This week's list is composed of one riser, one faller, one returning from the DL and one just making his big league debut. It's a fine cast of characters who have been marginalized to the fringe of fantasy relevance. Most fantasy owners take note of the risers; that is, they check the waiver wire for the best performers from the previous week and add them depending on their team's needs.
That's why it's always surprising to see guys like the leader of this list available in so many leagues. But the other guys are often harder to see. Nobody wants to pick up the reliable star who has underperformed all year, nor the unheralded prospect promoted to a struggling club. Sometimes, value can be found in the least likely of places.
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Week 13 Outfield Targets
Melvin Upton Jr., San Diego Padres
Owned in 49.2% of Fleaflicker Leagues
Melvin Upton is not playing like an All-Star this season: He's playing like an MVP candidate. Well on his way to a 25 HR, 40 SB season, Upton has raised his line to .261/.314/.462 on the back of a strong June. Nobody saw this level of play coming from this half of the Upton family at the start of the season. The fact that his ownership remains under 50% is a sign that most owners are still in disbelief of Upton's production. Right now, he's a hot as ever, with three homers and three steals in the past week to go along with a 1.056 OPS. His .776 OPS on the year leaves much to be desired, but the counting stats are too useful to be ignored from a fantasy perspective. Last time we saw this type of production from Upton his first name was B.J.
Ben Revere, Washington Nationals
Owned in 38.2% of Fleaflicker Leagues
Ben Revere has been one of the most heavily dropped players in fantasy over the past month and for good reason. After spending all of April on the DL, Revere has been the most disappointing part of the Nationals loaded lineup. He's sporting a .215/.266/.271 line in 177 at bats. Those are bad numbers for a Major League Baseball player and especially bad on-base numbers for a leadoff man on a playoff team. This horrid play is unsustainable for a man who holds a career .289 BA. The good news is that the speed is returning for Revere, as he has stolen six bases over the past two weeks. He's already gotten off to a strong start this week with a 4-for-5 effort against the Mets on Monday with three runs, an RBI and a stolen base. Look for Revere to get back on track soon.
Brock Holt, Boston Red Sox
Owned in 21.1% of Fleaflicker Leagues
The human Swiss Army knife that is Brock Holt is set to return from the DL as early as this weekend to start plugging up holes for the Boston Red Sox. The beauty of Holt is that he does the exact same thing for fantasy teams. Holt's numbers are nothing to drool over. He has almost no power, doesn't have extraordinary speed and flaunts a career .273/.333/.368 line. His value lies in his consistency and his ability to play all over the field. Whenever you have a guy receiving a day of rest, which happens to most teams nearly every day, Holt will likely be in Boston's lineup ready to go. If you're lucky, he might go on a hot streak like he did late in 2014. He will certainly have his opportunities to rack up runs and RBI in Boston's high-powered offense.
Brandon Nimmo, New York Mets
Owned in 5.2% of Fleaflicker Leagues
Exit Michael Conforto, enter Brandon Nimmo. After two months of dreadful struggles at the plate, Conforto the Kid was sent back to Triple-A to iron out some issues with his approach. Nimmo is relatively unknown to most fans, as he wasn't a highly touted prospect up until this year. His strong play with Triple-A Las Vegas compelled the Mets, who are desperate for offensive help at the moment, to give the rookie the call up. In 63 games with Vegas, Nimmo flashed an impressive .328/.409/.508 line with 5 HR and 5 SB. It's unlikely that he will show too much power or speed with the Major League club, but the average will certainly help a team that gets on base less than any other in the league. With Conforto languishing in the minors for the foreseeable future, Nimmo should see pretty regular playing time in the Mets outfield. In three Major League games, he has gone 3-for-12 with a run scored.
More Options: Cameron Maybin (39%), Ender Inciarte (23%), Angel Pagan (22%), Coco Crisp (4%), Travis Jankowski (2%), Michael Bourn (1%), Mark Reynolds (30%), Peter Bourjos (2%), Oswaldo Arcia (1%)
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