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
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

ADP Champs or Chumps - Chris Devenski & Andrew Toles

The 2017 season is still far too short of a sample size to conclude anything using numbers, but the human element of player deployment is beginning to come into focus. If a player's role differs drastically from what we thought it would be during draft season, his value could explode. Getting these guys on your roster for free is a great way to gain an advantage over your competition.

With that in mind, I would like to present two players who should be owned in nearly all formats but are currently owned in very few. Houston's Chris Devenski is primed to boost fantasy rosters more than a traditional set-up guy like Dellin Betances ever could. Andrew Toles is leading off most of the time for the Dodgers, a role that would give him significant roto value even if he lacked talent (he doesn't).

I have personally maximized my exposure to both of these players and suggest you do the same. Care to find out exactly why?

Featured Promo: Get any MLB Premium Pass FREE ($119 value) AND up to a $200 deposit match when you sign up with Rival Fantasy. Rival offers 6 and 12-team Best Ball, weekly and daily contests, for as little as $3 per entry. No roster management, just draft and Rival sets your best lineup automatically. Playing fantasy baseball has never been easier! Sign Up Today!

 

The Fantasy Jury is Out

Chris Devenski (SP/RP, HOU) ADP: 338.7

Devenski received very little publicity last season, but his 2.16 ERA and 25.5 percent K% in 108.1 IP deserved your attention. There was talk of stretching him out as a starter or converting him into a traditional late-inning reliever in the offseason, but his first 2017 appearance suggests that he will occupy a fireman role.

Devenski entered a tied game in the 8th inning, ultimately twirling four full frames and striking out seven in his appearance. He did not walk a batter, allow a hit, or give up a run in that time frame. The Astros also had four chances to earn him a W, which is a lot more than most relievers get. If Devenski continues in this role, he should get plenty of vulture wins to go with outstanding ratios over a workload of around 100 IP. That would easily outproduce Betances, even if the latter's ratios are a little better.

Devenski lacks Betances's name recognition, so you may be wondering if he can keep up the sterling performance. He can. His Ks are the result of two elite offerings, a changeup (21 percent SwStr%, 47.1 percent chase rate in 2016) and a slider (23 percent SwStr%, 40.3 percent chase rate). Both pitches also posted excellent triple slash lines against (.193/.234/.240 and .079/.079/.079 respectively). His heater's 57 percent Zone% is enough to keep the walks away, and it wasn't bad when put in play either (.233/.297/.345). Devenski also features a knuckle-curve that shows some promise, but its .310/.310/.345 line against last season suggests that the 26-year old needs to refine it a little more.

The only downside with Devenski is homers allowed, as he is a fly ball pitcher in a hitter's park that somehow managed a 3.5 percent HR/FB last year. Regression would likely raise his ERA a little, but it would still be a fantasy asset. A guy eligible at both SP (five GS last year) and RP who can help in every single fantasy stat should be owned in far more than 13 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Verdict: Champ

 

Andrew Toles (OF, LAD) ADP: 367.5

One of my preseason columns endorsed Logan Forsythe largely on the basis of his presumed role as leadoff man for one of the deepest lineups in the NL. He is leading off against lefties, but Andrew Toles came out of nowhere to seize the gig against RHP. The role should produce plenty of PAs and runs scored no matter who occupies it, making it a sin that Toles is owned in only four percent of Yahoo formats.

Yet Toles is interesting regardless of his role. He hit .314/.365/.505 with three bombs and a steal in 155 MLB PAs last year, hinting at average upside if given a regular role. He had a .385 BABIP to produce those numbers, but Toles looks like a plus BABIP guy. His largest minor league sample produced a .402 BABIP in 552 PAs at A ball in 2013, and he also posted plus marks at Double-A (.355 in 190 PAs) and Triple-A (.340 in 59 PAs) last year.

Toles's MLB profile also suggests a plus BABIP. His plus legs should sustain most of his .333 BABIP on ground balls, while his slightly plus 22.2 percent LD% could reasonably become his baseline moving forward. He generally keeps the ball out of the air (29.6 percent FB%) and pops it up even less often (4.2 percent IFFB%). His BABIP is likely to regress to a degree, but not as much as some would expect. Considering that he always has the platoon advantage when he plays, a .290+ average is possible.

His 21.7 percent K% last year was fine on the surface, but his underlying 14.2 percent SwStr% and 38.7 percent chase rate were atrocious. Still, I don't think Toles will strikeout too often. He did not K in his brief samples at Double-A (15.8 percent K%) or Triple-A (13.6 percent K%), while his 88 percent Z-Contact% suggests a reasonable ability to put the bat on the ball. Even if plate discipline growth does not occur this year, his 56.3 percent Swing% should end PAs before he has a chance to strikeout.

Toles hit 10 homers last year across all levels, suggesting that he will not contribute much in the power categories. He makes up for it with SB upside, once stealing 62 bags in a single minor league campaign (2013). He swiped 23 last year, though the nine CS accompanying them were a bit much. Growth and experience could see him grow into a 20-30 steal threat. Toles lost valuable development time after taking 2015 off for "personal issues," making him even more raw than his 24 years of age would indicate.

There is a lot we don't know about Toles. His MLB experience is limited, and his minor league record has a gaping hole with no real explanation. He is leading off for a good team right now, though, and we know too much about his primary obstacle for playing time: Andre Ethier. He's 34 years old, hasn't accumulated 500 PAs since 2013, and doesn't have a recent track record of offensive excellence. The Dodgers, and you, should probably gamble on the unknown instead.

Verdict: Champ

 

More Player Outlooks




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Luka Doncic14 mins ago

On The Injury Report For Friday
David Bednar15 mins ago

Still Dealing With Lat Injury
Rudy Gobert22 mins ago

Might Miss Friday's Game
Tyus Jones23 mins ago

Unavailable For Friday
Jaden Ivey42 mins ago

Listed As Questionable For Friday
Rhys McKee44 mins ago

Searching For First UFC Win
Anthony Edwards45 mins ago

Uncertain For Friday Night
Chidi Njokuani50 mins ago

Drops Back Down To Welterweight At UFC Atlantic City
Kyle Nelson51 mins ago

An Underdog Again At UFC Atlantic City
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander54 mins ago

Doubtful For Friday Night
Bill Algeo55 mins ago

Eyes Sixth UFC Win
Joaquin Buckley58 mins ago

Gets Ranked Opponent At UFC Atlantic City
Quentin Grimes59 mins ago

Ruled Out Friday
Vicente Luque1 hour ago

Gets Short-Notice Opponent At UFC Atlantic City
LeBron James1 hour ago

Questionable Against Indiana
Taj Gibson1 hour ago

Out Friday Against Wizards
Anthony Davis1 hour ago

Questionable Versus Indiana
Eduardo Rodriguez2 hours ago

Could Throw Off Mound In 5-7 Days
Max Kepler2 hours ago

Leaves On Opening Day With Injury
Nick Senzel2 hours ago

Suffers Broken Thumb
Jason Foley2 hours ago

Earns The Save For Tigers
Dejounte Murray2 hours ago

Available Versus Boston
Xavier Tillman2 hours ago

Sr. Cleared For Thursday Night
Al Horford3 hours ago

Won't Face The Hawks
Jrue Holiday3 hours ago

Available On Thursday
Tarik Skubal3 hours ago

Tosses Six Scoreless Innings On Opening Day
Corbin Burnes3 hours ago

Pitches A Gem On Opening Day
Royce Lewis4 hours ago

Exits With Quad Injury
Max Scherzer5 hours ago

Throws Bullpen Session
Clayton Kershaw5 hours ago

"Ahead Of Things" Timetable-Wise
Walker Buehler5 hours ago

Ahead Of Schedule
Corey Seager5 hours ago

Active On Opening Day
Oneil Cruz5 hours ago

Batting Sixth On Opening Day
Alex Caruso5 hours ago

Ayo Dosunmu Probable Friday
Darius Garland6 hours ago

Probable Against 76ers
Donovan Mitchell6 hours ago

Upgraded To Questionable
Duncan Robinson7 hours ago

Heat Rule Out Duncan Robinson Friday
Bryan Reynolds7 hours ago

In Opening Day Lineup
Jimmy Butler7 hours ago

Probable Against Portland
Onyeka Okongwu8 hours ago

Remains Out Thursday
Dejounte Murray8 hours ago

Questionable With Back Soreness
Jordan Romano9 hours ago

Not Expected To Be Out Long
Gerrit Cole9 hours ago

Yankees Put Gerrit Cole On 60-Day Injured List
Elly De La Cruz9 hours ago

Batting In Six-Hole On Opening Day
Anthony Rendon9 hours ago

Hitting Leadoff On Opening Day
Wander Franco10 hours ago

Placed On Administrative Leave
Aaron Ekblad10 hours ago

Returning To Panthers Lineup Thursday
Nikita Kucherov10 hours ago

Establishes New Career High With 42nd Goal
Shane Pinto10 hours ago

Collects Career-High Four Points
Valeri Nichushkin10 hours ago

Nursing A Lower-Body Injury
Samuel Girard11 hours ago

Battling An Illness
J.K. Dobbins11 hours ago

Visiting With Chargers On Thursday
Oskar Sundqvist11 hours ago

To Miss Rest Of Season With Torn ACL
Ethan Bear11 hours ago

Enters Player Assistance Program
TJ Friedl24 hours ago

Hits 10-Day Injured List
Jackson Chourio1 day ago

Will Start In Right Field Friday
Mark Hubbard1 day ago

Coming Off A Career Performance
Davis Thompson1 day ago

Looking To Pay Off A Stellar Run Of Ball-Striking
Akshay Bhatia1 day ago

Coming Into Houston With Confidence
Thorbjorn Olesen1 day ago

Still Trying To Find Footing On U.S. Soil
Patrick Rodgers1 day ago

Fighting Inconsistencies Heading Into Houston
Malik Nabers1 day ago

Shines At Pro Day
Carolina Panthers1 day ago

Jadeveon Clowney Signing Two-Year Deal With Panthers
Wyndham Clark1 day ago

Battling Back Injury Ahead of Houston Open
San Francisco 49ers1 day ago

Talanoa Hufanga Expected To Return At Training Camp
Jayden Daniels1 day ago

Raiders To Meet With Jayden Daniels
Tank Bigsby1 day ago

Jaguars Want Tank Bigsby More Involved
Josh Reynolds1 day ago

Signs Two-Year Deal With Broncos
Doug Ghim1 day ago

Looks To Bounce Back At Houston Open
PGA1 day ago

Cameron Davis Seeking Consistency Ahead Of Houston Open
Thomas Detry1 day ago

A Gamble At Houston Open
Ryan Fox1 day ago

Lacks Upside Heading Into Houston Open
Andrew Novak1 day ago

Will Be Chalk At Houston Open
Josh Doan1 day ago

Scores Twice In His NHL Debut
Filip Forsberg1 day ago

Makes History In Big Comeback Win
Jamie Benn1 day ago

Scores In Fifth Consecutive Game
Sidney Crosby1 day ago

Collects Three Points Versus Carolina
Artemi Panarin1 day ago

Continues Scoring Tear With Three Assists
Joey Daccord1 day ago

Shuts Out Ducks
Sahith Theegala1 day ago

Showing Consistency This Season
Wyndham Clark1 day ago

Working Toward Star Status
Scottie Scheffler2 days ago

Heads To Houston At His Best
Sam Ryder2 days ago

Putting The Lights Out Of Late
Joel Dahmen2 days ago

All Systems Go For Joel Dahmen In Houston
Kurt Kitayama2 days ago

Ready For Houston Debut
Ben Griffin2 days ago

Finding Form Heading To Houston
Taylor Moore2 days ago

Continues Made-Cut Streak Heading To Houston
Adam Svensson2 days ago

Hoping For Consistency In Houston
Taylor Montgomery2 days ago

Looks To Bounce Back In Houston
Amon-Ra St. Brown2 days ago

Discussing Extension With Lions
Jared Goff2 days ago

Lions Discussing New Deal
J.K. Dobbins2 days ago

Cleared For Football Activities
Los Angeles Rams2 days ago

Tre'Davious White To Join Rams
PIT2 days ago

Sam Poulin Recalled From AHL
Jack Quinn2 days ago

Could Return Wednesday
Scott Mayfield2 days ago

Undergoes Season-Ending Surgery
TOR2 days ago

Mitch Marner Skates On His Own Tuesday
Trevor Zegras2 days ago

To Return Tuesday
Justus Annunen2 days ago

Inks Two-Year Extension
Nick Chubb2 days ago

Expected To Start Load Running Next Month
D'Andre Swift2 days ago

Bears View D'Andre Swift As Receiving Weapon
Cordarrelle Patterson2 days ago

Signing With Steelers
Sam Howell2 days ago

Seahawks Believe Sam Howell Can Be A Full-Time Starter
Tennessee Titans2 days ago

L'Jarius Sneed Agrees On Four-Year Contract With Titans
Dak Prescott2 days ago

No Indication A Deal Is Coming For Dak Prescott
Calvin Ridley2 days ago

To Have Big Role In Tennessee
Josh Jacobs2 days ago

To Be Used More In Passing Game
Brandon Saad2 days ago

Gets Another Goal In Monday's Loss
Logan Thompson2 days ago

Stretches Winning Streak To Three Games
Pittsburgh Steelers3 days ago

Cameron Heyward Expected To Be Healthy For Training Camp
Zach Wilson3 days ago

Jets Could End Up Keeping Zach Wilson
Amanda Ribas3 days ago

Takes Decision Loss
Rose Namajunas3 days ago

Snaps Losing Streak
Edmen Shahbazyan3 days ago

Scores Vicious Comeback Knockout
AJ Dobson3 days ago

Knocked Out In The First Round At UFC Vegas 89
Fernando Padilla3 days ago

Gets Back On Track With Submission Win
Luis Pajuelo3 days ago

Submitted In UFC Debut
William Byron3 days ago

Dominates For Victory At COTA
Ty Gibbs3 days ago

Grabs Another Solid Finish At COTA
Chris Buescher3 days ago

Texas Native Chris Buescher Finishes Eighth At COTA
Christopher Bell3 days ago

Kyle Busch Confronts Christopher Bell Following A Top-10 Finish At COTA
Justin Haley4 days ago

Disqualified After Strong COTA Run
Martin Truex Jr4 days ago

. Rounds Out Top Ten At COTA
NASCAR4 days ago

A.J. Allmendinger Worms Way Up To Sixth At COTA
Shane Van Gisbergen4 days ago

Shane van Gisbergen Comes Down to Earth After Mediocre COTA Run
Ross Chastain4 days ago

Ran Well at COTA as Usual Despite Late-Race Fade
Christopher Bell4 days ago

Furious Charge Falls Just Short at COTA
Tyler Reddick4 days ago

Scores Strong Finish of Fifth at COTA
Chase Elliott4 days ago

Finishes 16th at COTA After Lackluster Performance
Billy Quarantillo4 days ago

Suffers Submission Loss At UFC Vegas 89
Youssef Zalal4 days ago

Gets Submission Win In Return To The UFC
Cameron Saaiman4 days ago

Gets Knocked Out At UFC Vegas 89
Payton Talbott4 days ago

Scores KO Win At UFC Vegas 89
Justin Tafa4 days ago

Drops To .500 In The UFC
Karl Williams4 days ago

Remains Undefeated In The UFC
Kyle Larson4 days ago

Is One Of The Optimal DFS Options For COTA
Denny Hamlin4 days ago

Should Denny Hamlin Be Rostered For DFS Lineups At COTA?
Kaz Grala4 days ago

Is A Serviceable DFS Play For COTA
Shane Van Gisbergen4 days ago

Will Start 12th In First COTA Cup Start
Todd Gilliland4 days ago

Is A Sneaky DFS Play With Upside For COTA
William Byron4 days ago

Is One Of The Top Favorites To Win At COTA
Christopher Bell4 days ago

Is A Comfortable DFS Play For COTA
Tyler Reddick5 days ago

the Favorite to Win at COTA
Ty Gibbs5 days ago

Looking for First Career Win at COTA
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 

2024 NFL Draft: Bold Predictions and Potential Surprises for Round 1

Football never sleeps at RotoBaller! With the 2024 NFL Draft fast approaching, we're digging into what might transpire on draft night. RotoBaller analyst LaQuan Jones previews the 2024 NFL Draft and makes some BOLD Predictions about possible surprises and potential landing spots for the first round of the draft. Win MORE in 2024 with RotoBaller!... Read More


George Pickens - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Early Look At Wide Receivers In 2024 Fantasy Football Drafts

The upcoming NFL Draft is less than a month away. While everyone is excited for the NFL Draft, fantasy players are looking forward to the regular season. While we won’t have meaningful NFL football for months, it’s never too early to prepare for your fantasy football drafts. Last year, the fantasy football world saw multiple... Read More


Spencer Rattler, College Football Transfers

Underrated Rookie Draft Targets - Early 2024 Sleepers for Dynasty Fantasy Football

We are a month out from the NFL Draft, meaning if you are here, you are probably looking for draft content and reading up on prospects. You probably have all of the information you need on stud prospects like Caleb Williams and Marvin Harrison Jr. That’s not what you’re here for.  Rookie draft season for... Read More


Breece Hall - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2024 NFL Free-Agency Winners and the Fantasy Football Impact - Part II

The NFL's offseason, including trades and free agency, can strongly impact a player's fantasy football value. This effect can be positive or negative. For this series, we're focusing on fantasy football players who have seen their fantasy value increase. This can occur via a player's direct movement, such as a trade or signing with a... Read More


UFL RANKINGS, FANTASY FOOTBALL,

UFL Fantasy Football Rankings for Week 1: QB, RB, WR, TE Rankings and Analysis (2024)

It's finally here: the UFL season is set to kick off with two games on Saturday, March 30 and two games on Sunday, March 31. Saturday's games will be broadcast on Fox Sports while Sunday's matchups will be on ESPN. The most anticipated Week 1 matchup pits the 2023 USFL champion Birmingham Stallions against the... Read More


Jared Goff - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Will the Lions Extend Jared Goff's Contract This Offseason? 2024 NFL Outlook

Jared Goff's career in Los Angeles didn't take off like many expected after his appearance in Super Bowl LIII, and he was traded to the Lions for Matthew Stafford. Goff's first season in the Motor City was terrible, but he has completely turned things around over the last two seasons. In 2022, he almost led... Read More


Kyle Pitts - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2024 NFL Free-Agency Winners and the Fantasy Football Impact - Part I

Free agency symbolizes the start of a new NFL season. It's the first opportunity for NFL clubs to start addressing their weaknesses and considerably impacts how the upcoming season plays out. Just as free agency can improve or worsen a team's outlook, a player's fantasy football value is also impacted. Free agency marks the real... Read More


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

Coach Knows Ball: Malik Nabers 2024 NFL Draft Film Breakdown of LSU WR

Welcome to Coach Knows Ball, an NFL Draft series analyzing the top prospects in the 2024 class. I'm a college football coach with nine years of NCAA experience and have been scouting NFL Draft prospects for over 15 years. This series will give a deep dive into the film of some of the top players... Read More


Avoid These Running Backs in 2024: Fantasy Football Outlook

Football never sleeps at RotoBaller! The staff is already looking ahead to the 2024 season to help our readers get the jump on their competition. RotoBaller analyst LaQuan Jones discusses five Running Backs that you should AVOID in 2024 fantasy football drafts. Win MORE in 2024 with RotoBaller! Be sure to tune into RotoBaller Radio... Read More


Brock Bowers - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Rookies, Draft Sleepers, NCAA College Football, Prospects

Brock Bowers 2024 NFL Draft Stock Update – When Will the Georgia TE Be Selected?

Georgia tight end Brock Bowers was arguably the top tight end in college football over the past few years. Bowers was outstanding his freshman year, totaling 56 receptions for 882 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns. Unfortunately, his production slightly slipped in 2022 as defenses started to game plan for the star tight end. Bowers had... Read More


Xavier Worthy 2024 NFL Draft Stock Update – When Will the Texas WR Be Selected?

Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy has been one of the top pass-catchers in college football over the past few years. The explosive receiver was outstanding his freshman year, totaling 62 receptions for 981 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. Unfortunately, his production slipped in 2022. Worthy had 60 receptions for 760 receiving yards and nine touchdowns... Read More


Blake Corum - Fantasy Football Rankings, College FB, RB, NFL Draft Sleepers

Blake Corum 2024 NFL Draft Stock Update - When Will the Michigan RB Be Selected?

Former Michigan running back Blake Corum is one of the most popular prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft class. The 23-year-old is fresh off a College Football National Championship victory and a 2023 campaign consisting of over 1,300 yards from scrimmage. However, given the devaluation of the running back position and Corum not being an... Read More


Brandon Aiyuk - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News

Will The 49ers Trade Brandon Aiyuk?

Brandon Aiyuk had a career year last season, finishing seventh in the league in receiving yards (1342), second in yards per catch (17.9), and catching seven touchdowns. For his efforts, he was named to the Second-team All-Pro. However, despite many expecting them to do so, the 49ers failed to win Super Bowl LVIII and now... Read More