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 Points League Pitchers - Overvalued & Undervalued

Riley Mrack's starting pitcher sleepers and busts for head-to-head points leagues. Identify undervalued and overvalued SPs for 2019 fantasy baseball drafts.

If a rotisserie fantasy baseball league had a younger brother, it would be the points league. Not that it’s necessarily inferior, but the points format is trying to make a name for itself after the roto leagues have paved the way for decades. It’s a setup that’s gaining some popularity as it pits you against your league-mates in a weekly head-to-head battle, comparable to fantasy football.

With most fantasy baseball articles referring to mainly 5x5 roto scoring, we’ll plunge into a few starting pitchers who have different values attached to them in a points league. There are no categories to balance out when drafting your roster, so managers need to focus on specific qualities in pitchers when deciding on who to select.

To determine a higher value for a pitcher, K-BB% and K/BB are essential statistics to study because in most points leagues a strikeout is worth the same as a walk. It is more valuable to have a pitcher with less strikeout potential if they can limit the free pass significantly better; that way he can accumulate more points. Innings-eaters are also more beneficial for your team considering more innings equal more points for your squad. Now that we understand these concepts a bit more let’s look at some overvalued and undervalued arms you’ll want to target or avoid in your points league.

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

 

Overvalued Starters - H2H Points Leagues

Jack Flaherty, St. Louis Cardinals

Jack Flaherty had a stellar rookie season in 2018, but some qualities downgrade him points leagues. He averaged just over 5.1 innings a start as the Cardinals kept him on a rather short leash a year ago. They will continue this approach with their prized hurler in 2019, limiting his potential for wins, and a larger accumulation of strikeouts. Flaherty’s 9.6% walk rate also would have finished among the league's bottom-seven in this category, further driving down his overall value in this format.

Rich Hill, Los Angeles Dodgers

The glaring concern with Rich Hill surrounds his inability to stay on the field. It’s a foregone conclusion that Hill will continue to ail from blister problems, not to mention any other pending issues that come with a 39-year-old body. The southpaw has failed to pitch more than 135 IP in over ten years, so we’re looking at a much lower ceiling for points than someone who will toss 180 IP. Hill will undoubtedly remain effective when on the mound, but missing about a third of the season could crush your goal of a championship if he's injured during or close to your playoffs.

Sean Newcomb, Atlanta Braves

One of the many young hurlers on the Braves team already making strides in the majors is Sean Newcomb. The left-hander has massive potential in the strikeout column, which drafters drool over in roto leagues. In a points setup, however, Newcomb’s ghastly 11.6% walk rate from last season proves he’s got control issues. His 11.4 K-BB% was a bottom-15 number in the bigs in 2018, canceling out the majority of his points earned from generating a strikeout. As with any young pitcher, Newcomb will have a cap on his innings as well in 2019. 180 IP figures to be a best-case scenario, and with control issues, he isn't as probable to pitch deep into games.

 

Undervalued Starters - H2H Points Leagues

Zack Greinke, Arizona Diamondbacks

Zack Greinke has lost the sexiness attached to his name from a few years ago, but that doesn’t mean he’s not a fantasy asset. He’s now eclipsed over 200 IP in four out of five seasons, making him an ironman of sorts in this day and age of baseball. While his peak strikeout days are behind him, Greinke is efficient with control as he finished in the top-10 in BB% in 2018 (5.1 BB%). He’s demonstrated a long track history of this command and an ability to rack up innings. These factors make him a suitable target as your SP2.

German Marquez, Colorado Rockies

Fantasy owners shy away from German Marquez in roto leagues because of the hitter’s paradise that he calls home. His swing-and-miss dominance can counter the inflated amount of runs that he may give up due to this fact. His 28.2% K-rate finished as 10th-best a year ago, and he has a strong history in the minors of minimizing walks. His 21.2 K-BB% in 2018 was impressive for a 24-year-old, but there’s absolutely room for growth in this category with more seasoning under his belt.

Ross Stripling, Los Angeles Dodgers

Ross Stripling is quickly developing into a favorite target in all types of fantasy leagues. A unique attribute that Stripling has is his SP/RP designation. In points leagues, relievers aren’t as necessary as you don’t need to search for saves like you do in a roto format. You can throw Stripling in an RP slot on your roster, and he can pile up more points than your standard RP2 or RP3 that you would have to choose in a roto league. Stripling also carried an impressive 22.7 K-BB% in 2018, good enough for an eighth-place finish among qualifying pitchers in 2018. Innings may be a concern, but in your RP slot, Stripling is a steal in value.

More 2019 Fantasy Baseball Advice





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

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
Max Scherzer

Cleared to Start on Saturday
SJ

Sharks Sign Dmitry Orlov to Two-Year, $13 Million Contract
CAR

Nikolaj Ehlers Joins Hurricanes on Six-Year Contract
Kodai Senga

Could be "in Play" to Return Before All-Star Break
Ha-Seong Kim

Rays Reinstate Ha-Seong Kim From Injured List
Christian Moore

Placed on Injured List With Thumb Sprain
Luis L. Ortiz

the Subject of Gambling Investigation
Jordan Lawlar

to Miss Multiple Weeks With Hamstring Injury
Yordan Alvarez

Receives Encouraging News on his Hand
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
Jacob Monk

Sees Plenty of Work With Starters
Avonte Maddox

has Impressed Dan Campbell
Boston Celtics

Josh Minott Inks Deal With Celtics
Chicago Bears

Ruben Hyppolite Shows Notable Improvement
Sandro Mamukelashvili

Heading to Toronto
Daron Payne

Commanders Coaches Impressed With Daron Payne
Danny Gray

Makes Impression During Offseason Workouts
Jared McCain

Not on 76ers Summer League Roster
Dane Belton

Should Have a Role in 2025
Kaiir Elam

Flashes During Offseason Workouts
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
Ryan McLeod

Inks Four-Year Extension with Sabres
NAS

Predators Bring in Nick Perbix on Two-Year Deal
Jaren Jackson Jr.

Has Surgery to Repair a Turf Toe Injury
LA

Cody Ceci Moves to Los Angeles
Charlotte Hornets

Spencer Dinwiddie Lands With Charlotte
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
Milwaukee Bucks

Taurean Prince Staying in Milwaukee
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
Daniel Suarez

and Trackhouse Racing Parting Ways After 2025 Season
Ilia Topuria

Becomes The New Lightweight Champion
Charles Oliveira

Knocked Out At UFC 317
Kai Kara-France

Alexandre Pantoja Submits Kai Kara-France
Kai Kara-France

Submitted At UFC 317
Joshua Van

Extends His Win Streak
Brandon Royval

Drops Decision
Renato Moicano

Loses Back-To-Back Fights
Beneil Dariush

Gets Back In The Win Column
Felipe Lima

Suffers His First UFC Loss
Payton Talbott

Bounces Back
Alex Bowman

Competitive Run Ends With Third-Place Finish at Atlanta
Erik Jones

Secures A Top-Five Finish After Adversity In Atlanta
Tyler Reddick

Collects A New Career-Best Finish At Atlanta
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF