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

Brian Thomas Jr.

Limited in Practice on Wednesday
Jerami Grant

Available Wednesday Night
Jalen Brunson

Returns From Two-Game Absence
Jalen Smith

Available to Play Wednesday
Tre Jones

Downgraded to Out
Shaedon Sharpe

Misses Wednesday's Game
Dereck Lively II

Cleared for Action Wednesday
Daniel Gafford

Available Wednesday
Caleb Martin

Won't Play Against Knicks
Raisel Iglesias

Returning to the Braves on One-Year Deal
Lamar Jackson

Absent Due to Ankle Injury
Marvin Bagley III

Starts on Wednesday
Mike Conley

Joins Starting Unit Wednesday
Saddiq Bey

Cleared for Wednesday's Action
Zion Williamson

Returns to Action Wednesday
Aaron Gordon

Out Wednesday
Cooper Flagg

Won't Play Wednesday
Bam Adebayo

Cleared to Play Wednesday
Tre Mann

Ruled Out Wednesday
Sam Merrill

Ruled Out for Wednesday
Jabari Smith Jr.

Active Against Cavaliers
Buddy Hield

Good to Go Wednesday
Jonathan Kuminga

Misses Fourth Consecutive Game
Alexandre Sarr

Unavailable on Wednesday
Conor Garland

to Return on Thursday
Thomas Harley

to Miss Road Trip
Eetu Luostarinen

Out Week-to-Week After Barbecue Accident
Curtis Lazar

to Miss at Least Three Games
Vladimir Tarasenko

Misses Third Consecutive Game
Mikael Granlund

Remains Out Wednesday
Charlie McAvoy

Out Indefinitely After Facial Surgery
Joe Burrow

to Potentially Return in Week 12?
Aaron Rodgers

Out on Wednesday, Hopes to Practice Thursday
Jaylen Warren

Not Seen at Wednesday's Practice
Dak Prescott

Lands on Injury Report Ahead of Week 12 With Hip Injury
Rhamondre Stevenson

Targeting a Return in Week 12?
Isiah Pacheco

Returning to Practice on Wednesday
Brian Thomas Jr.

Jaguars "Optimistic" About Brian Thomas Jr.'s Week 12 Status
Josh Jacobs

Will Not Practice on Wednesday
Sahith Theegala

Looking to Continue Fall Run at RSM Classic
Jayden Daniels

Commanders Considering Shutting Down Jayden Daniels?
Stephan Jaeger

Looking to Bounce Back at RSM Classic
Tom Hoge

Looking to Regain Form at RSM Classic
Joe Highsmith

Searching for Turnaround at RSM Classic
Adam Hadwin

Looking to Build on T11 Finish in Bermuda
Austin Eckroat

Searching for Momentum at RSM Classic
Joel Dahmen

Trying to Find Form at the RSM Classic
Marvin Harrison Jr.

Ruled Out Again in Week 12
Drake London

Falcons Hoping That Drake London Will Return in Week 13
CFB

Garrett Nussmeier Doubtful to Play Against Western Kentucky
Michael Penix Jr.

Needs Reconstructive Surgery on Torn ACL
Jaxson Dart

Expected to Return to Practice on Wednesday
Shedeur Sanders

Will Start Against Raiders
Dalton Kincaid

Ruled Out Against Texans
Connor Bedard

Continues Tear With Hat Trick
Macklin Celebrini

Pots Hat Trick in Tuesday's Win
Jake Guentzel

Records Eighth Career Hat Trick
Sammy Blais

Injured Versus Blues
Alexander Romanov

Injured in Tuesday's Win
Ryan Hartman

Considered Week-to-Week
Michael Thorbjornsen

Hopes to End 2025 Campaign With Another Solid Finish
Andrew Novak

Looks to End 2025 Season on High Note at RSM Classic
Harry Higgs

Teetering for PGA Tour Card in 2026
PGA

Nico Echavarria has the Potential to Contend at the RSM Classic
Sam Stevens

Finishing Out Year in Georgia
Seamus Power

Playing Better at the Right Time
Beau Hossler

Roller Coaster Comes to Saint Simons Island
Quade Cummins

The Time is Now for Quade Cummins in Georgia
Austin Cook

Needs a Win at the RSM Classic
Cameron Champ

on the PGA Tour Card Bubble
Grayson Rodriguez

Shipped to Angels
Taylor Ward

Orioles Acquire Taylor Ward From Angels
Shota Imanaga

Accepts Cubs Qualifying Offer
Brandon Woodruff

Returning to Milwaukee in 2026
Denny McCarthy

Looking For Another Solid Finish at RSM Classic
Si Woo Kim

Looking To Use Current Momentum to Flip Script at RSM Classic
Mackenzie Hughes

a Good Bounce-Back Candidate at RSM Classic
Harris English

Making 14th Start at This Week's RSM Classic
Konnor Griffin

Could Compete for Starting Shortstop Job in 2026
Gleyber Torres

Accepts Tigers Qualifying Offer
Odell Beckham Jr.

Officially Reinstated by NFL Commissioner
Matt Murray

to Miss Six Weeks With Lower-Body Injury
Ilya Lyubushkin

Out on Tuesday
Jamie Benn

Makes Season Debut Tuesday
Evgenii Dadonov

on Track to Return Tuesday
Dougie Hamilton

a Game-Time Call Tuesday
Anthony Cirelli

Expected to Return Against Devils
Victor Hedman

Questionable for Tuesday
Auston Matthews

to Miss at Least Two More Games
C.J. Stroud

Expected to Return in Week 13 Against Colts
C.J. Stroud

to Miss Another Game
Joe Mixon

Uncertainty Remains Around Joe Mixon's Return Timeline
CFB

Sam Leavitt Set to Enter Transfer Portal?
Jose Altuve

Undergoes Foot Surgery
Alex Bregman

Red Sox Going for Either Alex Bregman or Pete Alonso?
CFB

James Franklin to be Virginia Tech's Next Head Coach
CFB

Fernando Mendoza the Clear Heisman Trophy Favorite?
CFB

Beau Pribula Has Chance to Face Oklahoma on Saturday
Jack Della Maddalena

Gets Dominated
Islam Makhachev

Claims UFC Welterweight Belt
Zhang Weili

Gets Outclassed
Valentina Shevchenko

Wins Unanimous Decision At UFC 322
Sean Brady

Suffers First-Round TKO Loss
Michael Morales

Remains Unbeaten
Leon Edwards

Suffers Second-Round Knockout Loss
Leon Edwards

Carlos Prates Becomes The First Man To Knock Out Leon Edwards
Beneil Dariush

Suffers Brutal First-Round Knockout Loss
Beneil Dariush

Benoit Saint Denis Knocks Out Beneil Dariush In 16 Seconds
Josh Naylor

Mariners Finalizing Five-Year Contract
CFB

Jeremiah Smith, Carnell Tate Not Dealing With Long-Term Injuries
CFB

Virginia Tech Close To Naming James Franklin As Head Coach
CFB

Garrett Nussmeier Doubtful vs. Arkansas On Saturday
Edwin Díaz

Blue Jays Interested in Signing Edwin Diaz?
Jacob deGrom

Named AL Comeback Player of the Year
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Wins NL Comeback Player of the Year Award
Aroldis Chapman

Named AL Reliever of the Year
Edwin Díaz

Edwin Diaz Named NL Reliever of the Year
Islam Makhachev

Set For UFC 322 Main Event
Jack Della Maddalena

Set For His First Title Defense
Zhang Weili

Can Become The New Women's Flyweight Champion
Valentina Shevchenko

Set For UFC 322 Co-Main Event
Michael Morales

Looks To Remain Undefeated
CFB

Mario Craver a Game-Time Decision for Week 12
Sean Brady

Set For Title Eliminator Bout
Carlos Prates

A Favorite At UFC 322
Leon Edwards

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Benoît Saint Denis

Benoit Saint Denis Set To Open Up UFC 322 Main Card
Beneil Dariush

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
CFB

Virginia's Chandler Morris Trending Toward Facing Duke on Saturday

RANKINGS

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