👉 TAP TO SAVE 30% WITH CODE NEW
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
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Dynasty Review: Deep Fantasy League Advice for Week 25

Welcome to the final dynasty review of the 2016 regular season. Starting next week, the format of this article will change, possibly incorporating a new name and focus. I'm still working out the specifics. Don't worry, dynasty MLB coverage will continue on multiple fronts here at Rotoballer.

With minor league baseball phasing out of existence, today's column will cover a number of major league players on the upswing. While prospects are the first love of most dynasty owners, successfully stockpiling major league breakouts can be a surer means to a deep, effective roster.

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

 

Dynasty Advice for Week 25

Adam Frazier - Pittsburgh Pirates

I'm a big fan Frazier as the next iteration of DJ LeMahieu. The Rockies second baseman thrives in part because he has the support of a Coors-fueled offense. Frazier doesn't have the same park and lineup interactions, but he still shows promise as a dynasty asset.

Let's talk about what he's not. He won't hit for power, and his speed will probably top out around 10 to 15 stolen bases in a full season. He hits frozen ropes to the opposite field, using a high line drive rate to produce a high average. He's just patient enough to produce a high OBP too.

Frazier's value suffers from a crowded Pittburgh infield. He's tied to second base where Josh Harrison receives most of the starts when healthy. Jung-ho Kang and Jordy Mercer have forced Harrison to the right side of the infield. Frazier could shift to the outfield, but it's even more crowded out there. His best hope for starting reps is a Harrison trade or a role shift for Mercer. Frazier has arguably matched Mercer's performance in just one-fifth of the time.

Mike Montgomery - Chicago Cubs

People are noticing Mike Montgomery. The Cubs' sixth starter has tweaked his pitch usage since he was acquired in exchange for Dan Vogelbach. The lefty is on the cusp of a big breakout, inducing whiffs and ground balls like no one else. Monty isn't a finished product which only serves to hide his potential conversion to acedom. Chicago is expected to return their entire rotation, leaving Montgomery as the sixth starter in April. Acquire him cheaply, treat him as a prospect, and reap the benefits mid-2017. Prepare to be patient, developing fantasy pitchers is a fickle business.

Chris Devenski - Houston Astros

Devenski has performed as a much-needed shutdown long reliever for the Astros. He's posted a 2.05 ERA, 2.47 FIP, and 3.75 xFIP in 101 innings to go with 8.29 K/9 and 1.69 BB/9. Nobody has shouldered a workload like Devenski. Only Montgomery has a comparable innings total among relievers, and he made an additional two starts.

The Astros righty deserves a legitimate shot at the rotation next spring, although the club probably prefers him in the swing role. Like many pitchers in the current era, his best pitches are offspeed offerings including a double-plus changeup, a quality slider, and an above average curve. Devenski minimized his usage of the fastball which helped him to limit home runs.

Chad Bettis - Colorado Rockies

In a sufficiently deep format, Bettis has the stuff and run support to be a core contributor. This season, he's made 30 starts with a  4.79 ERA, 6.70 K/9, and 2.68 BB/9. He's pitched particularly well since early-July, although his FIP and xFIP remained steady in the low fours. He only allowed more than three earned runs in one of 13 starts over the period.

Despite the highish season ERA, Bettis is 13-7. I expect the Rockies offense to be the highest scoring unit in baseball next year. Bettis should continue to produce wins and quality starts even if he won't help in rate stats.

Ariel Miranda - Seattle Mariners

When the Mariners acquired Miranda in exchange for Wade Miley, few expected Miranda to immediately outperform the left-handed veteran. Miranda, a 27-year-old Cuban, has posted a 3.88 ERA with 7.03 K/9 and 3.14 BB/9 in 48.2 innings. Ominously, his 5.03 FIP and 5.08 xFIP imply a wall of incoming regression.

Miranda has an interesting repertoire. Most pitchers who throw a split-finger use it as a changeup. Miranda throws a splitter AND a change. And to add to the weirdness, his changeup is better at inducing ground balls.

The southpaw lacks a meaningful breaking ball which really limits his upside. I'd like to see him work on curve he can couple with his fastball. His fastball is well below average so anything he can do push his usage rate below 50 percent is advisable.

Adonis Garcia - Atlanta Braves

The Braves are thought to be looking for an upgrade at third base. Unfortunately, the free agent market is rather thin with only Justin Turner and Martin Prado representing an obvious upgrade to Garcia. There's a good chance he'll be back next year. The club may have more confidence in the 31-year-old following some second half adjustments. He still isn't a world beater, but a .301/.344/.480 line with eight home runs in 245 plate appearances works - especially if he's still batting second ahead of Freddie Freeman.

Freddy Galvis - Philadelphia Phillies

Galvis has served as roster glue for a few years now. In moments of dynasty desperation, you could always count on Galvis to start. He wouldn't contribute much, but you have to play to score. Galvis upped his game this season. He's popped 20 home runs to go with 14 stolen bases. Eight of the 20 homers have come in the last 30 days, hinting at either a fluky temporary surge in production or an actual change.

Galvis still posts terrible average and OBP numbers, but at least he can supply some counting stats now. With J.P. Crawford adjusting slowly to Triple-A (and now recovering from injury), Galvis is unquestionably the top shortstop in the system. We'll see just how long that lasts. This is a case where plus defensive chops can help a fantasy owner.

 

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
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

J.P. Crawford

has Minor Shoulder Injury
Troy Melton

Dealing With Arm Soreness
Patrick Sandoval

has "Eye-Opening" Batting Practice Session
Francisco Lindor

to Restart "Impact" Activities in 2-3 Days
Paul Skenes

Expects to Make Two Starts in World Baseball Classic
Keith Mitchell

Making The Comfortable Return to PGA National
CFB

Chandler Morris Suing NCAA for Seventh Year of Eligibility
Chris Kirk

Searching for a Spark at Cognizant Classic
Brooks Koepka

Making Third PGA Tour Start at Cognizant Classic
Mackenzie Hughes

a Steady Option at Cognizant Classic
Mickey Moniak

Cleared for Spring Debut
Romy Gonzalez

Not Expected to be Ready for Opening Day
Jac Caglianone

Launches First Spring Home Run on Tuesday
Joe Ryan

Plays Catch from 90 Feet
Jackson Jobe

Begins Playing Catch
Seamus Power

Seeking More Green in Florida
Dillon Dingler

Expected to be Ready for Opening Day
PGA

Haotong Li Back From a Break as Florida Stretch Starts
Stephan Jaeger

Trying to Put Four Rounds Together in Florida
Ty Jerome

Available Wednesday
PGA

Nico Echavarria Again Attempting to Make the Weekend
Amen Thompson

Won't Play Wednesday
Jamal Murray

Probable Wednesday
Khris Middleton

Exits Early With Shoulder Stinger
P.J. Washington

Sustains Ankle Injury Tuesday
Nathan Church

a Name to Closely Monitor in Spring Training
Scottie Barnes

Questionable to Suit Up Wednesday
AJ Blubaugh

in Competition for Final Rotation Spot
Jalen Johnson

Suffers Hip Injury
Ryan Waldschmidt

Showcasing Power Upside in Spring Games
Jonathon Long

Takes Swings on Tuesday, Progressing Through Injury
JR Ritchie

Tosses Two Clean Frames, Continues to Make Case for Early Promotion
Bubba Chandler

Stumbles in Spring Training Debut
Patrick Fishburn

Looking for a Spark at Cognizant Classic
Blades Brown

Set for Cognizant Classic Debut
Michael Thorbjornsen

Looking to Bounce Back at Cognizant Classic
Maxx Crosby

Raiders Expect Maxx Crosby to Return
Nino Niederreiter

Out Week-to-Week
Shane Smith

Locked into the Starting Rotation in Chicago After 2025 Emergence
Neal Pionk

Out Week-to-Week With New Injury
Dominic Canzone

Can Dominic Canzone Build on 2025 Breakout?
Noah Hanifin

Unavailable Wednesday
Konnor Griffin

Slugs Two Home Runs on Tuesday
Jack Eichel

to Miss Wednesday's Action
Chandler Simpson

"Tentatively" Scheduled to Make Spring Debut on Friday
John Tavares

Expected to Play Wednesday
Samuel Girard

Penguins Acquire Samuel Girard From Avalanche
Victor Hedman

Good to Go for Wednesday
Brayden Point

Available for Lightning
Chet Holmgren

Cleared for Action on Tuesday
Mikko Rantanen

to Miss at Least Two Weeks
Anfernee Simons

Suffers Fractured Left Wrist
Draymond Green

Won't Be Limited on Tuesday
Evan Mobley

to Remain Limited on Tuesday
Davion Mitchell

Back in Action Vs. Bucks
Daniel Gafford

Active Tuesday
Dejounte Murray

is Officially Active on Tuesday
Joel Embiid

Back In Lineup Vs. Indiana
Kam Jones

Set To Suit Up Tuesday
Nikola Jović

Nikola Jovic is Ruled Out on Tuesday
Shaedon Sharpe

Sidelined at Least Four More Weeks
Pascal Siakam

Out Tuesday, Micah Potter Cleared to Play
Tristan Vukcevic

to Play on Tuesday
Billy Horschel

Looks to Improve Season at Cognizant Classic
T.J. McConnell

Andrew Nembhard, T.J. McConnell Cleared to Play Tuesday
Kyle Pitts Sr.

Falcons Place Franchise Tag on Kyle Pitts Sr.
Joe Highsmith

Returns to Defend at Cognizant Classic
Quinshon Judkins

Out of Walking Boot, Will be Ready for Training Camp
Breece Hall

Jets Will Use Franchise Tag on Breece Hall if Extension isn't Reached
Joel Dahmen

Needs Better Consistency Heading Into The Florida Swing
Daniel Berger

Looks to Improve Putting as PGA Tour Begins Its Florida Swing
Kirk Cousins

Falcons Plan to Release Kirk Cousins
Zach Ertz

Plans to Return for 14th Season
Davis Thompson

Struggling to Find Birdies as Florida Looms
Tom Kim

Not Quite Cutting It in 2026
Nicolai Hojgaard

Wants to Build Momentum from Scottsdale
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

Returns After Extended Break for Florida Event
CFB

Gunner Rivers Follows His Father, Commits To North Carolina State
Will Zalatoris

Set to Make Tournament Debut at Cognizant Classic
Linus Ullmark

Available for Senators
Rasmus Hojgaard

Trending Up at the Cognizant Classic
Ryan Reaves

Sharks Activate Ryan Reaves From Injured Reserve
Charlie Lindgren

Activated From Injured Reserve Monday
Josh Norris

Cleared to Return Wednesday
Kevin Lankinen

Unlikely to Play Wednesday
Josh Morrissey

to Miss Start of Road Trip
Mikko Rantanen

Expected to Miss Time
Anthony Hernandez

Suffers Third-Round TKO Loss
Sean Strickland

Gets Back In The Win Column
Kyle Pitts Sr.

Falcons Planning to Use Franchise Tag on Kyle Pitts Sr.
Geoff Neal

Suffers Back-To-Back Knockout Losses
Uros Medic

Shines At UFC Houston
Dan Ige

Gets Finished For The First Time In His Career
Melquizael Costa

Extends His Win Streak To Six
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Falls Short of Victory at EchoPark Speedway
Carson Hocevar

Rallies to Fourth At EchoPark Speedway After Early Struggles
Ross Chastain

Finishes Third At EchoPark Speedway
Chase Briscoe

Scores First Career Top-Five Finish at EchoPark Speedway
Tyler Reddick

Nabs His Second Win of the Season At EchoPark Speedway
Joey Logano

Will Be Popular DFS Pick at EchoPark Speedway
Tyler Reddick

on Pole After Qualifying Rained Out at EchoPark Speedway
Chase Elliott

Could Chase Elliott Be Worth Rostering At EchoPark Speedway?
Ryan Blaney

Is Ryan Blaney Worth Rostering for DFS at EchoPark Speedway?
William Byron

Is William Byron Worth Rostering for DFS at EchoPark Speedway?
Rondale Moore

Passes Away
Denny Hamlin

Is Worth Consideration for EchoPark Speedway DFS Lineups
Brad Keselowski

Is A Tournament Option for DFS At EchoPark Speedway
NASCAR

Is Bubba Wallace Rosterable In DFS At EchoPark Speedway?
Austin Cindric

Should DFS Managers Roster Austin Cindric at EchoPark Speedway?
Ross Chastain

Is Ross Chastain A Sneaky DFS Option for EchoPark Speedway?
Ricky Stenhouse Jr

Is Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Worth Rostering for DFS at EchoPark Speedway?
Alex Bowman

Will Start Towards the Rear At EchoPark Speedway
Javonte Williams

Cowboys Sign Javonte Williams to Three-Year, $24 Million Extension
Joel Armia

Wraps Up Olympics With Three-Point Performance
Daniil Tarasov

Available for Panthers
Evan Rodrigues

Set to Return Next Week
Aaron Ekblad

Expected to Play Thursday
Pavel Zacha

Cleared for Action
Travis Etienne Jr.

has "Legitimate Interest" in Joining Chiefs
Zach Charbonnet

Undergoes Knee Surgery on Friday
CFB

Curt Cignetti Agrees to New Deal With Indiana, Will Earn $13.2 Million Per Year
Anthony Hernandez

Set For UFC Houston Main Event
Sean Strickland

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Uros Medic

Set For UFC Houston Co-Main Event
Geoff Neal

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Melquizael Costa

A Favorite At UFC Houston
Dan Ige

An Underdog At UFC Houston
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF