X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Join the Best Live Fantasy Chat Community!

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

Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Pickups & Streamers
Rookies & Call-Ups
News and Alerts

Prospects Stock Watch for Week 1 of Fantasy Baseball

The first week of baseball has seen disappointments and surprises abound, but none more than looking to early rookie performances. From players not expected to make the team playing key roles, to players not being held down due to service time, this is a great time to jump into the waiver wire to grab those players that were not drafted to start the year and might be free now. Or, on the other side, what players are hyped but should be sold while their stock is high?

For the first week of this article, the primary focus is one some of the big names, as the season goes along, check back to learn about names that are not even on the baseball community's radar as of yet. Even more, with only four or so games on the books for most teams, seasons can change on a dime, meaning that the hot starts might be flukes, and the slow starts the opposite. Small sample size warning, but any sample size is better than nothing for fantasy owners.

With that, keep an eye on these players to see where they might be able to help your fantasy team. Jump on now, and look back when they indeed take off.

Editor's Note: Our incredible team of writers received 13 award nominations by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association including Baseball Writer of the Year, Football Writers of the Year, Golf Writer of the Year and many more! Be sure to follow their analysis, rankings and advice all year long, and win big with RotoBaller! Read More!

 

Rookie Debuts - Stock Up

These rookies hit the ground running in their 2019 debuts and have matched the preseason hype so far. The question is whether this provides a sell-high opportunity or if the fantasy owner should hold tight.

Chris Paddack (SP, SD)

Sunday was dubbed “Paddack Day” on Twitter, and the starter lived up the billing. While only pitching five innings, he did tally seven Ks with only one walk. The change-up was nasty, and while it will be seen if he can keep hitters off the pitch, it offered the perfect compliment to his fastball. Going forward there is little doubt that he will stay with the club, but there will be an innings cap coming off a short season. Expect five innings to be the norm, but only two hits in those debut innings is only a good sign. This means that five innings might be enough to produce fantasy-worthy value for lucky owners.

The other concern with fantasy value will be wins, as the team does not seem to be scoring much early, meaning he will need to keep runs off the board to be in line to rack up those stats. All in all, Paddack looked just as good as the scouting reports said, and current owners have to be pleased with what they have.

Peter Alonso (1B, NYM)

Alonso looks to be just as billed through his first five games, with one homer and six RBI in 20 ABs. The slash also looks good, even for a small sample, at .389/.450/.722. The other good note is that Alonso only went hitless in one game, so this stat line is not just one stong game, but rather a good trend to follow. He also walked in two games, to balance out the Ks in four of his five games to date. There will be swing and miss, but the contact is real, and owners can expect the power to carry most teams.

A good line-up only means that he will get more pitches to hit, and with Alonso hitting second in every game so far this should continue to boost his value. If owners want Alonso, they need to buy now, as the price will only jump.

Trent Thornton (SP, TOR)

Confession time. Thorton was not on my radar to start the year. And yet, with five strong innings in his debut, now he is. Added in an offseason trade with Houston for Aledmys Diaz, Thornton is a pitcher that is more than just a throw-in and will be given at least a few more starts based on early returns. For a pitcher not known for his stuff, Thornton did post eight Ks over this five innings and did not walk anyone.

Offering a plus fastball and curveball, owners will need to see if the changeup can keep with the grades. Scouts still see this as an average at best offering, but if he added something over the winter, this could be what unlocks his season. While I would not be buying just yet, as there are still question mark, and better teams than Detroit to face, the stock is on the way up.

 

Stock Neutral

These players neither helped nor hurt their fantasy value in the first week of play.

Victor Robles (OF, WAS)

The top re-draft fantasy prospect on this writer’s list to the start the season, Robles has done nothing but flash his upside so far this year. Over four games he is slashing .357/.357/.786 with one homer and three runs. Of his five hits, three have been doubles, and this will be key as he lacks real power to set himself apart. Robles is a speed threat, and that is his best fantasy asset.

So far, he has not attempted a save yet, so something to watch, but not indicative of future options based on the small sample. The only downside so far is that Robles looks to be hitting ninth, but this also is better than hitting in front of the pitcher. So far so good for the young National, and owners will be happy to stay patient as he finds his stride.

Yusei Kikuchi (SP, SEA)

Two starts into his career with the Mariners, Kikuchi looks to be a solid, but not elite, starting option. He looks polished for a first-year starter, and yet, still shows some signs of potential growth. So far, Kikuchi has kept the runs off the board, with one earned in his first 4.2 innings, and two in his next six. Add in that he has walked a total of one batter in 10.2 innings, and the command is there to be seen. What will hold Kikuchi back from fantasy production will the K-rate, with a 19.5 K% mark so far.

While small sample size is a thing, no one expected him to carry that category in fantasy leagues. The other limiting factor will be the Seattle offense, and whether the early season success is for real. While he will keep runs off the board, with the state of that bullpen, runs will be needed to earn him wins. Still, Kikuchi has adjusted well, and even with some sad news about his father, looks to be locked in for a strong debut campaign. If the stuff can improve his stock will be up, but for now, he is performing as expected.

 

Stock Down

These players didn't get off to the kind of start fantasy owners would have liked but it's too early to discount them too much.

Kyle Wright (SP, ATL)

Wright did not have as strong a start as Paddack, and in fact, more questions on his staying power have emerged. With a deep prospect and pitching base to compete with in Atlanta, Wright will need to perform better to stick around. Long term, this writer still likes Wright, but for 2019 the stock might be down just a tad. Taking a loss versus the Phillies, Wright only went 4.1 innings, giving up three earned runs and one homer. The stuff was also a question mark, with five walks compared to four Ks.

The other concern was that all of this offense happened with only two total hits, so Wright can match-up with hitters, but the control will need to be there. For current owners, stash him for now, but Wright might be droppable if this keeps up. Even if he comes out with a strong second start, owners in redraft leagues can move him to the bench until he shows the polished arm that scouts are raving about.

Eloy Jimenez (OF, CWS)

Jimenez has yet to take off to start his career, and there are some worrying signs from the first few games. Looking forward, no one doubts the skills, but 2019 might be a slow burn for the top prospect. With a 35 K% so far, the swing looks long and will need to tighten up with the lack of fastballs that he has seen so far. Breaking stuff will be the concern this year, as with most rookies, and also means that the raw power might not be there until he starts to lay off and wait for his pitch.

While only four games into the season, when three of those were versus Kansas City, this is something to watch already. The other concern is that he has hit fifth to start the year, in what is not a potent offense at this point. Chicago will start to hit, but Jimenez needs Daniel Palka to get going to have a real shot at fantasy production.. Until then, cool a bit on the price if adding him in a trade.  

Fernando Tatis Jr. (SS, SD)

Well, the first few days of Tatis Jr. have been fun, and his early season debut has killed most FAAB budgets already. And yet, slow down on anointing him the MVP just yet, as there are some warning signs on what this season could look like when all is said and done. While only 25 PAs to date, Tatis is batting .217 and has a 12.2 SwStr%. The concerns with him have always been the swing and miss, and so far, those fears are still there. The K line in the minors was always close to 30%, so this should be an accurate mark to project over a full season.

Tatis does have a homer and a steal so far, so there will be fantasy value here. For current owners in redraft formats, sell while the hype is high. Get that $1.25 on the dollar, and be happy with replacements. If owners are looking to add Tatis, wait a few weeks for the stats to iron out just what you are buying.

More Fantasy Baseball Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Pickups & Streamers
Rookies & Call-Ups
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Jorge López8 hours ago

Jorge Lopez Agrees To One-Year Deal With Mets
Diontae Johnson8 hours ago

Scores Again In Week 14 Loss
Ezekiel Elliott8 hours ago

Dominant While Earning 29 Touches
D'Onta Foreman8 hours ago

Practices In Full Again
Hunter Henry8 hours ago

Scores Two Touchdowns In Week 14
Bailey Zappe8 hours ago

Throws For Three Touchdowns In Week 14 Win
Harrison Bader9 hours ago

Giants, Padres Interested In Harrison Bader
Justin Jefferson10 hours ago

Gets In Another Full Practice
Ha-Seong Kim10 hours ago

Red Sox Interested In Ha-Seong Kim?
Pete Alonso10 hours ago

Mets, Pete Alonso Haven't Talked Extension
Kareem Hunt10 hours ago

Gets In Limited Practice Session
Juan Soto10 hours ago

Yankees Haven't Had Extension Talks With Juan Soto
Aaron Judge10 hours ago

Toe Injury "A Resolved Issue"
Jamal Murray10 hours ago

Considered Probable For Friday
LeBron James11 hours ago

To Play On Thursday
Malcolm Brogdon11 hours ago

Questionable For Friday's Game
Deandre Ayton11 hours ago

Unlikely To Suit Up Friday
Jalen Duren11 hours ago

Will Miss Next Two Weeks
Jordan Clarkson11 hours ago

Questionable For Friday
Raheem Mostert11 hours ago

Sits Out On Thursday
Tyreek Hill12 hours ago

Picks Up DNP In First Practice
Geno Smith12 hours ago

Added To Injury Report With Groin Issue
Zach Charbonnet12 hours ago

Kenneth Walker III, Zach Charbonnet Limited Thursday
Tyler Higbee12 hours ago

In Danger Of Missing Week 14
Puka Nacua12 hours ago

Practices Without Limitations Thursday
DeVante Parker12 hours ago

Ruled Out, JuJu Smith-Schuster Active Thursday
Najee Harris12 hours ago

Officially Active Thursday Night
Markelle Fultz12 hours ago

Wendell Carter Jr., Markelle Fultz Remain Out Friday
Mark Williams12 hours ago

Listed As Questionable Friday
Trae Young13 hours ago

Uncertain For Friday With Illness
Taysom Hill13 hours ago

Absent Again On Thursday
Jalen Duren13 hours ago

Out With Ankle Sprain Friday
Chris Olave13 hours ago

Rashid Shaheed Miss Thursday's Practice
Derek Carr13 hours ago

Practices Again Thursday
Tyler Herro13 hours ago

No Return For Tyler Herro Against Cavaliers
Lauri Markkanen13 hours ago

Back At Thursday's Practice
Kristaps Porzingis13 hours ago

Likely To Return Against Knicks
Bam Adebayo13 hours ago

Still Out With Bruised Hip
Dalton Schultz13 hours ago

Downgraded At Thursday's Practice
Bradley Beal13 hours ago

Grayson Allen Out Friday
Dallas Goedert14 hours ago

Another Full Practice For Dallas Goedert
Derrick Henry14 hours ago

Should Be Good To Go For Week 14
Kevin Durant16 hours ago

Sitting Out Against Kings
Malcolm Brogdon16 hours ago

Held Scoreless Before Departing
Jalen Duren16 hours ago

Reaches Double-Double Before Exiting
Zach LaVine16 hours ago

Gets PRP Injection Amid Recovery
Jordan Hicks17 hours ago

Being Eyed By Yankees
Evgeny Kuznetsov20 hours ago

Expected To Return To Lineup Thursday
DET20 hours ago

Patrick Kane Ready For Red Wings Debut On Thursday
Zach Hyman20 hours ago

Stays Hot With Second Hat Trick
Nick Senzel20 hours ago

Heads To Nationals
Evan Rodrigues20 hours ago

Matches Career High With Four Points
Jeimer Candelario20 hours ago

Reds Agree With Jeimer Candelario
Victor Hedman21 hours ago

Notches Two Assists Wednesday
John Klingberg21 hours ago

Out For Season
Luka Doncic21 hours ago

Rolls To 40-Point Triple-Double
Joel Embiid21 hours ago

Feasts Against The Wizards
San Diego Padres1 day ago

Jung Hoo Lee High On Padres' Wish List
Eduardo Rodriguez1 day ago

Agrees To Four-Year Deal With Diamondbacks
Kyle Higashioka1 day ago

Padres Acquire Michael King, Kyle Higashioka, Others From Yankees
Trent Grisham1 day ago

Yankees Complete Trade To Acquire Juan Soto, Trent Grisham
Eduardo Rodriguez1 day ago

Diamondbacks Are Finalists To Land Eduardo Rodriguez
Dylan Cease1 day ago

White Sox "Pulling Back" On Dylan Cease Trade Talks?
Aaron Judge2 days ago

Could Be Regular Center Fielder
New York Yankees2 days ago

Yoshinobu Yamamoto Expected To Meet With Yankees Monday
Dylan Cease2 days ago

White Sox Have High Asking Price For Dylan Cease
Trent Grisham2 days ago

Expected To Be Shipped To Yankees
Bryce Harper2 days ago

Hoping To Discuss Another Long-Term Deal
Craig Kimbrel2 days ago

Orioles Agree To One-Year Deal
Nathan MacKinnon2 days ago

Extends Scoring Streak With Three-Point Effort
Tomas Hertl2 days ago

Posts Sixth Career Hat Trick
Vladimir Tarasenko2 days ago

Shines In Win Over Rangers
J.T. Miller2 days ago

Grabs Three Points In Loss Versus New Jersey
Jack Hughes2 days ago

Continues Tear Versus Canucks
Matt Boldy2 days ago

Notches Three Points In Tuesday's Win
Connor Ingram3 days ago

Takes Winning Streak To Five Games With Second Shutout
Clayton Keller3 days ago

Records Hat Trick Of Assists
Travis Konecny3 days ago

Logs Two Assists In Monday's Win
Anthony Cirelli3 days ago

Nets Two Goals As Tampa Bay Ends Slide
Andrei Vasilevskiy3 days ago

Bounces Back In Style On Monday
Nikolaj Ehlers3 days ago

Takes Down Hurricanes
Beneil Dariush4 days ago

Suffers First-Round Knockout Loss At UFC Austin
Beneil Dariush4 days ago

Arman Tsarukyan Knocks Out Beneil Dariush In 64 Seconds
Jalin Turner4 days ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Bobby Green4 days ago

Gets Knocked Out In The First Round
Punahele Soriano4 days ago

Dustin Stoltzfus Submits Punahele Soriano
Punahele Soriano4 days ago

Loses Back-To-Back Fights
Nathan MacKinnon4 days ago

Pushes Point Streak To Eight Games
Quinton Byfield4 days ago

Pots Two Goals Against Colorado
Alex Tuch4 days ago

Exits With Injury
Clay Guida5 days ago

Falls To .500 In The UFC
Joaquim Silva5 days ago

Gets Decision Win At UFC Austin
Kelvin Gastelum5 days ago

Submitted In Welterweight Return
Sean Brady5 days ago

Returns To Win Column
Rob Font5 days ago

1-4 In Last Five Fights After Loss At UFC Austin
Deiveson Figueiredo5 days ago

Wins Bantamweight Debut

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
C.J. Stroud - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Fantasy Football Warning Signals for Week 14: C.J. Stroud, Tony Pollard, and Calvin Ridley

Week 14 of the fantasy football season is underway and while we may have drafted certain players at a premium, it is okay to consider benching them despite their name value. We often hear the phrase "start your studs" and it is a tried and true method, especially earlier in the season. When injuries, tough... Read More


Fantasy Football Start 'Em, Sit 'Em - Week 14 Matchups Analysis

Welcome back RotoBallers to our Week 14 matchups analysis and Start Em, Sit Em column for fantasy football. Last week knocked out more starting quarterbacks, headlined by Trevor Lawrence. The constant roulette at the position across the NFL makes it difficult to project how an offense will perform. That's not ending this week either because there... Read More


Brandin Cooks - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

The King's Week 14 Lineup Rankings and Analysis (Premium Content)

Scott "The King" Engel issues his full Week 14 lineup rankings in PPR, Half-PPR, and Standard formats. He also includes insights on key players at each position, with chunks of relevant statistical indicators. Regular starting options are also included in the statistical highlights to show how well your best players might be performing. Much of... Read More


Lamar Jackson - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Fantasy Football Injury Reports For Week 14 (Thursday Updates): Lamar Jackson, Aaron Jones, Isiah Pacheco, Trevor Lawrence, Christian Watson, Breece Hall, and more

The 2023 NFL continues racing along with Week 14 ready to get underway with the Patriots vs. Steelers on Thursday Night Football, fantasy managers are busy tracking injuries to their key fantasy studs. We have the latest notable injury updates as of Thursday, December 7, 2023. Fantasy football assets such as Aaron Jones, Isiah Pacheco,... Read More


Darren Waller - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Fantasy Football Late-Season Heroes Returning From Injury

At this point in the NFL season, there aren't too many players out there on the injured reserve who stand to return this season and make an impact. It's already December and there's just not a ton of football left to be played. However, there are a few players who should return down the stretch... Read More


Diontae Johnson - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Patriots vs. Steelers TNF Start 'Em, Sit 'Em - Ezekiel Elliott, Demario Douglas, Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren, Diontae Johnson, and More

If the last three Thursdays have been the first three courses of some fantasy fine dining, Week 14's matchup between the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers is the unappetizing platter to finish off the meal. After Bengals-Ravens, Thanksgiving, and then the epic Seattle-Dallas bonanza last week, this week we get Bailey Zappe vs. Mitch... Read More


DeVon Achane - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL DFS Picks, Injury News

Rest of Season Half-PPR Rankings: Fantasy Football Top 200 for Week 14

Fantasy football playoffs are right around the corner and it is time to take stock of your FF pantry. Let us assist you in constructing a championship battle plan with our Week 14 fantasy football half-PPR rankings for the rest of 2023, as of December 7. Check where key players shifted, such as Kyren Williams,... Read More


Joshua Dobbs - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Sneaky Starts, Pivot Plays, and Post-Waiver Pickups for Week 14 - Joshua Dobbs, Keaton Mitchell, Isaiah Likely, DeeJay Dallas

It’s the final week of the fantasy football regular season. I cannot believe I am typing those words already. The weeks have flown by, but that means it's been a very fun season. Thank you for reading my work and supporting RotoBaller all season long!  If you are still reading this, it means you are... Read More


Dalton Kincaid - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Is Dalton Kincaid the Next Travis Kelce?

If you're a fan of the NFL, you know that Travis Kelce is a beast. He's not only the best tight end in the league, but he might also be the best to ever play the position. His size, speed, route-running, and hands are a nightmare matchup for any defense. He's also a leader and... Read More


Minnesota Vikings Defense D/ST Streamers, Rankings, Waiver Wire - Danielle Hunter Fantasy Football IDP

Top Fantasy Football D/ST Rankings (Weeks 14, 15, 16, 17) - Defense Streamers and Starts

At this point in the season, streaming defenses in fantasy could be the difference in a playoff victory or not. If you still need to win in Week 14, prioritize a D/ST pickup for this weekend.  Despite the Cowboys and Ravens ranking as the top two fantasy defenses through 13 weeks, they have some tough... Read More


Cooper Kupp - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Updated Fantasy Football Staff Rankings

      Fantasy Football Rankings by NFL Position ALL - QB - RB - WR - TE - DEF Above you will find all of RotoBaller's fantasy football rankings, tiers, player news and stats for your 2023 fantasy football leagues. Our Ranking Wizard displays our staff's fantasy football rankings for various league formats, all in one easy place. Here's what you'll find: Fantasy Football... Read More


CeeDee Lamb - Fantasy Football Rankings, DFS and Betting Picks, NFL Injury News

WR/CB Matchups to Target and Downgrade - Week 14 (2023)

Welcome to Week 14 of the WR/CB Matchups article. For those who are not familiar, this is a weekly series looking at fantasy football matchups for wide receivers versus the cornerbacks who are projected to cover them. During the past three seasons, I have tweaked my process to make the chart more user-friendly and predictive,... Read More


CeeDee Lamb - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Targets, NFL Injury News

Wide Receiver Sleepers, Risers, Breakouts for Fantasy Football - Targets, Air Yards, Snaps Trends for Week 14

You are already aware that wide receivers will play a critical role in the success of your fantasy football teams. The undeniable volatility that exists with the running back position has also presented an increasing rationale for prioritizing wide receivers when you build your rosters -- both at the onset of your drafts and as... Read More