👉 TAP TO SAVE 30% WITH CODE NEW
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

#1 Expert Projections
Save 30% Now
Import Your Leagues
Top-Rated Accuracy
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Risers and Fallers - Week 3: Lamb, Latos, Ellsbury, Archer and more

Week 3 is nearing its completion and there are plenty of bats and arms to tickle your fancy. It's not all good news though, as some highly-regarded players are not getting the job done at the moment.

As is usually the case, you must strike quick in some cases and be patient in others. Without any further ado, here is the Week 3 edition of Risers and Fallers.

Editor’s Note: to read about 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.

 

Fantasy Baseball Risers

Aledmys Diaz (2B/SS, STL) - All Diaz has done during his short time in St. Louis is hit .385 with a 1.173 OPS in 13 contests. Diaz displayed some pop in the Minors and already has six doubles for the Cards. The longer Jhonny Peralta is out with his hand injury, the longer Diaz has to show what he can do. Strike while the iron is hot.

Jake Lamb (3B, ARI) - Lamb has been racking up the hits in the Diamondbacks lineup recently and will have the chance to continue doing so hitting out of the six spot in the desert. He had a .960 OPS in 931 career Minor League at-bats, so the power potential is there. He has fared much better against right-handers thus far so continue to monitor his splits.

Yasmany Tomas (3B/OF, ARI) - Tomas has shown to be much more comfortable in his second year in the United States. He is riding a six-game hitting streak and swatted his first two home runs of the year in a game earlier this week. The 25-year-old Cuban showed his power potential last season and should only improve with more at-bats this year. The D-backs have a full slate of home games coming up for Tomas to keep the train rolling.

Matt Holliday (OF, STL) - Holliday has belted three home runs in the last week and is capable hitting over 20 home runs for the Cardinals if he can stay healthy. The 36-year-old played in just 73 games a year ago, but is only 22 dingers shy of 300 for his career. You know the motivation is there, the key will be whether his body goes along with the plan. Maybe he can prove his value and get traded to the American League where he can DH.

Byung Ho Park (1B/DH, MIN) - Park has three home runs in his last four games, and is becoming the power threat the Twins hoped they would see. Park figures to sit in National League stadiums, and with the Twins visiting the Brewers and Nationals coming up, his value will take a hit for a few days. He'll continue to be a sneaky power source in an otherwise underwhelming Minnesota attack.

Michael Conforto (OF, NYM) - Conforto was recently inserted into the three-hole in the Mets lineup, and the move has paid immediate dividends for everyone involved. Despite an 0-for-5 on Wednesday night, the sweet-swinging lefty is 7-for-23 with two home runs, five RBI and six runs scored in his last six games. In addition, the Mets lineup around him has erupted for 17 home runs in their last five games. This is only the beginning for the future All-Star.

Neil Walker (2B, NYM) - Walker will forever be spoken of as the man who replaced Daniel Murphy after the latter's historic postseason performance last fall. Walker has filled Murph's shoes admirably thus far in 2016, mashing five of his team-high six home runs in the last five contests.

Daniel Murphy (2B, WAS) - Murphy has followed his playoff heroics by leading the National League with a .429 average entering play on Thursday. He is hitting like a man possessed and has picked up right where he left off, save for all the home runs, but that was to be expected. Murphy is absolutely looking like a man on a mission after the Mets essentially let him walk, and a batting title is not out of the question.

Michael Saunders (OF, TOR) - Saunders had his third straight multi-hit game on Thursday and should be on the radar of most owners. Hitting atop the Toronto lineup has its benefits and Saunders will reap the rewards for as long as he stays there.

Mark Trumbo (1B/DH, BAL) - Trumbo extended his hitting streak to six games on Thursday and has mashed five home runs so far this month. Like any slugger, there will be ups and downs, but Trumbo appears capable of returning to the slugger he was with the Angels earlier in his career. A 30 home run season is not out of the question.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia (C, DET) - Salty finally went hitless on Thursday but will remain a power threat so long as James McCann remains sidelined. He should retain everyday catching duties for at least another week, if not longer. He already has five homers and has hit over 20 in a season before, so don't be shocked to see this continue.

Mat Latos (SP, CWS) - Latos has been among the best starting pitchers in baseball so far, having allowed only one run over 18.1 innings in three starts for the Chi-Sox. He has not registered a ton of strikeouts but Latos seems to have matured since his days in Cincinnati. As is the case with many pitchers, you'll have to pick your spots with Latos at times. He has Texas and Baltimore coming up, so be careful.

Drew Pomeranz (SP, SD) - Pomeranz fanned a career-high 10 his last time out against the Pirates and has 25 strikeouts in 17.2 innings in three starts. The wins could be tough to come by, but he's in a pitcher's park in San Diego. The 27-year-old southpaw may finally be realizing his potential after being stuck in Colorado for the first few years of his career.

Hector Santiago (SP, LAA) - Santiago fanned 10 over seven shutout innings against the White Sox his last time out, and gets the Mariners at home this weekend. He has 20 strikeouts in 20.2 innings and is using his sinker to baffle hitters any which way he chooses. The 28-year-old left-hander is coming off a career-high 180.2 innings and had a 3.59 ERA a year ago. He could top both those numbers in 2016, and double-digit wins are likely to follow as well.

Jeremy Jeffress (RP, MIL) - Jeffress has notched five saves and has yet to allow a run for the Brew Crew. This is his third stint pitching for the Brewers in his career, but the first time he has had a chance to close games. He won't maintain a perfect ERA all season, but there a handful of closers who unexpectedly pop up each year to save a bunch of games, and Jeffress could very well be one of them in 2016.

 

Fantasy Baseball Fallers

Jacoby Ellsbury (OF, NYY) - Ellsbury has experienced a sharp decline in production over the last few season, largely due to lower body injuries. The now 32-year-old is hitting just .255 to start the year without a home run. He may even begin to sit occasionally against lefties. Ellsbury has never come close to repeating his magical 2011 season in Boston when he had 32 home runs and 46 doubles. The Yankees are certainly not getting much for their investment.

Lorenzo Cain (OF, KC) - Cain has not gotten off to the greatest of starts after a terrific 2015 season in which he set career-bests in games played, batting average, home runs, doubles, runs and hits. He may not reach all those numbers this season, but he will certainly perform better than his current .222 average and .667 OPS.

Byron Buxton (OF, MIN) - Buxton is hitting an atrocious .162 with 18 strikeouts and one walk to begin the season. He had a cup of coffee in 2015, hitting .209 in 129 at-bats, so he is certainly not this bad. Buxton has mega speed, but as the saying goes you cannot steal first base. The Twins are not expecting to contend this year so Buxton will have a chance to get through the growing pains.

Addison Russell (2B/SS, CHC) - Russell is struggling mightily at the moment and may begin to lose some playing time to Javier Baez in the Cubs lineup. He is hitting just .196 and has only one hit in his last 16 at-bats. Russell is still just a young pup at 22, so it would be very premature to label him a bust. Be patient and monitor him closely if he is on your league's waiver wire.

Mark Teixeira (1B, NYY) - Teixeira is having a rather poor April, with just one hit in his last 18 at-bats and a .170 average. The 36-year-old managed 31 home runs in 111 games a year ago and is just three shy of 400 in his career, so expect him to start taking advantage of the short porch in right field at Yankee Stadium at some point. The Bombers are home this weekend but on the road next week.

Brandon Crawford (SS, SF) - Crawford has so far not been the player who busted out last season to the tune of career-highs of 21 home runs, 33 doubles and 84 RBIs. The Giants offense has struggled a bit of late, so perhaps Crawford just needs his teammates to get going around him. He is carrying a .222 average into the weekend.

Scott Kazmir (SP, LAD) - Kazmir (1-1, 6.43) has not gotten past the fourth inning in either of his last two starts, and this won't get any easier for him in this weekend in Colorado. He has allowed 14 hits and five walks in his last eight innings and has an unsightly 6.43 ERA. The 32-year-old posted a 3.10 ERA in 31 starts between Oakland and Houston last season, and has a chance to come close to that in the National League, he just isn't getting it done at the moment.

Chris Archer (SP, TB) - Archer (0-4, 7.32) just has not been able to get any sort of consistency going in April. He has had two decent starts and two terrible ones, most recently giving up six runs over 4.1 innings against Boston. He has piled up the walks and strikeouts, so he probably just needs to induce contact earlier in the count. He should start to go deeper into games soon.

Francisco Liriano (SP, PIT) - After striking out 10 Cardinals over six shutout innings on Opening Day, Liriano (1-1, 4.11) has regressed and allowed seven runs over 9.1 innings in two starts. He has walked nine in those two games, and will have to start throwing more strikes in order to see some success. You may want to avoid him in Arizona this weekend.

Adam Wainwright (SP, STL) - Wainwright (0-2, 8.27) is simply no longer the ace he was for so long in St. Louis. After missing nearly all of last season, 'Waino' has gotten rocked out of the gate in 2016. He has walked nine and struck out only seven in 16.1 innings. The 34-year-old should still have something left in the tank, but it could take him some time to build up his arm strength and control.

Taylor Jungmann (SP, MIL) - Jungmann (0-3, 8.47) continues to get battered and will have to get some better results if he wants to hold onto his spot in the Milwaukee rotation. The 26-year-old had a 3.77 ERA in 21 starts a year ago, but has not resembled that pitcher this year. He is pitching in a tough division in a hitter's park.

Matt Harvey (SP, NYM) - Harvey (0-3, 5.71) did not pitch very much in Spring Training and seems to be treating April like a warm up act. He has been working on fixing a mechanical issue when pitching out of the stretch, and will get a chance to begin turning his season around this weekend in Atlanta.

 

MLB & Fantasy Baseball Chat Room

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




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

#1 Expert Projections
Save 30% Now
Import Your Leagues
Top-Rated Accuracy
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Tyreek Hill

Faces Uncertain Future
Brock Bowers

Still a Top-15 Player in Dynasty Leagues Despite Injury-Plagued Season
Gavin Sheets

Goes Yard Twice, Including Walk-Off Round-Tripper
Washington Commanders

Commanders Host Omar Cooper Jr. for a Pre-Draft Visit
NFL

Makai Lemon to be a Top-20 Draft Pick This Year?
Corbin Carroll

Expected to Start on Saturday
Wyatt Langford

Forced From Friday's Game With Quad Tightness
Bijan Robinson

Falcons Pick Up Bijan Robinson's Fifth-Year Option
Kris Bubic

Dominates White Sox With 11 Strikeouts on Friday
Royce Lewis

Headed for Injured List
Mack Hollins

Can Mack Hollins Maintain a Starting Role in New England in 2026?
Clay Holmes

Removed With Hamstring Tightness
Malik Washington

Has Breakout Potential After Offseason Movement in Miami
Mike Gesicki

Is Mike Gesicki a Buy-Low Candidate After Down 2025?
Cristian Javier

Placed on 15-Day Injured List
Jayden Reed

Poised for Larger Role in Green Bay Following Offseason Movement
Matthew Golden

Does Matthew Golden Have a Clear Path to a Starting Role in His Sophomore Season?
Jaylon Tyson

Rejoins Cavaliers Lineup as Starter
Klay Thompson

Misses Friday's Game Due to Illness
Kevin Huerter

Back in Action Friday
Sam Hauser

Cleared to Play Friday
Neemias Queta

Ready to Take on Pelicans
Derrick White

Good to Go Friday
Jaylen Brown

Active on Friday
Josh Giddey

Still Out Friday
Miles McBride

Exits Knicks Lineup Friday
Mitchell Robinson

Sidelined on Friday
Norman Powell

Won't Play Against Wizards
Tyler Herro

Out on Friday
Saddiq Bey

Herbert Jones Resting Friday
Immanuel Quickley

Unavailable Friday
Julius Randle

Misses Second Straight Game
Jayson Tatum

Won't Play Friday
Jackson Chourio

Still Not Cleared to Hit
Dontayvion Wicks

Eagles Acquiring Dontayvion Wicks From the Packers
Brent Rooker

A's Place Brent Rooker on 10-Day Injured List With Oblique Strain
J.T. Realmuto

Back in Friday's Lineup
Parker Meadows

Goes on 10-Day Injured List With Broken Arm, Concussion
Seiya Suzuki

Back From the Injured List
Carlos Ulberg

A Slight Underdog
Jiří Procházka

Jiri Prochazka Can Become UFC Champion Again
Paulo Costa

Makes his Light-Heavyweight Debut
Azamat Murzakanov

Looks To Remain Unbeaten
Josh Hokit

Looks To Remain Undefeated
Curtis Blaydes

A Favorite At UFC 327
DJ Giddens

an Easily Replaceable Insurance Back
Kenny Moore II

and Colts Seeking a Trade
Hunter Henry

Could Be Impacted by NFL Draft
AJ Barner

a Mispriced Dynasty Asset
Cedric Tillman

Nearing Cut Candidacy in Dynasty Leagues
Josh Jacobs

Has a Health-Related Production Dip Left Josh Jacobs Undervalued?
Sam Carrick

to Miss Start of Playoffs
Alex Lyon

Questionable for Start of Postseason
Dakota Joshua

Unlikely to Return This Season
John Gibson

Exits Thursday's Game Due to Neck Problem
Miro Heiskanen

Uncertain for Playoffs
Brandon Hagel

Expected to Return Before End of Regular Season
Roman Josi

Nursing Upper-Body Injury
Trey Murphy III

Unavailable Against Celtics
Dejounte Murray

Remains Out Friday
Zion Williamson

Won't Suit Up Friday
Jalen Williams

Out on Friday
Jarrett Allen

Won't Play Against Hawks
Moritz Seider

has Five-Point Game on Thursday
Xavier Legette

Trending Down Ahead of Year 3
Rashod Bateman

a Cut Candidate in All Dynasty Leagues?
Ja'Tavion Sanders

Can Ja'Tavion Sanders Break Through in the Panthers' Offense?
Cole Caufield

Reaches 50 Goals
Jayden Reed

Can Jayden Reed Bounce Back as a WR3/Flex in 2026?
Blake Coleman

Unavailable Thursday
Quinton Byfield

Cleared to Play Thursday
Thomas Chabot

Makes Surprise Return Thursday
Luke Hughes

to Miss Rest of Season
Stuart Skinner

Faces Devils Thursday
Nazem Kadri

to "Miss Some Games" With Finger Injury
Seth Jones

to Miss Rest of Season Due to Broken Foot
Corbin Carroll

Dealing With Hip Injury, Not Expected to Miss Much Time
Brent Rooker

Exits Early on Thursday Due to Apparent Injury
Zach Benson

Scores Twice in Comeback Victory
Logan Thompson

Shuts Out the Leafs
Zach Eflin

Undergoes Successful Elbow Surgery, Will Miss Remainder of 2026
Andrei Kuzmenko

to Be Re-Evaluated in 7-8 Days
Mason Appleton

Won't Play Thursday
Tony DeAngelo

Expected to Return Thursday
Cole Ragans

"Should be Good" for Next Start
Reynaldo López

Reynaldo Lopez Handed Seven-Game Suspension
Jorge Soler

Suspended Seven Games, Will Appeal
Cole Ragans

Diagnosed With Thumb Contusion
Cole Ragans

Leaves Early on Wednesday After Being Hit in the Hand
Jacob deGrom

Expects to Make his Next Start
Tyrrell Hatton

a Steady Option at The Masters
Justin Thomas

a High-Risk, High-Reward Option at The Masters
PGA

Sungjae Im a Volatile Option at the Masters
Nicolai Hojgaard

Carrying Momentum Into The Masters
Si Woo Kim

in Strong Form Heading to The Masters
Chris Gotterup

Ready to Make His Masters Debut
Patrick Reed

Brings Momentum to The Masters
Jon Rahm

Looks Poised for His Second Green Jacket
Adam Scott

Form Points to Him Competing at Masters
Jordan Spieth

Finding Consistency Heading to Masters
Hideki Matsuyama

Trending In Right Direction For Masters
Tommy Fleetwood

a Contender if his Putter Cooperates at The Masters
Collin Morikawa

Vegas has Lost Confidence in Collin Morikawa Ahead of Masters Tournament
Ludvig Aberg

One of the Top Plays For This Week's Masters Tournament
Rory McIlroy

Set to Defend his Long-Awaited Masters Victory
Bryson DeChambeau

Looks to Finally Claim a Green Jacket
Patrick Cantlay

Needs Plenty to Go Right at Augusta
Harris English

Playing Solid Golf Heading to Masters
Sam Burns

Bouncing Back Nicely After Slow Start to 2026 Season
Corey Conners

Quietly Putting Together A Strong 2026 Season
Russell Henley

Looks to Bounce Back At Masters
Chris Duncan

Suffers Second-Round Submission Loss
Renato Moicano

Gets Back In The Win Column
Tabatha Ricci

Gets Outgrappled
Virna Jandiroba

Bounces Back
Brendson Ribeiro

Suffers First-Round Submission Loss
Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev

Earns First-Round Submission Win
Rafael Estevam

Suffers His First Loss
Ethyn Ewing

Dominates At UFC Vegas 115
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF