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

Top 5 Hitter Streamers For Week 11: Waiver Wire Targets

Kyle Braver analyzes the top 5 fantasy baseball waiver wire hitters for week 11. These sleepers should be owned and can have an immediate impact on your team.

 

Week 11 Lineup Tools: Hitting Streamer Options

It's time for another installment of my weekly column on hitters to target in free agency for weekly leagues. For readers new to this series, these are hitters available in at least 50% of leagues who I think have the potential to make an impact for fantasy teams next week. As always I try and include a number of different positions on this list so that no matter whether you're lacking an outfielder or a catcher, you'll be able to find a useful name on this page to help you out for the coming week.

 

1) Josh Willingham (MIN, OF)

2014 Stats: .327 BA, 10 Runs, 4 HR, 12 RBI, 0 SB

Ownership: 49.3%

Schedule: (at) Jays, (at) Tigers

Games Scheduled: 6

By Keith Allison on Flickr (Original version) UCinternational (Crop) [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia CommonsJosh Willingham has certainly hit the ground running since coming off the DL. He's hitting an excellent .327 so far this season, with 4 home runs coming in the last 8 days. This shouldn't be completely surprising however since we've seen this level of production from Willingham before.

This is a player after all who slugged 29 home runs in 2011 and 35 in 2012, and while he's almost certainly hitting above his head in terms of batting average, I'd take a risk on the chance he keeps it up in the short term while he's locked in like he is right now. I don't like some of the pitchers he'll have to face next week, especially when he goes on the road against the Tigers, but given his recent production and track history of being a major contributor in homers and RBI, I think Willingham is definitely worth the risk. With the way he's hitting he won't be available for long, so I'd grab him now.

 

2) Juan Francisco (TOR, 1B/3B)

2014 Stats: .269 BA, 23 Runs, 9 HR, 24 RBI, 0 SB

Ownership: 49.4%

Schedule: Twins, (at) Orioles

Games Scheduled: 7

I don't know if you've noticed recently, but the Jays have been doing pretty okay at this whole hitting thing this season. They've scored 311 runs so far, the most of any major league team, and while a big part of this has been the amazing seasons Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion have been having, they haven't been doing it alone. Like many of the Jays hitters, Juan Francisco has provided excellent power and an above average batting average, positioning himself as a core cog in the Jays offense.

He'll enjoy an upcoming seven game week in two very nice hitter's parks, and with the way the Jays are pounding the ball he could be a big contributor in runs and RBI if he continues to hit well. Throw in the power numbers we've come to expect from Francisco this season and you have a very attractive play for next week.

 

3) Tommy La Stella (ATL, 2B)

2014 Stats: .409 BA, 2 Runs, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 1 SB

Ownership: 3.4%

Schedule: (at) Rockies, Angels

Games Scheduled: 7

I'm thinking Dan Uggla's recent seasons in Atlanta must have traumatized the Braves a little bit, because they've replaced him with about as close as you're going to get to his polar opposite. I think ESPN's Tristan Cockcroft said it best when he compared La Stella to Marco Scutaro, and honestly that's the type of player I expect La Stella to develop into. He's never shown any real indications of having much power at all, but with an excellent swing and good approach at the plate, I think he could be a very nice contributor in batting average and RBI for an owner in need of second base help. His schedule next week, and the four games at Coors which it includes, is obviously a big boost in his value. In a weak second base market for free agents, he's the first name I'd look at.

 

4) B.J. Upton (ATL, OF)

2014 Stats: .217 BA, 24 Runs, 5 HR, 15 RBI, 9 SB

Ownership: 39.9%

Schedule: (at) Rockies, Angels

Games Scheduled: 7

Let me preface this by saying  B.J. Upton isn't a guy you want to add if the difference between you and the first place team is relatively small. Anyone who's looked at Upton's numbers over the past year and a half should full well realize just how risky a play adding him could be. That said if you're a player needing to make up big ground that can afford to take a risk or two in order to get there, Upton could be a sneaky smart play this week. It could very well just be the illusion of small samples, but over the past week Upton's showed some promise at the plate, having hit .292 with both a home run and a stolen base to his name.

For a player who's struggled incredibly with consistency at the plate ever since joining the Braves, seeing him put some good numbers together over the past week is a welcome sign. What really pushes me towards this former fantasy star however is how favorable Upton's schedule is this coming week. He'll play four games on the road at the hitter's paradise that is Coors Field, followed up by a three day homestretch against the Angels. A seven game week with three at home and four in the best possible location for a struggling hitter is about as good a schedule as you could hope for for Upton. There's also the fact that, for reasons I'll frankly never really understand, he's still batting in the number two hole in the Braves lineup. Given how high scoring some of these games could be, Upton could figure to be a major contributor in runs, and to a lesser extent RBI. Simply put he's worth taking a closer look at.

 

5) Wilson Ramos (WAS, C)

2014 Stats: .237 BA, 8 Runs, 1 HR, 9 RBI, 0 SB

Ownership: 45.0%

Schedule: (at) Giants, (at) Cardinals

Games Scheduled: 7

If you've read much of my stuff before you should know how much I love Wilson Ramos' power potential. His average fly ball distance numbers are just insane for a catcher, and he's begun to put together some good at bats over the last week as he continues to distance himself from the injury that derailed the beginning of his season. He's batted .286 over the last 7 days and has looked pretty good in doing so. With a seven day week coming his way, I like the opportunity Ramos could present for an owner looking to fill a spot 1t catcher.

 




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