RADIO
Dan's top hitter streamers and starts as fantasy baseball waiver wire adds for Week 21 of 2026 (August 17 - August 23). He analyzes streamers with favorable matchups, schedules.
What even is this "fantasy football" thing that I am hearing about right now? You better believe that we are still "locked in" (as the kids say) on baseball here at RotoBaller and ready to lead you and your fantasy baseball team to a title!
My weekly hitters, streamers, fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups column will identify hitters with favorable matchups who can be considered for waiver wire pickups or streamers ahead of Sunday night's waiver wire runs in leagues with weekly transactions. Because of format changes to Yahoo leagues this year, the players featured in this article are rostered in 30% or fewer leagues on Yahoo (yes, I'm increasing this number as the wire is already getting picked over pretty aggressively this season).
You can also check out the rest of our fantasy baseball streamer content here at RotoBaller. Now, let's see which hitters we should consider grabbing off the wire as we roll into Week 21 of the fantasy baseball season!
Featured Promo: Save 50% off the regular price with discount code SUMMER, for a limited time. Exclusive access to our Team Sync platform, DFS cheat sheets, Lineup Optimizers, betting/prop picks, and exclusive content from Nick Mariano and Eric Cross! GAIN ACCESS NOW
What Teams Offer the Most Streaming Value for Week 21?
Only six teams play a full seven-game week, while all other teams play six games.
Seven-Game Weeks: BAL, CIN, KCR, ATH, STL, and TBR.
Ballpark Upgrades:
- CIN (four games at home, three games at ARI)
- CLE (three games at COL)
- LAD (three games at COL)
- STL (four games at CIN, three games at PHI)
- TB (three games at BAL)
Week 21 Fantasy Baseball Hitter Streamers
I'll recommend only players who are rostered in 30 percent or fewer leagues, and all roster percentages are from Yahoo!
Alejandro Kirk, C - TOR (27%)
The veteran backstop took a little while to get back up to speed, but is back to doing what he does best - hit for average and drive in runs. The Blue Jays need his bat in their lineup as they continue to struggle to score with any consistency, and he keeps drawing a lineup spot in the top half of the lineup whenever he's in it.
Cole Carrigg, OF - COL (25%)
He had a pretty ho-hum week, but I firmly believe the arrow is still pointing up for Carrigg and he's done enough so far in his rookie year to warrant more rostership than this!
Griffin Conine, OF - MIA (23%)
Conine has drawn eight straight starts for Miami, hitting cleanup for the Marlins in his last three games. His power against RHP is substantial, and he showed it off again this week with three more home runs, giving him 13 on the season in just 161 at-bats.
The highest OPS in the 2nd half among qualified hitters:
1) Yordan Alvarez (1.043 OPS)
2) Jackson Merrill (1.032 OPS)
3) GRIFFIN CONINE (1.024 OPS) 🐠Miami’s lefty slugger is breaking out in a big way! pic.twitter.com/xsm6u5Yz74
— Just Baseball (@JustBB_Media) August 14, 2026
There are still some holes in his swing that lead to a lot of strikeouts, but he's making some really quality contact lately and is easily one of my favorite pickups this week and possibly for the rest of the year.
Josh Bell, 1B - MIN (22%)
Is Josh Bell really a top-30 player of the last two weeks? He sure is. I mentioned last week that he's a guy who can ride when he gets hot, and he continues to produce this week with two more multi-hit games and another home run. He has 72 RBI this season, and it's like you people don't even care!
Cam Smith, OF - HOU (19%)
The arrow on Smith continues to point up. He smacked his 16th home run this week and is a five-tool prospect who is finally breaking out for the Astros. A matchup with the Angels pitching staff to start this week is definitely worth targeting, too, even if you're just looking at the short-term upside.
Cam Smith since July 29th
50 PA
.375 AVG
.400 OBP
.688 SLG
1.088 OPS
.313 ISO
pic.twitter.com/Y9NjunMrlQ— Kirk Snyder (@dynastyinfo411) August 15, 2026
Zac Veen, OF - COL (15%)
I know the Rockies get the Dodgers to start the week, but Veen's power upside is too tantalizing to pass up. He crushed a dinger in each of his first two games of the season before going 0-3 yesterday.
Zac Veen splashes one into McCovey Cove at 111.3 MPH 😳 pic.twitter.com/pTHL91v7c7
— MLB (@MLB) August 15, 2026
He had 24 long balls in the minor leagues this year and only a 20% K%, so there's some significant potential here if the power and plate discipline transfer to his performance at the MLB level.
Abimelec Ortiz, 1B/OF - WAS (13%)
The Washington youngster has been hot at the plate, hitting three home runs this week. He's hitting .306 through his first 13 games and should keep earning starts for a Washington team dealing with injuries. I think the power may have been a bit fluky, but I am interested in the hit tool and a solid lineup spot (hitting second most days).
Nolan Schanuel, 1B - LAA (10%)
Schanuel is the most boring pick-up ever, but if you value batting average or play in an on-base percentage league, he has more value as he's a guy who makes a ton of contact. He should continue to see more RBI opportunities hitting in the three-hole behind Zach Neto and Mike Trout.
Jeff McNeil, 1B/2B/OF - ATH (8%)
Don't look now, but the former Met is making some noise at the plate of late. He hit his fifth home run of the season this week and led off for the Athletics in three games before sliding down into the three-hole yesterday. Yes, the Athletics lineup is in a sad state of affairs, but McNeil has always been a plus hitter, so more opportunities and a solid lineup spot have me intrigued as a stop-gap solution at first, second, or in the outfield.
Tim Tawa, 1B/2B/OF - ARI (8%)
Tawa has the same eligibility as McNeil, but is guaranteed to be in the lineup every day as he's not in a platoon. He smacked another home run this week, and swiped three bags, too. He's quietly putting together a nice second half to the year and is definitely worth a look in deeper formats.
Braden Montgomery, OF - CWS (7%)
I was high on the rookie Montgomery going into the second half of the season, but he's continued to be fairly inconsistent at the plate. So the breakout is on hold for now, but I am still holding him in leagues where I scooped him up a while ago. He did hit cleanup twice this week and from the five-slot in all of his other starts, meaning the White Sox still believe in him, too.
Eduardo Valencia, C/1B - DET (7%)
How is there a hitter on waivers who is hitting over .400 with an OPS of 1.291? Meet Eduardo Valencia, the Detroit rookie who is destroying baseballs with regularity any time the Tigers put him in the lineup.
Eduardo Valencia has put 32 balls in play this season.
22/32 had a 90+ MPH exit velocity.
14/32 had a 100+ MPH exit velocity. pic.twitter.com/YLHAxiPQbu— Tigers Data (@TigersData) August 13, 2026
The issue is that he's been stuck on the weak side of a platoon, only drawing starts against lefties. Perhaps that changes soon, as he's crushed two home runs in his last three games and is getting slotted into the cleanup spot in the lineup. It's only been 52 at-bats, but Valencia clearly has big-time power potential and was raking at Triple-A (.291 with 17 home runs) before coming up, too.
Jared Young, 1B/OF - NYM (3%)
The Mets have had to turn to their farm system this year, and Young is making a strong case of late to be included in their plans. The 30-year-old lefty (so we can't exactly refer to him as a prospect, despite the fact that he had only about 100 MLB at-bats before this season) is hitting .350 over the last two weeks with nine RBI.
Stay hot, Jared Young!
He brings in two runs with a double! pic.twitter.com/4b6TnMy4GJ
— SNY (@SNYtv) August 15, 2026
He's played his way into a regular spot in the lineup and has been arguably their most consistent hitter in August.
Nathaniel Lowe, 1B - CLE (3%)
I mentioned Lowe last week, and he drew starts in five of Cleveland's six games so far this week, hitting in the four hole for all but one of those. He cracked another home run and looks like he'll continue to be the strong-side platoon at first base for the Guardians the rest of the way.
Good luck this week, and choose those streaming options wisely! As always, thanks for making RotoBaller your choice for fantasy baseball content all season long!
More Fantasy Baseball Analysis
Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App
Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy baseball app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, sleepers, prospects & more. All free!
