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Contact Rate Risers and Fallers - Week 24

Pierre Camus looks at fantasy baseball risers and fallers in the contact rate category for week 24 to determine who may be worth buying or selling for 2017.

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 decisions for fantasy baseball managers.

Each week we will look at a few players who are rising and falling in terms of contact and compare their previous week's contact rate with their season-long performance.

Here are some of the top contact rate risers and fallers for Week 24 of the fantasy baseball season.

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

 

Contact Rate Risers

Michael Taylor (OF, WAS) 85% contact rate last seven days (+16%)

Maybe Taylor is proving that he isn't just a toolsy player, but he actually can hit for average as well. His contact rate on the season actually isn't higher than his career mark, but a .358 BABIP has helped him maintain a .274 average. Look further and his high strikeout rate (30.2%) also isn't much better than his usual numbers. It seems that he's simply having some good fortune in September, but is bound to regress. He's still worth using in mixed leagues for his power/speed numbers.

Matt Olson (1B, OAK) 83% contact rate last seven days (+12%)

Olson is crushing the ball at a high rate, thanks to an astronomical 37.8% HR/FB. As a rookie, it's tough to project exactly where his true talents lie in the Major Leagues, but it's probably safe to say he won't keep this pace up throughout next season. In terms of average, his career high is .282, which came in Rookie ball. That said, his .267 BABIP will probably stay about the same while some of those fly balls may translate into outs. Olson is a promising power prospect, but count on a batting average around .250 rather than the .300s he's putting up over the past month.

Christian Yelich (OF, MIA) 91% contact rate last seven days (+11%)

While the season stats don't look bad overall, it's been a slight letdown for those who thought Yelich would take the next step toward All-Star status in 2017. Instead, he's looking like just the third of the trio, as he's been overshadowed by teammates Giancarlo Stanton and Marcell Ozuna, both of whom have had tremendous seasons. Yelich's trying to pick up the pace in September, with 15 hits in 40 at-bats (.375). He's batting .313 in the second half and has already matched his first half home run total with eight, so it appears he's made enough adjustments to put that sweet swing to its potential.

Jose Ramirez (2B, CLE) 95% contact rate last seven days (+8%)

He's pretty good. Let's just leave it at that. Actually, we should talk about the fact that he's only batting .154 in the past week despite leading his team offensively through a historic 20-game win streak. He did go 2-for-4 on Tuesday night, raising his season average to .309. Yeah, I think he'll be OK to keep in your lineup.

 

Contact Rate Fallers

Yasmani Grandal (C, LAD52% contact rate last seven days (-22%)

You can't blame Grandal for the Dodgers' sudden fall from grace, but he certainly isn't helping any. The backstop is still hitting for power, but has struggled to reach base throughout the second half with a .213 average and only six doubles. His 7.8% walk rate is nearly half as much as last year and is by far a career low. Much like the rest of his team, there is no way to justifiably explain the sudden drop-off, but it doesn't seem as if it will suddenly reverse course again in the next two weeks.

C.J. Cron (1B, LAA) 54% contact rate last seven days (-21%)

The roller coaster ride that is C.J. Cron's fantasy value has just gone over the peak and guess where it's headed? When he's on his game, nobody drives in runs in bunches like Cron (seriously). He's now gone five straight games without an RBI and has struck out in eight of his last 18 plate appearances. If you were along for the ride, it's time to jump ship. How's that for a mixed metaphor?

Carlos Gomez (OF, TEX) 61% contact rate last seven days (-10%)

Gomez is taking a much more aggressive approach lately, missing the ball at a higher rate but also creating more opportunities. While his strikeouts have increased in September, he's hitting .321 for the month with six extra-base hits in eight games. If you own Gomez, you'll always live with a high K rate and middling average, but he's showing that he's got some juice left in that bat.

Logan Morrison (1B, TB) 71% contact rate last seven days (-4%)

Two things you need to know here. First, LoMo hasn't registered a single base knock in a week's time and is striking out nearly half the time. Second, he isn't an everyday player any more. The team brought in Lucas Duda to share time and is trying to see if it can Morrison intact for an entire season. Morrison might wind up as a 40-HR hitter this season, but one who has very limited value down the stretch.

 

More Risers and Fallers




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REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

CFB

Sam Leavitt Scheduled to Visit Tennessee
Devon Toews

to Miss at Least Two Weeks
Gabriel Landeskog

Out for Several Weeks
Jamie Drysdale

Makes Early Exit Tuesday
Bobby Brink

Injured in Tuesday's Win
Adam Henrique

Expected to Miss Time
Brad Marchand

Dealing With Lingering Health Issue
Haydn Fleury

Hospitalized Tuesday
Moussa Diabaté

Ryan Kalkbrenner Out, Moussa Diabate Probable Wednesday
Brandon Miller

Listed as Probable Wednesday
Alex Caruso

Absent for Second Consecutive Game
Nicolas Claxton

Available Wednesday
Moritz Wagner

Still Out Wednesday
Franz Wagner

Not Ready to Return Wednesday
Jalen Suggs

Remains Out Wednesday
Draymond Green

Questionable to Suit Up Wednesday
Jalen Smith

Ruled Out for Second Straight Game
Matas Buzelis

Could Miss First Game of the Season Wednesday
Coby White

May Skip Wednesday's Game
Cade Cunningham

Probable for Wednesday
Isaiah Hartenstein

to Remain Out Wednesday
Kelly Oubre Jr.

Could Return to Action Wednesday
Tim Hardaway Jr.

May Remain Out Wednesday
Christian Braun

Listed as Questionable for Wednesday
Aaron Gordon

Iffy for Wednesday
Jamal Murray

Considered Questionable for Wednesday Night
Max Strus

to Miss Another Month
Vince Williams Jr.

Making Return Tuesday Against Spurs
Trae Young

Listed as Questionable for Wednesday
New York Giants

John Harbaugh Expected to be Favorite to Become New Giants Head Coach
Mason Marchment

Out Tuesday
Sean Monahan

Available Tuesday
Jason Zucker

Set to Return From 11-Game Absence
Matvei Michkov

a Game-Time Call Tuesday
Matthew Schaefer

Cleared for Action Tuesday
Baltimore Ravens

John Harbaugh Won't Return as Ravens Head Coach
Adam Fox

Landing Back on Long-Term Injured Reserve
Seth Jarvis

Back for Hurricanes Tuesday
Bo Bichette

Unlikely to Return to Toronto?
Jordan Love

Ready to Start in Wild-Card Game Against Bears
CFB

Jadan Baugh Staying with Florida for Junior Season
Washington Commanders

Commanders "Mutually" Parting Ways With OC Kliff Kingsbury
CFB

Byrum Brown Officially Commits to Auburn
CFB

Austin Simmons Signing with Missouri
Jake McCabe

to Sit Out One Week
Hampus Lindholm

to Miss Time
Christian Dvorak

Flyers Sign Christian Dvorak to Five-Year Extension
Igor Shesterkin

Exits With Lower-Body Injury Monday
Joel Armia

Hurt in Monday's Win
Anze Kopitar

Sustains Lower-Body Injury Monday
Matthew Schaefer

a Game-Time Call Tuesday
CFB

Ty Simpson Undecided on 2026 Plans
CFB

Quarterback AJ Hill Following Ryan Silverfield to Arkansas
Atlanta Falcons

Falcons Have Requested an Interview With Klint Kubiak
Deshaun Watson

Browns Expect Deshaun Watson to be on the Team Next Year
Wan'Dale Robinson

Dealing With Fractured Ribs
Cam Skattebo

Hopes to be Back by Training Camp
Cameron Ward

Won't Need Surgery on his Shoulder
Davante Adams

Rams Expect Davante Adams to Return in Wild-Card Round
Arizona Cardinals

Cardinals Fire Head Coach Jonathan Gannon
Las Vegas Raiders

Raiders Fire Head Coach Pete Carroll
Malik Nabers

Unsure if He Will Be Ready for Week 1 of 2026 Season
CFB

Trinidad Chambliss Will Return to Ole Miss If Granted Sixth Year of Eligibility
Cincinnati Bengals

Zac Taylor Will Return as Bengals Head Coach in 2026
New York Giants

Giants Expected to Show Interest in Former Browns Head Coach Kevin Stefanski
Daniel Jones

Colts, Daniel Jones Appear to Have "Mutual Interest" in a 2026 Reunion
Cleveland Browns

Browns Fire Kevin Stefanski After Another Losing Season
Zay Flowers

Goes Off for 138 Yards, Two Touchdowns in Loss
Bo Bichette

Phillies Have Interest in Bo Bichette
Amon-Ra St. Brown

Dominates in Week 18 Win
Cameron Ward

Believed to Have Grade 3 AC Joint Sprain in Right Shoulder
Colston Loveland

Leads Bears in Targets, Receptions, Receiving Yards in Week 18
Kansas City Royals

Matt Quatraro Signs Three-Year Extension With Royals
CFB

Transfer QB Billy Edwards Commits to North Carolina
CFB

Sam Leavitt Visiting Texas Tech on Saturday
CFB

DJ Lagway Expected To Visit Florida State
Kyle Tucker

Blue Jays "Remain the Favorite" to Sign Kyle Tucker
CFB

Joey Aguilar Undergoes Surgery to Remove Tumor on Friday
CFB

Texas the "Team to Beat" for Transfer Running Back Isaac Brown
CFB

Rocco Becht to Follow Matt Campbell to Penn State?
CFB

Texas Targeting Cam Coleman in Transfer Portal
CFB

Former Texas Running Back CJ Baxter Visiting Kentucky
CFB

Beau Pribula Visiting Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech
Bo Bichette

Yankees Showing Interest in Bo Bichette
Houston Astros

Astros Sign Tatsuya Imai to Three-Year Deal

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