Adam Wainwright (SP, STL) - 2016 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers

BALLER MOVE: Target ~70

CURRENT ADP: 71

ANALYSIS: Even after Tommy John surgery in 2011, Adam Wainwright was one of the most heralded fantasy selections, through 2015. However, he ruptured his Achilles tendon in April-- he actually returned to the mound in a relief role in late September. His durability is often in question, but aside from the two major injuries, Wainwright really has stayed healthy throughout his career. He has finished in the top three for National League Cy Young Voting on four separate occasions, and led the NL in wins in both 2009 and 2013. He owns a career 2.98 ERA with a gleaming 121-67 record.

You could make the case that Wainwright is getting old and that the workload plus the injuries are going to catch up to him sooner than later. However, neither his velocity nor his ERA has faltered over the last few years. The same can be said for his batting average against and his opposing BABIP.

Wainwright's strikeout rate has dipped slightly, but it's not like he was much of a strikeout machine to begin with-- 23.4% in 2014 was his career high. He is an intelligent pitcher with a diverse repertoire who can carve up the strike zone in a variety of ways, and that is not something you necessarily lose with age and a heavy workload. Wainwright has a great supporting cast, and he is the freshest he has been in a while. If the seventh and eighth rounds pass by and Wainwright is still on the board, fantasy owners would be remiss not to snag him.