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Deeper Waiver Wire Pickups For Week 22 (American League)

Tony Peters analyzes some American League players to target as fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups & adds in Week 22. These AL-only targets can be sleepers.

With the final full month of baseball about to begin, it's time to scrap up together the best roster one can muster to either hold off or fuel any last minute runs at the crown or to prepare for the impending fantasy playoffs.

Here are some names to consider before the big prospect rush when rosters expand Thursday. All are owned in 25% or less of Flea Flicker leagues.

Editor's Note: Purchase a full season NFL Premium Pass (including Draft Kit + DFS Premium), and also get MLB Premium + DFS for free through October. Premium DFS lineup picks, expert lineups, tools and more - seven days a week. You can see screenshots of our NFL Premium and MLB Premium and DFS tools. What are you waiting for?

 

American League Waiver Wire Targets

Hitters

Leonys Martin (OF, SEA) - 12% Owned

Though his fantasy value may have peaked earlier this season, outfielder Leonys Martin is getting back on track as the season comes to an end. Since August 14th, he's hitting .281 with one home run, four RBI and five stolen bases in 63 at-bats going into Tuesday. Martin's hits haven't been coming together in bunches often enough, but he's been consistently able to collect at least one with an eight-game and five-game hitting streak within that time. With the Mariners fighting for a playoff spot and Martin needing to further make his case to stay a starter next year, he'll have plenty of opportunities to help fantasy teams.

Trevor Plouffe (1B/3B, MIN) - 12% Owned

Since returning from the disabled list August 8th, infielder Trevor Plouffe has really come alive at the plate in a way he hasn't for much of the year. In the 13 games he's played in since being activated, he's slashing a silly .340/.390/.528 with two dingers and 13 RBI. With the Twins' offense as a whole playing much better during the second half, Plouffe has had plenty of chances to drive in runners, something that will last through the end of the season. Infielders with run-producing power aren't easy to come by, especially on the waiver wire this late into the season.

Ryon Healy (3B, OAK) - 2% Owned

Rookie third baseman Ryon Healy went through a readjustment spell after a hot start to his MLB career that saw his production dip down below startable. But unlike some young players, he's made the necessary changes and has come back around to fantasy awesome. Since August 5th, he's hitting .312 with three home runs and seven RBI in 80 at-bats, including a 14-game hitting streak. The Athletics have been aggressive in prompting Healy since he put himself firmly on the prospect map earlier this season with his best minor league numbers yet, and he just keeps succeeding with flying colors. September isn't shaping up to be any different.

Tyler Saladino (2B/SS/3B, OAK) - 1% Owned

The owner of one of the best mustaches in the game, infielder Tyler Saladino's stat line is beginning to catch up with his awesome lip cover. After hitting .225 with four home runs and eight stolen bases in 236 at-bats as a rookie last year, he's hitting a much more palatable .265 with eight home runs and 10 stolen bases in 230 at-bats this season. Saladino has been especially great in August, hitting .293 with three home runs, 10 RBI and five stolen bases. He's still growing into his power, but the speed is already here and strong enough for him to deliver five stolen bases before the season closes.

James McCann (C, DET) - 5% Owned

Decent fantasy catchers on the waiver wire this late into the season are basically impossible to find, and James McCann might not buck that trend. But he has been decent at times over the second half, especially as of late. Though he's hitting only .239 during that time, he does have six home runs and 19 RBI in 99 at-bats. August has been McCann's best month of the year yet, hitting .271 with three home runs and 11 RBI in 59 at-bats. Injuries have kept McCann from getting as firm of a hold on the starting catcher job as was initially envisioned, so he'll have extra incentive to keep his bat solid through till the end.

 

Pitchers

Kendall Graveman (SP, OAK) - 17% Owned

Though he lacks that strikeout punch fantasy owners prefer in their starting pitchers, there's no denying right-hander Kendall Graveman's results so far this season. For the month of August, he's 3-1 with a 3.31 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 16 strikeouts in 35.1 innings as he's been getting better as the season progresses. Take his road stats on the season, for instance. Despite being 5-4 with a 4.98 ERA when pitching for the away team, he's 3-1 with a 3.18 ERA over his last five road starts. Deep league head-to-head owners should especially take note here.

Jason Grilli (RP, TOR) - 16% Owned

Though the "save Roberto Osuna's arm" job swap promised when the Blue Jays originally traded for Jason Grilli has yet to manifest itself, Grilli's been so great it almost hasn't mattered (almost). Until finally getting bit Tuesday against the Orioles, he had yet to allow a run during the month of August. So instead of zeroes, he finishes the month 1-0 with a 1.38 ERA, 0.69 WHIP, 17 strikeouts and one save in 13 innings. If he never sniffs another save chance, there's still a lot of good a repeat month could do to help fantasy owners with their last push to the promised land of victory.

Dillon Gee (SP, KC) - 2% Owned

Right-hander Dillon Gee has had some rough, rough months in 2016, including a brutal July that included a 0-3 record and a 6.04 ERA in 22.1 innings. But he has brought things around full circle in August, going 3-2 with a 3.69 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 25 strikeouts in 31.2 innings. With a final schedule that's almost entirely division rivals that Gee has mostly had success against this year (minus the Tigers, whom he'll face twice), he's a low-end gamble for those desperate for anyone who can keep their fantasy head above water these final weeks.

Joaquin Benoit (RP, TOR) - 6% Owned

Another addition to the "case of new scenery" success collage, right-hander Joaquin Benoit has shined as a member of the Blue Jays in a way he failed to as a Mariner earlier this season. In 13.1 innings since being traded, he's 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA and 10 strikeouts in 13.1 innings. Benoit had a 5.18 ERA with Seattle, so that piping hot bowl of zero is a big deal. His FIP of 2.77 during his scoreless time is a firm indicator he's getting a bit lucky, but results are results. Benoit is a known veteran commodity on a team fighting for a playoff spot, so the possibility of vulture wins during September is trending upwards with his continued greatness.

Joe Biagini (RP, TOR) - 0% Owned

While he is another Toronto reliever, right-hander Joe Biagini is quite a bit different than his fellow bullpen mates. The rookie reliever has adapted to the Majors nicely so far, going 4-2 with a 2.28 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 7.8 K/9 in 55.1 innings this year. Exclusively a starter in the minors, he found only limited success. But Biagini's really coming into his own in the Blue Jays' bullpen, especially as of late. For the month of August, he's 1-0 with a 1.76 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, 12 strikeouts and three holds in 15.1 innings.

 

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REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Braden Schneider

Limited in Training Camp
Lars Eller

Recovering From Abdomen Procedure
Nick Jensen

in Danger of Missing Start of Season
Brandon Montour

to Miss Two Weeks After Ankle Surgery
Gabriel Landeskog

a "Full Go" for the Season
Samuel Girard

Avalanche Hope to Have Samuel Girard Available for Start of Season
Mackenzie Blackwood

Out Week-to-Week
Alex Tuch

Day-to-Day With Undisclosed Injury
Jordan Greenway

to Sit Out Training Camp
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

Considered Day-to-Day
Simon Edvinsson

to Miss a Couple of Weeks
Mikael Backlund

Signs Two-Year Extension
Connor Ingram

to Be Waived by Mammoth
Zach Hyman

Misses Start of Training Camp
Nick Paul

Out Until November
Kris Letang

Cleared for Training Camp
David Pastrnak

Out for Start of Training Camp
Matthew Tkachuk

Expected to Be Out Until December
NBA

Trevelin Queen Joins Chinese Team
Damian Lillard

Not Rushing His Return
NBA

Keon Johnson Waived by Nets
Justin Verlander

Plans to Pitch in 2026
Junior Caminero

Day-to-Day With Back Tightness
Will Smith

Won't Return When First Eligible
Tyler Soderstrom

Returns to A's Lineup
Tyler Warren

Sidelined on Wednesday with Toe Injury
Jaylen Waddle

Questionable for Week 3 Against Buffalo
Joe Burrow

Bengals Not Closing the Door on Joe Burrow Returning This Year
CFB

LaNorris Sellers to Play Against Missouri?
Kyle Tucker

Progress has "Plateaued"
Isaac Paredes

has "Outside Chance" to Return This Weekend
CFB

Kaidon Salter Expected To Start for Colorado on Saturday
Willson Contreras

Goes on 10-Day Injured List, Done for Season
Justin Fields

Ruled Out for Week 3 Due to Concussion
Jayden Reed

Out Indefinitely After Foot and Shoulder Surgery
Washington Commanders

Preston Smith Signs With Commanders
Trey Jemison III

Joins Knicks on Two-Way Contract
Kevin McCullar Jr.

Signs New Two-Way Deal With Knicks
Matt Ryan

Returns to Knicks on Exhibit 10 Contract
New York Knicks

Alex Len Signs Exhibit 9 Deal With Knicks
Nickeil Alexander-Walker

Expected to Take on Larger Offensive Role With Hawks
Thomas Sorber

Undergoes Surgery
Dominic Canzone

Has Five-Hit, Three-Homer Game Tuesday
Cal Raleigh

Sets Single-Season Home Run Record for a Switch-Hitter
Jayden Reed

Undergoes Clavicle and Foot Surgeries, Out for Foreseeable Future
Bo Bichette

to Miss Rest of Regular Season
Zach Neto

Placed on 10-Day Injured List With Hand Injury
Yordan Alvarez

Out on Tuesday, Dealing With "Significant" Ankle Sprain
Aaron Jones Sr.

Vikings Place Aaron Jones Sr. on Injured Reserve With Hamstring Injury
CFB

Diego Pavia Refutes Report of Seeking Seventh Collegiate Season
Christian Kirk

Expected to Return in Week 3
CFB

Diego Pavia Seeking Another Year of Eligibility
Tarik Skubal

on Track to Start Thursday
CFB

Kevorian Barnes Questionable Against SMU
Bo Bichette

has Short-Term Knee Injury, Could Return for Postseason
Tosan Evbuomwan

Joins Knicks
NBA

Kai Jones Links Up With EuroLeague Team
Bismack Biyombo

Returns to Spurs
Bones Hyland

Rejoins Timberwolves
Kobe Bufkin

Moves to Brooklyn
Trey Yesavage

Sets Franchise Strikeout Record On Monday
Yordan Alvarez

To Receive MRI For Sprained Left Ankle On Tuesday
Willson Contreras

Exits Early Monday With Right-Biceps Tightness
Yordan Alvarez

Exits With Ankle Sprain
Brock Bowers

Officially Active on Monday Night
Jauan Jennings

Day-to-Day With Ankle Injury
Logan O'Hoppe

Activated Off Seven-Day Injured List
CBJ

Denton Mateychuk Dealing With Groin Issue
Bo Horvat

Fine for Training Camp
Kirby Dach

on Track to Be Ready for Opening Night
Jose Altuve

Returns Against Rangers
J.J. McCarthy

Expected to Miss 2-4 Weeks With High-Ankle Sprain
J.J. McCarthy

Likely Out for Week 3 With High-Ankle Sprain
Jean Silva

Gets Finished For The First Time In His Career
Aaron Jones Sr.

Unlikely to Play in Week 3 Due to Hamstring Injury
Diego Lopes

Returns To The Win Column
Jayden Daniels

' Week 3 Status in Doubt
Rob Font

Outclassed In The Noche UFC 3 Co-Main Event
David Martinez

Wins His Second UFC Fight
Jared Gordon

Suffers Brutal TKO Loss At Noche UFC 3
Rafa Garcia

Wins Back-To-Back Fights
Brian Thomas Jr.

Dealing with Wrist Injury
Dustin Stoltzfus

Drops A Decision At Noche UFC 3
Kelvin Gastelum

Gets Back In The Win Column
Diego Ferreira

Suffers Second-Round TKO
Alexander Hernandez

Extends His Win Streak With A Brutal TKO
Quang Le

Suffers First-Round Knockout
Santiago Luna

Shines In His UFC Debut
Christopher Bell

Earns his First Bristol Cup Series Victory
Alex Bowman

Falls Short of Advancing Through Cup Series Playoffs
Chase Briscoe

Collects his Third Top-10 Finish at Bristol
Ryan Blaney

Strong Top-Five Bristol Performance Advances him to the Playoffs
Corey Heim

Earns his First Career Cup Series Top-10 Finish at Bristol
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Leads Greece to Bronze Medal
Alperen Sengün

Alperen Sengun Drops 28 Points in EuroBasket Finals
CFB

Indiana's Lee Beebe Jr. Out for Season with Knee Injury
Dennis Schröder

Dennis Schroder Named EuroBasket MVP
Bryce Eldridge

Giants to Promote Bryce Eldridge
Jaren Jackson Jr.

Progressing in Recovery
Jonathan Kuminga

Receives New Offer From Warriors
Kenneth Walker III

Bounces Back with Big Week 2 Performance
Bijan Robinson

Rushes for 143 Yards in Week 2
Justin Fields

Currently in Concussion Protocol
Cincinnati Bengals

Bengals Calling Around to Available Free-Agent Quarterbacks
Joe Burrow

to Undergo Surgery, Out at Least Three Months
Quentin Grimes

Still Not Close to a New Contract Agreement
Joel Embiid

"Looking Slender, Spry and in Positive Spirits"
Ty Gibbs

Has Arguably his Best Career Drive, but Only Finishes 10th
Chase Elliott

Despite Crashing Out at Bristol, Chase Elliott Advances to Round of 12
Austin Dillon

Misses Round of 12 After Extremely Mediocre Bristol Run
Shane Van Gisbergen

Shane van Gisbergen Fails to Advance to Round of 12
Josh Berry

Finishes Last in All Three Round of 16 Races to Fail to Advance
CFB

Ryan Williams Explodes In Return To Field
CFB

Drew Allar Plays Mediocre Game In Blowout Win
CFB

LaNorris Sellers Exits Game In Blowout Loss
CFB

DJ Lagway Tosses Five Interceptions In Loss
CFB

Garrett Nussmeier Plays Game Manager in Saturday's Win
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CJ Carr Remains Poised In Narrow Loss
CFB

John Mateer Leads Oklahoma In Rout
CFB

Arch Manning Struggles Against UTEP
CFB

Jeremiah Smith Impresses In Win
CFB

Sam Leavitt Shines As Arizona State Rebounds From Week 2 Loss
Chris Buescher

May have Another Solid Run at Bristol
Kyle Busch

Should DFS Managers Roster Kyle Busch at Bristol?
Ricky Stenhouse Jr

Is Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Too Risky to Consider Rostering at Bristol?
Michael McDowell

Could be A Solid Value Option For Bristol DFS Lineups
Chase Elliott

Probably Won't Factor in for Bristol Win
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Not as Strong at Bristol as Other Short Tracks
Alex Bowman

Needs to Win to Make Round of 12
Ross Chastain

has Never Led at Bristol but Has Been Pretty Consistent
Austin Dillon

Richmond Speed Unlikely to Carry Over to Bristol
Josh Berry

Might Run Well at Bristol, but Almost Certainly Won't Win to Advance
Justin Haley

Bristol One of Justin Haley's Few Recent Bright Spots
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Austin Simmons Listed As Game-Time Decision Against Arkansas
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Nico Iamaleava Struggles In Fourth Straight Loss
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Antonio Williams Out Against Georgia Tech
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CJ Bailey Flashes Again in Win Over Wake Forest
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Jaxson Moi a Game-Time Decision for Tennessee on Saturday
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Set For Noche UFC 3 Co-Main Event
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An Underdog At Noche UFC 3
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Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
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Looks To Return To The Win Column
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In Dire Need Of Victory
Diego Ferreira

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column

RANKINGS

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