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

Dynasty Review: Deep Fantasy League Advice for Week 14

I'll begin by patting myself on the back for last week's column. Nobody else was writing about Jeimer Candelario last week - at least not until the Cubs announced his promotion to the majors. How's that for a timely report? Ok, fine. I didn't exactly hit the nail on the head. After praising Candelario for 200 words, here's my failed take away.

Candelario may be a September call up this season. At this point, I'm looking at him purely as a 2017 asset.

Not exactly spot on...

In other major league news, Chad Green returned to the big leagues on Sunday and fired a six-inning win. He struck out eight and allowed one solo home run. Francisco Mejia's promotion to High-A has done nothing to stop his hit streak. He's up to 32 games. Alex Bregman is batting .538/.600/.923 with a home run and two doubles through his first three Triple-A games.

The other player highlighted, Austin Hedges, lost his five game homer streak last Monday. So on Tuesday he popped two homers followed by two more on Friday and another one on Sunday. He has 12 home runs over his last 15 games. The PCL is hitter friendly, but this is absurd.

Editor's Note: RotoBaller offers the best Premium MLB Subscription - only $1.99 per week. All the tools you need to help win your seasonal and daily leagues: Hitter & Pitcher Streamers, Matchup Ratings for every player, Under-the-Radar Surgers for AVG, HR, Ks, plus daily DFS Cheat Sheets, Lineup Picks, Expert Lineups, Stacks and Avoids. 

 

Dynasty Advice for Week 14

Raul Mondesi - Kansas City Royals

Mondesi is back in action after serving a bogus PED suspension for using a cough medicine. He was able to prove he had a cold, so MLB reduced the sentence from 80 to 50 games. While it's good to have a consistently enforced drug policy, there should perhaps be a little more flexibility to the penalties. This one was right up there with the ludicrous 50-game suspensions for marijuana use.

Prior to the suspension, Mondesi was in the midst of a breakout season. The switch-hitter's power output increased over 50 percent while he maintained his excellent stolen base numbers. Assuming he can recover the uptick in power, Mondesi now projects to hit 10-20 home runs and steal 20 bases once he reaches the majors.

I'm reminded of a better Tim Anderson with more consistent power and less raw speed. The Royals are known for their willingness to steal which could help Mondesi's fantasy production. Of course, Kauffman Stadium hurts the home run projections, but he'll visit enough hitter friendly parks to provide some pop. Strikeouts are likely to be a problem with a 30 percent strikeout rate possible.

Ian Happ - Chicago Cubs

Yesterday, I joked on Twitter that Theo Epstein is winning his fantasy MLB dynasty league. That was in reference to the average age of the Cubs starting like - under 24 years old. They're going to stay young and fantastic - at least on the position player side of the equation thanks to even more reinforcements like Happ.

The soon-to-be 22-year-old was the ninth overall pick in the 2015 draft. While names like Bregman, Dansby Swanson, and Andrew Benintendi are expected to reach the majors this season, Happ isn't too far behind them. He was promoted to Double-A in late June after hitting .296/.410/.475 with seven home runs and 10 steals in High-A. If there was one flaw, it was his 23.5 percent strikeout rate (16.4 percent walk rate).

The early returns at Double-A are promising. He's responded to the uptick in pitcher quality with more aggression. Although his walk rate has halved, his strikeout rate has declined to just 14.3 percent. It's still too early to read into these numbers - he has just 35 plate appearances at his new home. He's hitting .484/.514/.742 (.520 BABIP) with a couple home runs and stolen bases.

The scouting report on his skills at second base is far from glowing. He may fit better in the outfield. It's possible he could stick at center field, and he probably has enough bat for a corner outfield role. For now, the Cubs will allow his bat to carry him through the minors until it's time to seriously consider a promotion to the majors.

 

Rapid Fire

Kevin Maitan - Atlanta Braves

The Braves inked the top 16-year-old in the world a couple days ago. Maitan is a shortstop prospect who is expected to stick at the position. The switch-hitter is considered the best Venezuelan prospect since Miguel Cabrera according to Ben Badler of Baseball America. He's described as being a future high average hitter with plus power. He's a good three to six years from the majors, but he has the chance to be a generational talent.

Michael Taylor - Washington Nationals

The Nationals demoted Taylor yesterday. The toolsy outfielder has serious swing-and-miss problems. Usually, the answer is to be more aggressive, but he's already maxed out in this regard. He's a card carrying lefty-masher which assures he'll be back on the big league roster before long. Many analysts assume he'll be one of their top trade assets at the deadline. Considering his overall profile, I doubt many teams can squeeze more value out of him than Washington.

Edubray Ramos - Philadelphia Phillies

The Phillies are already talking about Ramos as a future closer with manager Pete Mackanin saying he has the stuff and demeanor for the role. Considering the club's current closer is middle reliever Jeanmar Gomez, somebody new will get the job within the next 15 months.

Ramos steamrolled the competition in Double- and Triple-A before reaching the majors in late June. He's posted over a strikeout per inning with a low walk rate. His repertoire consists of a 95 mph fastball and a quality slider. I see him as a setup quality guy, but he should be more consistently good than Hector Neris.

Aaron Wilkerson - Boston Red Sox

Wilkerson was expected to start last Sunday for the Sox, but they decided to go with Sean O'Sullivan. I assume Wilkerson is on the short list for the next rotation vacancy. It's only a matter of time before he gets the call.

The 27-year-old was signed out of independent ball during his age 25 season. Since then, he's done nothing but pitch. After chewing through Double-A (1.83 ERA in 44.1 innings), Wilkerson was promoted to Triple-A where he's posted a 2.44 ERA with 10.13 K/9 and 2.06 BB/9 in 48 innings. His stuff looks to be Quad-A quality, but sometimes these sorts can make it work in the majors.

Josh Hader - Milwaukee Brewers

Hader was one of the big pieces in the Carlos Gomez trade. He has plus stuff with shaky to average command. Like the other pitchers featured this week, Hader handled Double-A although he's hit a modest speed bump at Triple-A. Through four starts (20 innings), he has a 4.50 ERA with 11.70 K/9 and 4.95 BB/9. Hader promises a high strikeout rate when he debuts later this season. He's one of the most likely pitching prospects to contribute immediately - many require an adjustment period.

 

Live Expert Q&A Chats - Every Weekday @ 1 PM and 6 PM EST (DFS)

Fantasy Baseball Chat Room

[iflychat_embed id="c-55" hide_user_list="yes" hide_popup_chat="no" height="400px"]




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

Jordan Hicks

Headed to Boston
Kyle Harrison

Traded to Red Sox
Brady House

Nationals Promoting Brady House to Major Leagues
Rafael Devers

Traded to San Francisco
Jayden Higgins

Impresses During Minicamp
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

on the Move to Memphis
Cole Anthony

Dealt to the Grizzlies
Seattle Seahawks

DeMarcus Lawrence Making an Impression With his New Team
Isaiah Simmons

Being Used Exclusively as a Linebacker
Tyler Mahle

Placed on 15-Day Injured List
Travis Etienne Jr.

the Jaguars Lead Back?
Luis Robert Jr.

Scratched with Thumb Soreness
Desmond Bane

Traded to Orlando
Byron Buxton

Scratched from Sunday's Lineup
Daniel Jones

the Favorite in Colts QB Competition?
Brendan Donovan

Returns to the Lineup
Steven Adams

Rockets Agree to Three-Year Contract Extension
Royce Lewis

Hits 10-Day Injured List
Ty Dillon

Is a Respectable Cap Flexiblity-Focused DFS Option For Mexico City
Corey Perry

Produces 10th Postseason Goal
Connor McDavid

Scores First Finals Goal
John Hunter Nemechek

Is John Hunter Nemechek Worth Rostering In Mexico City DFS Lineups?
Shohei Ohtani

Blasts Two Homers in Win
Sam Bennett

Nets Another Road Goal in Game 5 Win
Eetu Luostarinen

Earns Two Points Saturday
Michael King

Not Making Progress
Brad Marchand

Pots Two Goals in Game 5 Victory
Jackson Merrill

Removed Early on Saturday
Sergei Bobrovsky

Ties NHL Record with 10th Road Win
Ross Chastain

Trackhouse Racing's Mexico Focus Makes Ross Chastain a Leading Contender for the Win
Kyle Busch

One of Two Past Mexico City Winners in the Field
Ryan Preece

Earns Surprising Front-Row Start
Austin Cindric

Not as Strong of a Road Racer as People Think
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Stronger on Infield Road Courses Than Purpose-Built Ones
Joey Logano

Seemingly Alternating Between Good and Mediocre Races
Brad Keselowski

One of the Few Drivers with Mexico City Experience
Denny Hamlin

Ryan Truex Makes First Cup Series Start Since 2014
Erik Jones

Mexico City Will Likely be a Struggle for Erik Jones
Noah Gragson

Front Row Motorsports' Speed May Make Noah Gragson a Decent DFS Option
Ricky Stenhouse Jr

Road Courses Are Ricky Stenhouse Jr.'s Worst Track Type
Riley Herbst

Surprisingly Outqualifies 23XI Racing Teammates at Mexico City
Cody Ware

a Very Experienced Road Racer but Still a Long Shot
Shane Van Gisbergen

Shane van Gisbergen the Heavy Favorite to Win in Mexico City
Christopher Bell

the Chalk DFS Play in Mexico City
Tyler Reddick

Has a Lot of Work To Do To Be Competitive in Mexico
AJ Allmendinger

Struggling to Find Speed in Mexico City
Chris Buescher

Says Car is "Bad Fast" Heading into Mexico City Race
Michael McDowell

Confident Heading into Viva Mexico 250
Giancarlo Stanton

Likely Returning Early Next Week
Spencer Strider

Registers 13 Strikeouts
Hunter Brown

s Records 12 Strikeouts
Emeka Egbuka

"the Talk" of Bucs Minicamp
Royce Lewis

to be Placed on Injured List
Byron Buxton

Exits Early on Saturday
Evander Kane

Drops to Fourth Line Saturday
Kasperi Kapanen

Won't Play on Saturday
Calvin Pickard

Starts Game 5 for Oilers
Jaxson Dart

Working as No. 2 QB During Offseason Workouts
Xavier Gipson

Roster Spot Could be in Jeopardy
Josh Reynolds

the Front-Runner for WR2 Duties
Garrett Wilson

Stock Up This Offseason
Breece Hall

Motivated Going into 2025 Season
Brandon Aiyuk

Making Good Progress From Knee Injury
Keon Coleman

Inconsistent at Minicamp
Mitchell Trubisky

Not a Lock for Backup Job
Dalton Kincaid

Adds Strength and Bulk
James Cook

a Full Participant in Mandatory Minicamp
Tyrese Haliburton

Struggles in Friday's Loss to OKC
Jacob Misiorowski

Expected to Make Next Start
Chet Holmgren

Dominates the Glass in Game 4
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Leads the Way in Game 4
Jalen Williams

Has a Quality Showing on Friday Night
Charlie Morton

Continues Good Work With 10 Strikeouts
James Wood

Homers, Drives in Four
Agustín Ramírez

Agustin Ramirez Homers Twice to Snap Skid
Anthony Richardson

Should be Fine for Training Camp
Russell Westbrook

to Decline Player Option
Kevin Durant

Trade Could Happen in the "Next Few Days"
Cam Akers

Joining Saints
Michael Mayer

to Get More Involved
Aaron Rodgers

DK Metcalf Building Chemistry with Aaron Rodgers
Colston Loveland

Likely to be Primary Tight End
Joaquin Buckley

Set For Main Event
Kamaru Usman

An Underdog At UFC Atlanta
Miranda Maverick

Set For Co-Main Event
Rose Namajunas

Looks To Bounce Back
Andre Petroski

Looks To Extend His Win Streak To Four
Edmen Shahbazyan

A Favorite At UFC Atlanta
Raoni Barcelos

Set To Take On Former Champion
Cody Garbrandt

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Mansur Abdul-Malik

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Cody Brundage

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Alonzo Menifield

Opens Up UFC Atlanta Main Card
Oumar Sy

Looks To Remain Undefeated
Connor Hellebuyck

Wins Vezina And Hart Trophies
Aleksander Barkov

Records Two Power-Play Assists Thursday
Sam Reinhart

Collects Three Points in Thursday's Loss
Matthew Tkachuk

Notches Three Points in Losing Effort
Calvin Pickard

Joins Exclusive List with Thursday's Win
Mattias Ekholm

Logs Two Assists in Comeback Victory
Leon Draisaitl

Delivers Victory in Overtime Thursday
Myles Turner

Playing Through Illness
Reed Sheppard

Will Play in the NBA Summer League
Kevin Durant

Deal Could Come Sooner Rather Than Later
Dorian Finney-Smith

Undergoes Ankle Surgery
Anze Kopitar

Wins Third Lady Byng Trophy
Sergei Bobrovsky

Heading Out for Win No. 15
John Klingberg

Won't Play in Game 4 Against Panthers
Viktor Arvidsson

Sits Out Game 4 Against Panthers
Stuart Skinner

Remains in Oilers Crease Thursday
Jalen Williams

Leads Thunder in Scoring Wednesday
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Settles for 24 Points in Game 3 Loss
Pascal Siakam

Does Everything for Pacers Wednesday Night
Tyrese Haliburton

Gets Close to Triple-Double in Game 3 Win
Bennedict Mathurin

Leads All Scorers with 27 Points Wednesday
Brandin Podziemski

Has Second Offseason Surgery
Jaylen Brown

Undergoes Successful Knee Procedure
Matt McCarty

Comes Off Season-Best Showing at RBC Canadian Open
Justin Thomas

Desperate to Continue Good 2025 Season
Jon Rahm

Seeks Revenge at U.S. Open
Tom Kim

Aiming for Improvement in U.S. Open
PGA

Sungjae Im Expects Solid Performance at Oakmont
Brian Harman

Aims to Rebound From the Memorial
Tony Finau

has Been Up and Down at U.S. Open
Patrick Cantlay

Hoping This is the Year at Oakmont
Akshay Bhatia

Improving in Time for U.S. Open
Xander Schauffele

Primed for Another Major Championship Run
Cameron Young

May Struggle at U.S. Open
Collin Morikawa

Eyeing Third Major Championship Title
Matt Fitzpatrick

Seeks to Avenge Oakmont Collapse
Jordan Spieth

Can Contend at Oakmont
Shane Lowry

a Strong Value Play at U.S. Open
Brooks Koepka

Seeks Another Major Win at Oakmont
Viktor Hovland

Still Can Improve at U.S. Open
Michael Kim

a Boom-or-Bust Value Play at U.S. Open
Russell Henley

Looking to Play the Weekend at Oakmont
Tyrrell Hatton

a Safe Option at U.S. Open
Bryson DeChambeau

Eyeing Third U.S. Open Title
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF