Well-Known Fantasy Baseball Players - Drop, Hold, or Sell Low for Week 2? (2026)

April 9, 2026

Joey discusses five well-known fantasy baseball hitters and pitchers who have not performed well heading into Week 2 of the 2026 season. Is it time to drop, sell, or hold?

Welcome, RotoBallers, to our weekly article about well-known fantasy baseball players. Should you drop, hold, or sell these well-known players in Week 2 (April 6 to April 12)?

Every week of the fantasy baseball season, this article will highlight five players who are struggling to be consistent fantasy options. There are a few pitchers on this list for this week who haven't looked great on the mound, and three hitters who have started the year in a slump. We will then determine what to do with these players in fantasy.

So, what should fantasy managers do with these five well-known players? Let's dive in and find out!

Jack Flaherty, SP, Detroit Tigers

Things were already not great for Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Jack Flaherty entering the season. He finished with a 4.64 ERA across 161 innings pitched last year, and his whiff rate (27.3%) was down from where it was the year before (2024). The walks were also a problem for Flaherty last year, as his 59 walks issued were tied for the second-most of his career.

Unfortunately, many of those problems have persisted into the 2026 season. He has walked four batters in each of his first two starts and isn't missing bats at a high level anymore. Flaherty has a 22.9% whiff rate with only eight strikeouts to begin the year. Therefore, it's best to sell the Tigers pitcher for cheap at this point in the season.

The veteran right-hander has not looked great on the mound to begin the season. He allowed two earned runs (three runs) with four walks and two strikeouts against the Padres on March 28 and gave up five earned runs with four walks and six strikeouts against the Cardinals on Saturday. With Flaherty's metrics continuing to trend down, it's hard to envision him getting back to his 2024 form.

Jack Flaherty definitely had trouble going three times through the order last season. That was the case today, as well. He leaves with nobody out in the fifth pic.twitter.com/AuMswFZvTQ

— Cody Stavenhagen (@CodyStavenhagen) April 4, 2026

His slider has been less effective over the past two years, and his lack of control recently has been a bit worrisome for his fantasy value. After finishing with a 5.9% walk rate in 2024, Flaherty's walk rate jumped up to 8.7% in 2025. That walk rate could continue to rise even more this season.

Verdict: Trade away for cheap in 12-team leagues 

Brenton Doyle, OF, Colorado Rockies

Just two seasons ago, Colorado Rockies outfielder Brenton Doyle put together a breakout campaign. He slashed .260/.317/.446 with 23 home runs, 82 runs scored, 72 RBI, and 30 stolen bases across 149 games in 2024. Doyle, though, failed to follow up on that incredible season in 2025. The 27-year-old batted just .233 with 15 home runs, 57 runs scored, 57 RBI, and 18 stolen bases across 138 games.

Despite his poor 2025 numbers, Doyle was still drafted in most 12-team leagues. The potential was there for another 20-home run, 20-stolen base season, and the Rockies outfielder was on another level at Coors Field last season. He hit .306 with 10 home runs, 42 RBI, and 11 stolen bases in 70 games at home.

However, his slow start to the 2026 season makes him a drop in all formats. He is only 4-for-28 at the plate (.143 batting average) with one extra-base hit, one stolen base, and 10 strikeouts to start the year, and has not barrelled any ball so far. Considering Doyle really struggles on the road, moving off him is a smart decision. He batted only .158 with five home runs and a 27.2% strikeout rate in 68 road games last year.

So, drop him and don't look back. There are just too many negatives surrounding him right now, including a high whiff rate, a high strikeout rate, a high chase rate, and a low walk rate.

Verdict: Drop in all formats

Jorge Polanco, 2B/3B, New York Mets

Infielder Jorge Polanco is not making a strong first impression with the New York Mets. He has been scuffling at the plate, batting just .188 with three doubles and one RBI through his first eight games. Part of his early-season struggles could be related to a left Achilles injury that Polanco has been battling through.

That injury is why the veteran is a hold in 12-team leagues. He isn't fully healthy and has some solid underlying metrics in the early portion of the season. For starters, his expected batting average (.251) is 63 points higher than his actual batting average (.188). He also has an elite launch angle sweet-spot rate (52.2%), an above-average squared-up rate (30.4%), a low strikeout rate (15.2%), and a high walk rate (15.2%) this season.

Jorge Polanco’s first hit as a Met pic.twitter.com/MRl3nQ3XYa

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) March 26, 2026

While this is a small sample size, fantasy managers saw firsthand last year what Polanco can do when he sees consistent at-bats. The switch-hitting infielder belted 26 home runs with 78 RBI, six stolen bases, and a .265 batting average last season. That should give managers enough confidence that things will eventually turn around for him. It will likely all depend on his Achilles issue, which seems to be improving every day.

Verdict: Hold in 12-team leagues

Addison Barger, 3B/OF, Toronto Blue Jays 

There were plenty of reasons to be excited about Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Addison Barger ahead of the 2026 season. He ranked in the 85th percentile or better in average exit velocity (91.7 mph), hard-hit rate (51%), and bat speed (75.9 mph) last year and was one of Toronto's best hitters in the postseason. Barger hit .367 with three home runs and nine RBI in 17 playoff games.

But Barger has looked like a completely different hitter this year. He is 1-for-19 at the plate with two RBI, three walks, and six strikeouts across eight games. The most noticeable difference between last season and this season for the lefty slugger is actually his bat speed. After ranking in the 93rd percentile in bat speed in 2025, his bat speed is actually down 3.1 mph in the early going (72.8 mph).

That bat speed difference is definitely a bit concerning. Not only is his bat speed down, but Barger has been sitting against lefties to start the season. That all makes the 26-year-old a drop in some leagues. He has yet to have a barrel in his 23 plate appearances, and his 42% chase rate currently ranks in the bottom 10% of the league.

In most cases, Barger is a drop in 12-team leagues. If you want to hold onto him for another week because of his potential, that isn't totally a bad move. This is a player who hit 21 home runs in a breakout 2025 campaign. But his early-season metrics don't bode well for him the rest of the season.

Verdict: Drop in most 12-team leagues, Drop in all 10 or fewer team leagues 

Emmet Sheehan, SP, Los Angeles Dodgers

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Emmet Sheehan was a popular breakout pick among fantasy managers this season. The 26-year-old had a 2.82 ERA and 89 strikeouts across 73 1/3 innings pitched with the Dodgers last year. However, Sheehan has not looked like a breakout pitcher through his first few starts in 2026. 

The right-hander allowed four runs on five hits with two walks and six strikeouts across 3 1/3 innings against the Diamondbacks on March 27 and gave up four more runs on seven hits with three walks and two strikeouts across 5 2/3 innings against the Nationals on Friday. Hitters were all over Sheehan's fastball in those two starts, as opposing batters are currently hitting .545 with a 1.273 slugging percentage on that pitch alone. 

There's no doubt that things haven't gone his way in the early going. Sheehan is known for his ability to miss bats and strike out batters at a high level, but he only has a 18.6% strikeout rate and a 25.6% whiff rate after two starts. With his average fastball velocity being down 1.7 mph from last year, there is some concern surrounding the Dodgers' pitcher. 

Despite that, though, Sheehan should not be dropped in any format right now. He was a top-140 pick in most drafts, and fantasy managers shouldn't fully panic after two starts. While there are some red flags heading into Week 2, the 26-year-old has the stuff to eventually figure it out and break out in his first full season in the big leagues. Fantasy managers should take a wait-and-see approach when it comes to Sheehan. 

I have zero shares of Emmet Sheehan, but only because I preferred waiting for Tyler Glasnow.

But Sheehan was hyped by many, especially by some of the best fantasy baseball players, for a reason.

I'd look to buy low.

— Frank Ammirante (@FAmmiranteTFJ) April 3, 2026

Verdict: Hold in all formats

More Fantasy Baseball Advice