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

Digging Deeper: Week 17 Waiver Wire Targets

As July comes to a close, trade talks turn to trade actions, and fantasy baseball owners enter now-or-never mode. Unless you are truly out of contention in a redraft league, the waiver wire is still the best place to look for upside. Sure, trades provide access to known commodities, but free agents can provide similar upside at a much cheaper price. While the pickings look slim, I guarantee there's a few names out there that still have an impact to make before October.

I've able to maintain my lead in the RotoBaller Experts League thus far, and I feel pretty good about my positioning for the rest of the season. However, I still am making more moves than anyone else in our league. Whether it's streaming pitchers, attacking juicy hitter matchups, or just looking for someone who may explode in the next few weeks, the waivers are still my best bet for reinforcements to help keep my squad atop the standings.

Because I'll be covering more players, my analysis will be shorter and to the point. Feel free to find me on Twitter @BellRoto and ask me to explain more personally. I'll be happy to do so, and I will even contort the waiver pick-up to your own team and situation. Best of luck to you all, and enjoy the final days of July.

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

 

Digging Deeper: Week 17 Picks

Francisco Cervelli (C, PIT) - 17% owned in Yahoo! Leagues

This pickup is only for those of you in two-catcher leagues. If your team is looking for a batting average spark without a dip in run production, Francisco Cervelli might be a nice upgrade at your second backstop position. He's started to heat up following an injury stint, and he'll provide a little, sneaky power while spraying line drives around the park. I can't promise he won't get hurt again before October, but I can promise he'll play hard and try his best to get on base every single time he steps to the plate, especially with Pittsburgh only 2.5 games behind first place in the division.

Cesar Hernandez (2B, PHI) - 16% owned in Yahoo! Leagues

Middle infield is another spot where teams in a fantasy playoff race may need some reinforcements. Cesar Hernandez has eight hits and six runs scored in his past five starts. He also has a little bit of home run and steal potential in the leadoff spot of the Phillies' lineup. It's good to see the multi-category hitter picking up where he left off at the beginning of the season. The RBI contirbutions may not be there, but you can get a little bit of everything else from this underowned second baseman.

Amed Rosario (SS, NYM) - 14% owned in Yahoo! Leagues

Everyone and their mothers expected this top prospect to be up and playing in the Mets' infield by now, but somehow he still has not made the jump to the majors. However, with the trade deadline looming, you have to imagine the club gives in and brings up the future of their offense by the start of August. It's anyone's guess how Amed Rosario will contribute for the final two months of the season, but the upside and hype is certainly there. I know he's in my NA spot incase we see something special right away.

Luis Castillo (SP, CIN) - 24% owned in Yahoo! Leagues

There's not a whole lot standing out to me in the pitching pool, but Luis Castillo does seem underowned at 24% on Yahoo!. Sure, the ERA hasn't quite come around yet, but we have to take a look at the strikeouts and the incredibly tough stretch of opponents. For starters, Castillo's impressive fastball and seemingly untouchable breaking stuff has yielded 43 strikeouts in 35 innings this season. And while his 3.86 ERA doesn't scream "stud", take into account these matchups: Washington Nationals (twice), Arizona Diamondbacks (twice), Colorado Rockies (in Coors Field), Milwaukee Brewers. The next start in Yankee Stadium doesn't look great either, but this guy has been more than impressive when looking beyond the surface numbers. Castillo is a must-add and a must-start pitcher in my eyes, especially if you value strikeouts.

Start Streaming Starting Pitchers

If you need saves, this heading could also read "pick up speculative, potential closers", but that's harder to do and only helps one category. If you need help in strikeouts, wins, or even peripherals (ERA/WHIP) at this point, you should be streaming pitchers in good matchups. Matchups that I've been looking for lately include San Francisco, Chicago White Sox, San Diego, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Oakland, and even Detroit if you're desperate. Make the moves now or you'll regret it in a month.

 

More Waiver Wire Pickups and Adds

 

Premium Tools & DFS Research

Get a free trial of our powerful MLB Premium Tools. Our famous DFS Optimizer & Lineup Generator, daily Matchup Ratings, expert DFS Lineups/Cheat Sheets, and more.

Sign Up Now!




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

Cal Raleigh

Continues Historic Homer Pace Tuesday
Jacob Wilson

Exits Early On Tuesday With Left Hand Contusion
Scottie Scheffler

Headlines Field at Genesis Scottish Open
Rory McIlroy

a Smart Play for Scottish Open
Adam Scott

Looking to Build on History at The Renaissance Club
NASCAR

Sepp Straka Not Likely to Find Momentum at Scottish Open
Justin Rose

Hopes Month Hiatus Helps Him Bounce Back at Scottish Open
Laken Tomlinson

Confident in Texans Offensive Line
J.K. Dobbins

the Starter in Denver?
JT Woods

Seahawks Release JT Woods
Darren Waller

Trade to Miami Becomes Official
Asante Samuel Jr.

Dolphins Interested in Asante Samuel Jr.
Nyheim Hines

Seeking Return to NFL
Dak Prescott

Expects to be Full-Go for Training Camp
Ajay Mitchell

Posts 16 Points in Summer League Win on Monday
Milwaukee Bucks

Vasilije Micic Waived by Bucks
Brice Sensabaugh

Logs 37 points in Summer League Win on Monday
Luis Garcia

Fans Four in Rehab Outing
GG Jackson II

Collects 27 Points in Summer League Loss
Ace Bailey

Scores 18 Points in Summer League Victory
NHL

Tyler Johnson Retires After 13 NHL Seasons
Jack McBain

Inks New Five-Year Deal with Mammoth
Cam York

Re-Signs with Flyers for Five Years
Kobe Bufkin

Cleared for Summer League Action
Jake Knapp

Fits the Mold for Success at The Renaissance Club
Milwaukee Bucks

Vasilije Micic Agrees to Contract Buyout with Bucks
PGA

Sungjae Im Still a Liability at Scottish Open
James Wiseman

Pacers Bring Back James Wiseman
Ludvig Aberg

is a Solid Option at Scottish Open
Tyrese Haliburton

to Miss Entire 2025-26 Campaign
Paolo Banchero

Signs Historic Five-Year Extension with Magic
Anthony Santander

Hoping to Hit Soon
Luis Robert Jr.

Returning in Short Order
Alex Bregman

Could Return Later This Week
Ketel Marte

Day-to-Day with Groin Tightness
Ty Gibbs

Finishes Second at Chicago and Advances in In-Season Challenge
Alex Bowman

Defeats Bubba Wallace in In-Season Challenge, but Not Without Controversy
Alex Bowman

Bubba Wallace Wrecked by Alex Bowman Again, Putting Playoffs in Doubt
Michael McDowell

Throttle Failure Ends Michael McDowell's Chances to Win at Chicago
Austin Hill

Earns First NASCAR Cup Series Top Ten at Chicago
Tyler Reddick

Scores a Strong Third-Place Run at Chicago
Kyle Busch

Matches his Best Career Finish At Chicago on Sunday
Denny Hamlin

Fights his Way to a Top-5 Finish at Chicago
William Byron

has his Worst Weekend of the Season at Chicago
Hunter Greene

Suffers Setback on Monday
Kyle Lowry

Staying With 76ers
Kyle Anderson

Lands in Utah
Kevin Love

Traded to Jazz in 3-Team Swap
Norman Powell

Traded to Miami
John Collins

Dealt to Clippers
J.J. Spaun

Finishes Tied For 14 at Travelers Championship
Xander Schauffele

Finishes Tied For 61 at Travelers Championship
Collin Morikawa

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Robert MacIntyre

Finishes Tied For 17 at Travelers Championship
Si Woo Kim

Finishes Tied For 11 at John Deere Classic
Viktor Hovland

Withdraws From Travelers Championship
Tommy Fleetwood

Finishes Tied For Second at Travelers Championship
Brian Campbell

Wins John Deere Classic
Bronny James Jr.

Scores 10 Points
Harrison Ingram

Limited on Sunday
Golden State Warriors

Isaiah Mobley Drops 16 Points
Ryan Rollins

Staying with Bucks
T.J. Watt

Pittsburgh Still Not Close on New Contract
Terry McLaurin

Still Not Pleased with Contract Situation
Sonny Milano

on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp
Yu Darvish

to Make Season Debut on Monday
MLB

Nationals Fire Dave Martinez, Mike Rizzo
Jakub Dobes

Signs Two-Year Deal with Canadiens
KaVontae Turpin

Arrested on Two Charges
Cole Ragans

to Begin Throwing on Monday
Theo Johnson

Prioritizing his Health this Offseason
Andrés Giménez

Andres Gimenez Hits 10-Day Injured List
Jermaine Burton

Continues to Show Growth
NHL

Hendrix Lapierre Signs One-Year Deal with Capitals
Carson Hocevar

Should DFS Players Consider Carson Hocevar for Chicago Lineups?
Tye Kartye

Kraken Re-Sign Tye Kartye for Two Years
Ross Chastain

May be A Decent DFS Option for Chicago Lineups
Dmitri Voronkov

Signs Two-Year, $8.35 Million Extension with Blue Jackets
Ryan Preece

Should DFS Players Roster Ryan Preece at Chicago?
Austin Dillon

Is Too Great of A Risk to Add to Chicago Lineups
Zane Smith

Is A Value Play Worth Rostering At Chicago
Austin Hill

is A Favorable Value Option for Chicago DFS Lineups
Ty Dillon

Is Ty Dillon A Decent Driver to Add For NASCAR DFS At Chicago?
William Byron

Qualifying Crash Makes William Byron a Likely DFS Must-Have
Alex Bowman

Should Finish Well, but Probably Costs Too Much for Serious DFS Consideration
Joey Logano

Has Been Relatively Mediocre on Road Courses Lately
Ryan Blaney

Doesn't Really Fit Neatly into Optimal DFS Lineups
Cam Ward

"Not Expecting" to be handed Starting Job
Chase Claypool

Eager to Get Back on the Field
Wyatt Langford

Activated, Playing on Saturday
Jay Huff

on the Move to Indiana
Cam Whitmore

Wizards Acquire Cam Whitmore from the Rockets
LaJohntay Wester

Stands out on Special Teams
Clarke Schmidt

Likely to Undergo Tommy John Surgery
Nolan Arenado

Scratched from Saturday's Lineup
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Starting on Saturday
Corbin Carroll

Activated from 10-Day Injured List
Cincinnati Bengals

Shemar Stewart, Bengals Continue Contract Talks, No Progress Made
Ha-Seong Kim

Removed Early During Season Debut
ARI

Christian Fischer Retires From NHL at 28
NHL

Spencer Martin Moves to Russia
WAS

Anthony Beauvillier Re-Signs With Capitals for Two Years
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Sitting Out With Foot Issue
Isaiah Neyor

Impresses at Minicamp
Bo Bichette

Back in Blue Jays Lineup
Miles Sanders

Works With Starters During Mandatory Minicamp
Chimere Dike

Titans Could Move Chimere Dike Inside
Keandre Lambert-Smith

KeAndre Lambert-Smith not Guaranteed Roster Spot
Anthony Bradford

Working Hard to Win Back Starting Job
Clarke Schmidt

Placed on Injured List
SJ

Sharks Claim Nick Leddy Off Waivers
SJ

Sharks Sign Dmitry Orlov to Two-Year, $13 Million Contract
CAR

Nikolaj Ehlers Joins Hurricanes on Six-Year Contract
COL

Brent Burns Inks One-Year Deal with Avalanche
STL

Blues Land Pius Suter on Two-Year Deal
Morgan Frost

Agrees to Two-Year Extension with Flames
WPG

Gustav Nyquist Moves to Winnipeg
Cody Glass

Devils Re-Sign Cody Glass to Two-Year Deal
PIT

Anthony Mantha Joins Penguins
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF