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
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

AL-Only League Waiver Wire Pickups For Week Two: Hardy, Buchholz, Jepsen and More

As week two comes to a close, fantasy owners are going through the first motions of roster decisions. In most mixed leagues, the talent floor between free agents and the bottom of a team's roster are fairly close, allowing for less agonizing over dropping slumping players. For AL-only owners, that is not the case as the diminished player pool makes the talent drop quite noticeable.

Which is why I recommend standing pat with any slumping "sure things" you may have. Don't be the owner who gave up a couple weeks too early and make a drop for a hot player today. But that doesn't mean you need to start the slumping player. If you have the roster room, here are some possible free agents (all owned in 25% or less of Flea Flicker leagues) to keep in mind for the weekend and first half of next week, that can give your team a little boost.

Editor’s Note: to read about even more waiver wire options, be sure to check out our famous waiver wire pickups list which is a running list that is updated daily. Prefer using your phone? Our free waiver wire app is available for download in the Apple & Android Stores.

 

American League Targets - Hitters

J.J. Hardy (SS, BAL) - 10% Owned

It wasn't that long ago that J.J. Hardy would have never ended up being owned in only 10% of leagues. 2013 to be exact. But then the power dropped out of his game in 2014, and his fantasy relevance has whittled away to today's minuscule amount. After hitting only 17 home runs the past two seasons combined, Hardy already has two in eight 2016 games. Coming off of a season where he hit .219 with eight home runs, it would be silly to expect the world from him. But if he can maintain this level of production, it wouldn't be unreasonable to think Hardy couldn't produce stats in the vicinity of his 2014 stat line of a .268 average, nine home runs and 52 RBI.

Mike Napoli (1B, CLE) - 18% Owned

I can't speak for the rest of you, but personally, I was of the mindset that Mike Napoli's days of fantasy relevance in the Majors were through last year when Boston cut him mid-season after hitting .207 in 329 at-bats. Turns out, I was only mostly right as he went on to hit .295 in 78 at-bats with Texas, who found success with Napoli as they limited his exposure to right-handers. Cleveland has been deploying him almost exclusively against left-handers so far in 2016 (five of his six starts have come against a lefty starter), allowing him to open 2016 hitting .231 (.285 versus left-handers) with two home runs, three RBI and seven runs scored in seven games. If that platoon keeps up, there's no reason he can't keep this level of production up all year.

Michael Saunders (OF, TOR) - 8% Owned

The ballad of Michael Saunders is well-known to this lifelong Mariners fan, and it goes by the title Potential Injury. I can't recall the full lyrics at the moment, but they are mostly about how he has the potential to be a decent low-end fantasy outfielder, but is instead constantly injured. Coming off a lost 2015, Saunders is off to a great start, hitting .310 with a home run and three RBI so far this season. His ability to maintain any semblance of fantasy value is tied directly to his health, so if he can stay on the field, there's a chance he could hit double digit home runs with an acceptable average.

Jonathan Schoop (2B, BAL) - 22% Owned

Jonathan Schoop looked to be coming into his own last year, hitting .279 with 15 home runs in an injury-shortened campaign. 2016 has started off on same foot, with him hitting .267 with one home run and five RBI in nine games, including hits in all but one game. If Schoop is available, scoop him up before the Orioles' series against the Blue Jays starting next Tuesday. Over his short career, he has eaten up Toronto pitching to the tune of a .287 average and six home runs in 28 games.

Danny Valencia (3B, OAK) - 15% Owned

It took him a good while, but Danny Valencia may have finally figured out how to consistently hit Major League pitching. After hitting .290 with a career high 18 home runs and 66 RBI, he's begun 2016 hitting .312 with zero home runs and two RBI in nine games. With an ability to hit for both power and average as well as a guaranteed roster spot (something that hasn't always been a given over his career), Valencia could hit himself into past AL-only waiver wire fodder to mixed league starter status by summertime.

 

American League Targets - Pitchers

Mat Latos (SP, CWS) - 18% Owned

A knee injury and its lingering recovery robbed Mat Latos of his ability to effectively pitch last season, causing him to struggle mightily through a frustrated 2015. Seems like that knee is finally back up to full strength as he has been awesome this year, going 2-0 with a 0.75 ERA and 0.50 WHIP. To give you an idea of what the 29-year-old could give fantasy owners if this is real, he went 14-7 with a 3.25 ERA in 32 starts back in 2013, his last healthy season.

Brad Brach (RP, BAL) - 9% Owned

Brad Brach has been quietly carving out a reputation as a solid fantasy reliever since he debuted in 2011, winning 17 games with a 3.18 ERA and 9.5 K/9 over 251.2 innings. This year has been no different as Brach is already 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA, 0.47 WHIP and eight strikeouts in 6.1 innings. He'll face Texas in their home park this week, which is great news for fantasy owners. Over his career, he has a 0.87 ERA in 10.1 innings against the Rangers, including a 0.00 ERA at Rangers Ballpark.

Nick Tropeano (SP, LAA) - 4% Owned

After a successful audition last year, the Angels awarded Nick Tropeano the first chance to fill a rotation hole, and he did so with gusto. During his first start Monday, he went five innings, giving up no runs while striking out six. With a minor league track record as a strikeout pitcher prone to giving up walks and hits, Tropeano is going to have to work harder than most starters to get positive results. If he can keep his ERA below 4.00 though, he'll be a fantasy asset.

Kevin Jepsen (RP, MIN) - 10% Owned

With Glen Perkins going on the DL with a shoulder injury, Kevin Jepsen has been named the closer in the meantime. While he has given up runs in two of his three outing this year, Jepsen saved 10 games last year for the Twins with a 1.61 ERA and 25 strikeouts in 28.0 innings. With no real threat to the closer's seat, he is a must grab for any and all save trolls.

Clay Buchholz (SP, BOS) - 25% Owned

Always the enigma, Clay Buchholz has been awful out of the gate. Actually, that might be underselling the situation. After two starts, his ERA is 10.00, his WHIP is 1.89 and he has only three more strikeouts than walks (9 to 6). While it seems iffy Buchholz can right the ship during his next start against Toronto, the following start against Houston is less murky. He has been a monster when facing the Astros, going 3-0 with a 1.38 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 32.2 innings.

 

MLB & Fantasy Baseball Chat Room

[iflychat_embed id="c-12" hide_user_list="yes" hide_popup_chat="no" height="400px"]


Check out RotoBaller's entire fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups and sleepers list, updated daily!




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Cam Smith5 hours ago

Triples, Adds Three More RBI To His Total
Sam Darnold6 hours ago

Giants, Raiders Two Likeliest Landing Spots For Sam Darnold
Caleb Durbin6 hours ago

Hits Second Home Run, Nabs First Steal Of Spring
Roderick Arias6 hours ago

Yankees Reassign Roderick Arias To Minor-League Camp
Jakob Marsee7 hours ago

Reassigned To Minor-League Camp
Aaron Ashby7 hours ago

Suffers Oblique Strain On Monday
Trey Benson7 hours ago

Cardinals Have High Hopes For Trey Benson
Victor Mesa Jr.7 hours ago

Optioned To Triple-A Jacksonville
Cincinnati Bengals7 hours ago

Bengals Release Alex Cappa
Green Bay Packers7 hours ago

Packers Re-Sign Isaiah McDuffie To Two-Year Deal
DJ Turner8 hours ago

Raiders Not Tendering DJ Turner
Armani Rogers8 hours ago

To Have Surgery After Tearing His Achilles
Quintin Morris8 hours ago

Bills Won't Tender Quintin Morris
Sam Darnold8 hours ago

Vikings Not Expected To Use Franchise Tag On Sam Darnold
Tim Patrick8 hours ago

Jets Expected To Target Tim Patrick In Free Agency
Adam Scott8 hours ago

Concludes Genesis Invitational With Another Top-40 Finish
Aldrich Potgieter8 hours ago

Narrowly Misses Out On Winning Mexico Open
Breece Hall8 hours ago

Jets Unlikely To Pursue Early Extension For Breece Hall
Min Woo Lee8 hours ago

Continues Playing Solid Golf Heading To Arnold Palmer Invitational
Rory McIlroy8 hours ago

Returns To Action For Arnold Palmer Invitational
Viktor Hovland8 hours ago

Searching For Consistency Heading To Arnold Palmer Invitational
Russell Henley8 hours ago

Has Yet To Miss The Cut In 2025
Harris English8 hours ago

Finishes T24 At Genesis Invitational
Corey Conners8 hours ago

Continues Playing Well Heading To Arnold Palmer Invitational
Keegan Bradley8 hours ago

Puts Together Another Solid Performance At Genesis Invitational
Ludvig Aberg8 hours ago

Wins Genesis Invitational
Josh Giddey8 hours ago

Iffy For Tuesday
Garrett Wilson8 hours ago

Willing To Discuss Contract Extension
Nikola Vučević8 hours ago

Nikola Vucevic Hopes To Return To Action This Week
Kyrie Irving8 hours ago

Injured On Monday, Helped Off The Court
New York Jets8 hours ago

Jets, Jamien Sherwood Have Mutual Interest In A New Deal
Ben Simmons9 hours ago

Won't Play Against Suns
Julius Randle9 hours ago

Questionable Versus Philadelphia
Derrick Jones Jr.9 hours ago

To Sit Out A Second Consecutive Game
Rudy Gobert9 hours ago

Remains Out On Tuesday
Norman Powell9 hours ago

Out With Strained Hamstring
Sam Darnold9 hours ago

Not A Realistic Target For Jets
Stephon Castle9 hours ago

Questionable To Play On Tuesday
Bradley Beal9 hours ago

Considered Questionable For Tuesday
Seattle Seahawks9 hours ago

Seahawks Want To Draft A Quarterback
Kyle Kuzma9 hours ago

Listed As Doubtful For Tuesday
DK Metcalf9 hours ago

Seahawks Unlikely To Make DK Metcalf Available In A Trade
Evan Mobley9 hours ago

Taking The Night Off On Tuesday
Giannis Antetokounmpo9 hours ago

Probable To Face Hawks
NFL9 hours ago

Travis Hunter Could Be First Overall Pick
Karl-Anthony Towns9 hours ago

May Skip Tuesday's Game For Personal Reasons
LeBron James9 hours ago

Likely To Suit Up On Tuesday
Isaiah Stewart9 hours ago

Unavailable Monday
Austin Reaves10 hours ago

Questionable Against New Orleans
Dallas Cowboys10 hours ago

Cowboys Making A Play To Re-Sign Osa Odighizuwa
Luka Dončić10 hours ago

Luka Doncic Questionable Versus The Pelicans
10 hours ago

Cowboys To Pass On Ashton Jeanty In First Round?
Collin Sexton10 hours ago

Available Against Pistons
John Collins10 hours ago

Misses Meeting With Pistons
Chet Holmgren10 hours ago

Returns To Thunder Lineup
Ben Rortvedt11 hours ago

Returns To Action As DH
Adam Macko11 hours ago

Optioned To Triple-A
Ernie Clement11 hours ago

Does Not Suffer Concussion
Kevin Newman11 hours ago

Viewed As The "Favorite" To Win Starting Shortstop Job
Johan Oviedo11 hours ago

Placed On 60-Day Injured List
DJ LeMahieu11 hours ago

To Undergo An MRI On Tuesday
KaVontae Turpin12 hours ago

To Receive Second-Round Tender
Jimmy Garoppolo12 hours ago

Rams Want Jimmy Garoppolo Back
Tyler Higbee12 hours ago

Rob Havenstein To Return In 2025
Gabriel Landeskog12 hours ago

Not Expected To Return During The Regular Season
Spencer Knight12 hours ago

Makes Blackhawks Debut Monday
Justin Lawrence13 hours ago

Claimed Off Waivers By Pirates
Nick Foligno13 hours ago

Out On Monday
Alexis Díaz13 hours ago

Alexis Diaz Working His Way Back From Tweaked Hamstring
Macklin Celebrini13 hours ago

Available Against Maple Leafs
Wyatt Langford13 hours ago

Almost Ready To Return To Spring Games
Jon Gray13 hours ago

Adds Velocity In Second Spring Start
Calle Jarnkrok13 hours ago

Ready For Season Debut
Jacob deGrom13 hours ago

To Start In Back End Of The Rotation
Jake Sanderson13 hours ago

Good To Go Monday
Luis Gil13 hours ago

Won't Throw For Six Weeks With High-Grade Lat Strain
Matthew Tkachuk13 hours ago

To Miss Remainder Of Regular Season
Ernie Clement14 hours ago

Exits After Being Hit By Pitch
Wilyer Abreu15 hours ago

Swinging A Bat, Still Questionable For Opening Day
Sebastian Walcott15 hours ago

Assigned To Minor-League Camp
MMA18 hours ago

Asu Almbayev Gets TKO'd At UFC Vegas 103
Manel Kape18 hours ago

Gets TKO Win At UFC Vegas 103
Julian Marquez19 hours ago

Loses Fourth Fight In A Row
Kyle Busch19 hours ago

Falls Short Of Victory At COTA While Finishing Fifth
Kyle Larson19 hours ago

Has A Day To Forget At COTA On Sunday
Cody Brundage19 hours ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Tyler Reddick19 hours ago

Continues His Top-10 Streak At COTA With Third-Place Finish
NASCAR19 hours ago

Bubba Wallace Has An Eventful Day At COTA That Ends In 20th-Place Finish
Esteban Ribovics19 hours ago

Drops Decision At UFC Vegas 103
Noah Gragson19 hours ago

Scores His First Career Road Course Top-10 Finish At COTA
Nasrat Haqparast20 hours ago

Extends Win Streak At UFC Vegas 103
William Gomis20 hours ago

Takes Split-Decision Loss
Hyder Amil20 hours ago

Remains Undefeated
Sam Patterson20 hours ago

Extends Win Streak To Three
Danny Barlow21 hours ago

Suffers First Career Loss At UFC Vegas 103
Filip Gustavsson21 hours ago

Shuts Out Bruins With 28 Saves
Roope Hintz21 hours ago

Records Second Consecutive Four-Point Game
Wyatt Johnston21 hours ago

Nets Hat Trick Against Blues
Adin Hill21 hours ago

Stops Devils From Scoring
Auston Matthews21 hours ago

Extends Point Streak To Nine Games
Sidney Crosby21 hours ago

Bags Three Points In Sunday's Loss
Jack Hughes22 hours ago

Exits With Injury Sunday
Christopher Bell22 hours ago

Wins At COTA, Ready To Keep Adding To It
Chris Buescher22 hours ago

Finishes Seventh At COTA, Sees Room For Improvement
Todd Gilliland22 hours ago

Nabs First Top-10 Finish Of Season After Bumpy COTA Race
Chase Elliott1 day ago

Recovers From Lap 1 Spinout To Finish Fourth
William Byron1 day ago

In Battle Between Last Two Race Winners, William Byron Comes Up Short
Shane Van Gisbergen1 day ago

Shane van Gisbergen Dominates First Two Stages But Fades In Third Stage
AJ Allmendinger1 day ago

A.J. Allmendinger Runs Well At Austin Until Late-Race Collapse
Alex Bowman1 day ago

Recovers From COTA Penalty To Finish Ninth
Jacob Markstrom2 days ago

Activated From Injured Reserve Sunday
Jonas Brodin2 days ago

Deemed Week-To-Week
Matthew Tkachuk2 days ago

Placed On Long-Term Injured Reserve
Justus Annunen2 days ago

Starts Against Rangers
Jonathan Quick2 days ago

Starts For Rangers Sunday
Reilly Smith2 days ago

Sits Out Sunday's Action
Tyler Reddick2 days ago

Wins Pole At COTA, Looking To Become First Repeat Winner
Chase Elliott2 days ago

Will Be A Top Threat For The Win At COTA
Shane Van Gisbergen2 days ago

Shane van Gisbergen the Favorite to Win at COTA
Kyle Larson2 days ago

Is One Of The Top Favorites To Win At COTA
Christopher Bell2 days ago

Will Be A Fantastic DFS Play For COTA Lineups
AJ Allmendinger2 days ago

Struggling At COTA Despite Strong Practice Speeds
Austin Cindric2 days ago

Is One Of The Top DFS Recommendations For COTA Lineups
Connor Zilisch2 days ago

Making Cup Series Debut This Weekend
Ryan Donato2 days ago

Extends Point Streak To Four Games
MMA4 days ago

Asu Almbayev Looks To Remain Undefeated In The UFC
Manel Kape4 days ago

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Julian Marquez4 days ago

In Dire Need Of Victory
Cody Brundage4 days ago

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Esteban Ribovics4 days ago

Looks For His Fourth UFC Win
Nasrat Haqparast4 days ago

An Underdog At UFC Vegas 103
William Gomis4 days ago

A Favorite At UFC Vegas 103
Hyder Amil4 days ago

Looks To Remain Undefeated
Sam Patterson4 days ago

Opens Up UFC Vegas 103 Main Card
Danny Barlow4 days ago

Looks To Extend Win Streak
Emiliano Grillo5 days ago

Out Of Form Ahead Of Cognizant Classic
Sam Ryder5 days ago

A Course Horse For PGA National
Matt Kuchar5 days ago

An Intriguing Option At Cognizant Classic
Cameron Young6 days ago

A High-Risk, High-Reward Play At PGA National
Taylor Pendrith6 days ago

Is An Enticing Play At Cognizant Classic
Gary Woodland6 days ago

Aiming For Bounce-Back Performance At PGA National
PGA6 days ago

Kris Ventura A Value Pick At The Cognizant Classic
PGA6 days ago

Niklas Norgaard Making Third PGA Tour Start At Cognizant Classic
Erik Van Rooyen6 days ago

Looking For Sustained Success At PGA National
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Ricky Pearsall - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Top Wide Receiver Breakout Candidates for 2025 Fantasy Football Drafts: WR1 Projections & Outlooks

Fantasy football is inherently unpredictable, mainly because it features humans playing against other humans. We know that they'll try their best to play as hard as they can and produce as well as they can, at least. Those who don't usually find themselves out of the league very quickly. Some of them stick around, like […]


Isaiah Likely - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Top Tight End Breakout Candidates for 2025 Fantasy Football Drafts: TE1 Projections & Outlooks

Every year, there are unexpected fantasy football tight ends who finish as a TE1. Most of the time, these tight ends go in the later round of drafts but wind up having solid fantasy seasons. Players like Miami Dolphins tight end Jonnu Smith, Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft, and Washington Commanders tight end […]


Bijan Robinson - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Rookies, Draft Sleepers

Dynasty Fantasy Football RB Rankings Analysis – Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs, Ashton Jeanty

The fantasy football world is seeing a change in the running back position. The 2017 NFL Draft class produced several elite fantasy football running backs. Christian McCaffrey, Alvin Kamara, and Joe Mixon have been three of the top fantasy running backs since their rookie seasons. Meanwhile, James Conner, Aaron Jones, Kareem Hunt, Dalvin Cook, and […]


Kenneth Walker III - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

5 Fantasy Football Breakout Candidates for 2025

It’s never too early to plan for the upcoming fantasy football season. One of the best ways to get a jump on your league mates is correctly identifying which players are set up for breakout seasons. Nailing some fantasy football breakouts can be the difference between hoisting your league’s championship trophy or performing some embarrassing punishment. […]


Josh Allen - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Dynasty Fantasy Football League Quarterback Draft Rankings: Who Is the QB1 For 2025?

Having an elite quarterback in dynasty leagues will go a long way for your fantasy team. The quarterback position usually provides fantasy managers with the most points every week, and these quarterbacks can sometimes win matchups by themselves. Of the top 10 players who scored the most fantasy points last season, seven were quarterbacks.  That […]


David Montgomery - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Every NFC Team's Most Undervalued Dynasty Fantasy Football Players to Target in 2025

Dynasty fantasy football is an ever-growing game. Only hardcore players partook in dynasty leagues years ago. However, it has become more common for casual players, too. Everyone loves seeing a blockbuster trade happen in their dynasty league. Nothing is more exciting than seeing a league-altering move. However, the league-winning moves are the ones for undervalued […]


Jaxson Dart - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks

Top Rookie Quarterback Sleepers to Target in 2025 Dynasty Fantasy Football Leagues

The quarterback position is notoriously difficult to evaluate. A big reason for this is that it's the position that requires the most information processing, awareness of what's happening on the field both before and after the snap, and the ability to react to many different types of situations. As such, it's incredibly difficult to find […]


Zach Charbonnet - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL DFS and Betting Picks

5 Must-Stash Handcuff Running Backs for Dynasty Fantasy Football Leagues - Target These RBs in 2025

The dynasty offseason is in full swing. Here at RotoBaller, we’ve got you covered with all kinds of dynasty content including our pre-NFL Draft rookie rankings. One important aspect of dynasty football, which often goes overlooked, is stashing bench players with upside. Usually, these players are nothing more than lottery tickets. However, if you can […]


Tyreek Hill - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Dynasty Fantasy Football: 4 Veteran Players to Sell Low in 2025 Before Their Trade Value Crashes

Welcome to the 2025 NFL offseason, RotoBallers! As NFL teams prepare to scout for the NFL Combine and sign free agents on the open market, we will examine veterans to sell low on in dynasty fantasy football leagues. If there is one inevitable thing for athletes, it's Father Time. In addition to aging veterans, other […]


Jameson Williams - Fantasy Football Rankings, Waiver Wire Pickups, Draft Sleepers

Top 5 Dynasty Fantasy Football League Trade Targets: Fourth-Year Players to Buy in 2025

The offseason is critical for dynasty fantasy football managers wanting to shake up their rosters. Whether you're trying to improve one position or want to rebuild your entire team, making the right trades now can set you up for success in future years. Dynasty leagues reward those who are ahead of the curve. One of […]


Jonnu Smith - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Biggest Fantasy Football Tight End Surprises: 2nd-Year TE Breakout Stars & Sleepers for 2025 Drafts

Usually, you know what you're getting at tight end. Travis Kelce and Mark Andrews finish top three at the position in fantasy football. Young guys struggle to get going. Jonnu Smith fails to live up to the hype that I've personally had for him for years now. None of those things happened in 2024, though. […]


Jerry Jeudy - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Top Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Surprises: 2nd-Year WR Breakout Stars & Sleepers for 2025 Drafts

The 2024 NFL season was full of surprises, from expected playoff teams like the Cowboys and 49ers faltering during the regular season to unexpected players breaking out. While the top three wide receivers in fantasy scoring weren't a surprise to anyone (Ja'Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, and Amon-Ra St. Brown), some of the names that followed […]


Tyler Allgeier - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

2025 Fantasy Football Backup Running Back Rankings for Dynasty Leagues: Sleepers & Value Picks

Ah, the backup running backs. Fantasy football managers hold them all season in the hopes that, for at least one week, they have a fantasy starter. Not all backup running backs are created equal. The top-end runners technically don't start but see an equal share of touches. There are the high-value handcuffs, the running backs […]