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
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Three Post-Hype Sleepers Primed for 2016 Breakouts

My recent article on over-hyped prospects advised fantasy owners against buying too high for relatively small or non-existent sample sizes. Baseball trumps every other sport, except possibly international soccer, in terms of labeling minor leaguers as future legends before they have proven their worth on the big stage. On the other side of the coin are players who have been written off by the age of 23 because they did not immediately live up to the lofty expectations set by scouts and the media.

It wasn't too long ago that Bryce Harper, reigning NL MVP, was being called a bust.  To quote Axl Rose, sometimes all you need is a little patience... Here are some fallen stars who might provide surprising fantasy value this season.

Editor's note: Read about more draft values and sleepers with our daily updated list. Make sure to also bookmark our fantasy baseball rankings dashboard. Our rankings assistant tool consolidates all our staff ranks in one easy place. Filter, sort, and export various rankings for various leagues - mixed leagues, AL/NL only, top prospects, dynasty, keeper values, and more. And it's all 100% free!

 

Undervalued Draft Targets

Matt Moore (SP, TB)

Tampa Bay knows how to develop young pitchers (e.g. Chris Archer, Alex Cobb, David Price, etc). Moore was supposed to be the ace of the Rays staff at this point in his career, but injuries have derailed him. Moore missed almost the entire 2014 season and the first half of 2015 recovering from Tommy John surgery. What may be forgotten is that Moore was an All-Star in 2013, posting a 17-4 record and 3.29 ERA despite pitching in the AL East. Now healthy, Moore has the ability to bounce back in a big way. His numbers upon returning late last season look worrisome, but further inspection indicates that he just needed time to shake off some rust. In his final six starts of 2015, Moore posted a 2.97 ERA.

These Tampa Bay Rays aren't the same team from three years ago and Moore may not ever be the same pitcher. Don't expect an ace, but if all goes well he can be a solid third starter for the Rays and your fantasy team. Moore is going undrafted in many leagues and should definitely be available after pick 200. At that point, instead of reaching for a rookie or journeyman fifth starter, consider Moore to fill out your rotation.

 

Nick Castellanos (3B, DET)

Only 24, it seems like Nick Castellanos has been around forever. I swear I've seen a picture of him on the field with Alan Trammell, Lou Whitaker and Darrell Evans... but I digress. Castellanos has logged 1100 big league at-bats so far and driven in 139 RBI over two full seasons. He has been injury-free so far and at 6'4"/210 he has the frame and potential to become an elite slugger, as indicated by his first-round draft status.

So why is he being picked no higher than 20th at his position, behind the likes of light-hitting Josh Harrison and late-blooming Justin Turner, neither of whom have matched his power numbers over their careers? It would seem too early to give up Castellanos, but impatience rears its ugly head when expectations aren't immediately met. The problem is that he hasn't shown much progress from one year to the next. In his rookie season, he hit .259/.306/.394 while playing every day. The following season, a nearly identical line of .255/.303/.419 was met with disappointment to those expecting a breakout. His strikeout rate also took a downward turn as he posted a 25.5% K rate. He has yet to hit more than 15 HR either, so it's not as if the power is making up for his lack of contact.

So why consider Castellanos? Simple - he's only 24 years old. Often, star players who have an immediate impact as a rookie will see their numbers dip the following season (the dreaded sophomore slump), before returning to form. Bryce Harper has already proven that we can dissect the numbers all we want, but you can't simply overlook talent. Castellanos didn't have that slump, so a sharp uptick in production is definitely reasonable. Even if he hits for a mediocre average, he could very well go for 20+ HR and 80+ RBI on a loaded Tigers lineup. At a position where premium power hitters are becoming increasingly rare, Castellanos might be worth the bet.

 

Wil Myers (OF, SD)

Nothing hurts a player's chances of success as much as, well, being hurt. Myers is becoming a poster child for fragility, so the Padres have decided to move him to first base in an effort to prevent him from shattering into tiny pieces on the outfield grass. Myers slashed .293/.354/.478 with 13 HR/53 RBI in only 88 games en route to winning Rookie of the Year in 2013. Since then, wrist injuries have limited him to 147 games over the past two seasons combined. In the time he has played, Myers has not displayed the power or contact rate that had scouts raving about him as a prospect in the Kansas City farm system. He has gone from being the centerpiece of major trades to a reclamation project in short time. While rising stars Joe Ross and Trea Turner are ready to make an impact in Washington, the Padres are hoping for Myers to stay on the field.

So why invest in Myers this year? Moving to San Diego is not a move that typically inspires a spike in offensive production, particularly in the power category. Switching defensive positions might do the trick though. Instead of moving around the outfield,  he can focus on one position - a relatively stationary one at that. The main issue here is his wrist. Nothing saps power from a hitter like a wrist injury. Even after coming back presumably healthy in 2014, he wasn't quite the same hitter. After experiencing similar issues last year, it is obvious he wasn't 100% upon his return. Given his track record in the minors and early success in the majors, we know Myers can hit. The good news? Even playing with the wrist issues in a pitcher-friendly park, Myers' .174 ISO is above average. If he can stay on the field, this may be the year he puts it all together. 25 homers might be his ceiling at Petco, but for a first baseman currently ranked in the 30s for his position, that's a pretty good value.

 

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
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Jorge Polanco4 hours ago

Re-Signs With Mariners On One-Year Deal
Jalen Suggs7 hours ago

Won't Play On Thursday
Mike Conley8 hours ago

Won't Play On Thursday
AJ Green8 hours ago

Listed As Questionable For Friday
Khris Middleton8 hours ago

Probable To Play Friday
Jerami Grant8 hours ago

Ruled Out Against Orlando
Giannis Antetokounmpo8 hours ago

Likely To Play On Friday
Bobby Portis8 hours ago

Remains Out On Friday
Steven Adams8 hours ago

Available On Thursday, Will Start
Alperen Sengün8 hours ago

Alperen Sengun Out On Thursday Night
Ja Morant8 hours ago

Ruled Out For Thursday
Josh Green8 hours ago

Expected To Play Versus The Clippers
Mark Williams9 hours ago

Out Again On Friday Night
LaMelo Ball9 hours ago

Ruled Out Versus The Clippers
Ja Morant10 hours ago

Doubtful On Thursday
Sam Merrill10 hours ago

Available Versus Hawks
Jaxson Hayes10 hours ago

Starts On Thursday
Rui Hachimura10 hours ago

Good To Go Against Wizards
Jamal Shead10 hours ago

Questionable For Friday Versus Chicago
LeBron James10 hours ago

Cleared For Action Thursday
Gabe Vincent10 hours ago

Remains Out Thursday
Dorian Finney-Smith10 hours ago

Out Against Wizards
Kaan Ofli10 hours ago

Looks For First UFC Win In Saudi Arabia
Muhammad Naimov10 hours ago

Opens Up UFC Saudi Arabia Main Card
Jairzinho Rozenstruik11 hours ago

A Big Underdog At UFC Saudi Arabia
Sergei Pavlovich11 hours ago

Looks To Snap Losing Streak At UFC Saudi Arabia
Shara Magomedov11 hours ago

Puts Undefeated Record On The Line At UFC Saudi Arabia
William Karlsson11 hours ago

To Miss Upcoming Road Trip
Michael Page11 hours ago

Moves Up To Middleweight At UFC Saudi Arabia
Cole Sillinger11 hours ago

Rejoins Blue Jackets Lineup
Owen Tippett11 hours ago

Will Not Play On Thursday
Mikael Granlund11 hours ago

Ready To Face Kraken
Alexander Wennberg11 hours ago

Out On Thursday
Max Scherzer11 hours ago

Signs One-Year Deal With Toronto
Mattias Ekholm11 hours ago

Good To Go Thursday
Charlie McAvoy11 hours ago

Returns To Action Thursday
Dallas Goedert12 hours ago

Being Rested Again On Thursday
DeVonta Smith12 hours ago

Misses Practice Again On Thursday
Sebastian Aho14 hours ago

Questionable For Thursday
Ryker Evans14 hours ago

Day-To-Day With Upper-Body Injury
Andrei Vasilevskiy14 hours ago

Viewed As Game-Time Decision On Thursday
Linus Ullmark14 hours ago

Will Not Suit Up On Thursday
Miro Heiskanen14 hours ago

Deemed Week-To-Week
Mason Marchment15 hours ago

Hopes To Return Before International Break
Justin Tucker15 hours ago

Accused Of Inappropriate Sexual Behavior
Dylan Cease16 hours ago

Cubs A Team To Watch On Dylan Cease
Dylan Cease21 hours ago

Mets Showing Interest In Dylan Cease, Michael King
Filip Gustavsson21 hours ago

Sharp In Victory Over Toronto
Sidney Crosby21 hours ago

Lifts Penguins To Victory
Quinn Hughes21 hours ago

Extends Point Streak On Wednesday
Matthew Tkachuk21 hours ago

Scores Goal, Adds Two Assists On Wednesday
Jake Allen21 hours ago

Shuts The Door On Wednesday
Owen Tippett21 hours ago

Exits Early On Wednesday
Ja'Marr Chase1 day ago

Extension A Priority For Bengals This Offseason
Matthew Stafford1 day ago

Plans To Play In 2025
Dallas Goedert1 day ago

Sits Out With Ankle Injury
DeVonta Smith1 day ago

Dealing With Hamstring Injury
Carlos Estévez1 day ago

Carlos Estevez Signing With Kansas City
Dakota Joshua1 day ago

Rejoins Canucks Lineup Wednesday
Dylan Guenther1 day ago

Upgraded To Day-To-Day
Max Scherzer1 day ago

Blue Jays The Favorites To Land Max Scherzer
Ha-Seong Kim2 days ago

Agrees With Rays, Expected To Return In May
Ryan Pressly2 days ago

To Compete For Ninth-Inning Role In Chicago
Michael King2 days ago

Cubs Have Shown Interest In Michael King
Andrew Novak2 days ago

A Value Play At Pebble Beach
Stephan Jaeger2 days ago

A Risky Option At Pebble Beach
Adam Scott2 days ago

A Boom-Or-Bust Play At Pebble Beach
Sahith Theegala2 days ago

Looking For Bounce-Back At Pebble Beach
Russell Henley2 days ago

In Great Form Heading Into Pebble Beach
Tony Finau2 days ago

Struggles Continue Ahead Of Pebble Beach
Will Zalatoris2 days ago

Back In Action At Pebble Beach
Jason Day2 days ago

A Course Horse At Pebble Beach
Sam Burns2 days ago

In Great Form Ahead Of Pebble Beach
Hideki Matsuyama2 days ago

Looks To Stay Hot At Pebble Beach
NFL2 days ago

Mike McCarthy Won't Coach In The NFL In 2025
New Orleans Saints2 days ago

Kellen Moore In "Strong Position" To Become Saints Head Coach
Marcelo Mayer2 days ago

Roman Anthony, Kristian Campbell, Marcelo Mayer Invited To Spring Training
Jazz Chisholm Jr.2 days ago

Expected To Play Second Base In 2025
Justin Thomas2 days ago

Eyeing Victory At Pebble Beach
Detroit Lions2 days ago

Lions Hire John Morton As New Offensive Coordinator
Washington Commanders2 days ago

Kliff Kingsbury To Stay With Commanders
Cleveland Browns3 days ago

Browns Not Interested In Trading Myles Garrett
Collin Morikawa3 days ago

A Reliable Pick At AT&T Pro-Am
Scottie Scheffler3 days ago

Making Season Debut At Pebble Beach
Davis Thompson3 days ago

Treading Water Heading Into Pebble Beach
Nick Taylor3 days ago

Trending Way Up For Pebble Beach
Justin Rose3 days ago

Cannot Be Counted Out At Pebble Beach
Taylor Moore3 days ago

Attempts To Put Torrey Pines Behind Him
Shane Lowry3 days ago

Tries To Rebound After Torrey Pines
PGA3 days ago

Sungjae Im Can Contend Again At Pebble Beach
Ben Griffin3 days ago

A Bit Of An Unknown For Pebble Beach
Josiah Gray3 days ago

Begins Throwing Program, Targeting Late-Season Return
Matt Fitzpatrick3 days ago

An Intriguing Option For Pebble Beach
Russell Wilson3 days ago

Steelers Unlikely To Re-Sign Both Russell Wilson, Justin Fields
Josh Allen3 days ago

Picks Up Wrist Injury In AFC Championship Loss
A.J. Brown4 days ago

Finds The End Zone In Strong Outing
Saquon Barkley4 days ago

Posts Three-Touchdown Performance
Jalen Hurts4 days ago

Leads Explosive Offense To Super Bowl Berth
Ben Joyce4 days ago

Expected To Open Season In Closer Role
James Cook4 days ago

Scores Two Touchdowns In Loss To Chiefs
Xavier Worthy4 days ago

Leads Receivers In AFC Championship Win
Chicago Bears4 days ago

Bears Hire Dennis Allen, Declan Doyle For Coordinator Roles
Jose Altuve4 days ago

Willing To Move To Outfield
Ryan Pressly4 days ago

Traded To Cubs After Waiving No-Trade Clause
Seattle Seahawks4 days ago

Seahawks Hiring Klint Kubiak As Offensive Coordinator
Carlos Correa5 days ago

Fully Healthy Entering Spring Training
Cristian Javier5 days ago

Targeting Return After All-Star Break
Alex Bregman5 days ago

A "Long Shot" To Return To Houston
Brandon Nimmo5 days ago

Still Dealing With Plantar Fasciitis
Lance McCullers Jr.5 days ago

Luis Garcia, Lance McCullers Jr. Will Not Be Ready For Opening Day
Noah Schultz6 days ago

Invited To Spring Training

RANKINGS

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

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Dak Prescott - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Five Veterans To Buy In Dynasty Fantasy Football Leagues

Managers who only play in redraft fantasy football leagues have packed it up for the season. Those who also participate in dynasty leagues know there is no offseason. Whether we're looking at the incoming rookie class, concocting trade offers, or planning for the 2025 rookie draft, we are always trying to improve. If you're in […]


Rashee Rice - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL wr, Draft Sleepers

Five Wide Receivers To Buy In Dynasty Fantasy Football Leagues

While the 2025 fantasy football season is still months away from redraft players, dynasty players work year-round to build a winning roster. Many dynasty players fall off the radar after the regular season until the rookie draft. However, now is the perfect time to make league-winning trades. Everyone loves buy-low trade targets. Yet, sometimes, fantasy […]


Isiah Pacheco - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News

Five Running Backs To Buy In Dynasty Fantasy Football Leagues

The great thing about competing in dynasty fantasy football leagues is that managers can make moves all offseason. Whether you are trying to compete in 2025 or entering a rebuild, making different trades in the coming months is almost a must. That's the single best way to upgrade your team for the future.  In this […]


Tucker Kraft - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Five Quarterbacks/Tight Ends To Buy In Dynasty Fantasy Football Leagues

Our Super Bowl LIX matchup is set. That means we are just about done with the 2024-25 NFL season. For dynasty fantasy football leagues, this is a slower time of year until the NFL Draft and rookie draft season are upon us in a few months. However, dynasty gamers are in a prime position to […]


Cam Ward - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks

Early 2025 NFL Draft Rankings – Top 10 Quarterback Prospects

Several high-end quarterbacks, such as Jayden Daniels from LSU and Bo Nix from Oregon, were selected in the 2024 NFL Draft class. These quarterbacks have already established themselves as franchise players. However, this class does not have as many high-end options as last season, but it does have some intriguing Day 2 and Day 3 options that […]


Tetairoa McMillan - College Football DFS Lineup Picks, NCAA CFB, NFL Draft Prospect

2025 NFL Mock Draft 1.0 - Pre-Senior Bowl Mock for First Round (Matt Donnelly)

With the Senior Bowl here, the NFL Combine just a few weeks away, and the 2025 NFL Draft closing in, it's time to get our mock on and predict where some of the top players in college football will be taking their talents to in 2025 The 2025 draft class is deep and talented, with […]


Will Howard - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks

Five Fantasy Football Sleepers To Target In Dynasty Rookie Drafts

With just one football game left in the season, fans of 30 of the 32 teams in the NFL have already turned their attention to the 2025 NFL Draft. Dynasty fantasy football sickos have already been focused on the draft since midseason, but it is just about time for everyone else to start paying attention. […]


Justin Jefferson - Fantasy Football rankings, NFL DFS, Injury News

Very Early 2025 Fantasy Football Rankings with Rookies and Tiers - Top 230 for Redraft Leagues

The 2024 NFL regular season just ended, but that doesn’t mean fantasy football has to. At least not totally. If you play in a dynasty or keeper league, or maybe you’re just consumed by fantasy football and cannot get enough, these 2025 fantasy football rankings should get you thinking about next season. Anytime you’re doing […]


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

Who is the Best NFL Wide Receiver Since 1990?

With the increased popularity of receivers in fantasy football and the advancement of data and film study (colossal shout-out to Reception Perception), the average football fan or fantasy football manager has more data and information at their fingertips than ever. That increased knowledge leads to more intense debates. Who is the best receiver? We could […]


Tyler Warren - College Football Rankings - NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks - NFL Draft

Early 2025 NFL Draft Rankings – Top 5 Tight End Prospects

The 2024 NFL Draft class had arguably the best tight end prospect in decades, if not ever. While Brock Bowers was a superstar as a rookie, the rest of the tight end class failed to make an impact. However, there is still hope for the rest of the class. Thankfully, the 2025 NFL Draft class […]


Marvin Harrison Jr. - Fantasy Football Rankings, WR, Waiver Wire, NFL DFS, Rookies

Should I Buy or Sell Marvin Harrison Jr. in Dynasty Fantasy Football Leagues?

When the Arizona Cardinals drafted wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. with the fourth overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, all fantasy managers believed Harrison was going to put up elite numbers right away. He was tabbed as a generational prospect and landed in one of the best situations. However, Harrison had his ups and […]


Video: Bold First-Round Predictions for 2025 - Way-Too-Early Fantasy Football Draft Preview

With the matchup for the Super Bowl set and the biggest game of the year just over a week away, it's a fun time to start putting together thoughts on 2025 fantasy football drafts! RotoBaller's LaQuan Jones breaks down his thoughts on 2025 in this Way-Too-Early Draft Preview. What are his bold predictions for the […]


Brian Thomas Jr - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Top Buys For Dynasty Fantasy Football – Offseason Trade Targets

The 2025 fantasy football season is still months away for redraft players. However, the game never stops for dynasty fantasy players, as the offseason is anything but slow. Now is the perfect time for fantasy players to explore the trade block and make deals ahead of free agency and dynasty rookie drafts. Everyone loves acquiring […]