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

NL-Only and AL-Only Waiver Wire for Week 8

Matt Wallach outlines his favorite week 8 waiver wire pickups and adds for deep leagues, and AL-only or NL-only fantasy baseball leagues for the 2021 MLB season.

It's hard to believe that we're already at Week 8 of the season as things just keep rolling right along into the middle of May. There have been two major themes to the season so far: the first being the large batch of injuries that have occurred and the second being the shockingly low amount of offense that has been on display.

Those two things make it quite difficult to be a fantasy player right now, especially for those in deeper formats. It's been a constant shuffle of players on and off rosters each week, and the actual hot targets that are out there get scooped up at such a quick pace. It's tough to find names out there that garner much excitement, but there are still some decent targets worthy of pickup right now.

Each week, I'll look at five players who are under 15% rostered in Yahoo! leagues and who can be considered as options to add in deep-league formats, such as 15-teamers or AL or NL-only leagues. I'll also include a recommendation for what to do with each player on your roster. Now, without further ado, let's get into it.

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

 

Jonathan Schoop - 2B/1B, Tigers

6% rostered
Recommended move: Add for the long haul

The overall .213/.248/.294 line from Schoop looks bad without a doubt, but as he's been a league-average or better bat the last two years. Some positive regression from Schoop in the future should be expected.

In fact, some of that may have already started, as Schoop has been on fire the last week or so. He posted a .360/.385/.520 line--good enough for a 152 wRC+in his last six games, so he definitely looks to be heating up. The downside though is that it didn't come with any home runs, and just three RBI--perhaps a product of a weak Tigers lineup--but overall, there isn't much to complain about here. Schoop was unlikely to be as bad as his overall stats suggested, and now he's playing well and earning consideration for fantasy teams.

Playing time is guaranteed to be his, and now that he's been playing more first base, he has now gained that extra eligibility, making him an even more attractive fantasy target. While he may not provide anything too crazy in any particular category, Schoop is at least a competent bat in this tough offensive landscape that should give him a spot on many fantasy teams. If he can be a league-average type of hitter for the remainder of the season while contributing mid-teens home runs, that should be considered a positive. Pick him up while he's still hot.

 

Austin Slater - OF/1B, Giants

6% rostered
Recommended move: Add for a few weeks

Slater was a nice breakout player in fantasy last season during the shortened season, but he hasn't quite followed up his strong 2020 thus far. He has just a 96 wRC+ and his strikeout rate has jumped all the way to 34.8%. However, what he has done well this season is steal bases and hit home runs. Slater has shown good steals ability by already posting six steals in the first 36 games and has also netted four home runs. Both of those totals are in line with what he ended up with in 2020, and he could reasonably be expected for double-digit totals in both categories over a full season, which would definitely have good value for fantasy purposes.

The playing time situation in San Francisco is a bit hairy right now though, which ultimately limits his fantasy potential. Things are a bit unsettled right now for the team with players both being injured and coming back from injuries, but when the dust settles it looks like Slater will be a platoon bat and getting most of his looks against left-handed pitchers. Not being an everyday player will hurt his value, and the Giants don't exactly face many lefty starters in the coming week. He's definitely a bench bat and more of a matchups option right now, obviously with more value in daily leagues. If you can afford to keep him on your bench and play the matchups, he should provide some pop and steals when given the opportunity.

 

Odubel Herrera - OF, Phillies

5% rostered
Recommended move: Add for a few weeks

Like the aforementioned Schoop, Herrera started the season off incredibly slow, but has been quite good since the calendar turned to May with a .300/.364/.460 slash line and good for a 127 wRC+. He's been in particularly good form in the last week with a .375/.444/.583 slash line, although again similar to Schoop, it has come with very few counting stats--just one home run and two RBI. Part of that has to do with Herrera hitting in the eight spot most frequently, and it doesn't look like he'll be moving up anytime soon, as the Phillies pretty much have their lineup positions set with well-established players.

That being said though, even with limited opportunities to drive in runs, Herrera should still be a good option in deep leagues. He shouldn't be such a drag anywhere and should provide a quality performance to keep him relevant. With Adam Haseley's status up in the air and Roman Quinn (hand) still on the injured list, this spot should be Herrera's for the foreseeable future. As long as he's performing well, he should be in fantasy lineups. Keep him around until he starts to slump.

 

Charlie Culberson - 3B/1B/SS/OF, Rangers

4% rostered
Recommended move: Add for a few weeks

Culberson was in the short end of a platoon earlier in the season, but his strong play has kept him in the lineup on a consistent basis. He may not be in there every single game, with Andy Ibanez receiving starts in Culberson's place twice last week, and Brock Holt (hamstring) will be returning at some point, but for now, Culberson should be getting the majority of reps at third base for the Rangers.

Like the others profiled here, it's not the prettiest offensive picture, but a competent bat with a .273/.319/.443 slash line will definitely have good fantasy use. He's definitely come down from his early-season hot streak and resembled more of a league-average hitter in May, but the steady consistency should be a welcoming presence in the lineups for many deep league fantasy managers. As an added benefit, Culberson has four-position eligibility which would make him a good option to fill in pretty much everywhere in a pinch, giving him much more value than other options.

 

Michael Chavis - 1B/2B/OF, Red Sox

3% rostered
Recommended move: Add for a few weeks 

Chavis has been a good fantasy option in the past, most notably in his debut 2019 season where he popped 18 home runs in just 95 games. He struggled big time in 2020, but appears to be playing much better now. Although he still hasn't walked yet this season, it has just been seven games for him and his .259/.259/.481 slash line shows that he has been able to supply some power in the early going. Chavis probably won't be a complete hitter at the plate--the low walk rate has always been a concern for him, and he also strikes out way too much--but he could be a good option for some power.

Chavis started five of six games for the Red Sox last week, even hitting leadoff at times, which suggests that the team has faith in him right now and he should continue to receive a good amount of the opportunities for them going forward. Playing time is also more open with other Red Sox hitters such as Marwin Gonzalez and Franchy Cordero struggling, and Chavis seems like the best option currently of the three, so there should be a lot of confidence that he'll keep getting playing time right now.

Additionally, Chavis is triple eligible in Yahoo!, giving him a level of versatility that makes him that much more enticing for fantasy managers in deep leagues. The Red Sox have been of the game's best offenses this season, and Chavis should in the middle of it for now. He may not be super well-rounded, but he can still be useful and a good source of cheap power.

 

Reviewing Last Week's Picks

At the end of each week's post, I'll review what happened with last week's picks and offer a suggestion for them in the future.

Harrison Bader (OF, STL) 

Last week: 5% rostered. This week: 7% rostered. 

Bader could have easily been recommended again this week, and even though he continues to play exceptionally well (170 wRC+ last week, 125 overall), he still remains freely available with just a two percent roster rate increase this week. Right now, it's a do-everything type of profile, as he's hitting for average, power, and he has two steals in just 16 games. I doubt he'll keep hitting at this level going forward, but the early stats still make him worthy of a pickup. He won't be so readily available for long if he keeps playing this well, so jump on him if you still can.

Current recommendation: Hold. 

Trevor Larnach (OF, MIN) 

Last week: 3% rostered. This week: 3% rostered. 

Still getting his feet wet in the Majors with just barely a week's worth of games played, it's too early to make any rash decisions on Larnach. He hit .250/.348/.350, with exactly zero homers or RBI, but the prospect profile is still one to hold on to. He's starting every game against righties and should get plenty of opportunities this week going into a series against the Angels and Indians, and then later on against the Orioles. Hold him for a bit longer.

Current recommendation: Hold.  

Eric Lauer (SP, MIL) 

Last week: 3% rostered. This week: 1% rostered. 

Well, when Corbin Burnes came back from the injured list, it was Lauer who lost his spot in the rotation, and then he eventually lost his spot on the team altogether, as he was sent down to Triple-A last weekend. He's an injury away from coming back up, but there's obviously no reason to hold here.

Current recommendation: Drop. 

Dean Kremer (SP, BAL) 

Last week: 1% rostered. This week: 1% rostered. 

Kremer was recommended last week with the advice of sitting him for his start against the Yankees. After the Yankees roughed him up two other times this season, he actually did pretty well against them with just two runs (both solo home runs), zero walks and four strikeouts in five innings. Not the prettiest performance, but good to see him survive against a Yankees lineup that's been starting to heat up. He gets a more favorable start this week against Tampa, and you feel much better about starting him there. Hold him.

Current recommendation: Hold. 

Harold Ramirez (OF, CLE)  

Last week: 1% rostered. This week: 0% rostered. 

Ramirez just isn't playing enough right now to make him a serious fantasy option. For what it's worth, he did play well last week with a 220 wRC+, but that came in just six plate appearances and shouldn't be taken all that seriously. It's hard to roster a part-time player, especially one on the weaker side of the platoon, so feel free to drop Ramirez. If he ever ends up with everyday playing time with Cleveland, I would have interest in him, but not right now.

Current recommendation: Drop. 



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy baseball app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, sleepers, prospects & more. All free!



More Fantasy Baseball Advice




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

Yordan Alvarez

Resumes Swinging -- Return Imminent?
Jake Burger

to Miss an Additional 2-3 Weeks
TreVeyon Henderson

Signs Rookie Contract
Christian Watson

Goes on PUP List
Austin Riley

Hopes to be Activated Next Week
Ketel Marte

Lands on Restricted List After Burglary
Ricky Pearsall

Heads to PUP List
Brandon Aiyuk

Placed on PUP List
Luther Burden III

Signs Rookie Deal
Washington Nationals

Eli Willits Expected to Sign Contract on Saturday
Grayson Rodriguez

Being Shut Down Again - Will We See Him Again This Year?
Ezequiel Tovar

Activated and Back in Lineup on Friday
Max Fried

"Hopeful" to Pitch Next Week - Looks Like He'll Avoid IL Stint
Steven Kwan

Receives Injection in Wrist, Considered Day-to-Day
CJ Abrams

Back to Start Second Half
Alec Bohm

Back From Rib Injury on Friday
Trey Hendrickson

Holdout to Spill into Regular Season?
Jalen McMillan

Bucs Offensive Coordinator Not Forgetting About Jalen McMillan
Levi Onwuzurike

to Miss at Least Four Games
Nick Emmanwori

Seahawks, Nick Emmanwori Reach Agreement on Rookie Deal
Max Holloway

Set For Main Event
Brandon Lowe

Back From 10-Day Injured List
Dustin Poirier

Set For His Final UFC Fight
Roman Kopylov

Set For Co-Main Event
Paulo Costa

Returns At UFC 318
Luis L. Ortiz

to Remain on Leave for Another Month - Will he Pitch Again?
Daniel Rodriguez

Looks For Third Win In A Row
Kevin Holland

Set For His Fourth Fight This Year
Dan Ige

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
MMA

Patricio Freire Set For His Second UFC Fight
Daniel Zellhuber

Set To Open Up UFC 318 Main Card
Michael Johnson

Looks For Third Consecutive Win
Elijah Arroyo

Signs Rookie Deal
Jaydon Blue

Described as "Borderline Lazy"
T.J. Sanders

Bills Sign T.J. Sanders to Rookie Deal
Christian Wilkins

Raiders Put Christian Wilkins on PUP List
Jabari Small

Lions Add Jabari Small to Backfield
Quinshon Judkins

Remains Unsigned, Won't Report With Rest of Rookies
Mason Taylor

Agrees to Rookie Contract with Jets
Hendon Hooker

Leading Lions QB2 Battle Entering Training Camp
Ozzy Trapilo

Agrees to Rookie Contract with Bears
Tate Ratledge

Agrees to Rookie Contract with Lions
Jack Bech

Signs Rookie Contract with Raiders
Yegor Chinakhov

Requests Trade
Dakota Joshua

Maple Leafs Acquire Dakota Joshua
Lukas Dostal

Signs Five-Year Extension with Ducks
Shemar Stewart

Not Practicing With College Team
Eugenio Suárez

Eugenio Suarez Expected Back Friday
Damian Lillard

Returning to Portland
Paul Skenes

Pirates Could Preserve Paul Skenes in Second Half
Brooks Barnhizer

Grabs 19 Points, Nine Boards in Summer League Win
Jeremiah Fears

Scores 22 Points in Summer League Loss to Thunder
Isaiah Collier

Collects 17 Points In Summer League Win
Caleb Houstan

Joins Hawks
AJ Johnson

Erupts for 25 Points in Summer League Loss
Washington Wizards

Leaky Black Logs Double-Double in Loss to Jazz
Connor Norby

Undergoes Surgery, Expected to Miss 6-8 Weeks
Trey Alexander

Tallies 25 Points in Losing Effort
Johni Broome

Records Second Consecutive Double-Double
Jahmir Young

Has Historic Summer League Outing
Rob Dillingham

Plays Big Role in Wednesday's Win
Tyrese Proctor

Erupts for 35 Points Against Kings
Cody Williams

Leads Jazz to Victory Against Wizards
LeBron James

Mavs Not Interested in "Gutting its Roster" For LeBron James
Josh Hart

Undergoes a Procedure on Right Finger
Jake Burger

Goes on 10-Day Injured List With Quad Strain
Sal Frelick

Dealing With Grade 1 Hamstring Strain, TBD for Start of Second Half
Chris Sale

Plays Catch
Los Angeles Clippers

Bradley Beal Heading to Los Angeles to Join Clippers After Contract Buyout
Rayan Rupert

Scores 24 Points in Summer League Win
Derik Queen

Collects Third Consecutive Double-Double in Summer League Loss
GG Jackson II

Records 13 Points in Summer League Action on Tuesday
Johni Broome

Logs Double-Double Against Wizards
DaRon Holmes II

Records Double-Double in Summer League Loss to Raptors
Kyle Schwarber

Named All-Star Game MVP
Harris English

Takes Stellar 2025 Performance to The Open Championship
Aldrich Potgieter

Seeks Better Result in Northern Ireland
Cameron Young

Likely to Hang Around at The Open Championship
Cameron Smith

Just Trying to Make the Cut at Royal Portrush
Jordan Spieth

Is Jordan Spieth Still a Natural for Links Style Golf?
Patrick Reed

a Viable Option at The Open Championship
PGA

Sungjae Im Wants to Rebound from Last Experience at Royal Portrush
Xander Schauffele

Looks to Defend His Claret Jug at Royal Portrush
Tony Finau

Trying to Turn Tide at Royal Portrush
Daniel Brown

Seeks a Rebound at The Open Championship
Rory McIlroy

Will be the Most Watched Player This Week at Royal Portrush
Daniel Berger

Trending Poorly as The Open Championship Looms
Clayton Kershaw

Retires Both Batters In ASG Appearance
Robert MacIntyre

Hoping to Bounce Back at Open Championship
Shane Lowry

Hopes to Repeat at Royal Portrush
Brian Harman

Hopes to Rekindle Some Magic at the 153rd Open
UTA

Michael Carcone Returns to Utah on One-Year Contract
Bowen Byram

Signs Two-Year Deal with Sabres
Morgan Barron

Jets Re-Sign Morgan Barron for Two Years
PGA

Chris Gotterup Punches Ticket to Royal Portrush With Win at Scottish Open
Bryson DeChambeau

Hopes to Reverse Links Golf Struggle at the 153rd Open
Keegan Bradley

Needs to Find The Weekend at Royal Portrush for Ryder Cup Hopes
Justin Thomas

Finishes Tied For 22nd at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Genesis Scottish Open
Jon Rahm

Finishes in Second at LIV Andalucia
Tallison Teixeira

Suffers First-Round TKO
Derrick Lewis

Scores First-Round TKO
Stephen Thompson

Loses Controversial Split Decision
Gabriel Bonfim

Wins Controversial Split Decision
Calvin Kattar

Gets Outclassed At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Extends His Win Streak
Nate Landwehr

Gets Knocked Out
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere Scores Third-Round Knockout
Austen Lane

Suffers Submission Loss
Vitor Petrino

Scores First-Round Submission In Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Earns His First UFC Win
Chase Elliott

Charges to A Finish of Third At Sonoma
Chase Briscoe

Finishes Second With his First Career Road-Course Top-Five at Sonoma
Christopher Bell

Rollercoaster Day Ends With Top-5 Finish at Sonoma
William Byron

Maintains the Regular-Season Points Lead
Kyle Busch

Earns A Hard-Fought Top-10 Finish At Sonoma
Alex Ovechkin

Not Thinking About Retirement
PIT

Penguins Acquire Arturs Silovs
NHL

Nikolai Kovalenko Returns to Russia
Tyler Reddick

Evades Near Upset to Remain Alive in In-Season Challenge
Ty Gibbs

One of Three Tylers to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinals
Kyle Larson

Curiously Mediocre at Sonoma Before Late-Race Crash
NASCAR

John H. Nemechek Edges Out Teammate to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Alex Bowman

Ty Dillon Bumps Alex Bowman to Advance to In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Shane Van Gisbergen

Can Anyone Beat Shane van Gisbergen at Sonoma?
Tyler Reddick

Better at Sonoma Than Record Shows
Chase Elliott

a Prime DFS Option at Sonoma
Michael McDowell

Struggling a Bit at Sonoma
NASCAR

Christopher Bell Has Never Finished Better Than Ninth at Sonoma
Ryan Blaney

Has Top-10 Upside at Sonoma
NASCAR

Sunday at Sonoma Will Likely Be a Long Race for Bubba Wallace
Kyle Larson

Is A Likely Top-Five Contender for Sonoma
Ryan Preece

Points Position Could Affect Race at Sonoma
Todd Gilliland

Struggling to Find Speed at Sonoma
Ty Gibbs

May be an Underrated Favorite to Compete for the Win at Sonoma
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF