FAAB Waiver Wire Bidding - Fantasy Baseball Pickups to Target for Week 21 (August 17 - August 23)

August 15, 2026

Kevin's FAAB fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups and bidding guide for Week 21 (August 17 - August 23). His recommended FAAB dollars to spend on waiver wire adds.

Welcome back, RotoBallers, to our Week 21 fantasy baseball FAAB waiver wire pickups for August 17 - August 23. I'm covering for Joey over the next couple of weeks and am hoping to bring you the same level of analysis he has this summer. For those new to this weekly series, we dive into the best fantasy baseball waiver wire targets every week for leagues that use FAAB (free agent acquisition budget) and our recommended dollar bid amounts for waivers.

This week, I will look at the 10 best waiver wire pickups for Week 21. I'll include six hitters and four pitchers that fantasy managers should be bidding on this weekend. As a reminder, we only look at players rostered in under 40% of Yahoo! leagues.

Now let's dive in to find out the best players to target for Week 21 of the fantasy baseball season.

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Hitters to Target

Josh Bell, 1B, Minnesota Twins

22% rostered
FAAB Bid: ~4-5% 

It's hard not to like what the vet's been doing over the past couple weeks. Bell has been seeing the ball well, slashing .340/.415/.553 for a 174 wRC+ as of Friday. His nine runs scored lead the Twins in that span. He's been doing well with his expected stats also, posting a .373 xwOBA.

That's a solid number to back that's sitting on the majority of waiver wires for relatively little risk. He gets matchups against the Padres and Athletics this week. Don't let the series in San Diego scare you away, as he's not getting their best starters, giving us an advantage. For the right price, the switch-hitter could give you some real bang for your buck.

Griffin Conine, OF, Miami Marlins

22% rostered
FAAB Bid: 6-8% 

Conine may be one of the players I'm highest on in the league right now. I wrote about him a couple weeks ago in my Breakouts vs Fake Outs article, and I've loved what he's done since. Over the last 14 days, he's smashing for a 194 wRC+. That's a .462 wOBA and a .465 xwOBA, even with a 28.3% strikeout rate. A 56.0% hard-hit rate and a 24.0% barrel rate in that span will really help get you results.

GRIFFIN CONINE IS SIZZLING ♨️ pic.twitter.com/EZ0ZcJNICj

— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) August 13, 2026

His seven runs and seven RBI are tied for the Marlins' lead in that span, making him one of their more important players. He's simply finding every way to contribute, even with a 17.4% walk rate. If you're looking for a guy that could be a game-changer down the stretch, then get Conine on your roster.

Nolan Arenado, 3B,  Arizona Diamondbacks

28% rostered
FAAB Bid: 5% 

I mentioned Arenado as a waiver wire target a few weeks ago, and he's still sitting at a lowly 28% rostered number. With his recent production and the overall effectiveness of Arizona's lineup, he absolutely should be on more rosters. He's hitting for a 133 wRC+ over the last 14 days, fueled by a 10.0% walk rate and four homers.

The 35-year-old has been the ninth-best fantasy producer at third base over those two weeks. His production levels should continue to stay high. After an early-week series at Fenway, he'll get tasty matchups against the Reds back at Chase Field.

Cam Smith, OF, Houston Astros

19% rostered
FAAB Bid: 5% 

Smith can be, admittedly, a very streaky player. When he's cold, there's not much there. But when he gets rolling as he has been? It's a thing of beauty. Smith has been mashing over the last 14 days, slashing .410/.439/.718 for a 225 wRC+. While that level of production won't stay that high, he's still been hitting for a .370 xwOBA. So this isn't just a streak where luck has been paramount.

Yes, he's been finding holes, but he's also hitting it hard and barreling it at a 13.8% rate. The productive hits should keep coming. He could cool off, but it shouldn't happen next week with the Angels and A's on deck.

Henry Bolte, OF, Athletics

4% rostered
FAAB Bid: 2-5%

Early in the season, Bolte's name was popping off as a popular add. He had a ton of hype in the minors and started off hot as well. A cold July seems to have kept him off many fantasy managers' radars, but maybe that's a mistake. In August, he's turned it around and is back to hitting for a 138 wRC+, driven by a .310 BA and a couple of homers to boot.

Henry Bolte adds his 5th Home Run of the year to make it 7-2 @Athletics!

🎙️ @JDoskow #MLB #HomeRun #Baseball #Athletics pic.twitter.com/hvQomfmN0q

— A's Cast (@athleticscast24) August 8, 2026

He's added on a couple stolen bases too, helping to showcase his upper-echelon speed. At 4% rostered, you're not going to have much competition for him. So don't overpay for him, but I do think you'll like the results you get in the near-term if he makes it on your roster.

Cole Carrigg, OF, Colorado Rockies

26% rostered
FAAB Bid: 2-5% 

As a Rockies fan, I have to try and get my guys in when I can. Carrigg fits the bill perfectly here at 26% rostered. The switch-hitter has been the talk of the town in Denver, showcasing skills all over the field. With the bat, he's hit for a .341 wOBA in August, which is paired with a .356 xwOBA. That's positive regression, and I love to see it.

Carrigg has been getting more consistent playing time since the trade deadline, getting regular starts in center field. He'll continue to get those starts and will be a key piece of Colorado's lineup going forward. Outfield is a deep position in fantasy baseball, but if there's space, then Carrigg can be a great complementary piece to your roster.

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pitchers to Target

Tyler Mahle, SP, Atlanta Braves

39% rostered
FAAB Bid: 7-10% 

From a full-season perspective, Mahle has been an underwhelming starter. However, it's starting to look like he's getting things turned around over his last few starts. In his last three outings, he's notched 26 strikeouts, adding up to a 37.7% strikeout rate. Two of those starts have come with Atlanta, where he's ultimately increased his chances of recording a win compared to his time in San Francisco.

Tyler Mahle, Dirty 88mph Splitter. ✌️

6th K pic.twitter.com/xwUfMHctcD

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 13, 2026

I'm banking on Mahle being much better with the change of environment in Atlanta. Competitive baseball can do wonders for a player's mindset. He's slated for two starts next week, one against Minnesota and one against Milwaukee. The Brewers matchup is tough, but having two starts gives him a lot of potential for Week 21.

Kyle Leahy, SP, St. Louis Cardinals

18% rostered
FAAB Bid: 5% 

Leahy's another two-start pitcher in Week 21, slated to go against the Reds and Phillies. He's faced each of them within his last four starts, allowing just three earned runs across 13 IP while striking out 15. Those prior matchups give Leahy a lot of appeal for this upcoming week.

Outside of those two matchups, he's still been a very good pitcher in the second half of the season. He's posting a 2.54 FIP and a 2.34 xFIP in his five starts since the All-Star break. Very quietly, he's cooking. And as long as the strikeout numbers stay high, then he'll be a very solid pitcher for the rest of the season.

David Peterson, SP, Chicago Cubs

10% rostered
FAAB Bid: ~2-5% 

It hasn't quite been the greatest of seasons for Peterson, but I think the tide may start turning for him with the Cubs here shortly. He's allowed three or fewer ER in each of his last three starts while recording six or more strikeouts in two of them. He's still got some walk issues he's got to get resolved, but the tick up in strikeouts is what's really driving me to view Peterson as a solid fantasy option going forward.

He'll get the rock on Tuesday against the White Sox. While Chicago's offense can produce at a high level, they're more lefty-dominant, and that gives Peterson a bit of a platoon advantage. You don't have to stretch your budget to add Peterson, but I do think he's on the right path to turning things around. Him on your roster, even as a stash, may help you out down the line.

Jacob Webb, RP, Chicago Cubs

4% rostered
FAAB Bid: ~2-5% if you need saves

Now for a sneaky play. Webb has been one of the Cubs' best relievers this year and has been cooking in the second half. He's yet to give up an earned run while posting a 9.26 K/9 since the break. He's also been the Cubs' main guy in the ninth inning, notching three saves in August.

With a wiffle ball changeup, Jacob Webb has been one of the league leaders in whiffs (95th percentile).

Last night, he ended the game with three straight changeups, getting Abrams to whiff on the first two and roll over the last one to Nico.

Webb's ERA is now 2.38. pic.twitter.com/EEwKKcY0zP

— Brendan Miller (@brendan_cubs) August 12, 2026

He's becoming a dominant bullpen arm that's very under-the-radar. At 4% rostered, you're not likely to have much competition in bidding and don't have to stretch your budget. But a little bit of focus on Webb can really help stabilize any of your own bullpen issues your roster may have.

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