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

H2H Category Streamers - Week 17 Waiver Wire

Players to target or add from the waiver wire in Week 17 for fantasy baseball H2H (head-to-head) leagues. Nicklaus Gaut identifies the top pickups of the week based on rising fantasy value.

There are plenty of strategies that fantasy managers explore in hopes of getting an advantage over their opponent. Heavy lineup, heavy starting pitchers, no catcher, all (or mostly) reliever staff, no reliever staff, etc. Even if you play a balanced lineup, injuries can cause holes. A few weeks without a key player won’t kill a season, but why accept losing when you can stream?

Streaming can be a risky business. If you do it right and check the necessary boxes, you can win the week. This column will do most of the work for you. It’ll cover weekly recommendations for when you need: steals, home runs, average, strikeouts, wins, and/or ratios (ERA/WHIP).

All position eligibility and ownership percentages are based on Yahoo! Fantasy leagues.

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

 

Steals – Head-to-Head Category Streamers

Manuel Margot (OF, SD) - 12% Owned

Margot has mostly been a disappointment this year in a crowded San Diego outfield, slashing .240/.310/.380 with only six home runs over the Padres' first 86 games. But Margot has at least been running, with his 12 stolen bases so far putting him on pace to beat his previous high of 17 swiped bags in 2017. And over his past 15 games, Margot has started to heat up at the plate as well; slashing .250/.400/.591 with four home runs and 14 runs scored.

This is a great week to pick up the Friar as the Padres have a three-game series against the Mets and Giants. These are not just bad teams; they are bad teams who are horrible at limiting stolen bases, with the Mets leading the league in stolen bases allowed, and the Giants coming in at fifth-worst.

Myles Straw (SS/OF, HOU) - 1% Owned

For the time being, Myles Straw has escaped minor-league purgatory and is up with the big club and starting regularly at shortstop, after spending his whole career in the outfield. But the Astros wanted to increase his versatility and had him start working at short in the minors. And now, after spending most of the first two months of his call-up as a fill-in outfielder/pinch-runner, Straw has started 13 of the Astros' last 15 games at shortstop.

With zero home runs and a .250 average over that time, Straw won't give you much help in other categories, but he does have a .400 OBP and three stolen bases over that time. This week may be a good opportunity to grab some Straw as the Astros have three games against Oakland, who have allowed the third-most stolen bases to opposing runners this year.

 

Home Runs – Head-to-Head Category Streamers

Travis D'Arnaud (C/1B, TB) - 28% Owned

After the Rays traded for D'Arnaud to address an injury to starter Mike Zunino, the former Met struggled mightily, getting only one hit in his first eight games, along with a 30% K-rate. But the Rays have seemingly sprinkled some of their magic baseball dust on the former top prospect and in 127 plate appearances since May 24th, D'Arnaud is slashing .316/.370/.614 with nine home runs, 26 RBI, and 26 Runs.

Next week, D'Arnaud and the Rays get the Red Sox at home for three games, with Boston set to throw Rodriguez, Sale, and Price; which while being a daunting set of pitchers, are also three lefthanders, against whom D'Arnaud holds a .298 ISO against. Next, he'll have three games in Toronto where he'll face Trent Thornton and...? Probably Thomas Pannone (a lefty) and then whoever the Blue Jays decide to send out instead of Aaron Sanchez, Human Gas Can. Or maybe Sanchez himself. Either way, it's win-win if you're hunting home runs.

Kole Calhoun (OF, LAA) - 23% Owned

Angels outfielder Kole Calhoun just keeps quietly trucking away in the giant Trout-sized shadow that looms eternal over Anaheim. After a down year in 2018, in which he only slashed .208/.283/.369, Calhoun has rebounded in 2019, currently slashing .238/.328/.479 with 21 home runs in 385 plate appearances after hitting 19 HR in 552 PA last year. While the ratios aren't all that impressive, the .479 SLG is a career-high, his .241 ISO is 62 points higher than his previous best, and Calhoun is carrying a 12.0% barrel-rate that's also the best of his career.

This week, the Angels have two games on the road at Dodger Stadium before heading back home for a four-game set against the Baltimore Orioles and their bullpen that currently has a league-worst 6.16 ERA.

 

Batting Average – Head-to-Head Category Streamers

Kevin Newman (2B/SS, PIT) – 38% Owned

What does Kevin Newman need to do in order for his ownership to jump? Through 266 plate appearances in 68 games, Newman is slashing .331/.370/.468. And while average may be what you pick him up for, Newman doesn't really hurt you in any category, with his 162-game pace for counting stats coming in at: 14 HR - 83 RBI - 62 Runs - 14 SB

Over the past month, Newman has been even more impressive, slashing .356/.380/.529 with four home runs and three stolen bases. This week he has a full seven-game week with four games against the Cardinals at home and three on the road against the Mets.

Donovan Solano (2B/SS, SF) – < 1% Owned

Who? 31-year-old Donovan Solano, that's who. As Brandon Crawford and Joe Panik have floundered, Solano has flourished and consequently eaten into Crawford and Panik's playing time. Solano has now started 13 of the Giants' last 15 games and it's easy to see why. Since June 5th he is slashing .392/.418/.554 with a 154 wRC+ over 79 plate appearances. Available everywhere, Solano can provide a cheap boost of average now, and is easily dropped, if and when he slows down.

 

Strikeouts – Head-to-Head Category Streamers

Anthony DeSclafani (SP, CIN) – 16% Owned

The best thing DeSclafani has done so far this year is to stay healthy, as his 18 starts are only three shy of his highest total since he started 31 games in 2015. His 4.29 ERA and 1.32 WHIP aren't going to help your ratios but Tony Disco has increased his strikeout skills, with a 23.9% K-rate that's a career-high.

This week, he gets a start at home against the recently offensively-challenged Colorado Rockies, who've posted only an 81 wRC+ against right-handers over the past 30 days, as well as a 24.7% K-rate.

Andrew Heaney (SP, LAA) - 38% Owned

High hopes that Heaney would finally be healthy were stalled in spring when elbow inflammation landed him on the injured list again, with Heaney ultimately not returning until May 26th. In his first three starts of the year, Heaney reminded the world of his swing-and-miss skills, racking up 28 punch-outs in his first 17 innings of the year. He also gave up six home runs in those three starts, which certainly rubbed some of the shine off of the strikeout numbers but hopes for his success still remained high. Heaney has corrected the longball problem since, allowing just three home runs in his last seven starts.

This week, he gets the perfect elixir; a home matchup against the Baltimore Orioles and their 26.3% K-rate against left-handed pitching.

 

Wins - Head-to-Head Category Streamers

Dario Agrazal (SP, PIT) – 2% Owned

Free for all who want him, the Pittsburgh rookie - while not overly impressive - has mostly held his own in his first four starts in the big leagues, going 2-0 with a 2.45 ERA. But don't get too excited because that ERA is backed up by a 6.63 xFIP and almost a 90% strand-rate. He's also only struck out seven batters in his 22 innings, so if you're in the need of strikeouts or need to be careful on your ratios,  then you need to be very careful with Agrazal because regression will likely soon come. But if you're hunting wins, then Agrazal is a sneaky gambit in a two-start week.

First, he gets St. Louis at home, and while St. Louis has won four of their six games since the break - including two against the Pirates - they still have a 70 wRC+ and .647 OPS against right-handers since June first. In his second start, Agrazal goes on the road to face the New York Mets in a pitcher's park against a team that even after winning four of their last five games, is still seven games below .500.

Marco Gonzales (SP, SEA) - 44% Owned

With 44% ownership already, Marco Gonzalez may not be available in your league; but if he is, Gonzalez sets up for a nice two-start week at home, starting with the Rangers on Monday. While Texas is probably the better team, it cannot be understated how just bad they are against left-handed pitching; with a 28.2% K-rate and a 79 wRC+ against the wrong-handers this season.

Gonzalez will have an even better shot at a win when the Mariners host the 29 - 62 Detroit Tigers later in the week along with their 26.3% K-rate against left-handers that is third-worst in baseball, as well as holding only a .715 OPS.

 

ERA/WHIP - Head-to-Head Category Streamers

Daniel Poncedeleon (SP, STL) - 39% Owned

St. Louis rookie PoncedeLeon has been one of the few recent bright spots for the Cardinals with a sub-three ERA and a 29.9% K-rate over his first 33 big-league innings. His last start against the Pirates did not go as well, with Ponce de Leon giving up four earned runs in less than four innings before being pulled. But even with that blowup, he still carries a 2.80 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP into a two-start week.

First up, is a rematch with those same Pirates, on Monday; followed by a scheduled Saturday start at home against the Astros. While neither matchup is ideal, Ponce de Leon has so far shown an ability to limit baserunners and could give your ratios a boost this week.

Ryan Yarbrough (SP/RP, TB) - 12% Owned

After surprising the world with 16 wins in 2018 as the poster child of Tampa Bay's "opener/follower" strategy, Ryan Yarbrough's encore season started with a thunk. Call them follows or delayed-starts but over Yarbrough's first ten appearances, the left-hander went five and three, with a bloated 5.59 ERA. The one positive over this stretch was that he still managed to keep a low 1.02 WHIP, even though his K/9 was under seven.

Since the bad start, Yarbrough has actually been quite good over his past five appearances, with a 1.27 ERA and 0.76 WHIP over 21 innings. Nothing is ever certain when it comes to the Rays but it looks like Yarbrough lines up to follow for Friday's game in Toronto against a Blue Jays team that has a 24% K-rate against left-handers and only a 90 wRC+.

More Streamers and Head-to-Head League Columns




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

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
Austin Cindric

Remains an Overrated Road Racer
Brad Keselowski

Likely to Brush Past Chicago Street Course to Focus on Daytona
NASCAR

John H. Nemechek One of the Best Underdog Options After Strong Runs at Mexico City and Last Year
Cole Custer

Strong Mexico City Run and Xfinity Series Chicago Win Make Him a Solid DFS Option
Erik Jones

Likely Not Good Enough on Road Courses for DFS Consideration Despite Poor Qualifying Result
Noah Gragson

May Be Better Than Other Cheap DFS Options
Riley Herbst

Despite Decent Mexico City Run, Don't Expect Riley Herbst to Contend at Chicago
Cody Ware

Is a Road Course Veteran, but It's Rarely Helped Him in NASCAR
Shane Van Gisbergen

Shane van Gisbergen Is The Heavy Favorite to Win at Chicago Street Course
Christopher Bell

Should Be Strong Despite Practice Struggles at Chicago Street Course
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
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Potential Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade may not Happen Until "August, September"
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
Houston Rockets

Jock Landale Waived by Rockets
Bo Bichette

Back in Blue Jays Lineup
Jonas Valančiūnas

Jonas Valanciunas Considering Returning to Europe
Miles Sanders

Works With Starters During Mandatory Minicamp
Jabari Walker

Signs Two-Way Deal With Sixers
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
Byron Young

Still Improving?
Cody Simon

Jonathan Gannon has Been Impressed With Cody Simon
SirVocea Dennis

has Impressive Offseason
Trevor Penning

Could Still Have a Role in New Orleans
Jonathan Kuminga

Warriors Decline Recent Offer for Jonathan Kuminga
Orlando Magic

Moritz Wagner, Magic Agree to One-Year Deal
Clarke Schmidt

Placed on Injured List
José Soriano

Jose Soriano Throws Gem Against Braves
Robbie Ray

Earns Ninth Win in Complete Game
T.J. Watt

Likely to Reset the Edge-Rush Market
George Springer

Blasts Two Homers, Drives in Four
James Wood

Goes Yard in Five-Hit Night
Bradley Beal

Suns Discussing Potential Buyout
Los Angeles Lakers

Jaxson Hayes Staying with the Lakers
NBA

Damian Lillard "Open" to Signing With a Team This Offseason
Max Muncy

Out at Least Six Weeks
Clarke Schmidt

Leaves Start with Forearm Tightness
Colson Montgomery

Promoted to the Major Leagues
Pittsburgh Steelers

Omar Khan, Steelers Agree to Three-Year Contract
Max Muncy

Goes on Injured List With Knee Bruise
Max Muncy

Out of Thursday's Lineup
James Wood

Joining Home Run Derby
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
Chau Smith-Wade

Having Stellar Offseason
Ace Bailey

Inks Rookie Contract With Jazz
Divine Deablo

Could be the Quarterback of the Defense
Isaiah Rodgers

a Likely Starter for the Vikings
Boston Celtics

Josh Minott Inks Deal With Celtics
Sandro Mamukelashvili

Heading to Toronto
Jared McCain

Not on 76ers Summer League Roster
Dylan Harper

Unavailable for California Classic
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
Cleveland Cavaliers

Larry Nance Jr. Headed Back to Cavaliers
Eric Gordon

Remaining with 76ers
Los Angeles Lakers

Deandre Ayton Joining Lakers
Emil Heineman

Signs Two-Year Deal with Islanders
Simon Holmstrom

Re-Signs with Islanders for Two Years
UTA

Nate Schmidt Signs Three-Year Deal with Mammoth
UTA

Brandon Tanev Moves to Utah on Three-Year Contract
NJ

Evgenii Dadonov Joins Devils on One-Year Deal
BUF

Sabres Snap Up Alex Lyon on Two-Year Contract
Dallas Mavericks

Dante Exum Returning to Dallas
Jaren Jackson Jr.

Has Surgery to Repair a Turf Toe Injury
Bud Cauley

in Great Form Ahead of John Deere Classic
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

a Player to Avoid at John Deere Classic
Jake Knapp

Riding Momentum Ahead of John Deere Classic
PGA

Sungjae Im Looking for Consistency at John Deere Classic
Ryan Gerard

a Solid Option at John Deere Classic
Rickie Fowler

Looking to Rebound at John Deere Classic
Cameron Champ

a Volatile Option at John Deere Classic
Jackson Suber

Staying Below 70 is Key to Success for Jackson Suber
Kevin Roy

Playing Better Heading into John Deere Classic
Justin Lower

Hoping for Something Positive in Illinois
Ben Kohles

a Long Shot at John Deere Classic
Stephan Jaeger

Attempts to Stop Roller-Coaster Ride
Beau Hossler

Needs a Challenge in Illinois
Harry Higgs

Has Potential at John Deere Classic
Nick Dunlap

Keeps Plugging Through Tough 2025 Season
Kevin Yu

a Near Must-Play at TPC Deere Run
PGA

J.T. Poston Returns to John Deere Classic Looking for Another High Finish
Thriston Lawrence

a Decent Fit For John Deere Classic
Tom Kim

Not Finding Much to be Happy About Ahead of John Deere Classic
Si Woo Kim

is a Prohibitive Fade at John Deere Classic
Ben Griffin

is the Appropriate Favorite at TPC Deere Run
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF