RADIO
Michael Grennell recommends NL 2B Joe Panik as a fantasy baseball waiver wire pickup and add in Week 1 of 2018 for his sudden power surge.
BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues
OWNED IN: 24% of Yahoo leagues
ANALYSIS: Joe Panik made headlines by hitting home runs in the Giants' first two wins of the season over the Dodgers, against Clayton Kershaw and Kenley Jansen no less. While he's hit "only" one home run since then he has continued to hit the ball well. Through six games, Panik is hitting .380 with three homers, three runs, three RBI and three walks across 25 plate appearances.
Panik is a better real-life second baseman than fantasy second baseman, but he can still provide good value in deep leagues. He has averaged nine home runs with a .278 batting average and .761 OPS over the last three seasons, and he has been consistently hitting the ball harder each year. Obviously with a 42.9 percent HR/FB rate to start the year his power is going to regress, but it wouldn't be a stretch to think he may reach 15 home runs this season. Is he this year's version of Scooter Gennett? It's too early to go that far, but he is still an intriguing pickup in deep leagues.
Check out RotoBaller's entire fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups and sleepers list, updated daily!
