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

Who Should I Start? Fantasy Baseball Start/Sit Decisions for Joey Wiemer, Brent Rooker, Brandon Bielak, JP Sears, more

Joey Wiemer - Fantasy Baseball Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Quickly get start 'em sit 'em advice for Who Should I Start fantasy baseball lineup questions from 6/12 - 6/18 (2023). Connelly tells you who to start and sit.

Welcome RotoBallers to my fantasy baseball start/sit article for the week ahead, June 12 - June 18. This week's article will focus on Joey Wiemer, Brent Rooker, Brandon Bielak, JP Sears, James Paxton, Jack Flaherty, Isaac Paredes, and Nolan Jones.

Whether you are prepping to set your weekly lineups or determining who to play in a pivotal daily matchup, choosing who to start vs. sit is one of the most nerve-wracking and potentially frustrating aspects of fantasy baseball. Fortunately, there is a free solution available at RotoBaller. The Who Should I Start Tool allows you to quickly compare any two players and receive fantasy projections for today, tomorrow, or the current week.

The tool provides rankings, projections, recent news, and schedules side-by-side to aid in your decision-making. The tool defaults to ESPN scoring, but the Premium version within Team Sync will automatically use your league's scoring and roster settings when making recommendations. Each week, I will use the tool to review a few interesting start/sit comparisons for the final day of the period and preview the following week. Hopefully, this series will help both daily fantasy managers end their weeks strong and also get them comfortable with routinely using the tool during the week to make tough roster decisions. Let's get into some start vs. sit comparisons for the week ahead, June 12 - June 18!

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

 

Aaron Judge Stopgaps

Joey Wiemer vs. Brent Rooker

Our first comparison is between two hot outfielders who are available for fantasy managers dealing with the recent Aaron Judge (toe) injury. Joey Wiemer is rostered in 25% of leagues and has a .400 batting average with three home runs and two steals in June. Brent Rooker has had a surprise season overall, slashing .263/.363/.505 with 12 HR and 36 RBI. Which one is a better pickup?

RotoBaller gives Rooker a slight edge. Oddly, the tool prefers Rooker's matchup at Freddy Peralta to Wiemer's against JP Sears. Ultimately, Wiemer has the edge in steal and strikeout projections, but Rooker has the edge in hits, HR, and walks.

Looking ahead to Week 12, the Brewers only play five games, two at the Twins and three against the Pirates. The A's get seven, with four against the Rays and three against the Phillies. The Brewers have better matchups, but the number of games is a bigger factor.

Surprisingly, the A's offense has been surging lately, compared to a middling Brewers offense. While Wiemer has been on fire lately, Rooker has been a more consistent fantasy option all season long. As such, I would lean toward picking up and starting Rooker as a long-term fantasy solution.

 

Sunday Starters

Brandon Bielak vs. JP Sears

Our next comparison is between two stream-worthy starters. Brandon Bielak has found his way into the Astros' rotation due to injuries and has a serviceable 3.35 ERA through seven appearances (six of which were starts). JP Sears has been a useful fantasy option this season despite pitching for the A's, compiling a 4.20 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and 22.7% strikeout rate. Who is the better bet for a Sunday spot start?

JP Sears gets a strong recommendation. Bielak will face a hot Guardians lineup, while Sears will face the aforementioned scuffling Brewers. Both are projected to pitch the same number of innings and Sears has a lower win projection, but he gets the clear advantage in hits, earned runs, and strikeouts.

Looking to the following week, Bielak draws a matchup against a hot Reds lineup, although he gets to pitch in Houston. Sears will also face a tough matchup at home against the Phillies. Neither of these matchups is great, so it may come down to what fantasy managers need more. While Bielak has less strikeout upside and a higher WHIP, he has pitched deeper into games and has a much higher chance to earn a win compared to Sears.

I think Bielak seems like a safer play in points leagues, while Sears has a slight edge in roto leagues overall. That being said, I would prefer to not have to rely on either for Week 12.

 

Long-Term Rotation Help

James Paxton vs. Jack Flaherty

This comparison is framed a little differently from how I normally approach them for this article. A number of big fantasy names have recently become unavailable due to injuries and demotions, leaving potential long-term holes in fantasy managers' rotations.

Both James Paxton and Jack Flaherty are pitchers who have provided higher-end fantasy production at times in their careers, and both are available in 59% and 56% of leagues, respectively. For this comparison, I will look at projected matchups for the next couple of weeks to determine who is the better fantasy rotation fill.

Over the next two weeks, Paxton is slated to draw home matchups against the scuffling Rockies and Yankees, followed by a road matchup with the White Sox. Flaherty is currently slated to only have two matchups, one tough one against the Giants and one favorable one at the Nationals.

Flaherty has compiled a better batted-ball profile than Paxton so far this season, but he has had too many issues with walks. Paxton has looked solid overall with a 3.81 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, and a 33% strikeout rate. Flaherty's ERA of 4.15 isn't bad, but his 1.50 WHIP and 13.2% walk rate have limited his fantasy value.

Health is a concern for each of these pitchers in their own right, but as of now, they are both viable options. At this point, Paxton has offered much more strikeout upside with more consistent overall fantasy production. I would go with him over Flaherty if I were in need of multi-week rotation support.

 

Next Best First Basemen

Isaac Paredes (1B/3B) vs. Nolan Jones (1B/OF)

Our final comparison is between two players who may be first-base eligible in your leagues and can help your teams if you're dealing with injuries. Isaac Paredes has brought the power this season, slashing .270/.352/.503 with 11 HR and 44 RBI. Nolan Jones is a former prospect who is getting a chance with the Rockies, slashing .349/.404/.581 with four steals in 47 plate appearances. Which one is a better play for next week?

RotoBaller gives Sunday's matchup a toss-up. Paredes gets the projection edge in HR, RBI, and strikeouts, while Jones gets the projection edge in hits, stolen bases, and walks. Paredes does hit in a better lineup overall, which serves as a tiebreaker for me.

The Rays draw better matchups the following week, with four games at the A's and three at the Padres. The Rockies will have three games at the Red Sox and four at the Braves. The Rays will face three lefties and the Rockies will face two, which favors Paredes. Overall, Paredes has been producing all season, whereas Jones' success has come in a much smaller sample size. Therefore, I give Paredes the nod for the following week.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy baseball app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, sleepers, prospects & more. All free!



More Fantasy Baseball Analysis




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


Raiders Select Jack Bech With 58th Pick

Chargers Add Wide Receiver Tre Harris In Round 2
Detroit Lions

Lions Acquire 57th Pick From Broncos

Seahawks Draft Elijah Arroyo 50th Overall
Carolina Panthers

Panthers Acquire 51st Pick From Broncos
Arizona Cardinals

Cardinals Snag Will Johnson At No. 47

Jets Add A Pass-Catcher With Mason Taylor At No. 42

Rams Select Terrance Ferguson With 46th Pick
Houston Texans

Texans Acquire 48th Pick From Raiders, Draft Aireontae Ersery

Saints Snag Tyler Shough At No. 40
Brenton Doyle

Out For Personal Reasons On Friday

Bears Draft Luther Burden In Round 2
Buffalo Bills

Bills Move Up To 41st Pick In Trade With Bears

Patriots Add TreVeyon Henderson To The Backfield At Pick No. 38
Miami Dolphins

Dolphins Acquire 37th Pick From Raiders, Draft Jonah Savaiinaea

Browns Add Quinshon Judkins To Backfield With 36th Pick
Seattle Seahawks

Seahawks Acquire 35th Pick From Titans, Select Nick Emmanwori

Texans Select Jayden Higgins 34th Overall
Brandin Podziemski

Not On Injury Report For Game 3
Jimmy Butler III

Warriors Optimistic About Jimmy Butler III Playing Saturday
Jae'Sean Tate

To Remain Out Saturday
Jock Landale

Unavailable For Game 3

Tyler Shough Could Come Off The Board Before Shedeur Sanders
Terry Rozier

Out On Saturday
Jrue Holiday

Ruled Out For Friday Night's Game 3 Against Orlando
Kevin Love

To Miss Saturday's Game
Jaylen Brown

Available For Friday Night's Game 3 Against Magic
Gary Payton II

Iffy For Saturday's Action
Jayson Tatum

Officially Available On Friday For Game 3 Against Magic
Will Smith

Back From Injury On Friday
Luke Kennard

Questionable For Game 4 On Saturday
Darius Garland

Listed As Questionable For Game 3
Ja Morant

To Miss Game 4 On Saturday
Rui Hachimura

Available For Game 3 In Minnesota
Aaron Ekblad

Available To Return Saturday
Erik Swanson

Ryan Burr Progressing
Daulton Varsho

To Return On Tuesday At The Latest
Max Scherzer

Takes Positive Step On Friday
Aleksander Barkov

Questionable For Saturday
Isaiah Spiller

Raiders Waive Isaiah Spiller
Gabriel Landeskog

Set For Larger Role In Game 4
Calvin Pickard

To Start Game 3 For Oilers
Randy Arozarena

Resting For First Time This Year
Jonas Siegenthaler

To Play Limited Minutes In Game 3
MLB

Red Sox-Guardians Game Postponed On Friday
Luke Hughes

Remains Out On Friday
MLB

Tigers-Orioles Postponed On Friday
Patrik Laine

A Game-Time Decision Friday
NFL

Several Teams Trying To Trade Up Early In Round 2

Bhayshul Tuten Could Be A Third-Round Pick
Yainer Diaz

Out On Friday Against Royals
Iván Herrera

Ivan Herrera Hopes To Start Rehab Assignment Next Week
Salvador Perez

Sitting Out For First Time This Season
Jaylen Brown

Questionable For Game 3 On Friday
Brendan Donovan

Back In Action On Friday
Jimmy Butler III

Could Miss Game 3 On Saturday
Coby Mayo

Getting On A Roll At Triple-A
Moises Ballesteros

Riding An 11-Game Hit Streak
Victor Mesa Jr.

Starting Rehab Assignment On Saturday
Ryan Weathers

To Begin Rehab Assignment On Sunday
Colby Thomas

Heating Up At Triple-A
Emmanuel Rodriguez

Has Quiet Start To 2025
Jeff McNeil

Hitting Eighth In Season Debut
Brandon Sproat

Coughs Up Six Earned Runs In Latest Start
Eury Pérez

Eury Perez To Start Rehab Assignment On Saturday
Carlos Prates

Looks To Remain Undefeated In The UFC
Ian Machado Garry

Set For UFC Kansas City Main Event
Cade Cunningham

Collects Double-Double In Loss
Jalen Brunson

Drops 30 Points In Game 3
Karl-Anthony Towns

Leads All Scorers In Game 3 Victory
Zhang Mingyang

Scheduled For Co-Main Event
Anthony Smith

Set For His Final UFC Bout
David Onama

Set For Featherweight Bout
Giga Chikadze

Looks To Bounce Back
Abus Magomedov

Looks For His Third Consecutive Win
Michel Pereira

Returns To Action At UFC Kansas City
Nicolas Dalby

An Underdog At UFC Kansas City
Randy Brown

A Favorite At UFC Kansas City
Andre Muniz

Set To Open Up UFC Kansas City Main Card
Ikram Aliskerov

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Sergei Bobrovsky

Shuts Out Lightning In Game 2
Cam Fowler

Finishes Thursday's Win With Five Points
Robert Thomas

Posts Four Assists In Game 3 Win
Pavel Buchnevich

Celebrates Hat Trick During Four-Point Performance
Dylan DeMelo

Battling An Illness
Marcus Johansson

Exits Early Thursday
Aleksander Barkov

Hurt In Game 2
Jrue Holiday

Tagged As Questionable For Friday
Jayson Tatum

Likely Out Again On Friday
Anthony Cirelli

Good To Go Thursday
Andrei Vasilevskiy

Looks To Bounce Back In Game 2
Rasmus Ristolainen

To Miss Training Camp
Jonas Siegenthaler

Returns To Practice
Aliaksei Protas

Traveling With Capitals
Gabriel Vilardi

Still Out On Thursday
Max Pacioretty

Set To Join Maple Leafs Lineup For Game 3
Cam Davis

Looking For Better Fortunes At TPC Louisiana
Adam Svensson

Making Third Apperence At Zurich Classic
Max Greyserman

Aiming For Similar Success At TPC Louisiana
Lee Hodges

A High-Upside Player In New Orleans
PGA

Nico Echavarria Looks To Ride Off Of Elite Putting In New Orleans
Gary Woodland

A Player Worth Watching In New Orleans
Max McGreevy

Returns To The Zurich Classic Of New Orleans
Rasmus Hojgaard

In Search Of Consistency Ahead Of Zurich Classic
Sam Stevens

A Boom-Or-Bust Candidate In New Orleans
Nicolai Hojgaard

Looking To Turn Season Around At Zurich Classic
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

Looks To Sway A Hot Putter In Teams Favor At Zurich Classic
Akshay Bhatia

Looking To Bounce Back At TPC Louisiana
Carson Young

Looks To Turn Things Around At TPC Louisiana
Erik Van Rooyen

Looking For Momentum In Louisiana
Andrew Novak

Making Start At TPC Louisiana After Near Miss At Harbour Town
Ben Griffin

Making Third Career Start At Zurich Classic
Taylor Moore

Competing With A New Teammate In New Orleans
Wyndham Clark

Making Return To New Orleans
Kurt Kitayama

Teeing It Up Again In New Orleans
Collin Morikawa

Back At Zurich Classic For Fifth Time
Thomas Detry

Making Third Appearance At New Orleans Team Event
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF