR, 19 RBI, and six steals. For perspective, after one month he's driven in more runs than Nolan Arenado, Paul Goldschmidt and Joey Votto. That's also more than Edwin Encarnacion and Jose Abreu combined. The steals aren't a surprise, but the power certainly is. Two more jacks and Owings ties his career-high for a Major League season; he would also be halfway to his minor league season-high. Not to take anything away from him, but two of those homers came against human pitching machine Jered Weaver, who is averaging two HR allowed per game and led the league last year with 37 dingers against him. His absurd 25% HR/FB rate will plummet soon. This is a classic example of a hot start from a young player making him appear much more than he is. If you can flip him for legit shortstp who is off to a slow start like Aledmys Diaz or Dansby Swanson, don't hesitate.

Lorenzo Cain (OF, KC) - 89% owned

Let's face it, Cain's 2015 season appears to be an outlier. That season he finished third in AL MVP voting after hitting .307 with 16 HR, 72 RBI, 101 R, and 28 SB. In every other Major League season, Cain has barely surpassed half those totals in terms of homers and runs scored. His next best RBI total is 56 RBI and last season his stolen base total was cut by 50%. Cain will still deliver a strong average and he's picked up the pace on the base paths this season with six steals already, but the power is non-existent. Those expecting him to put up numbers similar to his peak should prepare for a letdown. He's 31 now and his team is no longer a championship contender. Cain is a fringe third outfielder in mixed leagues and that's solely due to his stolen base production.

Mike Leake (SP, STL) - 80% owned

Here is your annual reminder that Leake is not as good as he looks early on in the year. He generally maintains decent ratios in the first half, but by August and September his career ERA is over 4.70 for each month. Even April-June aren't overly impressive - barely under 4.00 - which shouldn't be a surprise since he's only finished one season with an ERA under 3.50. A mediocre 6.59 K/9 that is actually higher than his 6.12 career mark and a low .250 BABIP should be enough to make you leery. There may not be much of a trade market for Leake, but it's worth a try so you don't have to suffer through those inevitable starts where his luck runs out.

 




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

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

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

CeeDee Lamb

"Looking Good" for Week 7
Kevin Huerter

Could Be an Option Thursday
Tre Jones

Nursing a Foot Problem
Marcus Smart

Set for Lakers Debut Tuesday
Jimmy Butler III

Sits Out Tuesday's Preseason Game
Lauri Markkanen

Logs 18 Minutes in Preseason Debut
Bam Adebayo

Exits Preseason Game With Knee Contusion
Jimmy Snuggerud

Records First Multi-Goal Game
Sean Couturier

Tallies Four Points Against Panthers
Jake Allen

Exits Monday's Action With Cramps
Anthony Cirelli

Scores Twice in Monday's Win
Nathan MacKinnon

Nets Two Goals Against Sabres
Miles Wood

Exits Early With Face Injury
D'Andre Swift

Breaks Out for 175 Total Yards and Touchdown in Win
Drake London

Explodes for 158 Yards and Touchdown in Win Over Bills
Bijan Robinson

Erupts for 238 Total Yards and Touchdown Against Bills
Christopher Bell

Sits Third in Points After Quiet Third-Place Finish
Chase Briscoe

Passes Denny Hamlin at the Start, but Hamlin Gets Him in the End
Joey Logano

Falling Out of Playoff Picture Despite Other Contenders' Crashes
Ryan Blaney

Stage 1 Crash Puts Ryan Blaney in Severe Playoff Trouble
Denny Hamlin

Wins at Las Vegas and Will Compete for the 2025 Cup Series Title
Kyle Larson

Dominates at Las Vegas but Ends Up Second
Chase Elliott

Struggles to Gain A Solid Finish at Las Vegas After Pit-Road Penalty
William Byron

Strong Run Ends In A Wreck at Las Vegas
Stephon Castle

Set to Suit Up for Monday's Preseason Matchup With Indiana
Garrett Wilson

Expected to Miss "a Couple of Weeks" With Hyperextended Knee
Dalton Kincaid

Ruled Out for Monday Night
Luka Dončić

Luka Doncic Set to Make Preseason Debut on Tuesday
Josh Norris

Could Miss Eight Weeks
Toumani Camara

Misses Practice on Monday
Zack MacEwen

Out for "Extended Period of Time"
Sean Durzi

to Miss Four Weeks
Jason Dickinson

a Game-Time Decision Monday
Coby White

Expected to Miss Remainder of Preseason
Lucas Raymond

Sustains Upper-Body Injury
Brady Tkachuk

Suffers Injury in Monday's Loss
Lane Hutson

Canadiens Sign Lane Hutson to Eight-Year Extension
Tre Mann

Considered Questionable for Wednesday's Preseason Contest
CFB

Sam Leavitt Viewed as Day-to-Day with Undisclosed Injury
Anthony Santander

Scratched From Game 2 of ALCS With Back Tightness
Deebo Samuel Sr.

Expected to Play on Monday Night
Brock Bowers

Could Sit for the "Long Haul"
CeeDee Lamb

has a Chance to Play in Week 7
Dalton Knecht

Impresses Offensively, Must Improve Defense to Earn Key Role
Milwaukee Bucks

Bucks Sign Alex Antetokounmpo to Two-Way Deal
San Diego Padres

Mike Shildt Retires as a Manager
Tennessee Titans

Titans Fire Head Coach Brian Callahan
Mateusz Gamrot

Suffers Second-Round Submission Loss
Charles Oliveira

Gets Back In The Win Column
Montel Jackson

Drops Decision
Deiveson Figueiredo

Gets Split-Decision Victory
Vicente Luque

Outclassed
Vicente Luque

Joel Alvarez Outclasses Vicente Luque
Jhonata Diniz

Suffers Second-Round TKO Loss
Mario Pinto

Remains Undefeated
CFB

Matt Rhule Denying Interest in Penn State Head Coaching Job
CFB

Le'Veon Moss Not Believed to Have Suffered Season-Ending Injury
Ricardo Ramos

Suffers First-Round Submission Loss
Chris Godwin

Not Expected to Return in Week 7
Bucky Irving

Not Expected to Return in Week 7
Puka Nacua

Rams Think Puka Nacua has Avoided a Long-Term Injury
Kaan Ofli

Scores Comeback Win
CFB

Bill Belichick Says he's Committed to North Carolina
Moses Moody

Shut Down for Rest of Preseason
Kel'el Ware

Responding Well to Erik Spoelstra's Challenge
Derrick White

Stuffs the Stat Sheet Against Cavaliers
Austin Reaves

Displays Smooth Scoring Abilities Against Warriors
Brandin Podziemski

Drops 23 Points Against Lakers
Puka Nacua

Likely to Miss Time Due to Sprained Ankle
Rashee Rice

Eligible to Play Sunday Against the Raiders
Emeka Egbuka

Expected to Miss "Some Time"
Tiger Woods

Undergoes Back Surgery
James van Riemsdyk

Available for Red Wings Debut Monday
Kris Letang

Considered Day-to-Day
Carson Soucy

Lands on Injured Reserve
Tyler Kleven

Ready for Season Debut Monday
Evgenii Dadonov

Moves to Long-Term Injured Reserve
Drake Batherson

Aims to Return Wednesday
Pierre-Luc Dubois

Exits Win Early
CFB

UAB Fires Head Coach Trent Dilfer After 2.5 Seasons In Birmingham
CFB

Penn State Fires Head Coach James Franklin After 10.5 Seasons
CFB

Penn State QB Drew Allar Will Miss The Rest Of 2025 Season With Ankle Injury
Marquise Brown

Scores Twice in SNF Victory
Patrick Mahomes

Explodes for Four Touchdowns on SNF
Tetairoa McMillan

Scores his First Two Touchdowns in Win Over Dallas
Ja'Marr Chase

Posts Double-Digit Catches in First Game With New Quarterback
Kendrick Bourne

Records 142 Receiving Yards for Second Straight Week
Brandon Woodruff

Will Not be on NLCS Roster
Keegan Murray

to Undergo Surgery
Max Scherzer

Added to ALCS Roster
Bryan Woo

Makes ALCS Roster
Bo Bichette

Won't Make ALCS Roster
Sacramento Kings

Russell Westbrook, Kings Have "Strong Mutual Interest"
Christopher Bell

the Favorite to Win at Las Vegas
Denny Hamlin

on the Pole at Las Vegas
Joey Logano

Can Joey Logano Get Lucky in Las Vegas Again?
William Byron

has the Fastest Car in Practice at Las Vegas
Ty Gibbs

Speed of Ty Gibbs a Good Sign for Toyota at Las Vegas
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Should Contend at Las Vegas
Ross Chastain

Scrapes Wall in Practice But Qualifies 15th at Las Vegas
Chris Buescher

Looking for Improvement at Las Vegas
Austin Cindric

It Has Been Hit or Miss for Austin Cindric at Las Vegas
Steven Lorentz

Exits With Injury Saturday
Chase Elliott

Should Run Well at Las Vegas
Kyle Larson

Conservatism May Keep him from Replicating Previous Las Vegas Drive
Josh Berry

After Josh Berry's Las Vegas Win, Ryan Blaney Should be a Top Contender
Chase Briscoe

has Definitely Improved on Intermediate Tracks
Gleyber Torres

Will Undergo Surgery to Repair Sports Hernia
Bryan Woo

Expected to be on Mariners' ALCS Roster
CFB

CJ Baxter to Miss Saturday's Game Against No. 6 Oklahoma
CFB

Syracuse QB Steve Angeli Will Miss Significant Time
Cody Bellinger

Plans to Opt Out of Contract
MLB

Munetaka Murakami Will be Posted This Winter
Nathan Eovaldi

has Hernia Surgery, Should be Ready for Spring Training
Mateusz Gamrot

Set For UFC Rio Main Event
Charles Oliveira

Returns At UFC Rio
Montel Jackson

Set For UFC Rio Co-Main Event
Deiveson Figueiredo

Returns At UFC Rio
Joel Álvarez

Joel Alvarez Set for his Welterweight Debut
Vicente Luque

A Huge Underdog
Deandre Ayton

Still Waiting to Build Chemistry With Lakers Stars
Mario Pinto

Looks To Remain Undefeated
Jhonata Diniz

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Kaan Ofli

Looks To Secure His First Octagon Win
Ricardo Ramos

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Michael Aswell

Looks For His First UFC Win
CFB

North Carolina's Caleb Hood Retiring from College Football
CFB

Jeff Sims Likely to Start Against Utah
CFB

Syracuse QB Steve Angeli Will Miss Remainder of 2025 Season With Torn Achilles
CFB

Sam Leavitt Not Expected to Play for Arizona State on Saturday
CFB

John Mateer Upgraded to Probable Ahead of Saturday's Red-River Shootout
Tanner Scott

Removed From NLDS Roster After Lower-Body Procedure
CFB

Ryan Williams Will Be Available Against No. 14 Missouri On Saturday
CFB

John Mateer Officially Questionable Ahead of Saturday's Game vs. Texas
Will Smith

Catching in Game 3 of NLDS
CFB

North Carolina Discussing Buyout Option Of Coach Bill Belichick
Jackson Chourio

Back in Lineup for NLDS Game 3
Roki Sasaki

"Definitely the Primary Option" in Save Situations for Dodgers

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP