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

Underowned and Overowned Players for Week 26

This is it - the final week of the baseball season (sheds single tear). For those trying to clinch a championship or just a better final position, here are some players that could warrant starting, sitting, adding, or dropping, depending on your league and team's circumstance. I'll focus on lightly owned players to add or highly owned players to bench for this point in the season.

Scouting players who may be undervalued and re-assessing players who may be overvalued is a weekly exercise that you should pursue. Fortunately, I have you covered. Here are a few players who are good buy or sell candidates based on their current performance compared to ownership levels. This could mean scooping them off waivers if possible or actively seeking a trade to acquire or discard certain players in order to maximize value.

I will include one player at each key position group (Infield, Outfield, Pitcher). Ownership levels are taken from Yahoo! Fantasy Sports.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball draft tools and resources:

 

Underrated Players - Week 26

Tim Anderson (SS, CHW) 53% owned - It took long enough, but the speed is finally showing up. Anderson has eight steals over the past month with a .362 average to accompany them. There's no better time to take advantage of talented players on bad teams than in September. A young player like Anderson is auditioning to keep his starting job next year and can flash all the tools that made him a first round pick.

Mitch Haniger (OF, SEA) 38% owned - Haniger was one of the hottest pickups of the first month after getting off to a .342 average with 16 RBI in April. Injuries derailed his start and he just wasn't the same player the rest of the year, until September. Suddenly, Haniger is raking the way he did months ago to bookend his rookie year with another strong showing. Haniger is batting .350 with five HR in the last 19 games despite a declining BB:K ratio. If you need an extra outfielder on a hot streak, give Haniger a chance.

Daniel Mengden (SP, OAK) 8% owned - Also known as this year's Jharel Cotton, Mendgen is pushing for a role in the rotation long-term and doing a damn fine job. In five starts, he's got a 3.30 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and just five walks. The downside is clear - he's given up as many homers as walks (five) and is only striking out 15% of batters faced. He won't dominate, but if you need a streamer this week for ratio help, Mengden is proving more than capable.

 

Overrated Players - Week 26

Matt Carpenter (1B/2B/3B, STL) 84% owned - In non-keeper leagues, Carpenter should have rightfully been ditched weeks ago. Easier said than done when you used an early-round pick on an established star that can play all around the infield. It's inexplicable how poorly Carpenter has fared this year, but it's obvious that nothing is going to change over the final week. He's still bothered by a shoulder problem and is batting just .242 on the season. You're better off putting in Tim Anderson or Jose Reyes.

Adam Duvall (OF, CIN) 83% owned - It's tough to bench a player that could easily have a two-homer game on a given night, but it's been few and far between for Duvall in the second half. He has not a single base hit to his name over the past week and is hitting .156 with one homer in the last month. In other words, Scott Schebler single-handedly outproduced his September output in one game on Thursday. He's simply gone ice cold at the worst possible time for fantasy owners in weekly leagues.

James Paxton (SP, SEA) 84% owned - Paxton missed a month of action and was put on a pitch count upon returning. He didn't make the most of his time on the mound, giving up three runs in less than two innings against the Astros. He only lasted 3 2/3 innings in his next outing, getting hit hard right away in the first inning. It's the wrong time to take a chance on a starting pitcher trying to stretch out and regain command after a lengthy absence. Keeper leagues aside, you can cut bait with him.

 

More Risers and Fallers

 

Premium Tools & DFS Research

Get a free trial of our powerful MLB Premium Tools. Our famous DFS Optimizer & Lineup Generator, daily Matchup Ratings, expert DFS Lineups/Cheat Sheets, and more.

Sign Up Now!




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

Edward Cabrera

Cubs Finalizing Deal to Acquire Edward Cabrera From Marlins
New York Giants

Giants "All-In" on Hiring John Harbaugh
CFB

Jackson Arnold Signs with UNLV
CFB

Sam Leavitt Scheduled to Visit Tennessee
Devon Toews

to Miss at Least Two Weeks
Gabriel Landeskog

Out for Several Weeks
Jamie Drysdale

Makes Early Exit Tuesday
Bobby Brink

Injured in Tuesday's Win
Adam Henrique

Expected to Miss Time
Brad Marchand

Dealing With Lingering Health Issue
Haydn Fleury

Hospitalized Tuesday
Moussa Diabaté

Ryan Kalkbrenner Out, Moussa Diabate Probable Wednesday
Brandon Miller

Listed as Probable Wednesday
Alex Caruso

Absent for Second Consecutive Game
Nicolas Claxton

Available Wednesday
Moritz Wagner

Still Out Wednesday
Franz Wagner

Not Ready to Return Wednesday
Jalen Suggs

Remains Out Wednesday
Draymond Green

Questionable to Suit Up Wednesday
Jalen Smith

Ruled Out for Second Straight Game
Matas Buzelis

Could Miss First Game of the Season Wednesday
Coby White

May Skip Wednesday's Game
Cade Cunningham

Probable for Wednesday
Isaiah Hartenstein

to Remain Out Wednesday
Kelly Oubre Jr.

Could Return to Action Wednesday
Tim Hardaway Jr.

May Remain Out Wednesday
Christian Braun

Listed as Questionable for Wednesday
Aaron Gordon

Iffy for Wednesday
Jamal Murray

Considered Questionable for Wednesday Night
Max Strus

to Miss Another Month
Vince Williams Jr.

Making Return Tuesday Against Spurs
Trae Young

Listed as Questionable for Wednesday
New York Giants

John Harbaugh Expected to be Favorite to Become New Giants Head Coach
Mason Marchment

Out Tuesday
Sean Monahan

Available Tuesday
Jason Zucker

Set to Return From 11-Game Absence
Matvei Michkov

a Game-Time Call Tuesday
Matthew Schaefer

Cleared for Action Tuesday
Baltimore Ravens

John Harbaugh Won't Return as Ravens Head Coach
Adam Fox

Landing Back on Long-Term Injured Reserve
Seth Jarvis

Back for Hurricanes Tuesday
Bo Bichette

Unlikely to Return to Toronto?
Jordan Love

Ready to Start in Wild-Card Game Against Bears
CFB

Jadan Baugh Staying with Florida for Junior Season
Washington Commanders

Commanders "Mutually" Parting Ways With OC Kliff Kingsbury
CFB

Byrum Brown Officially Commits to Auburn
CFB

Austin Simmons Signing with Missouri
Jake McCabe

to Sit Out One Week
Hampus Lindholm

to Miss Time
Christian Dvorak

Flyers Sign Christian Dvorak to Five-Year Extension
Igor Shesterkin

Exits With Lower-Body Injury Monday
Joel Armia

Hurt in Monday's Win
Anze Kopitar

Sustains Lower-Body Injury Monday
Matthew Schaefer

a Game-Time Call Tuesday
CFB

Ty Simpson Undecided on 2026 Plans
CFB

Quarterback AJ Hill Following Ryan Silverfield to Arkansas
Atlanta Falcons

Falcons Have Requested an Interview With Klint Kubiak
Deshaun Watson

Browns Expect Deshaun Watson to be on the Team Next Year
Wan'Dale Robinson

Dealing With Fractured Ribs
Cam Skattebo

Hopes to be Back by Training Camp
Cameron Ward

Won't Need Surgery on his Shoulder
Davante Adams

Rams Expect Davante Adams to Return in Wild-Card Round
Arizona Cardinals

Cardinals Fire Head Coach Jonathan Gannon
Las Vegas Raiders

Raiders Fire Head Coach Pete Carroll
Malik Nabers

Unsure if He Will Be Ready for Week 1 of 2026 Season
CFB

Trinidad Chambliss Will Return to Ole Miss If Granted Sixth Year of Eligibility
Cincinnati Bengals

Zac Taylor Will Return as Bengals Head Coach in 2026
New York Giants

Giants Expected to Show Interest in Former Browns Head Coach Kevin Stefanski
Daniel Jones

Colts, Daniel Jones Appear to Have "Mutual Interest" in a 2026 Reunion
Cleveland Browns

Browns Fire Kevin Stefanski After Another Losing Season
Zay Flowers

Goes Off for 138 Yards, Two Touchdowns in Loss
Bo Bichette

Phillies Have Interest in Bo Bichette
Amon-Ra St. Brown

Dominates in Week 18 Win
Cameron Ward

Believed to Have Grade 3 AC Joint Sprain in Right Shoulder
Kansas City Royals

Matt Quatraro Signs Three-Year Extension With Royals
CFB

Transfer QB Billy Edwards Commits to North Carolina
CFB

Sam Leavitt Visiting Texas Tech on Saturday
CFB

DJ Lagway Expected To Visit Florida State
Kyle Tucker

Blue Jays "Remain the Favorite" to Sign Kyle Tucker
CFB

Joey Aguilar Undergoes Surgery to Remove Tumor on Friday
CFB

Texas the "Team to Beat" for Transfer Running Back Isaac Brown
CFB

Rocco Becht to Follow Matt Campbell to Penn State?
CFB

Texas Targeting Cam Coleman in Transfer Portal
CFB

Former Texas Running Back CJ Baxter Visiting Kentucky
CFB

Beau Pribula Visiting Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech
Bo Bichette

Yankees Showing Interest in Bo Bichette

RANKINGS

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