Nick Mariano's 2018 Late-Round MLB Fliers (Premium Content)

All other Premium Tools can be accessed on the premium dashboard. Howdy, RotoBallers! I hope you're ready to take chances, make mistakes and get messy. We’re here to dig a little deeper into the draft room and look for players that would be wise to take a flier on in the late rounds. It can... Read More

Post-Hype Outfielders Set to Breakout in 2018

Fantasy owners are way too quick to cast aside players who initially underperform their talent level. It's safe to say we’re too obsessed with age-adjusted production. If a rookie shows up with a ton if hype and busts early, fantasy gamers have no problem tossing the player aside in search for a shinier untested asset.... Read More

Nick Mariano's 2018 Draft Sleepers List (Premium Content)

All other Premium Tools can be accessed on the premium dashboard. It's everyone's favorite pre-draft word to throw around and likely threatens to take the top spot on some Google Analytics the closer we get to that premier fantasy baseball draft season. Yup, we're talking about sleepers. But let's just get this out of the way:... Read More

Using xwOBA for Predictive Purposes in Pitchers

When it comes to predictive metrics, MLB's statcast has afforded the baseball community a wealth of data since its league-wide installation in 2015. One of the more intriguing metrics is expected wOBA, or xwOBA. This statistic gives us the expected wOBA for a player based on the hit probability of batted balls, calculated using exit... Read More

Three Up, Three Down - 2018 Catcher Prospects

It's time to do some catching up with catcher prospects. Every year it seems that catcher prospects have the most dramatic changes — both positive and negative — in their perceived value and potential out of any other position player prospects. This year is no different, as some former first-round picks now teeter on the... Read More

2018 Home Run Risers and Fallers - What We Learned

Drafting sluggers is absolutely imperative in fantasy baseball. With homers on the rise, fantasy owners must be sure to prioritize the long ball this season. It seemed like every other fantasy-viable batter hit over 25 HR last year, didn’t it? At the same time, however, sluggers like Mark Trumbo (23 HR), Miguel Cabrera (16 HR),... Read More

NL Rookies Ready to Leap into Starting Lineups in 2018

Drafting rookies is always a tricky proposition. There are usually several first-year players who make a huge impact on fantasy teams, but they aren't always the ones we expect. Last year's NL rookie class featured studs like Cody Bellinger and Rhys Hoskins, as well as solid producers such as Josh Bell and Ian Happ. On... Read More

AL Rookies Ready to Leap into Starting Lineups in 2018

Conventional wisdom dictates that you can't win your league at the draft. You definitely can't, but good drafting of under-the-radar guys and youngsters can put you streets ahead of your competition. Last season gave us rookies in the American League such as Aaron Judge, Matt Olson and his teammate Matt Chapman, Mitch Haniger (until he... Read More

2018 Saves Risers and Fallers - What We Learned

For the fourth straight season we have a new No. 1 at the top of the closer leaderboard. Alex Colome concluded the 2017 regular season with 47 saves, six more than the second-place finisher, Kenley Jansen. No one has repeated as the top save-earner since Jim Johnson (2012-2013). As for consistency, Jansen slammed the door shut 41 times... Read More

2018 Strikeout Risers and Fallers - What We Learned

For the second straight season, we witnessed the highest strikeout totals in MLB history. There was an average of 8.25 strikeouts per MLB game in 2017, up from 8.03 strikeouts per game in 2016. Strikeouts have increased in baseball every year since 2005, and there is no indication that this trend will reverse any time... Read More

Using xwOBA as a Predictive Tool for Hitters

With spring training on the horizon, fantasy baseball draft season is in sight, as well. That means it’s time to pore over rankings, go through countless mock drafts, and do plenty of research trying to find that diamond in the rough other owners are undervaluing. Luckily, more statistics are available than ever before to determine... Read More

Dynasty Fantasy Baseball Buy or Sell - Pitchers

The dust has finally settled on 2017 and many of us are fully immersed in winter, which means it’s the perfect time to re-evaluate our dynasty squads. Last season featured plenty of breakouts and many head-scratching performances, so where to go from here? The old adage of buying low and selling high is just as... Read More

Willie Calhoun is Coming...

Last season, the Rangers surprised the baseball world by trading superstar Yu Darvish to the Los Angeles Dodgers for a return that, at the time, was deemed pretty sparse. The centerpiece was a little known, and maybe lesser-appreciated infielder named Willie Calhoun. Drafted in the fourth round of the 2015 MLB draft, Calhoun started his... Read More

2018 Stolen Base Risers and Fallers - What We Learned

He did it again! For the third time in four seasons, Dee Gordon held the top spot of the steals leaderboard. He concluded the 2017 season with 60 swipes. Gordon is averaging 53 SB over the past four years. That includes the 2016 season where Gordon missed 80 games due to a suspension. The Seattle Mariners had... Read More

2018 Batting Average Risers and Fallers - What We Learned

The great thing about batting average is that it’s a great starting metric for building a strong fantasy team. It’s one of those rare stats that, when correctly targeted and prioritized, sets the foundation for a season of nearly guaranteed success. In fantasy football, it’s a good idea to acquire players who get red zone... Read More

Dynasty Fantasy Baseball Buy or Sell - Hitters

The dust has finally settled on 2017 and many of us are fully immersed in winter, which means it’s the perfect time to re-evaluate our dynasty squads. Last season featured plenty of breakouts and many head-scratching performances, so where to go from here? The old adage of buying low and selling high is just as... Read More

Rule 5 Picks to Watch for Keeper Leagues

Every year the MLB Rule 4 draft, more commonly known as the First-Year Player Draft, gets a lot of attention from casual baseball fans and fantasy baseball players alike. In terms of fantasy relevance, though, the Rule 5 draft, which occurs during baseball's annual Winter Meetings, is far more impactful than the Rule 4 draft for... Read More

Fantasy Implications - Marcell Ozuna to Cardinals

The 2017 season was a breakout year for slugging outfielder Marcell Ozuna, who turned in career bests in batting average (.312), on-base percentage (.376), and slugging percentage (.548) while also clubbing 37 home runs and driving in 124 RBI, both of which were also career highs. It was the type of season many fantasy owners... Read More

Reviewing Kyle Bishop's Bold Predictions for 2017

What’s even more fun than making bold predictions? Looking back at the end of the season to see how good (or so, so hilariously bad) they were. Just like with the preseason pieces in March, I’m kicking off the review of our RotoBaller staff’s 2017 bold predictions. Let's get to it.Featured Promo: Get any MLB... Read More

MLB Closers and Saves Report Week 26

    This is it, folks. Our last weekly MLB Closers and Saves Report for the 2017 season. It's been 26 weeks of fantasy baseball, and there have surely been ups and downs as the weeks have gone by.Featured Promo: Get any MLB Premium Pass FREE ($119 value) AND up to a $200 deposit match... Read More

Week 26 Middle Infield (MI) Waiver Wire Targets

Championship week is among us! If you have made it this far, you are certainly doing something right. With the final week among us I will be digging deep to find some hot bats to help you out in the final week.  As I normally mention, when it comes to the back-end of your rosters... Read More

Week 26 Waiver Wire - Outfield

Welcome back to the Outfield Waiver Wire, where we look at the best outfielders available in at least 50 percent of Yahoo leagues. Consider this column your recommendations for Week 26 outfield waiver wire pickups. Even now, in championship week, there are players floating around on the waiver wire who could make a difference for your fantasy... Read More

MLB Closers and Saves Report Week 25

  Looks like we made it, folks. With only about nine or ten games left for each team, the baseball season is just about over. Of course, there's the playoffs to look forward to, but for most fantasy leagues, things end with Game 162. If you're still here, if you're still following along with our weekly MLB... Read More

Contact Rate Risers and Fallers - Week 25

Welcome back, RotoBallers! Batting average is just one of many statistics fantasy owners must consider, but contact rate can also be telling of all-around success at the plate. A sudden increase or decrease in contact rate could signal the beginning of an extended hot or cold streak, leading to important waiver wire choices or start/sit... Read More

Week 25 Middle Infield (MI) Waiver Wire Targets

There is only two weeks left of baseball so that means you are either in the final four or championship game. You've made it this far so you are doing something right! As I normally mention, when it comes to the back-end of your rosters it is always worth riding guys who are on a... Read More

Week 25 Waiver Wire - Outfield

Welcome back to the Outfield Waiver Wire, where we look at the best outfielders available in at least 50 percent of Yahoo leagues. Consider this column your recommendations for Week 25 outfield waiver wire pickups. We're nearing the finish line, but there are still plenty of guys who can help you floating around on the waiver wire.... Read More

Buy or Sell - Underowned and Overowned Players for Week 25

We are nearing the home stretch, which means precious few days of baseball left! If you're still fighting tooth and nail for a playoff spot, here are some players that could warrant starting, sitting, adding, or dropping, depending on your league and team's circumstance. Scouting players who may be undervalued and re-assessing players who may... Read More

MLB Closers and Saves Report Week 24

We're in the thick of the fantasy playoffs for most leagues, and if you're anything like me, you're stressed, anxious, and hoping to have at least one more week of lineups to set and waiver wires to comb through. September call-ups make for some crowded bullpens, but there is still value that can be found... Read More

Contact Rate Risers and Fallers - Week 24

Welcome back, RotoBallers! Batting average is just one of many statistics fantasy owners must consider, but contact rate can also be telling of all-around success at the plate. A sudden increase or decrease in contact rate could signal the beginning of an extended hot or cold streak, leading to important waiver wire choices or start/sit... Read More