This week, let's focus on potential. It's hard to find guys languishing on the waiver wire in the midst of a productive season. No, all those guys are long gone. But there are plenty of guys with the potential to do big things. The key is to sniff out the guys who are primed to do big things right now and then hang on tight before the production starts streaming in.

Sometimes potential comes in the form of a recently promoted rookie who has slashed his way through the minors. Other times, it's veterans who have been experiencing a lull, for some reason like injury or just plain fatigue. The key to maneuvering the waiver wire is to predict which of these slumping sluggers is poised for a comeback. That's where we come in.

Editor's Note: RotoBaller has the best Premium MLB Subscription for only $1.99 per week. We have all the tools to help win your seasonal and daily leagues: Hitter & Pitcher Streamers, Matchup Ratings for every player, Sleeper Surgers for AVG, HR, Ks, PLUS Daily DFS Cheat Sheets, Lineup Picks, Expert Lineups, Stacks and Avoids. 

Week 17 Outfield Targets

David Dahl, Colorado Rockies

Owned in 22% of Fleaflicker Leagues

In a surprising turn of events that shocked fans and analysts alike, top prospect David Dahl has been called up to the big leagues by the Colorado Rockies. The only astounding aspect of the promotion is the timing -- the Rockies are nowhere near playoff contention and should have no need for young talent at this point in the season. Usually, top prospects like Dahl get called up in September for a brief taste of the Majors. Apparently, the Rockies front office was comfortable enough to pull the trigger a bit prematurely on one of the league's most promising young stars.

Dahl is a double threat with enough power and speed to break 30 HR and/or 30 SB in a season once he reaches his prime. In 92 games between Double- and Triple-A this season, the 22 year-old has gone .314/.394/.569 with 18 homers and 17 steals. Who knows what this guy will be able to do in 81 games at Coors Field? He went 1-for-4 in his first game against Baltimore the other day, registering his first MLB hit. Expect the hits, homers and steals to keep on coming. This guy will not be on the waiver wire for long.

Steve Pearce, Tampa Bay Rays

Owned in 44% of Fleaflicker Leagues

Steve Pearce has put his perennial injury behind him, as he recently returned from a month-long stint on the DL last week. The performance has been spotty since his return. He's gone 5-for-22 with a dinger and four RBI. But Pearce has as much potential as anybody in a utility role. Before hitting the DL in June, Pearce was slashing a tremendous .322/.393/.540 with 25 RBI and 23 runs scored.

Counting stats are hard to come by in Tampa Bay this year, but Pearce has been known to go on power streaks before. With Baltimore, he slugged eight long balls in one month with a 1.188 OPS in the process. If you need a bench addition for your team, this is your guy. He is currently eligible at 1B, 2B, and OF. After all, he's got a lot more upside than someone like Brock Holt.

Tommy Pham, St. Louis Cardinals

Owned in 3% of Fleaflicker Leagues

Tommy Pham received his first significant call up back in July of 2015 and immediately asserted himself as an important part of the Cardinals outfield. He boasted a .268/.347/.477 line in 52 games with five home runs, 18 RBI and 28 runs scored, making him an undeniably worthwhile waiver wire pickup for the second half of the season.

This year, his plate approach is looking a bit different. The batting average is down 30 points. The OBP is down 40 points. However, the power has increased significantly. In just 31 games thus far, Pham has swatted six homers (one more than all of last year) and driven up his slugging percentage to .525, up 48 points from last year. Though the Cardinals outfield has gotten pretty crowded with a healthy Randal Grichuk in the mix, Pham has started every game since his promotion except for two. The 28 year-old from Las Vegas is technically in the prime of his career. Whose team will he be on when the homers start coming in swarms?

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"]